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.
Potion of Poison in Minecraft: Recipe and Effects
A Potion of Poison damages the target 1 health every 1.25 seconds for 45 seconds, but never below half a heart. Brew it from an Awkward Potion and a spider eye. Redstone extends it to 1:30 on Java (2:00 on Bedrock); Poison II is twice as fast for about 22 seconds. Undead mobs are immune.
How do you brew a Potion of Poison?
| Potion | Made from | Lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Potion of Poison | Awkward Potion + spider eye | 0:45 |
| Long Poison | + redstone | 1:30 (2:00 Bedrock) |
| Poison II | + glowstone dust | 0:21.6 (0:22.5 Bedrock) |
Brew in a brewing stand fuelled with blaze powder: water bottles plus Nether wart make Awkward Potions, the base for most potions; see brewing potions.
What does it do?
Poison cannot kill: it stops at half a heart. Undead mobs and spiders are not affected. Effect list: every potion.
When should you use it?
Splash Poison weakens players and mobs before a fight. Add a fermented spider eye to make Harming. Milk or honey cures it. See spiders.
Step by step
Fill three glass bottles with water and place them in the bottom slots of a brewing stand, with blaze powder as fuel. Add Nether wart to make Awkward Potions (Weakness skips this step), then add the main ingredient. Finally add redstone for a longer version, glowstone for a stronger one, or gunpowder for a splash potion. Long Poison can deal up to 72 damage over time on Java, but it still stops at half a heart.
Splash, lingering and tips
Spider eyes drop from spiders, cave spiders and witches. Add gunpowder for a splash version you throw, then dragon's breath for a lingering cloud; see splash and lingering potions. Related: Harming.
Frequently asked questions
Can Poison kill you?
No, it stops at half a heart.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.