Happy Ghast

A happy ghast is a passive counterpart of ghasts which can be harnessed and ridden by up to four players at once as a flying mount. It can only be encountered if a ghastling grows into a happy ghast.

Happy Ghast

• Default
• Harnessed
• Leashed
• Ghastling

View all renders

Health points	20HP × 10
Behavior	Passive
Mob type	Animal
Hitbox size	Happy Ghast: Height: 4.0 blocks Width: 4.0 blocks Ghastling: Height: 0.95 blocks Width: 0.95 blocks
Speed	0.7
Spawn	Ghastling: When a dried ghast is rehydrated in water. Happy Ghast: When a Ghastling grows up.
Usable items	Ghastling: Snowball Lead Happy Ghast: Harness Shears Lead

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    "extratext": "[[#Gallery|View all renders]]",
    "title": "Happy Ghast",
    "images": [
        "Happy Ghast.gif",
        "Harnessed Happy Ghast.gif",
        "Leashed Happy Ghast.gif",
        "Ghastling.gif"
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            "field": "Passive",
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            "label": "(link to Mob article, displayed as Mob) type"
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            "label": "(link to Hitbox article, displayed as Hitbox size)"
        },
        {
            "field": "0.7",
            "label": "(link to Attribute#movementSpeed article, displayed as Speed)"
        },
        {
            "field": "Ghastling: When a (link to dried ghast article, displayed as dried ghast) is rehydrated in (link to water article, displayed as water).<br/>\nHappy Ghast: When a Ghastling grows up.",
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    "invimages": [
        "Happy Ghast Spawn Egg"
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A ghastling is a younger version of happy ghasts. It can only be encountered by submerging a dried ghast in water and waiting for it to grow. It cannot be harnessed or ridden, and grows into a happy ghast over time. Feeding it snowballs accelerates its growth.

These mobs were revealed at Minecraft LIVE – March 2025, and are planned to be added to the game with the Summer Drop 2025 in June 2025.

Spawning

Neither happy ghasts nor ghastlings spawn naturally.

A ghastling spawns when a dried ghast is waterlogged for 20 minutes. A happy ghast spawns when a ghastling grows up.

Drops

Happy ghasts drop their equipped harness on death, if any, plus 1–3XP experience orbs when killed by a player or tamed wolf. Killing a ghastling yields no experience.

Behavior

Home location

Happy ghasts and ghastlings are bound to a home, which is initially defined as the location where they spawn. However, this is further redefined whenever certain events occur:

• When a harness is placed on or removed from them.
• When they are unleashed.
• When they are dismounted.
• When they are no longer tempted by a snowball, a harness, or a mob.

Harnessed happy ghasts and ghastlings roam within a 32-block radius of their home, while unharnessed happy ghasts roam within a 64-block radius of their home.

Healing

When not at full health, happy ghasts and ghastlings regenerate at a rate of 1HP every 30 seconds. However, if they are between Y-levels 187 and 196 (corresponding to the cloud level), or if it is raining or snowing, they regenerate at a rate of 1HP per second.

Ghastling

Ghastlings roam and occasionally follow nearby players or specific mobs within a range of 16 blocks. They move toward their target with a slight speed boost (× 1.1) and stop when within 5 blocks. Ghastlings prioritize players but can also follow the following mobs, provided they are not babies:

• Armadillo
• Bee
• Camel
• Cat
• Chicken
• Cow
• Donkey
• Fox
• Goat
• Horse
• Skeleton Horse
• Llama
• Mule
• Ocelot
• Panda
• Parrot
• Pig
• Polar Bear
• Rabbit
• Sheep
• Sniffer
• Strider
• Villager

In Bedrock Edition, ghastlings do not follow targets outside their designated home area.

Ghastlings do not drown under water.

A ghastling eventually turns into a happy ghast after 24000 ticks (20 minutes). This process can be sped up with snowballs. It takes 10 in Bedrock Edition or more in Java Edition snowballs for a newly-spawned ghastling to become fully-grown.

