Floater
See Spawn mechanics for the complete light, habitat, distance, population and unloading rules.
All mobs · Rustback beetle · Dusk prowler
Floaters are hostile stone creatures: a hovering rocky sphere with a scowling face and heavy arms. They spawn only underground in dark, covered caves, during either day or night. Look beneath the surface for dry chambers with enough room above a solid floor; mined underground chambers can also qualify. Open shafts and above-ground shelters do not qualify.
The cave capture is from the 2026-09-13 Floater Caves review build, with a temporary review light to show the creature and surrounding rock.
A Floater spots a visible player within 14 metres, approaches at low height and draws back its arms before punching. Step back during that preparation or put solid terrain between you and the creature. Its punches deal 3 HP before armor and survival protections; it has 16 health. Attack with your normal mining/attack button while aiming within melee reach. Weapons use their usual damage.
The round body stays about 0.6 metres above the ground. It can follow one-block steps and route around walls, but cannot climb tall vertical walls or fly freely across deep gaps. It does not break blocks or attack machines. Creative mode keeps the player invincible.
Killing a Floater drops one Floater Rock. Walk close to the fragment to collect it. It stacks to 64 and can be carried or stored in a chest. Use its magical rock in the crafting recipes linked below; it is not a fuel, food or placeable terrain block.
Save checkpoints preserve living Floaters, their health and positions, and carried, stored or dropped rocks. Saving and loading during the death animation cannot award a second rock. Normal dropped-item hazards still apply, including destruction in lava. Existing saved Floaters retain their positions; the cave restriction applies to new natural spawns.
The rock drop and held-item images are retained actual in-game captures from the earlier 2026-09-13 Floater review build. Combat balance and artistic acceptance remain under review.
Use its rock with a Pump to craft a Ranged Liquid Pump for collecting finite liquid sources.
Floater Rocks contain the magic that enables hovering. Use harvested stones to craft bridges and chunk loaders for distant workshops.
Floaters require light level 7 or lower immediately above their supporting floor, below their hovering body. Place torches or power Workshop Lamps so light reaches the floor; level 8 or higher prevents new spawns. Existing Floaters can still enter lit rooms. See lighting and spawning.
September 13, 2026 verification capture: the placed torch gives this floor light level 12, which blocks new natural spawns. The Floater was explicitly placed for the check to show that existing creatures remain.
Rare cobblestone spawner rooms in newly explored terrain contain a Floater cage. Its five-mob allowance is separate from the natural population; placed light prevents new spawns. Breaking the cage destroys it without an item drop.