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Ghast in Minecraft, 3D render (3/4 view)
Render by Blockaria from the Minecraft: Java Edition models and textures (Mojang).
3/4 view
HOSTILE Present since 1.14 or earlier

Ghast mob in Minecraft

The Ghast is the huge white mob that floats over the Nether and fires explosive fireballs from far away. It has very little health, and its fireballs can be hit straight back at it. Most of the danger comes from where you stand: on a narrow bridge or above lava, one blast is enough to knock you off.

Health
105 hearts
Behavior
Hostile
Main drop
Ghast TearGhast Tear
Found in
Nether Wastes+2 more

Ghast stats

Health
10 5 hearts
Behavior
Hostile
Main drop
Ghast TearGhast Tear
Spawns in
3 biomes
Size
4 × 4 blocks
XP when killed
5
Flying speed
0.06
Detection range
100 blocks

// Experience drops only when a player kills it. Speeds are the game’s internal values, not blocks per second.

How much damage Ghast deals

Damage to a player without armor, by world difficulty. 1 ♥ = 2 damage points.

Ranged attack
Peaceful00 ♥
Easy42 ♥
Normal63 ♥
Hard94.5 ♥
Explosion

Explosion power 1: damage depends on how close you are to the blast.

// Armor, Protection and Resistance reduce these values. Base values read from the game code (26.3).

Where to find Ghast

Biomes where it spawns naturally, with its share of the spawns in each group.

Nether WastesNether WastesSoul Sand ValleySoul Sand ValleyBasalt DeltasBasalt Deltas
Spawning
Group size
41 to 4 · depends on the biome

Ghast drops

Ghast dropsFrom the loot table · chance per kill
Ghast TearGhast Tear+1 per Looting level0–1
GunpowderGunpowder+1 per Looting level0–2
Music Disc (Amos Roddy - Tears)Music Disc (Amos Roddy - Tears)Only when killed by a player · Killed by its own fireball, sent back×1
Health compared
Health vs other hostile mobshealth points
Parched16
Slime16
Vex14
Ghast10
Endermite8
Silverfish8

Traits

Properties set in the game files.

No fall damageTakes no damage from falling.

Advancements with Ghast

Advancements whose criteria involve this mob, from the game files.

Is It a Balloon?Look at a Ghast through a Spyglass Return to SenderDestroy a Ghast with a fireball Uneasy AllianceRescue a Ghast from the Nether, bring it safely home to the Overworld... and then kill it Monster HunterKill any hostile monster Monsters HuntedKill one of every hostile monster

Guides with Ghast (1)

Command

Summon a Ghast/summon →
/summon minecraft:ghast ~ ~ ~

How a Ghast attacks

A Ghast drifts slowly through the large open spaces of the Nether. It spots you from a long distance, lets out a shriek, opens its red eyes and launches a fireball that explodes on impact. The blast hurts you, breaks soft blocks like netherrack and starts fires. A Potion of Fire Resistance protects you from the flames, not from the explosion itself.

Ghasts spawn in the Nether Wastes, the Soul Sand Valley and the Basalt Deltas, not in the Crimson or Warped Forests.

How to send a fireball back

A Ghast’s fireball just hit back with a sword, right in front of the Ghast Scene setup: Ghast placed; the fireball was frozen after the real hit and the camera moved for framing. Night Vision on, interface kept. In-game screenshot · Java Edition 26.3, seed 2026 Same spot in a world with seed 2026:
/execute →
/execute in minecraft:the_nether run tp @s 124.5 80 48.5 -24 -3

A ghast fireball is slow enough to deflect. Hit it with your hand or a weapon just before it reaches you, and it flies off in the direction you are looking. Aim at the Ghast: a fireball sent back kills it in one hit. If you get that kill yourself, the Ghast also drops the music disc Tears, which you cannot get any other way.

Staying safe in the Nether

  • Build with cobblestone. Ghast blasts tear through netherrack, but cobblestone and other blast-resistant blocks hold. Bridges and shelters made of it survive the fight.
  • Protect your portal. A fireball can break your Nether portal and leave you stranded. Always carry flint and steel to relight it.
  • Stay away from edges. Fight on solid ground, never on a one-block bridge above lava.
  • Use a bow for Ghasts too far away to deflect their shots. With so little health, a couple of arrows are often enough.

What Ghasts drop

The ghast tear is the reason to hunt them. One tear brews a Potion of Regeneration, one goes into an End Crystal, and eight of them around a block of soul sand craft a Dried Ghast, the block that grows into a rideable Happy Ghast. Ghasts often float above lava, so try to kill them over solid ground: a tear that falls into lava burns before you can pick it up.

✓ Checked in Java Edition 26.3 · updated 1 November 2026

Ghast — FAQ

How do you get the Tears music disc?

Kill a Ghast with one of its own fireballs that you hit back at it. The disc only drops when a player is responsible for that kill.

Can a ghast fireball break obsidian?

No. Its explosion breaks netherrack and other soft blocks, but obsidian and cobblestone resist it.

Where does the Ghast spawn?

In three Nether biomes: the Nether Wastes, the Soul Sand Valley and the Basalt Deltas. They do not spawn in the Crimson or Warped Forests.

What does a Ghast drop?

Ghast Tear, Gunpowder and Music Disc (Amos Roddy - Tears). Killed by its own fireball, sent back: Music Disc (Amos Roddy - Tears).

How much health does a Ghast have?

10 health points, which is 5 hearts.

Other hostile mobs

BlazeBoggedBreezeCreakingCreeperElder GuardianEndermiteEvokerFrostbiteGuardianHoglinHusk