How do you get Bow in Minecraft?

Bow is crafted from Stick and String at a Crafting Table, in a single step. It also comes from mob drops (Skeleton), and Bow from fishing (as treasure), not just the recipe above.

How much durability does Bow have?

Bow starts at 384 durability, and every use takes one off. On Bow the bar is not the end of it, because Unbreaking makes every point last longer and Mending refills them from experience. One craft of Stick and String is worth 384 uses of Bow.

Can Bow be used as fuel?

One Bow keeps a furnace running for 15 seconds, which is 1.5 items for each one burnt. It is made from Stick and String, 15 seconds a piece, so burning it spends Stick and String. Stick alone burns 5 seconds, and Bow carries that heat forward.

Can Bow be enchanted?

Yes. The list for Bow runs to 7: Power, Punch, and Flame, all on Bow, plus Infinity, Unbreaking, and Mending, and on Bow also Curse of Vanishing.

Where do you find Bow in chests?

Bow is chest loot in one place and one only: trial chamber vaults (about 13%). No other generated chest lists it, so that single structure is the whole search, and every other chest in the game will disappoint you.

How many Bow can you stack?

One Bow per slot, since Bow does not stack, and every one then costs 3 Stick and 3 String. A shulker box tops out at 27 of them, one per slot.

What is Bow used for?

Bow is a crafting ingredient, and it goes into Dispenser.

WeaponsEnchantableCraftable

Bow

A ranged weapon that fires arrows. Hold right-click to charge for increased damage and range.

Stack Size

Durability

384

Bow at a glance

Crafting, mob drops (Skeleton), and fishing (as treasure) give you Bow, a weapon filed under Weapons. No stacking for Bow: a slot goes the moment a second one comes in, and a chest row of nine holds nine. Wear counts down from 384 on Bow, and an anvil resets part of that; it takes enchantments too.

Count on 384 uses out of Bow before it goes, longer with Unbreaking on it, and effectively without end once Mending is on it and you keep picking up experience. It additionally serves as a crafting ingredient for Dispenser. When enchanted, Bow can carry 7 different enchantments, among them Power, Punch, Flame, and Infinity. Generated chests only ever hold Bow in one place: trial chamber vaults (about 13%). It sits between Arrow and Crossbow in Weapons, number 2 of 12 there.

Crafting recipe

Crafting
Stick
String
Stick
String
Stick
String
Bow
Recipe data from Astroworld Crafting, where Bow has the grid for Bow

Used to craft

Bow goes into one recipe, Dispenser, and the link below shows the grid for it. Each link below opens that recipe with Bow in the grid.

Dispenser

How to obtain

Crafting
Mob drops (Skeleton)
Fishing (as treasure)

Fuel value

Bow burns for 15 seconds (300 ticks), which is 1.5 items per Bow

Enchantments

Power Punch Flame Infinity Unbreaking Mending Curse of Vanishing

Click an enchantment to view details on the Enchantments database.

Notes

Fully charged shots deal up to 6 damage. Infinity and Mending are mutually exclusive.

Frequently asked questions about Bow

How do you get Bow in Minecraft?
Bow is crafted from Stick and String at a Crafting Table, in a single step. It also comes from mob drops (Skeleton), and Bow from fishing (as treasure), not just the recipe above.
How much durability does Bow have?
Bow starts at 384 durability, and every use takes one off. On Bow the bar is not the end of it, because Unbreaking makes every point last longer and Mending refills them from experience. One craft of Stick and String is worth 384 uses of Bow.
Can Bow be used as fuel?
One Bow keeps a furnace running for 15 seconds, which is 1.5 items for each one burnt. It is made from Stick and String, 15 seconds a piece, so burning it spends Stick and String. Stick alone burns 5 seconds, and Bow carries that heat forward.
Can Bow be enchanted?
Yes. The list for Bow runs to 7: Power, Punch, and Flame, all on Bow, plus Infinity, Unbreaking, and Mending, and on Bow also Curse of Vanishing.
Where do you find Bow in chests?
Bow is chest loot in one place and one only: trial chamber vaults (about 13%). No other generated chest lists it, so that single structure is the whole search, and every other chest in the game will disappoint you.
How many Bow can you stack?
One Bow per slot, since Bow does not stack, and every one then costs 3 Stick and 3 String. A shulker box tops out at 27 of them, one per slot.
What is Bow used for?
Bow is a crafting ingredient, and it goes into Dispenser.

Building with it

Three sticks and three string make a bow, and it is the only ranged option most players ever need. A fully drawn shot does nine damage at range, and Power, Punch, Flame and Infinity are all separate enchantments, so no two bows in a shared world work quite alike.

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