Stray
hostile
Health
Damage
XP Drop
Added InOverview
In Minecraft, the Stray is classified as a hostile mob — it will attack players on sight whenever it is able to reach them.
Strays make their home in the Overworld, turning up in Snowy Plains, Ice Spikes, Frozen Ocean, Frozen River, and 1 other biome types.
What sets it apart is its behaviour: skeleton variant that shoots Arrows of Slowness.
Stat-wise it sits at 20 health (10 hearts), dropping 5 experience on death.
The Stray has been part of the game since version 1.10.
One thing worth knowing: Strays are immune to freezing damage from powder snow.
Knowing how the Stray behaves is mostly about survival: recognising it early and reacting correctly is what keeps a night-time excursion from ending in a respawn.
Damage by Difficulty
Spawning
In the wild, the Stray is generated 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 at light level 0 in snowy/frozen biomes. Replaces 80% of skeleton spawns in frozen biomes.
Pay attention to lighting — a light level of 0 is required, which is exactly what makes torch placement such an effective way to suppress or encourage these spawns.
Naturally spawned strays 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.
For a reliable Stray farm, set your spawning floor within the biomes above and light everything else nearby so spawns funnel to one spot.
Drops
Here is what you can expect to collect from a Stray:
Every kill yields 0–2 Bones (always, 100% chance) and 0–2 Arrows (always, 100% chance).
On top of that, rarer rolls can give 1 Arrow of Slowness (usually, 50% chance).
You also collect 5 experience for every Stray you defeat.
These are well worth keeping. Arrows of Slowness inflict Slowness I for 30 seconds.
The Looting enchantment on your sword raises the quantity and, for many of these items, the drop chance of the rarer rolls, so it is well worth using when you grind this mob.
Across many kills the guaranteed items pile up steadily while the chance-based extras trickle in, so consistent farming is the way to build a meaningful stockpile.
| Item | Count | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Bone | 0-2 | 100% |
| Arrow | 0-2 | 100% |
| Arrow of Slowness | 0-1 | 50% |
Bone
Arrow
Arrow of SlownessBehavior & Combat
Behaviourally, skeleton variant that shoots Arrows of Slowness. Does not burn in sunlight (unlike regular skeletons).
Its 20 health is modest, falling to roughly 3 hits from a diamond sword.
On the offensive it deals 2 on Easy, 3 on Normal and 4 on Hard, and you will need to chew through 20 health (10 hearts) to bring one down.
The fastest way to win is to lean on what it fears: Smite enchantment and Shields.
A sword enchanted with Smite shortens the fight considerably against this mob.
Since it can attack from range, closing the distance quickly or breaking line of sight with cover is often safer than trading hits at a distance.
As an undead mob it catches fire in direct daylight, so during the day it will either burn up or scramble for shade and water — one reason these are mostly a night-time and cave threat.
Being undead, it is healed by the Wither effect and harmed by Instant Health, while Instant Damage (Harming) potions hurt it instead of helping — the opposite of how those potions affect you.
The practical takeaway is to respect its strengths, exploit the weaknesses listed above, and you will rarely lose a fight you choose to take.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Stray
How much health does a Stray have?
A Stray has 20 health points, which is 10 hearts on its health bar.
What does a Stray drop?
When killed, a Stray drops 0–2 Bones (100% chance), 0–2 Arrows (100% chance), and 0–1 Arrow of Slowness (50% chance), along with 5 experience.
Where do Strays spawn in Minecraft?
Strays spawn in Snowy Plains, Ice Spikes, Frozen Ocean, Frozen River, and Snowy Taiga. Spawns at light level 0 in snowy/frozen biomes. Replaces 80% of skeleton spawns in frozen biomes.
How do you defeat a Stray?
To defeat a Stray, target its weaknesses — it is vulnerable to Smite enchantment and Shields — while dealing with its 20 health (10 hearts).
How much damage does a Stray deal?
A Stray deals 2 damage on Easy, 3 on Normal and 4 on Hard difficulty.
How much XP does a Stray drop?
A Stray drops 5 experience points when killed.