Ghastlings do not have a separate spawn egg, as they are the juvenile version of the happy ghast, but they can be spawned using commands.

Happy Ghast

Happy ghasts fly around aimlessly and are passive to players and other mobs. Unlike most passive mobs, they do not panic when damaged.

They follow players holding snowballs. They also follow players holding a harness, if they don't have one already equipped. They can also be leashed.

Unlike regular ghasts, they are not immune to fire damage, and cannot shoot fireballs. Also unlike regular ghasts, they are attacked by withers.

Happy ghasts are somewhat unaffected by speed potions.

Riding

A happy ghast being ridden by Steve

Happy ghasts can be ridden by up to four players at once when equipped with a harness. The harness can be taken off using shears to retrieve the item.

The first player that mounts the happy ghast controls it, sitting in the front just above its face. Players that mount after the piloting player sit in a spot on the remaining sides, starting clockwise from the first player. This allows four players in total to ride one happy ghast.

When riding, the player can fly both horizontally and vertically, allowing for more precise movement in the air. While the happy ghast is being ridden, its goggles lower to cover its eyes. A ridden happy ghast moves at about 5 m/s when going the direction the pilot is looking in.

Players can stand on top of a happy ghast (both harnessed and unharnessed) in the air as if it were a solid block. It remains still while players are standing on it, making it easier to mount and dismount and to build structures high above the ground. Other entities (such as other mobs and items) also sit on top the stationary happy ghast. Mobs make no attempt to pathfind when on it. When no player is standing on the ghast, any entities left on it are flung off, which can indirectly cause mobs to fall to their death.

Carrying leashed entities

Happy ghast carrying a boat on a lead

Happy ghasts can also be used to carry and transport certain entities in the air using leads.

The player can attach a leashed boat, boat with chest, or leash-able mob too large to fit in boats (horses, donkeys, mules, camels and sniffers) to a harnessed happy ghast.

While the player is sneaking and holding an entity's leash, press the Use key on a happy ghast to attach the leashed entity underneath it. This secures the carried entity for safe transport while flying. The leash can be removed later by using shears on either the happy ghast or the carried entity, separating them.

Sounds

Happy Ghast

Java Edition:

[hide]Sounds
Sound	Subtitles	Source	Description	Resource location	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
	​Happy Ghast croons	Friendly Creatures	Randomly	entity.happy_ghast.ambient	subtitles.entity.happy_ghast.ambient​	?	?	?
	​Happy Ghast dies	Friendly Creatures	When a happy ghast dies	entity.happy_ghast.death	subtitles.entity.happy_ghast.death​	?	?	?
	​Happy Ghast hurts	Friendly Creatures	When a happy ghast is damaged	entity.happy_ghast.hurt	subtitles.entity.happy_ghast.hurt​	?	?	?
	None​​	Friendly Creatures	While riding a happy ghast	entity.happy_ghast.riding	None​​	?	?	?
	​Happy Ghast is ready	Friendly Creatures	When mounting a happy ghast	entity.happy_ghast.harness_goggles_down	subtitles.entity.happy_ghast.harness_goggles_down​	?	?	?
	​Happy Ghast stops	Friendly Creatures	When dismounting a happy ghast	entity.happy_ghast.harness_goggles_up	subtitles.entity.happy_ghast.harness_goggles_up​	?	?	?
	​Harness equips	Friendly Creatures	When equipping a harness on a happy ghast	entity.happy_ghast.equip	subtitles.entity.happy_ghast.equip​	?	?	?
	​Harness unequips	Friendly Creatures	When unequipping a harness on a happy ghast	entity.happy_ghast.unequip	subtitles.entity.happy_ghast.unequip​	?	?	?

