Phantoms in Minecraft: Everything players need to know

A Phantom flying above a Superflat world (Image via u/DanglingChandeliers on Reddit)
A Phantom flying above a Superflat world (Image via u/DanglingChandeliers on Reddit)

Sleepy Minecrafters are sure to receive a jolt upon reading this article.

Added in the update 1.3 Snapshot 18w07a, the Phantom is a slightly newer mob in Minecraft. This odd-looking mob will target players who have not slept for a while, begging the question: "Is it real, or just a hallucination?"

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All details about Phantoms in Minecraft

Spawning

Phantoms diving for their prey! (Image via Mojang)
Phantoms diving for their prey! (Image via Mojang)

Phantoms will start spawning if players have not slept for three days in a row. They will only spawn at night or during a thunderstorm. This mob will attempt to spawn every one to two minutes, which is quite scary as they can gang up on players!

If gamers hear an unfamiliar hissing noise at night, they are recommended to look up as Phantoms will attempt to spawn 20-34 blocks above them. A max of two Phantoms can spawn in Easy mode, three in Normal, and four in Hard.


Behavior

Is this how a Phantom behaves? Kinda cute! (Image via u/YaBoiThanoss on Reddit)
Is this how a Phantom behaves? Kinda cute! (Image via u/YaBoiThanoss on Reddit)

Possibly due to their glowing green eyes, Phantoms have excellent eyesight.

They can follow fleeing players from even 64 blocks away! Once these mobs spot players, they will swoop down from the sky, dealing damage to the former. Players can prevent taking damage from a Phantom by hitting it first.

It may be the player's first thought to run into a large body of water while being chased by a Phantom. Unfortunately, Phantoms do not drown in Minecraft and even keep their same movement stats while underwater. This means that they are at an advantage in the water!

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Interesting mechanics

Listed below are a few non-essential bits of information to know!

  • Nearby cats will hiss at Phantoms attacking the player, causing Phantoms to keep a distance of 16 blocks from them
  • Phantoms burn in sunlight
  • They are healed by Instant Damage status
  • This mob is immune to Poison and Regeneration status

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