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.
Skeletons in Minecraft: Arrows, Drops and Variants
Skeletons are undead archers with 20 HP. They shoot from up to 15 blocks, every 3 seconds on Easy and Normal and every 2 on Hard, burn in daylight, and drop bones and arrows. In snow they become strays, in swamps bogged, in deserts parched, and in Nether fortresses wither skeletons.
How do skeletons attack?
A skeleton chases targets it sees within 16 blocks and starts shooting within 15 blocks with a clear line of sight: once every 3 seconds on Easy and Normal, every 2 seconds on Hard. Its aim gets better with difficulty. On Java it strafes around you and backs off if you get within 4 blocks; on Bedrock it usually stops to shoot. Its bow never breaks and its arrows cannot be picked up. Underwater, Java skeletons still shoot (the water slows the arrows) while Bedrock skeletons switch to melee.
What do skeletons drop?
0-2 bones and 0-2 arrows (each 66.67% without Looting), sometimes its bow or armour (8.5% each), and 5 experience plus 1-3 per item. See experience.
How do you stay safe from skeletons?
- Fight in daylight: skeletons burn once the sun is up, unless they wear a helmet, stand in water or are under a block.
- Close the gap fast or use cover; on Java they retreat when you get within 4 blocks.
- Carry a shield to block arrows.
- Let arrows hit other mobs: a hit mob usually turns on the skeleton.
What skeleton variants are there?
| Variant | Where |
|---|---|
| Stray | Snowy biomes; a skeleton stuck in powder snow also becomes one |
| Bogged | Swamps and mangrove swamps |
| Parched | Deserts |
| Wither skeleton | Nether fortresses |
| Skeleton horseman | Four spawn from a skeleton horse trap, usually in a thunderstorm |
A spider ridden by a skeleton is a spider jockey (1% of spiders).
How do you get music discs from creepers?
If a skeleton's arrow kills a creeper, the creeper drops a music disc. See creepers.
Are there skeleton enemies on ArtemisPvP?
Frequently asked questions
What do skeletons drop?
0-2 bones and 0-2 arrows, sometimes their bow or armour, and 5 experience.
Do skeletons burn in the sun?
Yes, unless they wear a helmet, stand in water or have a block above them.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.