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Getting an Ominous Trial Key in Minecraft
Screenshot by Pro Game Guides

What does the Bad Omen effect do in Minecraft and how to get it

Find the good in a Bad Omen.

The release of Minecraft 1.21 has transformed the Bad Omen effect to fit in with the new Trial Chambers.

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What is the Bad Omen effect in Minecraft?

There are two main things that the Bad Omen effect does. The first use relates to Raids on villages while the second activates the Ominous version of the Trial Chambers.

Raids

With the Bad Omen effect active, entering a village will change the Bad Omen into a Raid Omen. The Raid Omen will last for 30 seconds before being destroyed and starting a Raid.

The Raid Omen in Minecraft
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The amount of waves in the Raid will depend on the level of the Ominous Bottle used and the game's difficulty.

  • Ominous Bottle I: Raids will last 3 waves in Easy difficulty, five waves in Normal difficulty, and seven waves in Hard difficulty.
  • Ominous Bottle II-V: Raids last 4 waves in Easy difficulty, six in Normal difficulty, and eight in Hard difficulty.
A Raid in Minecraft
Screenshot by Pro Game Guides

Ominous Trials

After activating the Bad Omen effect, getting near a regular Trial Spawner will transform it into a Trial Omen. This will transform nearby Trial Spawners into Ominous Trial Spawners, indicated by the blue flames they release.

Transforming the Bad Omen into a Trial Omen in Minecraft
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All waves of enemies released from Ominous Trial Spawners are stronger than usual. If mobs can wear armor and hold weapons, they will commonly spawn with enchanted gear. This armor will be decorated with the Armor Trims available in the Trial Chambers and will have Protection IV, Projectile Protection IV, and Fire Protection IV. Mobs that cannot wear gear will spawn twice as much during the Trial. Once a Trial is completed, they will drop different loot that may include an Ominous Trial Key.

Getting an Ominous Trial Key in Minecraft
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Ominous Trial Keys to unlock Ominous Vaults, which hold rarer treasures than regular Vaults.

How to get the Bad Omen effect in Minecraft

The only way to get the Bad Omen effect is by consuming an Ominous Bottle. These bottles will always be a level between Level 1 and Level 5. Bottles of different levels look the same, but the length of their effects on Raids and Trial Chambers will be different. There are two ways to get these bottles and each will randomly drop an Ominous Bottle of any level.

Raid Captain

There are two ways that you can get Ominous Bottles in Minecraft. The first way is by defeating a Raid Captain while not currently in a Raid. Raid Captains are differentiated from regular Pillagers by the flags that they carry. Bottles found this way will be between Level 1 and Level 5.

A Pillager Raid Captain in Minecraft
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This is the easier option because you can either find a Pillager Outpost or defeat randomly spawning Pillagers. After defeating the Raid Captain, you may find an Ominous Bottle floating in the area where he died.

A Pillager Raid Captain dropping an Ominous Bottle
Screenshot by Pro Game Guides

Trial Chambers

The second way you get Ominous Bottles is by finding them as an uncommon drop within Trial Chambers. They will occasionally be given after unlocking a Vault in the chambers. I managed to get an Ominous Bottle after opening about eight Trial Chambers Vaults.

Getting an Ominous Bottle from a Trial Chamber Vault
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Once you've gotten an Ominous Bottle, drink it to give yourself the Bad Omen status. Once activated, the effect will last for 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Drinking an Ominous Bottle in Minecraft
Screenshot by Pro Game Guides

When the Bad Omen status is in effect, you'll see the corresponding symbol in the upper right corner of the screen. If you want to remove it, drink a bucket of milk.

The Bad Omen symbol in Minecraft
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Want to strengthen up before taking on the Trial Chambers? Check out Best Enchantments in Minecraft – Best Armor, Sword, Pickaxe, Trident Enchantments & More! here on Pro Game Guides.


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Author
Image of Krista McCay
Krista McCay
Contract Writer - Pro Gamer Guides. I work on Minecraft articles, particularly updating articles as the game changes and grows. I do play a lot of Minecraft, but I also enjoy games like Overwatch 2, Hades, and Splatoon 3 .