[Top 10] Minecraft Best Arrows (And How To Get Them)

One of my favorite features in Minecraft is how the game is built to perfectly favor any style of play. I tend to be more brutish, leaning towards slow-and-steady gameplay and up close and personal melee combat, but there are more elegant and efficient ways to play, as well. Naturally, there is no right or wrong way - it’s a game! Play the way that’s most fun to you! But if you are looking for tips to live that cleaner, more precise style of life, look no further: here is a guide to the most versatile options for special arrows that are available in Minecraft. With these ten examples, surely you’ll have all the knowledge necessary to pick the perfect arrow for any situation.

Real quick, before we get started, here are a few things you need to know about these special arrows that apply to every item on this list: tipped arrows are a good way to get the most out of your potions! One potion makes 8 arrows, meaning you get 8 uses of that potion. The downsides to this advantage are that the effects last far shorter than using a traditional potion. Also, if you are using the arrows on yourself or an ally, they will still do a bit of damage upon hitting the player, so be mindful of you and your friends’ health bars! In Java, special arrows are only obtainable from Fletcher Villagers. However, in Bedrock, crafting any arrow on this list is achieved by placing the relevant Lingering Potion (brewed using the matching Splash Potion and Dragon’s Breath) in the center of the crafting table and lining the surrounding 8 spaces with arrows.

10. Arrows of Poison

What does it do?

• The “Arrow of Poison” applies, as you might expect, a “Poisoned” status effect to the target, slowly draining the victim’s health over time.
• This arrow is for use on enemies (or perhaps an ally, if they’re getting on your nerves)
• This arrow’s effects last for 11 seconds, whereas a Splash Potion of Poison, which would be used in similar situations, lasts for 33 seconds.

What’s the point?

• This arrow is a good option for pairing with other weakening status effects or arrows.
• It’s also useful if you want to keep your target downed and under control without killing it off too quick (again, I refer you to my comment about allies that are getting on your nerves)
• Hit a target with an Arrow of Poison and then load up an Arrow of Harming and watch a mob go down in two shots!

9. Arrows of Water Breathing

What does it do?

• The “Arrow of Water Breathing” applies 1 minute of the “Water Breathing” status effect to any target it is hit with. This effect halts oxygen decay while underwater, allowing for longer underwater exploration time.
• This arrow is primarily for use on yourself or your allies! Check your health bars and then fire away to give everyone a little boost of oxygen while exploring that sunken shipwreck in that stunning coral reef.
• The corresponding “Splash Potion of Water Breathing” lasts for 3 minutes, while this arrow lasts for just 1 minute. 

What’s the point?

• Exploring shipwrecks or coral reefs is far easier with a Water Breathing status effect.
• Conquering an Ocean Monument will be a piece of cake if you pair this arrow with an Arrow of Night Vision.
• Flooded caves can surprise you during any mining trip, so this is a handy tool to keep around in a pinch!

8. Arrows of Night Vision

What does it do?

• The “Arrow of Night Vision” gives its target 22 seconds of Night Vision. This status effect improves your sight in the dark, making dim areas appear bright as day for an amount of time.
• This arrow is only useful when used on yourself or your allies.
• This arrow’s status effect lasts 22 seconds, while its cousin, the “Splash Potion of Night Vision,” lasts 3 minutes.

What’s the point?

• Minecraft’s lighting system creates several incredibly dark spaces, spaces where being able to see what’s ahead of you could be the difference between life and death. 
• Dark caves are one of the most common, but this arrow applies a status effect that can be useful even in regions where placing down a torch is impossible, specifically underwater.

7. Arrows of Swiftness

What does it do?

• The “Arrow of Swiftness” applies 22 seconds of the “Speed” status effect to any target it is hit with. At base level, this status effect boosts a player’s movement speed by 20%.
• This arrow is most useful when used on yourself or allies, but I could imagine buffing enemies with it would also be a fun and chaotic way to spice up your game!
• The “Splash Potion of Swiftness” lasts for 3 minutes, while the arrow lasts for 22 seconds.

What’s the point?

• Being quicker is naturally one of the most versatile advantages in any game. Traveling, fleeing monsters, hunting, you name it, this arrow can improve the experience by fracturing the amount of time it takes. After all, who doesn’t love to save a bit of time?
• This arrow made it on the list despite its simplicity due to the nature of its versatility.
• Plus, I like the idea of showering a horde of zombies with this arrow and seeing if you can outrun them...

6. Arrows of Leaping

What does it do?

• The “Arrow of Leaping” applies 1 minute of the “Jump Boost” status effect to its target. This status effect increases maximum jump height by 50% at base level.
• This is another arrow that is most practically used on yourself or allies, but could still be fun to use on enemies.
• This arrow’s effect lasts 1 minute, and the relevant splash potion, “Splash Potion of Leaping,” lasts for 3 minutes.

