Wither

The Wither is Minecraft’s hardest optional boss. Unlike the Ender Dragon, it does not exist in the world until a player builds and summons it, and once it appears it destroys blocks, shoots explosive skulls and drains your health with the Wither effect. Players fight it for one reward above all: the nether star, the only way to craft a beacon. This wiki page covers Wither stats, how to summon it, its attacks and phases, the best strategies and arenas, and its rewards in Java and Bedrock Edition.

Wither stats

How to summon the Wither

1. Collect 3 wither skeleton skulls by killing wither skeletons in Nether fortresses. Use Looting III to improve the drop chance.
2. Collect 4 soul sand or soul soil blocks from soul sand valleys or fortresses.
3. Place the 4 soul blocks in a T shape: three in a row on top, one in the middle below.
4. Place the 3 skulls on top of the three upper blocks. The last skull you place summons the Wither. The space around the T must be clear of other blocks.

Build the T in a place you are prepared to fight, because when the Wither spawns it grows for about ten seconds, then releases a huge explosion that destroys nearby blocks. Never summon it near your base or a village.

How the Wither attacks

• Wither skulls: its three heads shoot black skulls that explode on impact and inflict Wither. It sometimes fires slow blue skulls, which are much more dangerous because they can break even strong blocks.
• Block destruction: it breaks blocks it touches and blocks hit by its skulls, except bedrock, obsidian in some cases, end portal frames and a few others.
• Targeting: it attacks players and most mobs, except undead mobs, so other monsters may distract it.
• Regeneration: the Wither slowly regenerates health over time.

The Wither’s phases

First half

Above half health, the Wither flies around, shoots skulls and is vulnerable to everything, including arrows. This is the time to use a Power bow while keeping your distance.

Second half: Wither Armor

When it drops below half health, the Wither gains Wither Armor, a shimmering shield. In Java Edition, it becomes immune to arrows, so you must switch to melee, and it stops flying high and stays closer to the ground. In Bedrock Edition, it also summons wither skeletons to help it and uses a dash attack, which makes the second half much harder.

Best strategies to beat the Wither

Fight underground

Summon the Wither in a small tunnel deep underground. With little space to fly, it stays close, and you can hit it repeatedly with a sword. Bring plenty of blocks to block skulls and repair walls.

Bedrock trap (Java)

Many Java players summon the Wither just under the bedrock layer, or in the End where it can be trapped against the exit portal’s bedrock, so its heads are stuck and it cannot move or aim properly. This lets you kill it safely with a sword. These traps rely on Java mechanics and may not work in Bedrock.

Open-air fight

If you fight in the open, build an arena far from anything valuable, use a bow in the first half, then switch to a Smite V sword. Keep moving to dodge skulls.

What to bring

• Armor: diamond or netherite with Protection IV or Blast Protection.
• Sword: Smite V deals much more damage to the Wither than Sharpness. See Smite explained.
• Bow: Power V for the first half.
• Milk buckets to cure the Wither effect.
• Potions: Strength, Regeneration, and splash Healing, which damages the Wither because it is undead.
• Golden apples and a totem of undying if you have one.
• Blocks to block skulls and seal holes.

Rewards: the nether star and beacons

The Wither drops one nether star when killed. The nether star never despawns, cannot be destroyed by explosions and is used to craft a beacon with 5 glass and 3 obsidian. Place the beacon on a pyramid of iron, gold, emerald, diamond or netherite blocks to get powerful effects such as Haste, Speed, Strength, Resistance, Jump Boost and Regeneration in a large area. A full four-layer pyramid unlocks every effect. Because each Wither drops only one star, players with big bases build Wither farms to get stars for multiple beacons. See how to make glass and obsidian for the other ingredients.

Wither effect

The Wither effect deals damage over time and turns your hearts black, so you cannot easily tell how much health you have left. Unlike Poison, it can kill you. Drink milk to remove it, but be aware milk removes all effects, including helpful potions.

Java vs Bedrock differences

Wither FAQ

How do you summon the Wither?

Place 4 soul sand or soul soil in a T shape and put 3 wither skeleton skulls on top.

How much health does the Wither have?

300 in Java and 600 in Bedrock.

What does the Wither drop?

One nether star, used to craft a beacon.

What is the best weapon against the Wither?

A Smite V sword, plus a Power bow for the first half.

Is the Wither harder than the Ender Dragon?

Most players find it harder, especially in Bedrock Edition.

Wither farms

Experienced Java players build automated Wither farms to collect nether stars in bulk. These farms usually summon the Wither in the End or under bedrock, where the boss cannot move, and kill it with explosives or repeated attacks. They are complex redstone builds and rely on Java-specific behavior, so most Bedrock players fight each Wither by hand instead. One nether star is enough for one beacon, and a single beacon covers a large base, so most players only need to fight the Wither a few times.

Getting wither skeleton skulls faster

Wither skeleton skulls are the bottleneck. Each wither skeleton has a small chance to drop one, raised by Looting. Find a large Nether fortress, light up the parts you do not need so more mobs spawn in the dark corridors, and clear blazes so you can focus on wither skeletons. Some players build a spawning platform at a fortress crossroads to farm them. Bring a good sword, Fire Resistance and a shield, because wither skeletons hit hard and their Wither effect stacks with fire from blazes.

Tips for a safer Wither fight

• Summon it at night or underground so you are not distracted by other mobs.
• Do not stand right next to the T when placing the last skull; place it, then retreat during the charge-up.
• Keep a separate hotbar slot for milk and use it as soon as your hearts turn black.
• In multiplayer, have one player tank with a Smite sword while others use bows in the first half.
• Never summon the Wither in a world you care about without a plan, because it can wreck large areas if it escapes.

Remember that the Wither also attacks other mobs, so in the open it can wander off after cows or villagers and cause damage far from your arena. Keep it close by fighting in an enclosed space.