Updated 23 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
Duels
Duels are 1v1 fights: two players enter an arena, usually with the same kit, and the first to kill the other wins. On ArtemisPvP, for example, ranked duels change a rating and unranked duels are open games.
What are duels in Minecraft?
A duel is the simplest form of organised PvP. minecraft.wiki's PvP tutorial calls a match where one player fights one other player a "1v1", and describes organised PvP as players agreeing the terms of a fight first and then battling.
Duel servers turn that into a system: you challenge someone or join a queue, both players get the same loadout (a kit), and the arena resets for the next pair. Because the gear is equal, duels test skill only, which is why they are the core of PvP practice.
What wins a Minecraft duel?
In melee the two big tools are sprint-knockback hits and critical hits. A sprint hit knocks the opponent up and away and cancels your sprint; resetting the sprint between hits (W-tapping) lets you chain them into a combo. A critical hit is dealt while falling; a player can jump about 1.6 times a second, so jump-crits are slower but hit harder.
- Fight at the edge of the 3-block attack reach so your hits land first.
- Jump at the moment you are hit (a jump-reset) to take less knockback.
- Use the rod, bow or blocks your kit gives you; most duels are decided before the final hit.
What kits are used in duels?
minecraft.wiki lists the kits that duel servers and tier tests commonly use: Sword, Axe, SMP (diamond or netherite gear), Crystal, Pot (splash healing), UHC (no natural regeneration, with cobwebs and buckets), Cart, Mace, Spear and Vanilla. Each needs a different skill, so most players pick one or two to practise. See KitPvP for how kits work.
Can you duel on ArtemisPvP?
Frequently asked questions
What is a 1v1 in Minecraft?
A PvP match where one player fights one other player.
Does ArtemisPvP have ranked duels?
Yes. Ranked duels give a rating, from Bronze at 800 up to Grandmaster at 2000.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.