Potions are certainly not a new addition to Minecraft. They have actually been part of the game since the official release in November 2011. Yet many players continue to overlook them, despite the fact that they hide some truly amazing effects that can greatly simplify your gameplay. Additionally, you can modify them into splash potions or even arrow tips! The possibilities are endless and new status effects are constantly being added.
We already have an article for a general introduction to Minecraft’s brewing system, as well as an automatic brewery (Build an Automatic Potion Brewer in Minecraft: Guide & Tips) . So, if you want to know more about the basics, feel free to check out these articles. Today, we will focus more on the effects that the potions provide and give you scenarios where they are useful.
Effective Potions in Combat
Healing (Glistering Melon): This potion heals two hearts per level and does so instantly. In combat, it can save you from certain death, especially if you have a brief respite. However, always keep in mind that the drinking animation takes a few seconds, so use this potion at the right moment to prevent your demise.
Harming (Glistering Melon + Fermented Spider Eye): The exact opposite, the Potion of Harming deals instant 3 or even 6 hearts of damage. It’s best used as a splash or lingering potion to hit multiple enemies. And of course, you should avoid drinking the potion yourself at all costs.
Regeneration (Ghast Tear): Unlike the Healing Potion, this status effect doesn’t work instantly but more slowly. Every 2.5 seconds, you regain half a heart. In total, Regeneration can heal 9 or 18 hearts and is one of the absolute best potions in combat.
Slowness (Sugar + Fermented Spider Eye): When attacked by many enemies at once, a thrown Potion of Slowness is useful to buy yourself some time. It reduces the movement speed of all mobs and players by 15% per level. This potion is also useful in PvP to create more distance between you and your opponent.
Strength (Blaze Powder): A simple yet very effective potion in your combat arsenal. With it, you deal 1.5 or 3 hearts more damage, depending on the level. This can be extremely useful against tough bosses like the Wither, Ender Dragon, or Warden.
Weakness (Fermented Spider Eye): Damage dealt by your opponent is reduced by one heart per level. This potion isn’t particularly practical in combat. However, it has another function. In combination with a Golden Apple, you can use it to heal a Zombie Villager.
Poison (Spider Eye): This potion is incredibly exciting to use, especially in PvP scenarios. While it can’t kill opponents directly, it deals a significant amount of damage. Poison can drain up to 36 hearts over time. This makes your opponent vulnerable to a one-hit kill. Additionally, it ignores all other effects and even armour!
Turtle Master (Turtle Shell): This potion slows you down by 15%, but makes you 20% more resistant to damage. The higher the level, the slower you become – but you can take more damage. It may not always be worth it, but it can save your skin.
Potions for Farming
Infestation (Stone): A very peculiar effect can be obtained with this potion. Affected entities spawn Silverfish when they take damage. Minecraft players use this status effect to create XP farms.
Slime (Slime Block): Once a mob dies, two medium-sized slimes are spawned in its place. This can be useful if you die in combat and still want to win. You can also use the effect to create a slime farm without a slime chunk.
Webbing (Cobweb): Another strange effect is “Webbing,” where a mob leaves behind 2-3 cobwebs upon death. This effect is primarily used for farms to obtain string and craft various items like wool, linen, or scaffolding.
Potions for Safe Exploration
Fire Resistance (Magma Cream): You should always have this potion with you when entering the Nether. One wrong step could land you in lava and you could lose all your hard-earned materials. With this effect active, you can even swim in lava! Additionally, you are immune to the fireballs from Blazes, so it’s a good idea to use it in combat as well.
Water Breathing (Pufferfish): If you want to raid an ocean monument, find ruins, or build an underwater city, then this potion is perfect for you! For the duration of the potion, you can breathe underwater and move freely without fear of drowning.
Night Vision (Golden Carrot): For cave tours, underwater work, or other dark places, this potion is practically indispensable. You will see everything with a consistent light level of 15. However, remember that this only applies to your view and does not illuminate the room. Monsters can still spawn!
Potions for Greater Mobility
Speed (Sugar): Run 20% faster per level and jump slightly further with this wonderful potion! It’s often used on adventure maps, but can also be super practical in normal gameplay when you want to run from A to B.
Jump Boost (Rabbit’s Foot): Your jump height increases from one block to 1.83 or 2.51 blocks with this potion, which is a significant difference! Additionally, this potion reduces fall damage. Especially on long hikes where you want to climb mountain peaks, this potion should always be in your inventory.
Invisibility (Golden Carrot + Fermented Spider Eye): Everyone has likely dreamed of being invisible at some point. In Minecraft, this status effect is one of the best available! Without armour (which doesn’t become invisible), no monster can spot you, but you can also use a splash potion to make mobs invisible.
Feather Falling (Phantom Membrane): This potion prevents any fall damage for its duration and is invaluable, for example, when fighting the Ender Dragon. It can also be useful when building large structures and you don’t want to fall to your death. With this potion, you gently float to the ground.
Gust (Gust Rod): Upon death, this effect releases a gust of wind, similar to the new wind orbs. Finding a direct use for it is challenging, but you can, for example, build an Elytra launcher by giving chickens this effect and then killing them. This allows you to shoot up thousands of blocks!
Conclusion
Minecraft potions can provide you with truly useful status effects that can help you in various situations. Whether in combat, for automatic farms, or exploration, there is always a practical potion you should have in your pocket. You can rent your own Minecraft server with us and try out some potions in PvP! This makes player encounters even more interesting and adds significant depth to battles.
