Minecraft's cubic world, while captivating, is rife with danger: neutral mobs, monsters, and, in certain game modes, other players. For survival, crafting shields and weapons is essential. This guide focuses on creating bows and arrows in Minecraft; sword crafting is covered elsewhere. A bow without arrows is purely decorative.

Table of Contents

• What is a Bow in Minecraft?
• How to Make a Bow in Minecraft
• Get a Bow from a Villager
• Get a Bow as a Trophy
• Bow as a Crafting Ingredient
• Arrows in Minecraft
• Using a Bow in Minecraft

What is a Bow in Minecraft?

A Minecraft bow is a ranged weapon, offering a degree of safety when attacking enemies. However, this advantage isn't universal; the Warden, for instance, possesses ranged attacks requiring strategic combat. Note that skeletons, strays, and illusioners also wield bows, with skeletons posing a significant early-game threat.

How to Make a Bow in Minecraft

Crafting a bow requires:

• 3 Strings
• 3 Sticks

Combine these at a crafting table as shown below.

Alternatively, two damaged bows can be combined at a crafting table, resulting in a repaired bow with durability exceeding the sum of the originals by 5%.

Get a Bow from a Villager

Apprentice-level Fletchers sell regular bows for 2 emeralds. Expert-level Fletchers offer enchanted bows, costing 7-21 emeralds.

Get a Bow as a Trophy

Defeating Skeletons or Strays offers a chance (8.5%, increased to 11.5% with a Looting enchantment on your sword) to obtain a bow as a drop.

Bow as a Crafting Ingredient

Bows are also a crafting component for Dispensers. You'll need:

• 1 Bow
• 7 Cobblestones
• 1 Redstone Dust

Arrows in Minecraft

To use a bow, arrows are necessary. They're automatically consumed from your inventory. Crafting arrows requires:

• 1 Flint
• 1 Stick
• 1 Feather

This yields 4 arrows. Skeletons and Strays also drop arrows (1-2, sometimes with a Slowness effect), though these cannot be picked up. Fletchers sell arrows (16 for 1 emerald, potentially enchanted at higher levels). In Java Edition, arrows can be obtained as a reward for having the "Hero of the Village" buff. Chests and dispensers in Jungle Temples and Bastion Remnants may contain 2-17 arrows. Arrows stuck in blocks after being shot can be collected (except those from Skeletons, Illusioners, or bows with Infinity).

Using a Bow in Minecraft

Equip the bow, and keep arrows in your inventory. Right-click to draw the bowstring; releasing fires the arrow. Draw time affects damage (6 damage at full draw, up to 11 with longer draw). Arrow flight distance depends on draw strength and angle; a 45-degree upward angle at full draw maximizes distance (about 120 blocks), while a vertical shot reaches a maximum height of about 66 blocks. Arrows travel slower and shorter distances underwater or in lava.

Potions can enhance arrows. Combine 8 arrows with any lingering potion:

This applies the potion's effect (at ⅛ duration) on impact. Even with Infinity, enchanted arrow ammo is limited. Java Edition also features Spectral Arrows (created with a regular arrow and 4 Glowstone Dust, yielding 2 Spectral Arrows), which illuminate the impact area.

This guide covers crafting and locating bows and arrows, along with usage tips. Ensure your bow is fully durable and you have sufficient ammo for successful hunting, material gathering, and self-defense.