Witches vs Wandering Traders in Minecraft: How different are the two mobs?

Witches and wandering traders are both semi-villager mobs in Minecraft. The two mobs have similar appearances and often roam around Minecraft worlds.

But there are several differences between these two Minecraft mobs. Witches, for example, are often hostile towards players while wandering traders are eager to help and trade with players.

There's so much information available to the Minecraft community about these mobs. New players may wish to know more about these two mobs. Here are all the differences and similarities between wandering traders and witches in Minecraft.

Differences between witches and wandering traders in Minecraft

Behavior

Witch in Minecraft (Image via Reddit)

Witches and wandering traders have vastly different behaviors in Minecraft.

Witches are hostile towards players and will actively try to attack them if they're in range. Witches attack players by throwing potions of harming at them. The initial throw will do about 6 damage points, and the poison from the potion will continue to drain the player's health after the initial hit.

Witches spawn in two places. They spawn at random around the Minecraft world and roam, or they spawn inside of their witch hunts. Witch huts are located in swamp biomes, and the witch will often stay close to their hut.

Wandering traders are friendly to players and will often offer trades. Wandering traders generally walk around and explore the Minecraft world with their leased llamas. These mobs are peaceful and can be found roaming around the entire Minecraft world.

Wandering traders are known to carry and drink potions regularly. At dusk, wandering traders will drink a potion of invisibility and then drink a bucket of milk in the morning to remove the effects.

Health Points

Wandering trader and their llama (Image via gamerheadquarters)

Witches and wandering traders have varying levels of health points in Minecraft. Witches are stronger than wandering traders, as they have 26 health points. Wandering traders only have 20.

Similarities between witches and wandering traders in Minecraft

Appearance

Witches and wandering traders both mildly resemble the look of Minecraft villagers. However, each has a few distinct differences. These two are so similar to villagers' appearance that if these two mobs lived in the village they would likely be considered different professions rather than different mobs.

A witch's appearance in Minecraft (Image via abrawl629.deviantart.com)

Witches usually have a purple robe with a black witch's hat. These mobs are often seen carrying potions.

Wandering trader appearance (Image via Minecraft)

Wandering traders are often seen in blue robes with a blue hood over their heads. Besides the blue color, their clothing has other designs. These mobs are often seen with two pet llamas on leases.

Pets

Minecraft llama (Image via 9Minecraft)

Witches and wandering traders both have a pet that often spawns near or around them. Witches who spawn and reside in witch huts in swamp biomes often spawn a black cat. Wandering traders always spawn with two leashed trading llamas. Although witches don't always spawn with their pet as wandering traders do, they still have this pet aspect in common with each other.

Relationship to villagers and villages

Snow Village (Image via Pinterest)

Both witches and wandering traders look like they could be villagers. In hypothetical Minecraft lore, wandering traders and witches were both originally a part of village communities in Minecraft.

It's said that witches were once potion makers that were outcast for zombie villager experiments. These witches were trying to turn zombie villagers back into regular villagers but were misunderstood in their experiments causing the villagers to fear witches and outcast them from the village.

Wandering traders have a bit of a different story. It's said these mobs did not have a profession in the village and often wandered outside of village lines, until one day, they decided to go off on their own and travel the world trading.

Drops

Splash potion drops (Image via Reddit)

Witches and wandering traders don't drop the same items when they're killed, but they do both drop potions.

When a wandering trader is killed while drinking a bucket of milk or a potion of healing they have a chance of dropping this potion. Witches are similar. When they are killed while drinking a potion, there's a small chance they will drop a potion of healing, fire resistance, water breathing, or swiftness.

Who would win in a fight?

Witch and wandering trader in a boat (Image via mcbedrock)

It's pretty clear that a witch would win in a fight. Wandering traders are very peaceful and nomadic creatures, with only their pet animals to help defend them in fights. Witches, on the other hand, have potions of harming on their side to throw at other mobs who threaten them.