Polar Bear
neutral
Health
Damage
XP Drop
Added InOverview
The Polar Bear is a neutral mob in Minecraft, which means it ignores players until it is provoked, and only then turns aggressive.
Polar Bears make their home in the Overworld, turning up in Snowy Plains, Ice Spikes, Frozen Ocean, Frozen River, and 1 other biome types.
In practice you will recognise it quickly, because adults are neutral but become hostile if a baby is nearby and a player approaches.
Stat-wise it sits at 30 health (15 hearts), dropping 1–3 experience on death.
It was first added in 1.10 and has been a fixture of Minecraft ever since.
A useful detail many players miss — Adults attack foxes on sight.
The Polar Bear 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
Natural spawns for the Polar Bear occur in Snowy Plains, Ice Spikes, Frozen Ocean, Frozen River, and Snowy Taiga.
Because it appears across 5 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 on ice or snow blocks in cold biomes, in groups of 1-2 (adult sometimes with baby).
They tend to arrive in clusters of 1-2 rather than alone, so expect to meet more than one at a time.
Naturally spawned polar bears will despawn over time when no player is nearby; naming one with a name tag or leading it away on a lead keeps it permanent.
As a neutral creature it leaves you alone until disturbed, so careful movement lets you share its space without a fight.
Drops
The Polar Bear drop table breaks down like this:
Its drops are all chance-based: you may receive 0–2 Raw Cod (usually, 75% chance).
You also collect 1–3 experience for every Polar Bear you defeat.
Farming polar bears is the standard way to stockpile raw cod in quantity.
With nothing guaranteed, output is swingy — over many kills the averages hold, but any single Polar Bear may give you little, so farm in volume rather than expecting a jackpot each time.
| Item | Count | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Raw Cod | 0-2 | 75% |
Raw CodBehavior & Combat
In the field, adults are neutral but become hostile if a baby is nearby and a player approaches. Babies are always passive.
At 30 health it is noticeably sturdier than a standard enemy; expect to land about 5 diamond-sword hits before it goes down.
On the offensive it deals 4 on Easy, 6 on Normal and 9 on Hard, and you will need to chew through 30 health (15 hearts) to bring one down.
The fastest way to win is to lean on what it fears: Fire.
The Polar Bear cannot be bred, so the only way to get more is to find them spawning naturally in their home biomes.
As long as you avoid landing the first blow, you can usually go about your business near a Polar Bear without trouble.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Polar Bear
How much health does a Polar Bear have?
A Polar Bear has 30 health points, which is 15 hearts on its health bar.
What does a Polar Bear drop?
When killed, a Polar Bear drops 0–2 Raw Cod (75% chance), along with 1–3 experience.
Where do Polar Bears spawn in Minecraft?
Polar Bears spawn in Snowy Plains, Ice Spikes, Frozen Ocean, Frozen River, and Snowy Taiga. Spawns on ice or snow blocks in cold biomes, in groups of 1-2 (adult sometimes with baby).
How much damage does a Polar Bear deal?
A Polar Bear deals 4 damage on Easy, 6 on Normal and 9 on Hard difficulty.
How much XP does a Polar Bear drop?
A Polar Bear drops 1 to 3 experience points when killed.
What biome is the best place to find Polar Bears?
Polar Bears are found in Snowy Plains, Ice Spikes, Frozen Ocean, Frozen River, and Snowy Taiga, so any of those biomes is a good place to start looking.