Phantom mob in Minecraft
The Phantom is the undead flying mob that hunts players who have not slept for a while. It only appears at night, swoops down from the sky and burns at sunrise. Sleep in a bed regularly and you will never see one.
- Health
- 2010 hearts
- Behavior
- Hostile
- Main drop
Phantom Membrane- Found in
- Not in the wild
Phantom stats
- Health
- 20 10 hearts
- Behavior
- Hostile
- Main drop
- Phantom Membrane
- Spawns in
- —
- Size
- 0.9 × 0.5 blocks
- XP when killed
- 5
- Detection range
- 16 blocks
// Experience drops only when a player kills it.
How much damage Phantom deals
Damage to a player without armor, by world difficulty. 1 ♥ = 2 damage points.
Base 6 for the largest size; smaller ones hit less hard.
What else changes with difficulty
- Group size: Easy 1–2, Normal 1–3, Hard 1–4
// Armor, Protection and Resistance reduce these values. Base values read from the game code (26.3).
Where to find Phantom
Doesn’t spawn naturally in a biome: it comes from a structure, a spawner, a block or an event.
Phantom drops
Phantom
Traits
Properties set in the game files.
Advancements with Phantom
Advancements whose criteria involve this mob, from the game files.
Command
/summon minecraft:phantom ~ ~ ~Why Phantoms appear
Phantoms are tied to the "Time Since Last Rest" statistic. Once a player has gone three in-game days without sleeping, Phantoms can start spawning at night above that player, in small groups. The counter is per player: on a server, everyone who stays awake gets their own Phantoms. Sleeping in a bed resets it, and so does dying.
They spawn high above you, and only when you have open sky over your head. Working underground or under a roof keeps them away, but it does not reset the counter: they will be waiting the next time you step outside at night.
How a Phantom attacks
A Phantom circles high in the air, then dives at you, bites and climbs back up. On its own it is a nuisance. Three or four together, at night, while you are building on a high tower or fighting other mobs, can kill you or knock you off a ledge.
How to fight Phantoms
- Hit it as it swoops. Watch it turn toward you, step back and strike when it is in reach.
- Use a bow while it circles, or a crossbow to hit it as it comes straight at you.
- Use Smite. The Phantom is undead, so Smite deals extra damage, and a splash of Healing hurts it.
- Bring a cat. Phantoms avoid cats and fly away from them.
- Get under a roof if a group catches you in the open, then wait for the sunrise: Phantoms burn in daylight.
Phantom Membrane
A Phantom killed by a player can drop a Phantom Membrane. It has two uses. On an anvil, it repairs Elytra. In a brewing stand, added to an Awkward Potion, it gives a Potion of Slow Falling. Some players skip sleep on purpose for a few nights to farm membranes, then go back to bed.
✓ Checked in Java Edition 26.3 · updated 1 November 2026
Phantom — FAQ
How do you stop Phantoms from spawning?
Sleep in a bed at least once every three in-game days. Each player has their own counter, and dying also resets it.
Where does the Phantom spawn?
Only at night or during a thunderstorm, above a player who has not slept for at least three in-game days. That player must be at or above sea level with open sky overhead, so Phantoms never spawn underground.
What is Phantom Membrane used for?
It repairs Elytra on an anvil and turns an Awkward Potion into a Potion of Slow Falling.
What does a Phantom drop?
Phantom Membrane. Only when killed by a player.
How much health does a Phantom have?
20 health points, which is 10 hearts.
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