Updated 25 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
Husks and Strays in Minecraft: Desert and Snow Mobs
Husks are desert zombies that do not burn in sunlight and give you Hunger when they hit. Strays are snowy skeletons whose arrows give Slowness. Both replace most of their normal mob in their biomes: husks in deserts, strays in snowy plains and ice spikes (and, on Bedrock, frozen rivers, oceans and peaks). Both have 20 health.
What makes husks different?
- They spawn in deserts in place of most zombies (80% on Java, 70% on Bedrock), on the surface.
- No burning in daylight, so they are a danger all day.
- Their hits give Hunger, and they drop rotten flesh, plus rarely iron, carrots or potatoes.
- A husk that drowns becomes a zombie, which can then become a drowned; see drowned.
- Since Java 1.21.11 a husk can spawn riding a camel husk; see camel husks.
What makes strays different?
- They spawn on the surface in snowy plains and ice spikes, replacing 80% of skeletons; on Bedrock they also spawn in frozen rivers, frozen oceans, snowy slopes and frozen peaks.
- Their arrows give Slowness for 30 seconds, and they can drop arrows of Slowness.
- A skeleton stuck in powder snow for long enough turns into a stray; see powder snow.
- They drop bones and arrows like skeletons; see skeletons.
How do you fight them?
Husks: keep food handy because of the Hunger, and use Smite. Strays: use a shield and drink milk if the Slowness gets bad. Both are undead, so Instant Health hurts them and Instant Damage heals them. Strays in trial chambers are a common ranged mob; see trial chambers.
Why farm them?
Husk farms give rotten flesh for cleric trades, and stray farms give tipped arrows of Slowness without brewing. Both drop experience like their normal cousins: 5 for adults. Biomes: deserts.
Frequently asked questions
Do husks burn in the sun?
No. Husks never burn in daylight.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.