Bandit outposts are small towers surrounded by structures inhabited by dangerous bandits armed with crossbows. 

They can drop interesting and valuable loot. You can also raid villages. Therefore, in this guide, we will discuss where to look for outposts, which biomes to explore, how the Java and Bedrock versions differ, and how to use commands for quick navigation.

Where bandit outposts usually appear

Outposts are not as common as villages, but they are not as rare as forest brotherhood mansions. They appear once every few hundred or thousand blocks.

Basically, outposts can be found in the same biomes where villages appear, but this is not a strict rule. In addition to the usual plains, savannas, and taiga, they can also appear in other, more exotic locations.

The most likely biomes for outposts to appear in are:

• Plains;

• Taiga;

• Savanna;

• Desert;

• Snowy Plains;

• Mountain biomes: Grove, Snowy Slopes, Jagged Peaks, Frozen Peaks, Stony Peaks, Cherry Grove.

The peculiarity is that some of these biomes do not support village generation, but outposts can appear there.

Difference between Java and Bedrock versions

In Bedrock Edition, outposts can be generated both near a village and at a great distance from it.

In Java Edition, the game will not allow an outpost to be generated too close to a village. You will have to move some distance away from the nearest settlement to encounter a bandit tower.

This is especially important if you are playing in survival mode and navigating by the landscape.

How to find an outpost using a command

If you don't want to wander around the world looking for the right structure or just want to study the mechanics of pillagers, you can use the built-in command.

1. Enable cheats in the world. This can be done when creating a world or temporarily in the settings (in single player).

2. Open the chat (T or Enter key).

    3. Enter the command:

/locate structure pillager_outpost

After pressing Enter, the coordinates of the nearest outpost will appear in the chat. You can enter them manually into the navigation, or — if the game allows it — simply click on the coordinates and automatically teleport to the desired point (with cheats enabled).

This is the fastest way to get to the tower and start fighting the pillagers.

What to do if you don't want to use commands

If you play strictly in survival mode without cheats, then there is only one thing left to do — explore. First, determine the biomes you have already visited. Find the boundaries of the territories you know and go on an expedition along the passages between plains, mountains, and forests.

The longer you walk away from the villages, the higher the chance of coming across the structure you need. Don't forget to take food, weapons, and armor with you. Bandits attack in a coordinated manner and from a decent distance.

The outpost can be spotted from afar; it is a tall wooden tower with a bandit flag at the top. Nearby, there may be cages with iron golems or animals, as well as camps with tents and bonfires.