I found a tutorial for a gold zombie pigman xp farm. Basically it uses a couple of dozen nether portals to let pigmen come through and drop for a gravity xp farm. So I was thinking about putting a few (4 or 8) nether portals on other xp farms and letting them drop into the mix to grab some extra gold for my powered rail lines.
Ok so I have begun trials. At the top of the gravity fall I placed 4 nether portals. One side walled up and the other side has water flow to carry zombie pigmen to the drop. Placed glass above it so I could see if they get stuck. This was done at a zombie spawner that I was already using for xp. So for 200+ zombies I got 1 pigman. So it works but I think I would need at least 12 or 20 portals to make it more effective.
By the way the zombie pigman could attack and damage me from the kill box when the regular zombies can not.
edit: just got another pigman so just need to add some portals.
Ok so I have begun trials. At the top of the gravity fall I placed 4 nether portals. One side walled up and the other side has water flow to carry zombie pigmen to the drop. Placed glass above it so I could see if they get stuck. This was done at a zombie spawner that I was already using for xp. So for 200+ zombies I got 1 pigman. So it works but I think I would need at least 12 or 20 portals to make it more effective.
By the way the zombie pigman could attack and damage me from the kill box when the regular zombies can not.
edit: just got another pigman so just need to add some portals.
Keep us updated! I've never tried one of these so I'm curious to see your results
Because of stuff I had already built I only had room for 6 nether portals total. So I'm now getting 1 pigman for every 50 zombies +/_. I think when I first tried it I may have been too close to the portals but now it seems to work OK. I have not gone to the nether through these portals so there may be a way to increase pigmen spawning from there. This location will probably not get more than the 6 portals because of space issues. Eventually I will try another one with more portals but that may be weeks or longer. I think you have to be within 40 blocks for the portal to bring in pigmen? so you could put a couple of dozen portals easily.
From what I understand, there is nothing you can do to increase the spawn rates of individual portals. Not even making changes to the nether side of the portal will affect spawn rates. The only thing you can do is create more portals.
Anyone else doing this? Any advice/drawbacks?
By the way the zombie pigman could attack and damage me from the kill box when the regular zombies can not.
edit: just got another pigman so just need to add some portals.
Keep us updated! I've never tried one of these so I'm curious to see your results