Shahrukh Sial is a gaming content writer at Sparked Host. He covers game guides, tips, and updates to help players improve their skills and enjoy a better gaming experience.

How To Get Totem of Undying In Minecraft

Let’s be real—dying in Minecraft can be a total nightmare. Whether you're deep in a cave or exploring the fiery pits of the Nether, losing all your hard-earned gear (especially to lava) is beyond frustrating. But what if you could cheat death? That’s where the Totem of Undying comes in.

This powerful little item can save you from dying—literally. It’s not the rarest thing in the game, but you’ll need to know where to look and what to do to get your hands on one. In this guide, we’ll break down exactly how to get a Totem of Undying in Minecraft and how it can keep your adventure going when things go south.

What Does the Totem of Undying Do?

The Totem of Undying is like your ultimate backup plan in Minecraft. No matter how you’re about to die—whether it’s from falling into lava, taking fatal fall damage, or getting overwhelmed by mobs—this little item steps in to save the day.

When you're holding it in your off-hand or main hand and take a blow that would normally kill you, the totem activates and gives you a second chance. It doesn’t make you invincible forever, but it does cancel your most recent death.

The best part? It works in all game modes—Survival, Adventure, and even Hardcore. So if you’re looking to stay alive just a little longer, the Totem of Undying is a must-have.

Visually, the Totem of Undying looks like a small golden figurine with glowing emerald eyes—and when it activates, it puts on a cool little animation as it saves your life. But don’t get too confident—it’s not a get-out-of-jail-free card for every situation. The totem won’t save you from falling into the void or from the effects of the /kill command.

When it does trigger, though, it gives you a powerful combo of status effects to help you bounce back from near-death:

  • Absorption II for 5 seconds – gives you extra hearts to absorb more damage

  • Regeneration II – lasts 45 seconds in Java Edition, 40 seconds in Bedrock, helping you recover health quickly

  • Fire Resistance I for 40 seconds – protects you from burning, which is super handy if lava was the problem

These effects give you just enough time to escape danger, heal up, and get back in the fight. It’s basically Minecraft’s version of a one-time emergency lifeline.

Can You Enchant the Totem of Undying?

Nope, you can’t enchant the Totem of Undying itself. But don’t worry, it still plays well with the rest of your enchanted gear. While the totem does its job when things go south, combining it with strong armor (like Protection IV) or powerful enchanted weapons can seriously boost your survival chances. Think of the totem as your last line of defense, and your gear as what keeps you from needing it in the first place.

How To Get the Totem of Undying in Minecraft

The Totem of Undying doesn’t spawn naturally in the world. Instead, players must obtain totems by defeating a mob that drops it. Specifically, the totem is dropped as mob loot by Evokers—a spell-casting hostile mob that appears during raids or in Woodland Mansions. It is available in both the Java Edition and Bedrock Edition of the game.

Where Do You Find the Totem of Undying?

There are two main ways to get your hands on a Totem of Undying, and both involve taking down one very dangerous mob: the Evoker.

1. Woodland Mansions

These massive, eerie structures are home to a bunch of hostile Illagers—and most importantly, Evokers. You’ll typically find up to three Evokers in a single mansion, and each one drops a Totem of Undying when defeated. But here’s the catch: Woodland Mansions don’t respawn mobs. So once you clear one out, that’s it—you’ll need to find a new mansion if you want more totems.

2. Village Raids

If you want a renewable way to farm totems, raids are the way to go. Here’s how it works:

  • Find a Pillager Outpost

  • Defeat the Patrol Leader (the one holding a banner) to get the Bad Omen effect

  • Enter a village, which will trigger a raid

  • Fight through the waves—Evokers show up in the later stages

  • Every Evoker you defeat drops one Totem of Undying

Raids are repeatable, which makes them the best method for farming multiple totems. Just make sure you’re geared up—they get pretty intense!

How Many Totems of Undying Per Raid Can You Get?

Each raid has around 5–7 waves, depending on difficulty. Evokers spawn in the later waves, typically the last two. You can get 2–3 Totems of Undying per raid, depending on how many Evokers spawn. Since raids can be triggered repeatedly, this is the most effective method for farming totems.

Can You Craft a Totem of Undying?

No, Minecraft players cannot craft a Totem of Undying. You must earn it through combat. There is no crafting recipe, and it remains an undying uncommon item that must be collected through skill and effort.

Bonus: How to Bypass Totem of Undying

There used to be a bug in early versions of the Java Edition where using Arrows of Harming could kill a player before the totem activates. This bypassed the revive and caused the totem to be wasted. While it may be patched in recent updates, early version PvP servers may still allow it.

Who Can Use the Totem of Undying?

Though intended for players, any mob that can pick up and hold items can use a totem. These include:

  • Allay

  • Fox

  • Zombies

  • Skeletons

  • Villagers

When they hold the totem in their main hand or off hand, it can save them from death as well.

How to Use Totem of Undying in Minecraft

Using a Totem of Undying is simple—but there’s a catch. You must be holding it in either your main hand or off-hand when you take fatal damage. Just keeping it in your inventory or hotbar isn’t enough—it won’t activate unless it’s equipped.

When it triggers, the totem performs a distinct animation (visible in both first- and third-person view), and you’ll immediately receive several lifesaving status effects:

  • Regeneration II – quickly restores lost health

  • Absorption II – gives you extra hearts for protection

  • Fire Resistance I – protects you from fire and lava damage for a short time

The Totem of Undying only works once per use, so be sure to keep an eye on your hand slot during risky fights.

Conclusion

The Totem of Undying is one of Minecraft’s most valuable survival tools. It won’t save you from every kind of death, but when used right, it can be the difference between starting over and living to fight another day. Whether you’re facing the Ender Dragon, braving a raid, or just exploring deep caves, having a totem on hand gives you a serious edge. You can’t craft it, which makes earning one through battle feel even more satisfying. So stay prepared, keep a totem equipped, and always expect the unexpected—because in Minecraft, danger is never too far away.