Bedrock Edition:

[hide]Sounds
Sound	Source	Description	Resource location	Volume	Pitch
	Friendly Creatures	Randomly	mob.happy_ghast.ambient	1.0	1.0
	Friendly Creatures	When a happy ghast dies	mob.happy_ghast.death	1.0	1.0
	Friendly Creatures	When a happy ghast is damaged	mob.happy_ghast.hurt	1.0	1.0
	Friendly Creatures	While riding a happy ghast	mob.happy_ghast.ride	1.0	1.0
	Friendly Creatures	When mounting a happy ghast	mob.happy_ghast.goggles_down	1.0	1.0
	Friendly Creatures	When dismounting a happy ghast	mob.happy_ghast.goggles_up	1.0	1.0
	Friendly Creatures	When equipping a harness on a happy ghast	mob.happy_ghast.harness_equip	1.0	1.0
	Friendly Creatures	When unequipping a harness on a happy ghast	mob.happy_ghast.harness_unequip	1.0	1.0

Ghastling

Java Edition:

[hide]Sounds
Sound	Subtitles	Source	Description	Resource location	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
	​Ghastling coos	Friendly Creatures	Randomly	entity.ghastling.ambient	subtitles.entity.ghastling.ambient​	?	?	?
	​Ghastling dies	Friendly Creatures	When a ghastling dies	entity.ghastling.death	subtitles.entity.ghastling.death​	?	?	?
	​Happy Ghast hurts	Friendly Creatures	When a ghastling is damaged	entity.ghastling.hurt	subtitles.entity.ghastling.hurt​	?	?	?
	​Ghastling appears	Friendly Creatures	When a ghastling spawns	entity.ghastling.spawn	subtitles.entity.ghastling.spawn​	?	?	?

Bedrock Edition:

[hide]Sounds
Sound	Source	Description	Resource location	Volume	Pitch
	Friendly Creatures	Randomly	mob.ghastling.ambient	1.0	0.5
	Friendly Creatures	When a ghastling dies	mob.ghastling.death	1.0	0.5
	Friendly Creatures	When a ghastling is damaged	mob.ghastling.hurt	1.0	0.5
	Friendly Creatures	When a ghastling spawns	mob.ghastling.spawn	1.0	0.5

Data values

ID

Java Edition:

Name	Identifier	Entity tags	[hide]Translation key
Happy Ghast	happy_ghast	fall_damage_immune dismounts_underwater can_equip_harness	entity.minecraft.happy_ghast

Bedrock Edition:

Name	Identifier	Numeric ID	[hide]Translation key
Happy Ghast	happy_ghast	147	entity.happy_ghast.name

Entity data

Happy Ghast have entity data associated with them that contain various properties.

Java Edition:

• [NBT Compound / JSON Object] Entity data
  • Additional fields for mobs that can breed see Template:Nbt inherit/breedable/template[show]
  • Tags common to all entities see Template:Nbt inherit/entity/template[show]
  • Tags common to all mobs see Template:Nbt inherit/mob/template[show]

Advancements

Icon	Advancement	In-game description	Actual requirements (if different)
	A Throwaway Joke	Throw a Trident at something. Note: Throwing away your only weapon is not a good idea.	Hit a mob with a thrown trident.
	Adventure	Adventure, exploration and combat	Kill any mob, or be killed by any living entity.
	Arbalistic	Kill five unique mobs with one crossbow shot	Armor Stand also counts for this advancement. This is a hidden advancement, meaning that it can be viewed by the player only after completing it, regardless of if its child advancement(s), if any, have been completed.
	Over-Overkill	Deal 50 hearts of damage in a single hit using the Mace	–
	Take Aim	Shoot something with an Arrow	Using a bow or a crossbow, shoot a mob with an arrow, tipped arrow, or spectral arrow.

History

2020s							Concept art is created for a rideable ghast mount intended for implementation in Minecraft Legends.
March 12, 2025							The Minecraft Instagram account releases a post teasing happy ghasts, asking "how did Steve get up there."
March 22, 2025							Ghastlings and happy ghasts are revealed at Minecraft LIVE – March 2025.
[hide]Upcoming Java Edition
1.21.6			25w15a				Added ghastlings and happy ghasts.
			25w16a				Boats and large mobs that can be leashed but not fit in a boat can now be leashed in a 4-leash configuration to a happy ghast.
[hide]Upcoming Bedrock Edition
1.21.80 Experiment Drop 2 2025			Preview 1.21.80.25				Added ghastlings and happy ghasts.
			Preview 1.21.80.27				Health reduced from 40HP × 20 to 20HP × 10.
1.21.90			Preview 1.21.90.20				Boats and large mobs that can be leashed but not fit in a boat can now be leashed in a 4-leash configuration to a happy ghast.

