nocware
Quick answer
- Villager trades are the best source by far.
Emerald ore only spawns in mountain biomes.- Vindicators and evokers also drop emeralds.
Emeralds are the currency of villagers. Once you have a few good trades, they pay for themselves.
Villager Trade GuideEvery Minecraft villager job, its job site block and what it trades, plus a librarian enchanted book price calculator and tips for cheaper trades→
Trades that pay emeralds
| Villager | Buys |
|---|---|
| Librarian | Paper |
| Farmer |     Wheat, carrots, potatoes, Pumpkin |
| Fletcher | Stick items |
| Fisherman | Coal, string, raw fish |
| Shepherd |  Wool |
Sugar cane loopSugar cane makes paper, and librarians buy paper. A sugar cane farm plus a librarian is a steady emerald supply.
Mining
- Emerald ore spawns in mountain biomes like meadows, groves and peaks.
- It's more common the higher up you go.
- Fortune gives more emeralds per ore.
Other sources
- Vindicators and evokers in mansions and raids.
- Chests in villages, temples and buried treasure.
Cheaper tradesCuring a zombie villager or winning a raid makes villagers give you big discounts.
Cheat sheet
- Villager trades are best
- Emerald ore in mountains
- Sugar cane to paper to librarians
- Cure zombies for discounts
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