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How to Summon a Wither: Creative & Survival Modes Download Article A complete guide on how to start a wither fight in Minecraft Co-authored by Zac Churchill and Janice Tieperman
Last Updated: March 28, 2025 Fact Checked
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Wither Summoning Codes
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How to Spawn a Wither Naturally
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This article was co-authored by Zac Churchill and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Zac Churchill is a Minecraft Specialist based in Davidson, North Carolina. Zac has played Minecraft for over 10 years and has extensive knowledge of how to play Minecraft and how the game has changed over the different versions. Specifically, Zac has expert experience in survival worlds, large builds on creative mode, and server design/upkeep. He graduated in 2023 with a BA in Sociology and English from Tufts University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 944,987 times.
The Wither is a challenging boss that can be spawned or summoned in any Survival or Creative mode game set to a difficulty of Easy or higher. In this article, we’ll teach you the spawn codes to automatically add this creature to your Minecraft Java or Bedrock game. We’ll also cover how to summon a Wither into your game naturally using soul sand and Wither skeleton skulls caught in the Nether.
Things You Should Know
Type /summon minecraft:wither if you’re playing Java or /summon wither if you’re playing Bedrock to spawn the Wither automatically.
Spawn a Wither organically by stacking 4 blocks of soul sand in a “T” shape and placing 3 Wither skeleton skulls on top.
Withers can only be summoned in Creative or Survival games set to Easy, Normal, or Hard. They can’t be summoned in Peaceful games.
Steps
Section 1 of 2:
Wither Summoning Codes
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1 Java: /summon minecraft:wither Open up the chat bar and type in /summon minecraft:wither to spawn the Wither at your location.
2 Bedrock: /summon wither Pull up the chat bar and enter /summon wither to spawn the Wither nearby automatically.[1]XResearch source
Important note: The Wither is a hostile mob and cannot be summoned in any Java or Bedrock worlds set to Peaceful. If you’re having trouble summoning it, double-check your world settings.
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How to Spawn a Wither Naturally
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1 Collect 3 Wither skeleton skulls and 4 soul sand blocks from the Nether. Head to the Nether and find a Nether Fortress, an extensive brick structure where Wither skeletons spawn.[2]XResearch source Fight and defeat enough Wither skeletons to collect 3 of their heads.[3]XResearch source Then, collect at least 4 blocks of soul sand from a nether waste region, soul sand valley, nether fortress, or other part of the realm.[4]XResearch source
Nether waste areas are your best bet for finding soul sand—they’re common areas that appear all over the Nether. You may have to dig underground a bit to find some soul sand, though (beneath Y=34, if you have your coordinates pulled up).
2 Return to the overworld. Go back to your Nether portal so you teleport back to your original location.
3 Stack the soul sand blocks in a “T” shape. Place 2 soul sand blocks on top of one another. Then, stick 2 more blocks on the left and right sides of the upper block you’ve already set down. This creates a capital “T” shape.
It's important to create the frame before adding the skulls, since the last block you place must be a skull for the Wither to spawn.
4 Place 3 Wither skeleton skulls on top of the 3 soul sand blocks. Make sure the three wither skeleton skulls are on top of the T-shaped frame. Once you’ve placed the last skull, the Wither will spawn.[5]XResearch source
The Wither takes a few seconds to fully spawn in your world, where it will then create a huge, powerful explosion. Be sure to keep your distance!
5 Fight the Wither to get a Nether Star. Killing the Wither is no easy feat—it has anywhere from 300 to 600 total health (depending on the difficulty you chose) and can do damaging attacks that apply the Wither status effect (which depletes your health like a poison). Once you’ve defeated it, though, you’ll receive a Nether Star, which can be used to craft a beacon.[6]XResearch source
Beacons are helpful tools that can be used to generate helpful status effects.
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Community Q&A
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Question Why would you want to spawn a wither boss? Community Answer Spawning a wither may seem like a foolish idea, but advanced players will make them in order to gather nether stars. These are used to make beacons. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 84 Helpful 390
Question Will they kill any monster around them? Gerbillover Community Answer Withers will attack any mob except for zombies, skeletons, zombie pigmen, wither skeletons, husks, strays, and other withers. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 40 Helpful 123
Question Can you spawn a wither in creative mode? Community Answer Yes, you can spawn withers in creative mode. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 133 Helpful 464
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Tips
Since the Wither is undead, it is harmed by Potions of Healing, and healed by Potions of Harming.[7]XResearch sourceThanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1
The Wither shoots wither skulls to attack the player and any living mobs (excluding undead mobs and phantoms). Its attack style differs between Java and Bedrock editions.[8]XResearch sourceThanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
Snow golems can serve as a good distraction for the Wither, and can also force it backward.[9]XResearch sourceThanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
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Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
Go in creative mode, then grab bedrock. If Withers can't suck up bedrock, then you can make a little box around you, and then you can get your stuff to be ready. Then break the bedrock cage, turn yourself in survival, and go defeat that Wither!
