Top 5 deadliest attacks in Minecraft

Some enemies in Minecraft can take out players in as little as one attack (Image via Mojang)
Some enemies in Minecraft can take out players in as little as one attack (Image via Mojang)

Minecraft can be a dangerous place, thanks to the hostile mobs that roam the game world. Though players can protect themselves as best they can against certain enemies, an attack is sometimes just too much to handle.

Each mob in Minecraft has a specific damage value attached to its attacks. They can be quite diverse depending on which attacks are used.

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Furthermore, the damage output typically increases as the difficulty level in Minecraft scales, making some enemy mobs even more dangerous than they would normally be.

While battling hostile mobs is dangerous in general, there are some enemies that have the deadliest attacks in the game as of the 1.19 version.

Note: This listicle is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer


Ranking the deadliest mob attacks as of Minecraft 1.19 in April 2023

5) Warden Melee Attack

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When the Warden was introduced in Minecraft, Mojang remarked that they wanted players to avoid the creature using stealth instead of fighting it outright. However, players still wanted a piece of the lumbering monster in the deep dark, and Mojang made sure that it could put up a fight.

In addition to having a sonic shriek attack that can hit targets at range and through walls, the Warden's melee attack is the most dangerous of all. On Normal difficulty, its hand-to-hand attack deals 30 damage (15 hearts) and 45 damage (22.5 hearts) on Hard and Hardcore Mode, which can kill players who don't have very sturdy armor.


4) Creeper Explosions

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Explosions from creepers have killed countless Minecraft players in-game, and there's a very good reason why this is the case.

A full-frontal explosion from a creeper deals 43 damage (21.5 hearts) on Normal difficulty, which will obviously kill players outright if they don't have armor or Blast Resistance enchantments. On Hard and Hardcore difficulties, creeper explosions ratchet things up to 64.5 damage (32.25 hearts), which is a staggering total even with quality armor equipped.

It's no wonder why these creatures are so feared. They move silently in the environment until it's too late and the damage is done.


3) Giant Melee Attacks

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A forgotten feature in Minecraft that can still be summoned via commands, giants are massive zombies with no AI by default. However, that doesn't mean they aren't dangerous.

In the right circumstances, a giant can still use its melee attack, which vastly outmatches anything a standard zombie could hope to compare to. A standard giant melee attack deals 50 damage (25 hearts) on Normal difficulty and rises to a staggering 75 damage (37.5 hearts) on Hard/Hardcore.

It's a good thing these creatures never made it into the vanilla game, or they'd be trouble wherever they appeared.


2) The Wither's Birth Explosion

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The Wither is a deadly boss in its own right, but when it first appears in Minecraft is when it's at its most dangerous. In addition to being able to fire explosive skulls and deal Wither status damage with its melee attacks, this boss creates a large explosion when it is summoned.

If players get caught in this "birth explosion," they'll be lucky to survive at all, as it deals 69 damage (34.5) hearts on Normal difficulty. This devastating explosive potential further increases on higher difficulties like Hard and Hardcore, where the Wither's birth explosion deals 103.5 damage (51.75 hearts).

Players will obviously want to equip themselves with arms and armor when dealing with the Wither. However, when the time comes to summon it, they should give themselves a ton of space before the Wither is born.


1) Charged Creeper Explosions

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It's a very rare occurrence, but when a creeper is struck by a bolt of lightning, it becomes a charged creeper. The electric power coursing through this mob's body supercharges its explosive potential, vastly increasing the blast radius of the creeper's explosion and making its damage output the highest in Minecraft as of update 1.19.

A charged creeper explosion deals a maximum value of 85 damage (42.5 hearts) on Normal difficulty. It becomes even more deadly at higher difficulties where it deals 127.5 damage (63.75 hearts).

If Minecraft players are lucky and spot a charged creeper from a distance, it's best to take it down with ranged weapons before it can get close enough to release its devastating explosive energy.