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These are fun to feast the eyes on and traverse, but they also give way to a near-infinite supply of usable snow. Ironically, though, it’s not always apparent as to what snow can be used for despite its abundance in Minecraft. In fact, there are a number of amusing and even helpful things that snow can be used for in Minecraft.
8 Put Out Fires
This feature applies primarily to Powered Snow, which was added via a late 2020 update. Use a bucket to gather Powdered Snow from snowy mountains as well as slopes and grove biomes, or place a Cauldron while it’s snowing and wait for a bit.
This will eventually produce collectible Powdered Snow, which can then be used by the player. Tossing some Powdered Snow onto fires can snuff them out fairly quickly, and can be quite useful in the Nether, as there’s no shortage of them.
It should be noted, however, that while regular snow and snowballs don’t put out most fires, they are able to extinguish fires that set ablaze to the player themselves. This is useful when venturing through lava-laden caves or the Nether, as players can just drop a block of snow and run through it to neutralize it.
7 A Quick Way To Break One’s Fall
Snow can be a nifty, natural safety net or buffer when traveling, as falling on it will soften the blow and prevent some damage. This is especially a good tool following the update of Caves and Cliffs, which has even more gaping pits and taller peaks.
Players can simply aim for snowy areas when dropping to break their fall, or they can drop some snow in the landing zone with relative ease—provided the drop isn’t too far.
6 Create Snow Traps
Snow can be used as a subtle, but effective way to slow down mobs and even be used for cheeky traps. There are various ways to pull this off, but one of the simplest involves making a hole in the ground and setting a magma block inside it.
Afterward, simply place a layer of snow (not a snow block) on top. The magma block is now hidden while having the same burning effect, so players and mobs can be lured into walking over it. This technique can be fleshed out and expanded in more creative ways—but this is the simplest means to make a snow trap.
Powered Snow can also be used—and more effectively—to trap mobs and players in its own way. Unlike snow, which acts as a sort of false, collapsible floor, Powdered Snow can be used as a way to slow down and disrupt mobs.
5 Decoration and Aesthetic Purposes
For a simpler, but nonetheless fun action, snow can be used as a natural, simple means to add atmosphere and character to home bases or other preferred areas.
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Snow can be added to slopes, treetops, and ground areas to add a little winter cheer and decorative flair. In a game that stresses creativity and building, this can be significant. After all, this virtual sandbox shouldn’t just be fun to play in—but also enjoyable to look upon.
4 Use Snowballs To Defeat Blazes
Snowballs, like Powdered Snow, is another variant of snow, which come with their own range of uses (however few they might be). They can be had by poking at snow blocks or snow layers with a shovel.
While snow in its normal form does little to deter mobs, it can at least disrupt them when tossed in snowball form. Players can get creative and whip them at foes in elevated areas. This will knock them back and potentially make them fall to their doom if they’re close to the edge.
But more significantly, players can bring these on their Nether journeys as a secondary weapon against Blazes. Yes, tossing snowballs at these fiery foes will actually harm them and eventually snuff them out. Specifically, it takes seven snowballs to defeat a Blaze.
3 Hide An Entrance To A Hidden Area
Snow can be laid to fill in gaps as a crafty hidden pitfall, but similarly—it can be used to hide entrances to secret places.
Players can get quite creative here, using these snow-covered pathways as a way to further conceal a hidden bunker or home structure. Provided mobs or players aren’t bearing torches while wandering nearby, this makes for a great way to stay out of sight and in cover.
2 Craft Snow Golems
Both fun to admire and practically useful, Snow Golems are one of the best, most amusing things to concoct using snow. Like Frosty the Snowman after obtaining his magic hat, these snowmen will spring to life when constructed. Not only this, but they’ll actually work to protect and fight for the player.
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To make one, simply stack two snow blocks, and add a pumpkin, carved pumpkin, or jack o’lantern on top of the row. While they won’t follow the player to battle, they can serve as a nice deterrent to mobs in a home region, as they’ll fend off mobs in their vicinity.
1 Make A Snow Farm
Players can take their Snow Golem summoning one step further with this trick—assuming they’re willing to put in more time and have the necessary pieces. By using:
20 blocks (12 temporary and 8 building blocks) 4 glass panes 1 slab 2 Redstone dust 1 lever 1 piston 2 scaffolding 1 Snow Golem
Doing this, players can trap a Snow Golem in a confined space and poke at them to yield a ready source of snow layers. Youtuber and Minecraft player Shulkercraft goes into great detail in this tutorial.
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