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Wither Skeleton Guide

You need 3 skulls. Bring Looting.

A wither skeleton skull surrounded by coal, a bone, a stone sword and a milk bucket on nether bricks
Quick answer
  • Wither skeletons spawn in Nether fortresses.
  • Their hits give you the Wither effect for 10 seconds.
  • Skulls drop 2.5% of the time, plus 1% per Looting level.

Wither skeletons are tall, tough and the only source of the skulls you need to summon the Wither.

Max Gear ChecklistThe best enchantments for every Minecraft armor piece, tool and weapon, as a checklist you can tick off

Finding them

They spawn in dark parts of Nether fortresses. Stick to the fortress corridors and courtyards.

Fighting them

  • They carry a Stone sword and hit hard.
  • The Wither effect drains your health and turns your hearts black.
  • Drink milk to clear it.
2 block trickWither skeletons are 2.4 blocks tall, so they can't fit through a 2 block high gap. Fight from a 2 high hole and they can't reach you.

Drops

DropChance
CoalAbout 33%
Bone0 to 2
Wither skeleton skull2.5% + 1% per Looting level
5.5%skull chance with Looting III
3skulls to summon the Wither

Cheat sheet

  • Nether fortresses only
  • Can't fit through 2 high gaps
  • Milk clears Wither
  • Looting III for 5.5% skulls

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