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.
Phantoms: Why They Spawn and How to Stop Them
Phantoms are flying undead mobs that spawn above players who have not slept or died for at least 1 hour of play (3 in-game days). Sleeping in a bed resets the timer and stops them. They have 20 HP, burn in sunlight, swoop at you every few seconds, and drop phantom membranes, which repair elytra and brew Slow Falling.
Why do phantoms spawn?
Each player has a Time Since Last Rest statistic. Once it reaches 1 hour (72,000 ticks, 3 in-game days), phantoms can spawn above that player in the Overworld, and the open sky must be directly above you. Entering a bed or dying resets the timer; you do not have to skip the night, just lie down. The longer you go without resting, the more often they come. See beds and sleeping.
When and where do they appear?
- Java: a spawn attempt every 1-2 minutes at night or in a thunderstorm, only when you are above sea level (Y above 62) with sky visible straight up. They appear 20-34 blocks above you.
- Bedrock: they follow normal monster rules on surface blocks in light level 7 or less, so they can even come in daytime, and appear in a 21x15x21 area about 28 blocks above you.
- Group size: 1-2 on Easy, 1-3 on Normal, 1-4 on Hard.
- Phantoms ignore biome rules, so they spawn even over mushroom fields.
How do you fight phantoms?
They circle 15-25 blocks out and swoop in every 8-12 seconds on Java (10-20 seconds on Bedrock), flying up to 20 blocks per second. Hit them as they dive, or shoot them with a bow. As undead mobs, they take extra damage from Smite and are hurt by Instant Health. They burn in sunlight, and they keep at least 16 blocks away from cats.
What do phantoms drop?
Phantom membrane: 0-1 (50%) normally, up to 0-4 with Looting III (with a higher drop chance on Java), plus 5 experience. One membrane in an anvil repairs 108 durability (25%) of an elytra, and membrane in an awkward potion brews Slow Falling.
Does ArtemisPvP have flying monsters?
Frequently asked questions
How do you stop phantoms from spawning?
Sleep in a bed (or die); it resets the 1-hour Time Since Last Rest timer.
What are phantom membranes for?
Repairing elytra in an anvil and brewing Slow Falling potions.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.