Wither

The wither is an undead boss mob that shoots explosive skulls at its enemies.

Wither

Health points	300HP × 150‌ 600HP × 300‌ ? (other editons)
Armor points	4 ()
Attack strength	Easy: 5HP Normal: 8HP Hard: 12HP × 6 Dash Attack:‌ 15HP × 7.5
Hitbox size	Height: 3.5 Blocks Width: 0.9 Blocks
Spawn	Built by player; 10 second spawn cooldown.

{
    "title": "Wither",
    "rows": [
        {
            "field": "(values exceeds 1000 characters...)",
            "label": "(link to Health article, displayed as Health points)"
        },
        {
            "field": "4 (<span class=\"iconbar pixel-image nowrap\" style=\"--icon-offset:-1px;\" title=\"2 armor points\">(link to File:Armor (icon).png article, displayed as 9px|link=|alt=🛡)(link to File:Armor (icon).png article, displayed as 9px|link=|alt=🛡)</span>)",
            "label": "(link to Armor article, displayed as Armor points)"
        },
        {
            "field": "(values exceeds 1000 characters...)",
            "label": "Attack<br/>strength"
        },
        {
            "field": "Height: 3.5 Blocks<br>Width: 0.9 Blocks",
            "label": "(link to Hitbox article, displayed as Hitbox size)"
        },
        {
            "field": "Built by player; 10 second spawn cooldown.",
            "label": "(link to Mob spawning article, displayed as Spawn)"
        }
    ],
    "invimages": [],
    "images": [
        "Wither.png"
    ]
}

“	New Boss: Wither! Better craft a diaper, pal.	„
	— The Pretty Scary Update promo poster

Spawning

The wither build configuration.

The wither is spawned by placing 4 blocks of soul sand in a T shape (as shown in the image to the left), and putting 3 wither skeleton skulls on top of the three upper blocks. The last block placed must be one of the three skulls, and can be placed by the player or a dispenser. Air blocks are required on either side of the base soul sand block under the upper blocks (keep in mind that "block" refers to any block, not just those that are block shaped; therefore objects such as Tall Grass and Flowers will still prevent the Wither from spawning). The building pattern can have any orientation as well as the skulls. When the wither has completely spawned, it will anger and create an explosion around itself.

Like other hostile mobs, the wither despawns when the difficulty is changed to Peaceful. The wither spawning structure will also fail in Peaceful difficulty; the blocks will simply do nothing.

Drops

The wither drops the nether star upon death which, until picked up, cannot despawn or be destroyed by explosions. The Looting enchantment will not increase this drop. It also drops 50 experience points when killed by a player or tamed wolf.

Behavior

	“	This undead triple-headed creature will then immediately attempt to destroy every living thing in the vicinity, spitting out skulls from each of its three heads and inflicting a creeping corruption on their target which turns a player’s hearts an unhealthy black. In its fury, the Wither will destroy blocks it comes into contact with - even if you survive the battle, there’s often precious little left standing nearby.	„
		— Marsh Davies

The difference between the ender dragon's boss bar and the wither's boss bar.

When spawned, the wither will grow larger in size as its health bar fills up. While in this state, the wither is invulnerable, and will not move or attack. When this state ends (after 10 seconds), the wither will create a very large explosion centered on itself, destroying nearby blocks and damaging nearby mobs/players. The explosion is slightly larger than that of a charged creeper or an end crystal and is accompanied by a loud, threatening, ghastly sound that can be heard equally from across the map, and isn’t actually centered on the wither. After this, the wither will attack nearby mobs and is now able to take damage.

The wither is immune to fire, lava and drowning damage. Suffocation is ineffective, since upon taking damage, the wither will break any block it touches (except bedrock, end gateway blocks, end portal blocks, end portal frames, command blocks, barriers and extended pistons). Like other undead mobs, the wither is harmed by the Instant Health effect and healed by the Instant Damage effect. It is immune to all other status effects, like the ender dragon. However, it takes extra damage from weapons with the Smite enchantment.

The wither is hostile towards all mobs except the following:

• , , , Zombies and their variants
• , , Skeletons and their variants
• Zombie pigmen
• , Undead horses
• Phantoms
• Players in creative or spectator mode
• Ghasts
• Other withers

The wither is immune to all attacks from other undead mobs except skulls from other withers. Like the ender dragon, it can see players and mobs affected by Invisibility.