It is easiest to kill the Wither in the End, as that is the only dimension where lava nor hostile mobs spawn naturally.
You can make a bunch of iron golems to distract the Wither while you get prepared or fight it.
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Co-authored by: Zac Churchill Minecraft Specialist This article was co-authored by Zac Churchill and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Zac Churchill is a Minecraft Specialist based in Davidson, North Carolina. Zac has played Minecraft for over 10 years and has extensive knowledge of how to play Minecraft and how the game has changed over the different versions. Specifically, Zac has expert experience in survival worlds, large builds on creative mode, and server design/upkeep. He graduated in 2023 with a BA in Sociology and English from Tufts University. This article has been viewed 944,987 times. 7 votes - 83% Co-authors: 59Updated: March 28, 2025 Views: 944,987 Categories: Featured Articles | Minecraft MonstersArticle SummaryX
To spawn a Wither in Minecraft, start by traveling to the Nether to gather 3 Wither skeleton skulls and 4 blocks of soul sand. Once you have the required items, exit the Nether and return to the Overworld. Next, prepare Potions of Night Vision, Regeneration, Healing, and Strength to help you in the upcoming battle with the Wither. Then, find a good summoning location, create the T-shaped soul sand frame, and place 1 Wither skeleton skull on each upper block. After placing the final skull, a health bar will appear at the top of the screen as the Wither begins to spawn. For tips on fighting your newly spawned Wither, read on!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Reader Success Stories
Jack Hugh
Oct 11, 2020
"It helped me because I forgot I was in peaceful mode and I forgot about it. So I went on here and you told me that you can't spawn it in peaceful mode."..." more
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Zac Churchill Minecraft Specialist Co-authors: 59Updated: March 28, 2025 Views: 944,98783% of readers found this article helpful. 7 votes - 83% Click a star to add your vote
Jack Hugh
Oct 11, 2020
"It helped me because I forgot I was in peaceful mode and I forgot about it. So I went on here and you told me that you can't spawn it in peaceful mode."..." more
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Mar 15, 2017
"I wrecked that wither kid in Survival Mode only using one normal, golden apple, not God Apple. I'm so good." Rated this article:
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Jun 23, 2017
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Download Article A complete guide on how to start a wither fight in Minecraft Co-authored by Zac Churchill and Janice Tieperman 
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Co-authored by: Zac Churchill Minecraft Specialist This article was co-authored by Zac Churchill and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Zac Churchill is a Minecraft Specialist based in Davidson, North Carolina. Zac has played Minecraft for over 10 years and has extensive knowledge of how to play Minecraft and how the game has changed over the different versions. Specifically, Zac has expert experience in survival worlds, large builds on creative mode, and server design/upkeep. He graduated in 2023 with a BA in Sociology and English from Tufts University. This article has been viewed 944,987 times. 7 votes - 83% Co-authors: 59 Updated: March 28, 2025 Views: 944,987 Categories: Featured Articles | Minecraft Monsters Article SummaryX
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1 Java: /summon minecraft:wither Open up the chat bar and type in /summon minecraft:wither to spawn the Wither at your location. 
2 Bedrock: /summon wither Pull up the chat bar and enter /summon wither to spawn the Wither nearby automatically.[1] 
1 Collect 3 Wither skeleton skulls and 4 soul sand blocks from the Nether. Head to the Nether and find a Nether Fortress, an extensive brick structure where Wither skeletons spawn.[2] Fight and defeat enough Wither skeletons to collect 3 of their heads.[3] Then, collect at least 4 blocks of soul sand from a nether waste region, soul sand valley, nether fortress, or other part of the realm.[4] 
2 Return to the overworld. Go back to your Nether portal so you teleport back to your original location. 
3 Stack the soul sand blocks in a “T” shape. Place 2 soul sand blocks on top of one another. Then, stick 2 more blocks on the left and right sides of the upper block you’ve already set down. This creates a capital “T” shape. 
4 Place 3 Wither skeleton skulls on top of the 3 soul sand blocks. Make sure the three wither skeleton skulls are on top of the T-shaped frame. Once you’ve placed the last skull, the Wither will spawn.[5] 
5 Fight the Wither to get a Nether Star. Killing the Wither is no easy feat—it has anywhere from 300 to 600 total health (depending on the difficulty you chose) and can do damaging attacks that apply the Wither status effect (which depletes your health like a poison). Once you’ve defeated it, though, you’ll receive a Nether Star, which can be used to craft a beacon.[6] 
Community Answer Spawning a wither may seem like a foolish idea, but advanced players will make them in order to gather nether stars. These are used to make beacons. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 84 Helpful 390 
Gerbillover Community Answer Withers will attack any mob except for zombies, skeletons, zombie pigmen, wither skeletons, husks, strays, and other withers. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 40 Helpful 123 
Community Answer Yes, you can spawn withers in creative mode. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 133 Helpful 464 