Updated 25 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, community sites named in the text and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
Tipped Arrows in PvP
Tipped arrows carry potion effects onto the target. The PvP guide names the useful ones: Harming II, Weakness, Slowness, Poison and Slow Falling. Infinity does not work on them, so you need a stack. Crossbows suit them best: Piercing goes through shields and still applies the effect, and Multishot fires three at once.
Which tipped arrows are worth carrying?
| Arrow | Why (PvP guide) |
|---|---|
| Harming II | Damage that ignores armour |
| Slowness (or Turtle Master) | Makes the target slower than you, easier to chase and hit |
| Weakness | Cuts their damage in long trades |
| Poison | Light chip damage; weak against high Protection kits |
| Slow Falling | Makes it hard for them to crit and easy to combo or hit-web |
The guide calls Regeneration arrows and similar ones useless in PvP.
Do tipped arrows work with Infinity?
No. Tipped and spectral arrows are used up as if Infinity were not on the bow. The guide suggests carrying plenty of tipped arrows and a stack of normal arrows so an Infinity bow still has ammo when they run out.
Why can a fully charged shot be worse with Harming?
The guide explains that a high-Power, full-charge shot can do more physical damage than the Harming effect, which overrides the effect; since Harming ignores armour and physical damage does not, a full charge can deal less than a light charge. It suggests a crossbow, whose damage is low enough not to override Harming.
Why use a crossbow for tipped arrows?
Piercing crossbow arrows go through shields and still apply their effect, Multishot fires a hard-to-dodge three-arrow volley, and Quick Charge III makes spamming them viable. See spears, crossbows and tridents and bow PvP.
Do tipped arrows exist in 1.8?
No. Tipped arrows and lingering potions were added in Java 1.9. On 1.8 servers, debuffs come from splash potions instead. See potions 1.8 vs modern and arrows.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best tipped arrow for PvP?
minecraft.wiki's PvP guide lists Harming II, Weakness, Slowness, Poison and Slow Falling as the useful ones.
Does Infinity work with tipped arrows?
No, tipped arrows are used up even with Infinity.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.