If the wither is idle, it simply hovers and is unable to gain altitude. On Normal or Hard difficulty, it will also randomly fire blue skulls in random directions until it finds a target.

The wither has a dark purple boss health bar which is only shown when a player is looking in its direction, including through walls. When looking at the wither, the sky gets slightly darker. All withers will display a boss bar on the screen.

Java Edition

The wither going on a villager killing rampage.

Upon noticing a mob, the wither hovers above it and rapidly shoots wither skulls. Each head fires independently, allowing a wither to attack up to three different mobs/players at the same time. The main head controls the Wither's movement, and has a 0.1% chance to shoot a blue wither skull instead of the default black one.

The wither has a passive regeneration rate of 1HP every 20 ticks (1 second), and a direct hit on a target instantly heals 5HP.

When its health drops below half (150HP × 75), the wither will gain a natural "wither armor" effect, which makes it immune to projectile damage and causes it to only fly at the same height as its target. The armor will disappear if it regenerates above half health.

Bedrock and Legacy Console Editions

Upon noticing a player or mob, the wither will fly to a random location and hover in place. It will shoot 3 black wither skulls and a blue wither skull before flying to another location.

At half health, it causes a large explosion that spawns 3-4 wither skeletons (except on Easy difficulty), as well as gaining "wither armor". Instead of flying to a random location, it will now dash towards its target like a missile, destroying most blocks and damaging mobs in its path. It also has different birth and death animations, both of which involve the wither spinning and exploding.

Wither Skull

Wither Skull

{
    "title": "Wither Skull",
    "rows": [],
    "invimages": [],
    "images": []
}

The wither shoots explosive projectiles called wither skulls, which look like extra heads of itself, at its target. There are two types of wither skulls: a fast-moving black one, and a slower blue one. Black wither skulls explode with a blast radius of 1, the same as a ghast's fireball, and cannot break blocks with a blast resistance above 20. The blue wither skull has the same explosion strength, but moves slower and treats most blocks as having a blast resistance of no more than 4, making it more destructive to the terrain.

If either type of wither skull hits a player or mob, it inflicts the wither effect, which turns your hearts black (HP × 10) and drains your health, similarly to poison.

Like other harmful status effects, the wither effect can be cured by drinking milk or using the totem of undying.

In Bedrock Edition and Legacy Console Edition, the blue skull can be deflected by hitting it with hand or throwable entities (similar to Ghast fireballs).

Data values

ID

Wither/ID

Entity data

Wither skulls are also entities which have associated entity data. Their entity ID is wither_skull.

• [NBT Compound / JSON Object] Entity data
  • Tags common to all entities see Template:Nbt inherit/entity/template[show]
  • Tags common to all fireballs see Template:Nbt inherit/fireball/template[show]
  • Tags common to all projectiles see Template:Nbt inherit/projectile/template[show]
  • [Boolean] dangerous: 1 or 0 (true/false) - If true, the wither skull renders as blue, moves more slowly, and ignores the hardness values of most blocks upon exploding.

Data values

Withers have entity data associated with them that contain various properties of the mob. Their entity ID is wither.

• [NBT Compound / JSON Object] Entity data
  • Tags common to all entities see Template:Nbt inherit/entity/template[show]
  • Tags common to all mobs see Template:Nbt inherit/mob/template[show]
  • [Int] Invul: The number of ticks of invulnerability left after being initially created. 0 once invulnerability has expired.

Achievements

[hide]
Icon		Achievement	In-game description	Actual requirements (if different)	Gamerscore earned	Trophy type (PS)
PS4	Other
		The Beginning.	Kill the Wither	Be within a 100.9×100.9×203.5 cuboid centered on the Wither when it drops the nether star.	40	Silver
		The Beginning?	Spawn the Wither	Be within a 100.9×100.9×103.5 cuboid centered on the Wither when it is spawned.	20	Bronze

Advancements

Icon	Advancement	In-game description	Actual requirements (if different)
	Withering Heights	Summon the Wither	Be within a 100.9×100.9×103.5 cuboid centered on the wither when it is spawned.