Issues

Issues relating to "Happy Ghast" or "Ghastling" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.

Trivia

• The first concepts of the happy ghast came from Minecraft Legends concept art of a flying ghast mount.
  • A similar concept would be used in A Minecraft Movie, where some piglins rode ghasts in a more abusive manner.
• The texture of both happy ghasts and regular ghasts is more detailed than the previous ghast texture. However, it's still not consistent with the core texel size (16/m), using half density as the compromise between two tex.
• During Minecraft LIVE, Agnes Larsson advised the community to construct designated "ghaststations" at their high-altitude builds, to allow for safe boarding of happy ghasts.
• In the alt text of an image on a Minecraft.net article, the collective noun for a group of happy ghasts is "a chuckle of happy ghasts".
• In Java Edition 25w15a, if a happy ghast has a harness and is turned back into a ghastling (by editing NBT data using /data), the harness remains visible and even shrinks to fit the ghastling.
• Happy ghasts are the largest animal in the game, and tied for the largest non-boss mob in the game with its hostile counterpart.
• Ghastlings undergo the largest relative size transition when growing into an adult, increasing their hitbox size by over 4.2x.

Gallery

Renders

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  Happy ghast nonmoving

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  Happy ghast harnessed nonmoving

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  Happy ghast harnessed leashed nonmoving

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  Ghastling nonmoving

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  Happy ghast with blue harness leashed

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  Ghastling without its outer skin (this state cannot be seen in-game)

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  Leashed happy ghast without harness (this state cannot be seen in-game)

Goggles up [show]

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Goggles down [show]

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Screenshots

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  A ghastling in a beach.

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  A player feeding a ghastling with snowballs in the frozen ocean biome.

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  A ghastling next to a player in a beach.

Mojang screenshots

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  Noor standing on top of a happy ghast.

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  Dried ghast, ghastling and happy ghast with blue harness.

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  Multiple happy ghasts and players with the Vibrant Visuals shaders enabled.

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  Steve next to a harnessed happy ghast in a badlands.

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  A happy ghast flying over Steve in a frozen ocean.

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  Steve riding a happy ghast in a badlands.

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  Steve riding a happy ghast in a forest.

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  Agnes, Felix, and Snifferish riding a happy ghast wearing a red harness, and happy ghasts wearing green, blue, and lime harnesses

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  "A chuckle of happy ghasts floating through the air in the sunset".

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  Ari riding a happy ghast.

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  Ghastlings following Efe.

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  Zuri and Kai riding a happy ghast.

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  Ghastlings following a warm pig.

Textures

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  Happy ghast texture

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  Ghastling texture

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  Black happy ghast harness texture file.

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  Blue happy ghast harness texture file.

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  Brown happy ghast harness texture file.

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  Cyan happy ghast harness texture file.

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  Gray happy ghast harness texture file.

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  Green happy ghast harness texture file.

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  Light blue happy ghast harness texture file.

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  Light gray happy ghast harness texture file.

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  Lime happy ghast harness texture file.

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  Magenta happy ghast harness texture file.

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  Orange happy ghast harness texture file.

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  Pink happy ghast harness texture file.

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  Purple happy ghast harness texture file.

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  Red happy ghast harness texture file.

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  White happy ghast harness texture file.

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  Yellow happy ghast harness texture file.

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  Texture for leash ropes on a Happy Ghast

Official artwork

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  Zuri riding a happy ghast.

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  Kai and Noor leading a chuckle.

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  Ghastling pixel art.

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  Happy ghast with the Tiny trio.

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  Cutout of the stylized happy ghast.