Skeleton

Hostile Mob

Health Points: 20

Attack Strength (Java Edition): Ranged: Easy: 2-4

                                                                       Normal: 3-4

                                                                       Hard: 4-5

                                                       Melee:    Easy and Normal: 2

                                                                       Hard: 3

Attack Strength (Bedrock Edition): Ranged: Easy and Normal: 1-4

                                                                             Hard: 1-5

                                                             Melee:    Easy and Normal: 2

                                                                             Hard: 3

Skeletons are found spawning in all Overworld biomes (except Mushroom Fields and the Deep Dark) at light levels of 0. Four skeletons will spawn when a skeleton trap is triggered. They also spawn in the Nether in Nether fortresses and Soul Sand Valleys. In Java Edition, there is an 11% chance of them spawning with their bow in their left hand. In Java Edition on Halloween, skeletons have a chance of spawning wearing either a carved pumpkin (22.5%) or a jack-o-lantern (2.5%), which won't be dropped if they are killed.

When a skeleton dies, it will drop 0-2 bones, 0-2 arrows, and 5 experience if they were killed by a player or a tamed wolf, plus an additional 1-3 experience if the skeleton spawned with any equipment. Any naturally spawned equipment (including the bow) has an 8.5% chance of dropping if the skeleton is killed by the player. A skeleton will also drop a skeleton skull if it is killed by a charge creeper.

Once the player is within 15 blocks of a skeleton, they will use their bow to shoot at them. Attack behavior varies between the two game editions:

Java Edition

Skeletons will be moving around while they fire arrows, and keeping themselves a certain distance from the player, retreating to a safe distance if the player comes within four blocks of them. They will sprint toward the player if they are 14 or more blocks away, and will use their bows even if they are underwater.

Bedrock Edition

Skeletons will stop moving to shoot, and will make no attempt to avoid being hit. When underwater, they will revert to a melee attack instead of using their bow. Skeletons on land will actually have a quicker rate of fire if the player is in water, increasing it as the player gets closer.

If a skeleton accidentally shoots a neutral or hostile mob, that mob will start attacking the skeleton. If a skeleton is damaged by any other mob (including another skeleton), it will start attacking that mob.

Skeletons sink in water and cannot swim, but they will not drown.

Skeletons are classified as undead mobs, meaning they will burn in sunlight. If it is wearing a helmet, it will not burn. If a skeleton is not wearing a helmet, it will seek out shade or enter water to protect itself.

Skeletons will flee from wolves, not attempting to attack the wolves until they are hit by one, at which point they will turn to attack the wolf that successfully attacked it. Skeletons will attack iron golems and baby turtles. In Bedrock Edition, they will also attack snow golems. If a creeper is killed by a skeleton's arrow, it will drop a music disk.

Skeleton Variants

The stray is a skeleton variant that spawns in snowy plains, frozen oceans, and their variants. They will also appear when a regular skeleton is kept inside powder snow for 7 seconds, at which point it will convert into a stray. They will shoot arrows that will inflict the player with Slowness for 30 seconds, and when killed, they will drop 0-1 Slowness arrows.