Video

Wither/video

History

[hide]Java Edition
1.4.2							The wither was introduced into the game, but it does not spawn naturally. Left unfinished by Jeb and hidden in the code, it was discovered through the presence of its skin in the /mobs/ folder. Withers could only be spawned with edited monster spawners, mods, or hacks, and could crash the JVM. {"type": "java", "version": "1.4.2", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "The wither was introduced into the game, but it does not spawn naturally. Left unfinished by (link to Jeb article, displayed as Jeb) and hidden in the code, it was discovered through the presence of its (link to skin article, displayed as skin) in the (link to minecraft.jar article, displayed as /mobs/ folder). Withers could only be spawned with edited (link to monster spawner article, displayed as monster spawners), (link to mods article, displayed as mods), or hacks, and could crash the JVM."}
							When its health is taken down to half, it will gain wither armor, making it immune to arrows. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "When its health is taken down to half, it will gain wither armor, making it immune to arrows."}
							Projectile firing rate and movement speed increased. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Projectile firing rate and movement speed increased."}
							At PAX, Dinnerbone revealed that it would be possible to spawn withers by arranging wither skeleton skulls in some way. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "At PAX, Dinnerbone revealed that it would be possible to spawn withers by arranging (link to wither skeleton skull article, displayed as wither skeleton skulls) in some way."}
1.4.2							Withers can now be spawned by arranging soul sand in a T shape and placing three wither skeleton skulls on top. {"type": "java", "version": "1.4.2", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Withers can now be spawned by arranging (link to soul sand article, displayed as soul sand) in a T shape and placing three wither skeleton skulls on top."}
							The wither now drops 20 experience and a nether star upon death. {"type": "java", "version": "1.4.2", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "The wither now drops 20 experience and a (link to nether star article, displayed as nether star) upon death."}
							The wither will now make a massive explosion upon its creation after its health is fully charged. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "The wither will now make a massive explosion upon its creation after its health is fully charged."}
							When there are no targets, the wither will sometimes shoot blue wither skulls, which move slower and can destroy any block besides bedrock. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "When there are no targets, the wither will sometimes shoot blue wither skulls, which move slower and can destroy any block besides (link to bedrock article, displayed as bedrock)."}
							Added sound when withers break blocks. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Added sound when withers break blocks."}
							Experience dropped is increased from 20 to 50 points. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Experience dropped is increased from 20 to 50 points."}
							Various new sounds have been added for the wither. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Various new sounds have been added for the wither."}
1.4.4							The oversight where withers can be created in peaceful difficulty has been fixed. Before this update, attempting to spawn the wither in peaceful resulted in a waste of soul sand and skulls. {"type": "java", "version": "1.4.4", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "The oversight where withers can be created in peaceful difficulty has been fixed. Before this update, attempting to spawn the wither in peaceful resulted in a waste of soul sand and skulls."}
							Withers can no longer destroy end portals, which are supposed to be unbreakable. {"type": "java", "version": "1.4.4", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Withers can no longer destroy (link to end portal article, displayed as end portals), which are supposed to be unbreakable."}
1.5							Withers cannot ride minecarts anymore. {"type": "java", "version": "1.5", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Withers cannot ride minecarts anymore."}
1.7.2							Added achievements for spawning and killing the wither. {"type": "java", "version": "1.7.2", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Added achievements for spawning and killing the wither."}
1.8							You can now spawn withers by dispensing the wither skulls. {"type": "java", "version": "1.8", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "You can now spawn withers by dispensing the wither skulls."}
							The hitbox of the wither has been changed. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "The hitbox of the wither has been changed."}
							Withers no longer break barriers. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Withers no longer break (link to barrier article, displayed as barriers)."}
							Withers now move while invulnerable due to 57569. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Withers now move while invulnerable due to <span class=\"bug plainlinks\" data-id=\"57569-\">(link to Mojira:57569- article, displayed as 57569)</span>."}