What’s the point?

• This is another arrow that is versatile and useful in countless situations!
• Scaling a mountain or climbing out of a ravine has never been quicker or easier. 
• Mixing a high level Jump Boost with a high level Speed Boost is a lot like mixing chemicals: you might end up with something extremely cool, but it might also blow up in your face! Be careful, as you can still take fall damage when you leap with a Jump Boost. Might want to combine Feather Falling with this dangerous concoction, just in case...

5. Arrows of Healing

What does it do?

• The “Arrow of Healing” does precisely what it sounds like it does: it heals its target for 4 hearts instantly! This is a much faster option than waiting on normal regeneration, which is based on your Hunger stat.
• This arrow is best used on yourself or allies, but beware: you do take a small amount of damage from being hit by the arrow!
• This is a special arrow in that its effect is sometimes a bit different when used on different targets. I mentioned that it’s best for yourself or allies, but it’s also great against undead enemies, such as the Wither, causing 6 damage at first level.
• The “Splash Potion of Healing” of the same level heals for the same amount as the arrow.

What’s the point?

• Waiting to heal can be infinitely frustrating, so having access to an item that instantly refills part of your health bar is a real weight off your back.
• You can use this arrow as a weapon against undead enemies, or to lend a hand to an ally from across the battlefield!
• This is a fantastically useful item when you’re in a bind and need just that little boost to get you to safety.

4. Arrows of Fire Resistance

What does it do?

• The “Arrow of Fire Resistance” grants its target 1 minute of sweet, sweet Fire Resistance, a status effect that protects the wearer from fire damage.
• This arrow can be used on any target that you want to survive a fiery environment!
• This arrow’s effect lasts 1 minute, versus the splash potion’s status effect that lasts for 3 minutes.

What’s the point?

• The “Fire Resistance” status effect doesn’t only protect the bearer from fire, but from lava, too!
• Naturally, this is very useful both in the overworld and in the Nether, where fire - and especially lava - are terrible dangers to any player, particularly in the early game.
• It’s also useful for hunting mobs or protecting your livestock around lava to prevent them from burning up and taking your loot or resources with them!

3. Arrows of Harming

What does it do?

• The “Arrows of Harming,” well… harm things.
• You can use these arrows on anything, technically, but use it on an ally at your own risk.
• Don’t use them on undead mobs, however - unless you’d like to heal them!
• Both the “Arrow of Harming” and “Splash Potion of Harming” do 6 hearts of damage to a target at level 1 potency.

What’s the point?

• This arrow is just a shorthand way of boosting your bow’s attack damage. As previously mentioned, this might not be particularly useful when fighting the Wither or other undead enemies, but I know they’d make a scuffle with the Pillagers a piece of cake, particularly at level 2 potency...

2. Arrows of Weakness

What does it do?

• The “Arrow of Weakness” applies 11 seconds of the “Weakness” status effect to its targets. This effect lowers melee attack damage, rendering your average sword swing pretty useless.
• This arrow is only useful when fired at enemies.
• The splash potion variant of this status effect, “Splash Potion of Weakness,” lasts for 1 minute and 30 seconds, and the arrow variant lasts for 11 seconds.

What's the point?

• If you’re being swarmed by zombies or axe-wielding Pillagers or even rival players, it might be a good time to break out your Arrows of Weakness to buy yourself some time to grab the high ground. 
• This option is better than using the splash potion in a swarm scenario because it lowers the risk of you yourself being weakened, too.

1. Arrows of Regeneration

What does it do?

• Our number 1 tipped arrow is the “Arrow of Regeneration.” This arrow applies 11 seconds of the “Regeneration” status effect, which boosts the speed of your health regeneration for a given amount of time.
• This is an excellent arrow to use on yourself or your allies!
• The “Splash Potion of Regeneration,” largely regarded as one of the best potions in the game, lasts for 45 seconds, while the arrow variant lasts for 11 seconds - 11 x 8, technically, meaning you can get 88 seconds of regeneration out of 1 splash potion!

What’s the point?

• The reason this arrow is in our number 1 spot, far above the Arrow of Healing, is because Instant Healing items are a one-time use. Meanwhile, Regeneration items heal you almost as quickly for a long period of time, meaning you can take a hit after applying a Regeneration effect and still keep getting your health back!

After all of that, I’m starting to question my own blind hack-and-slash style of gameplay. If you decide to try any of these arrows, I hope it goes well for you and you learn a new favorite tool! Also, yes, every time I asked, “What’s the point?” I was intentionally making an arrow pun. Happy gaming! We will see you around!

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