Minecraft: Defeating a Rogue Wither

Everyone knows it's easy to defeat Minecraft's Wither boss if you build it in a claustrophobic space or fight it above the Nether. However, the Wither is much more of a challenge in the varied Overworld surface, where trees get in its way and passive mobs are around to get pummeled and regenerate its health. I, with my friends on the Bare Roots Server, are currently suffering major losses due to many deaths to one escaped Wither. Unfortunately, all our super-powerful gear has already been destroyed, so we need to do something different contain this guy.

I came up with a plan. It doesn't require lots of powerful diamond gear, but a decent supply of gunpowder. Here's the shopping list with recommended quantities:

• 128 TNT
• 27 normal bows
• 64 arrows
• 2 Ender pearls
• 1 bed
• 1 iron pick
• 1 flint & steel
• 2 players
• 2 suits of iron armor
• 1 normal iron sword
• 1 good bow
• 1 good sword

First, in a location somewhat far away from the Wither (it won't rage on you until you directly attack it), dig a 1x1 hole a decent way - say, 50 blocks - down and fill it with TNT. Light it, and get away. Then, at the bottom of the exploded hole, TNT out sideways, producing an artificial cavern. Optionally, light it up, but the lighting will probably get destroyed later. Set up a bed at the surface with the supply chests containing bows and the arrows. Optionally, protect it with cobble you got from the blast.

Now, for this next step, bring nothing but one bow and 2 or 3 arrows. Go shoot the Wither once or twice, just to get it following you. Jump (or Ender pearl, if you have a dispensable supply of them) down to the bottom, making sure the Wither is following. Try to lure it away from the surface opening, but you'll probably die pretty quickly. Repeat this paragraph until the Wither is underground in your artificial cave, a decent way (20 blocks?) away from the surface hole.

At this point, if you aren't confident enough to go in and fight it (or if you like to live dangerously with a Wither below you), you could seal the hole and not worry about it ever again. It will eventually break out (those blue skulls can do a lot over a period of time), but by then you'll probably be geared up.

Here, get the nice bow (optimally Power IV or above, Punch is nice too), put on the iron armor, prepare an iron sword, take some potions if you have them, and go down. Shoot the Wither as much as you can, then go in with the sword, but you're probably close to dead by now. Once you die, grab the other set of iron armor, the good sword, and a normal bow, and finish off the Wither with a sword.