Dolphin
neutral
Health
Damage
XP Drop
Added InOverview
A Dolphin is a neutral mob: it ignores players until it is provoked, and only then turns aggressive.
Look for the Dolphin across the Overworld; it is tied to Ocean, Deep Ocean, Lukewarm Ocean, and Warm Ocean.
Its defining trait is simple — playful, jumps out of water.
With 10 HP (5 hearts) on its bar, killing one rewards 1–3 experience.
Players have been encountering the Dolphin since the 1.13 update.
One thing worth knowing: They lead players to the nearest shipwreck or underwater ruins when fed Raw Cod.
The Dolphin sits in a useful middle ground — harmless if you respect it, but a real threat if you provoke it, which makes reading the situation important.
Damage by Difficulty
Spawning
Dolphins spawn in Ocean, Deep Ocean, Lukewarm Ocean, and Warm Ocean.
Because it appears across 4 different biome types, it is one of the easier mobs to track down — heading to any of them should turn one up before long.
Spawns in groups of 3-5 in non-frozen ocean biomes.
Spawns commonly come in batches of 3-5, which is worth remembering when you are deciding whether to engage or retreat.
Left alone far from any player, wild dolphins eventually despawn, so use a name tag if you want a specific one to stick around.
Since it only turns hostile when provoked, you can usually walk among dolphins safely as long as you avoid hitting one.
Drops
Killing a Dolphin produces the following loot:
Every kill yields 1 Raw Cod (always, 100% chance).
In terms of experience, each kill is worth 1–3 XP orbs.
These are well worth keeping. Dolphins must have access to both air and water or they die.
Since every item here is guaranteed, the only variable is quantity, which makes this mob a dependable, low-variance source of what it carries.
| Item | Count | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Raw Cod | 0-1 | 100% |
Raw CodBehavior & Combat
In the field, playful, jumps out of water. Grants Dolphin's Grace speed boost to swimming players. Leads players to treasure if fed raw cod.
Its 10 health is modest, falling to roughly 2 hits from a diamond sword.
It can hit you for 2 on Easy, 3 on Normal and 4 on Hard, while its own 10 health (5 hearts) determines how many blows it takes to kill.
When fighting back, remember it is weak to Suffocation on land and Drowning (needs both air and water).
The Dolphin cannot be bred, so the only way to get more is to find them spawning naturally in their home biomes.
It is a water-dwelling creature and will suffocate if it ends up on dry land, so keeping it in water is essential if you want to transport or keep one.
As long as you avoid landing the first blow, you can usually go about your business near a Dolphin without trouble.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Dolphin
How much health does a Dolphin have?
A Dolphin has 10 health points, which is 5 hearts on its health bar.
What does a Dolphin drop?
When killed, a Dolphin drops 0–1 Raw Cod (100% chance), along with 1–3 experience.
Where do Dolphins spawn in Minecraft?
Dolphins spawn in Ocean, Deep Ocean, Lukewarm Ocean, and Warm Ocean. Spawns in groups of 3-5 in non-frozen ocean biomes.
How much damage does a Dolphin deal?
A Dolphin deals 2 damage on Easy, 3 on Normal and 4 on Hard difficulty.
How much XP does a Dolphin drop?
A Dolphin drops 1 to 3 experience points when killed.
What biome is the best place to find Dolphins?
Dolphins are found in Ocean, Deep Ocean, Lukewarm Ocean, and Warm Ocean, so any of those biomes is a good place to start looking.