							Withers can now be built sideways and upside-down instead of just upright. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Withers can now be built sideways and upside-down instead of just upright."}
							Barriers can be broken by withers again. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "(link to Barrier article, displayed as Barriers) can be broken by withers again."}
1.8.1							Barriers can no longer be broken by withers. {"type": "java", "version": "1.8.1", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Barriers can no longer be broken by withers."}
1.9							Withers no longer move while invulnerable. {"type": "java", "version": "1.9", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Withers no longer move while invulnerable."}
							Withers no longer travel through portals. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Withers no longer travel through portals."}
1.11							The entity ID is changed from WitherBoss to wither. {"type": "java", "version": "1.11", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "The entity ID is changed from <code>WitherBoss</code> to <code>wither</code>."}
							The projectile entity ID is changed from WitherSkull to wither_skull. {"type": "java", "version": "1.11", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "The projectile entity ID is changed from <code>WitherSkull</code> to <code>wither_skull</code>."}
1.11							Tags xTile, yTile, zTile, inTile and inGround were removed from the wither skull entity data. {"type": "java", "version": "1.11", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Tags <code>xTile</code>, <code>yTile</code>, <code>zTile</code>, <code>inTile</code> and <code>inGround</code> were removed from the wither skull (link to Chunk format#Projectiles article, displayed as entity data)."}
							The life tag is no longer used for anything, but still saved/read. {"type": "java", "version": "1.11", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "The <code>life</code> tag is no longer used for anything, but still saved/read."}
1.12							Withers can no longer break piston extensions or end gateways. {"type": "java", "version": "1.12", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Withers can no longer break (link to piston article, displayed as piston) extensions or (link to End Gateway (block) article, displayed as end gateways)."}
[hide]Upcoming Java Edition
1.14							All mobs killed by the wither now have one Wither Rose placed at their location on death. {"type": "java upcoming", "version": "1.14", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "All mobs killed by the wither now have one (link to Wither Rose article, displayed as Wither Rose) placed at their location on death."}
[hide]Pocket Edition Alpha
0.16.0							Added the wither. {"type": "pocket Alpha", "version": "0.16.0", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Added the wither."}
							When the wither is at 50% health, it will spawn 4 wither skeletons. {"type": "pocket Alpha", "version": "0.16.0", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "When the wither is at 50% health, it will spawn 4 (link to wither skeleton article, displayed as wither skeletons)."}
							The wither now attacks differently and has twice the amount of health as the Java Edition's Wither. {"type": "pocket Alpha", "version": "0.16.0", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "The wither now attacks differently and has twice the amount of health as the Java Edition's Wither."}
[hide]Pocket Edition
1.0.2							Wither skulls can now be deflected with a sword. {"type": "pocket", "version": "1.0.2", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Wither skulls can now be deflected with a sword."}
1.1							The entity ID is changed from wither.boss to wither. {"type": "pocket", "version": "1.1", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "The entity ID is changed from <code>wither.boss</code> to <code>wither</code>."}
[hide]Legacy Console Edition
Xbox 360	Xbox One	PS3	PS4	PS Vita	Wii U	Switch
TU19	CU7				Patch 1		Added withers. {"type": "console", "xbox": "TU19", "xbone": "CU7", "ps3": "", "ps4": "", "psvita": "", "wiiu": "Patch 1", "switch": "", "content": "Added withers."}
TU60	CU51				Patch 30		Updated the wither's behavior. It will now blow up and spawn wither skeletons at half health. They will also do the Dash Attack like Bedrock Edition. {"type": "console", "xbox": "TU60", "xbone": "CU51", "ps3": "", "ps4": "", "psvita": "", "wiiu": "Patch 30", "switch": "", "content": "Updated the wither's behavior. It will now blow up and spawn (link to wither skeleton article, displayed as wither skeletons) at half health. They will also do the Dash Attack like (link to Bedrock Edition article, displayed as Bedrock Edition)."}
							The wither is no longer able to regenerate health. {"type": "console", "xbox": "TU60", "xbone": "CU51", "ps3": "", "ps4": "", "psvita": "", "wiiu": "Patch 30", "switch": "", "content": "The wither is no longer able to regenerate health."}
[hide]New Nintendo 3DS Edition
1.3.12							Added the wither. {"type": "new3ds", "version": "1.3.12", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Added the wither."}

