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 Slowness in Minecraft: Recipe and Effects
A Potion of Slowness slows the target by 15% for 1:30, or 60% with Slowness IV for 20 seconds. Brew it by adding a fermented spider eye to a Potion of Swiftness or Leaping. It is mainly thrown as a splash or used on tipped arrows to slow enemies and mobs.
How do you brew a Potion of Slowness?
| Potion | Made from | Lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Potion of Slowness | Swiftness or Leaping + fermented spider eye | 1:30 |
| Long Slowness | + redstone | 4:00 |
| Slowness IV | + glowstone dust | 0:20 |
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?
Slowness lowers movement speed and also narrows the field of view. Strays shoot arrows of Slowness at you. Effect list: every potion.
When should you use it?
Splash Slowness on a fleeing player or a charging mob gives you time to escape or attack. Milk cures it. See strays.
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. Under Slowness IV, mobs and players sprint at only about 2.25 blocks per second.
Splash, lingering and tips
Note the jump straight from level I to IV: there is no Slowness II potion. Add gunpowder for a splash version you throw, then dragon's breath for a lingering cloud; see splash and lingering potions. Related: milk.
Frequently asked questions
What is the strongest Slowness potion?
Slowness IV, which slows by 60% for 20 seconds.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.