nocware
Quick answer
- Phantoms spawn if you haven't slept for 3 in-game days.
- Sleeping in a bed (or dying) resets the timer. You don't even need to skip the night.
- A roof over your head stops them spawning above you.
Flying mobs swooping at you every night? That's the game telling you to go to bed. Here's how phantoms work and how to stop them.
The 3-day rule
3in-game days without sleep before they spawn
1 hourof real time, roughly
1–4phantoms per group, more on Hard
Phantoms spawn at night or in thunderstorms, high above you. On Java, you also have to be above sea level.
How to stop them
- Sleep in a bed. Just lying down resets the timer, even if other players stop the night skipping.
- Stay under a roof. Any block that blocks light above you stops them spawning there. Glass doesn't count.
- Keep a cat. Phantoms stay away from cats.
Can't sleep?If it's not night yet, you can still lie in a bed during a thunderstorm to reset the timer.
Fighting them
- Phantoms are undead, so Smite hits them harder.
- They burn in sunlight, so surviving until morning works too.
- Hit them as they swoop down, then back off.
Why you might want them
Phantoms drop phantom membranes, which repair elytra in an anvil and are needed for Slow Falling potions.
Hardcore dangerPhantoms can knock you off pillars and cliffs. In a one-life world, always sleep before going high up or building tall.
Cheat sheet
- 3 days without sleep = phantoms
- Lie in a bed to reset
- A solid roof blocks them
- Use Smite, or wait for sunrise
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