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.
Respawn Anchors: Nether Spawn and PvP Explosions
A respawn anchor lets you set your spawn point in the Nether. Craft it from crying obsidian and glowstone, charge it with up to 4 glowstone blocks, and use it to set your spawn; each respawn uses one charge. Used in the Overworld or the End it explodes with power 5, which PvP players use as a weapon.
How do you make and charge a respawn anchor?
Craft it from crying obsidian and glowstone. A new anchor has no charge; use a glowstone block (not dust) on it to add a charge, up to 4. Each charge raises its glow, from light level 3 to 15. Mine it with a diamond pickaxe or better, or it drops nothing; breaking it resets its charges.
How does a respawn anchor set your spawn?
Use a charged anchor in the Nether to set your spawn there, like a bed in the Overworld. It replaces any other spawn point you had. When you die you respawn beside it and it loses one charge; if it is empty, destroyed or blocked, you go back to world spawn. See spawn points and the Nether.
Why do respawn anchors explode?
Trying to set your spawn at a charged anchor in the Overworld or the End makes it explode with power 5 and set fires, just like a bed in the Nether. Deaths from it show the message "was killed by [Intentional Game Design]". On Bedrock, the game rule respawnBlocksExplode can turn the explosion off.
How are respawn anchors used in PvP?
In Crystal PvP, a charged anchor works as an instant explosive that needs no special block, so it can be placed right at an opponent's feet. It cannot be set off in quick succession like end crystals, cannot be used in the Nether, and is more dangerous to the user. See PvP kit types. A comparator reads its charge as 3, 7, 11 or 15.
Does ArtemisPvP have custom explosives?
Frequently asked questions
How many charges does a respawn anchor hold?
Four; each respawn uses one.
Can you use a respawn anchor in the Overworld?
Not to set your spawn: trying it with a charged anchor makes it explode.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.