Issues

Issues relating to "Wither" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.

Java Edition

• MC-164171 – When the player is killed by the wither skull, the player's inventory drop will be deleted
• MC-277195 – Having the Darkness effect at nighttime with a Wither makes the text pulse blue
• MC-265813 – Sunlight damages helmets worn by Wither Skeletons and Zombified Piglins
• MC-60792 – Iron golems and withers can't be summoned via building them if there are blocks located near their bases or heads
• MC-118174 – Poison / wither / fire damage are not associated with the damaging entity
• MC-120010 – Zombified piglin and wither skeleton avoid walking through fire or over magma blocks
• MC-149589 – The wither boss will always drops a nether star regardless of its DeathLootTable data
• MC-162633 – Zombified piglins don't do damage to Wither
• MC-171120 – Wither roses cannot be placed on any type of nylium
• MC-175158 – The wither sinks in lava
• And 77 other open issues.

Bedrock Edition

• MCPE-46806 – Wither Skeletons And Zombified Piglin Don't Like Fire Or Lava (Pathfinding)
• MCPE-153299 – The damage of the wither boss skull shell is unstable (no projectile damage on direct hits)
• MCPE-155342 – Wither skull bullet has no turning animation
• MCPE-157791 – Wither will not follow the target when entering the second mode
• MCPE-187789 – Wither skulls cannot be summoned using commands
• MCPE-187794 – Wither effect duration is 40 seconds instead of 10 in Normal difficulty
• MCPE-188140 – Wither's block breaking attack can destroy Jigsaw block
• MCPE-17127 – Creating wither boss and iron golem requires air
• MCPE-17446 – Wither does not use all 3 heads to attack
• MCPE-21854 – Wither Boss lag resulting from accumulated dropped items/blocks
• And 40 other open issues.

Trivia

• According to Jeb, the wither was inspired by Terraria which has summonable boss mechanic, the name itself inspired by poison spell in another game made by him called Whispers in Akarra.
• There is a painting showing the soul sand and wither skeleton skull formation needed to spawn a wither.
• The wither does not take damage from undead mobs' attacks or from drowning.
• If the wither is damaged by the Void, it will frantically attempt to fire blue skulls.
• Above half health, the Wither will always attempt to stay a few blocks above the mob it is targeting. This means that attempting to build or climb up to hit the Wither using a sword is essentially impossible.
  • If the wither is after a blaze and the blaze tries to fly up to it, the wither will attempt to keep rising above the blaze, thus making both of them rise higher until they hit a ceiling or until the blaze despawns.
• Although the wither is 3.5 blocks tall, 3 blocks wide, and 1 block thick, its hitbox is only 3.5 blocks tall, 1 block wide, and 1 block thick.
  • The true dimensions of the wither are: 2.844 blocks tall (varies), 3 blocks wide and 1.719 blocks long (also varies).
• Summoning the Wither in a small underground room at the end of a long tunnel can make the fight easier, as the Wither will not have as much space to maneuver. Back up along the tunnel and the Wither will need to continuously destroy blocks to chase after you, hopefully allowing you time to shoot arrows to whittle down its health.
• A variant of the wither called the Friendly wither was in two of the April fools updates.
• The wither spawn structure can be built any way, such as downward or horizontal, however the wither will always spawn at the foot of the structure.
• The wither appears on four sides of chiseled red sandstone.
• Withers have the greatest natural health of all vanilla mobs in Minecraft, making it brawnier than even the ender dragon. The wither, however, is slower and deals less damage than the ender dragon.
• The wither's smaller heads shoot targets slightly slower than the main head. the interval for smaller heads is 2-3 seconds, while the main head's always 2.
• An enemy called the Wither Storm appears in Minecraft: Story Mode. It was created by replacing the center block of soul sand with a Command Block.
• Despite not having visible feet, withers are still capable of making footstep sounds.

Gallery

• 

  The withering effect after being damaged by a Wither Skull.

• 

  The "wither armor" that blocks arrows.

• 

  A larger image to show how to summon the wither.

• 

  A friendly wither, an April Fools mob. Notice the regular wither too.

• 

  The pit created after the wither has charged.

In Other Media

• 

  Wither Storm, a variant of Wither as it appears on Minecraft: Story Mode.

See also

• Ender dragon, the other boss mob in Minecraft
• Tutorials/Defeating the wither, a tutorial explaining different tactics to fight and kill the wither