@@Dawns_Light I am playing hardcore atm, this curse does mean that when the player dies, the item vanishes. I ignore it. It's BINDING you need to be careful of in hardcore, specially if it's also enchanted with mending.
I never bother with cobblestone in the end, just mine the end stone. Keeps vital inventory slots free for potions, beds, TNT, arrows and whatever you choose to use in the dragon fight.
Dan a few episodes ago:"dude, we can't grind off curse of vanishing?!?!" Dan now:"Oh, curse of vanishing, we can just grind that off." Me:"WOW, what logic!!!"
I finally plucked up courage and beat the dragon the other day (only been playing since caves and cliffs update), when I went through the portal to the end island's there was a city with a ship, couldn't believe my luck.
It is rare because you have to find an end city and kill the dragon,find the stronghold and get ender pears and blaze rod to make the portal and get another 2 enderpearls to exit and enter the city
Dan: Curse of Vanishing, that’s horrible You know curse of vanishing despawns your armor when you die, right? And you’re in Hardcore, so it doesn’t even matter