Tutorials/Combat

What are Mobs?
a Mob is any creature in the game, whether Hostile, Passive, Allied or Neutral.

Hostile Mobs
As of 1.9pre3, there are 12 Hostile Mobs in the game. This list is sorted by chance of encounter.

Zombie
The Zombie is Zombies are often said to be the easiest Mobs to beat, as they use only weak melee attacks and they burn in sunlight. However, they have an extended reach, and it is difficult to land a hit on them in melee combat without taking damage. Also, they often spawn in large numbers, they can quickly overcome you. Zombies aren't that fast, merely a nuisance, especially when mining underground. When surrounded by multiple mobs, cut down the zombies first to escape. If possible, lure them out into sunlight during the day. They drop rotten flesh, which is only useful if you (or a wolf) are low on food or far from a permanent food source.

Skeleton
Skeletons can be quite difficult to slay in melee, as they lay down arrow fire as you approach. When attacking them in melee, strafe while approaching, and spiral around them closer and closer. Never use sprint hits on skeletons, unless they are near a hazard, as knocking them back will give them a free shot at you before you can approach. Skeletons can appear to hide behind corners in caverns and ambush you, so ensure to light up the entire tunnel before exploring further when moving underground. If you have a height and distance advantage and are attacking with a bow, you can make short work of a skeleton by firing upon it while staying out of its search range. On equal ground with a skeleton, charge your bow directly after dodging a skeletons arrow to prevent yourself being shot while under the slowing effects of a charging bow. If you are low on health and ammo, waiting until daylight will kill all skeletons due to their vunerability to sunlight.

Creeper
Not only one of the most notorious and infamous mobs in the game, but also one of the most deadly.

The safest way to engage a creeper is from a distance by shooting two fully charged arrows at it with a bow so it cannot explode near the player.

Swimming creepers can be easily dealt with using melee attacks while the player is underwater. Players can also take advantage of the creeper's countdown system by hitting it, retreating a few squares away, and repeating this until it dies. Alternatively, the player can find sufficiently high ground to strike a creeper from above with a melee weapon without the detonation sequence being activated. However, the player should keep in mind that creepers move forwards and to the right (your left) when in pursuit.

A creeper can be hit and knocked out of reach with the sprint hit ability. This allows a player to slowly work down a creepers health while remaining out of the explosion radius. Jumping and hitting a creeper while falling during a sprint will kill the creeper quickly while still keeping it out of reach.

If a creeper is below the player, the player can suffocate a creeper (and many other mobs) by placing a block of sand or gravel above the creeper as long as the block they are placing is on a wall or a block in front of the player and above the target mob. It will usually take one to two blocks to cover the creeper and when it is covered, the creeper will slowly suffocate to death. This is a slow way of eliminating a creeper but it will keep the player out of harm's way and preserve the durability of their weapon.

If caught in a difficult place without a weapon, the player can run away if he or she is outdoors or tunnel down towards bedrock and wait for the creeper to de-spawn before surfacing. A failsafe is to set the difficulty to peaceful, removing all hostile mobs.

Spider
Spiders can be a nuisance if handled incorrectly. Spiders are the only mob that are 1 block high, and as such they are able to sneak into your house if a hole is sufficient. However, spiders are also 2 blocks wide, so a 1x1 hole will not let spiders pass. Spiders have a special feature in which they can climb blocks. If you hear spider noises, but can't see one, usually they are on top of your house. In the daytime, spiders will become neutral. They will only attack you if you attack them. Spiders drop string, (as of 1.8 pre 3 they also drop spider eye) and string is extremely useful. You can use it for a fishing rod to get quick and easy food, or ( what most players do) you can use 3 string and 3 sticks to make a bow. Spiders have a jump attack, and so it is best to swing a sword while walking backwards to avoid most damage. During the day, they can be killed by lava or flint and steel without becoming hostile to you.

Passive Mobs
Most passive mobs are easy to kill, as they do not fight back. However, they will run and this can often be a nuisance. You can counter this by killing them with one hit. This is achieved by either using a diamond sword, a fully charged bow, or a critical strike from a stone or iron sword.Lava and Flint and steel can also be used to make the animal drop the cooked version of its meat. Although it will run away it will probably die from the burning.

Do not attack a passive mob without a tool or weapon. This will not only lead to frustration, but also wasted daylight, due to the time taken.

Chickens
Chickens can be quite difficult to hit because of their small hitbox, but they have the least health. A single strike from any sword or from most non-wood tools will finish them off.

Sheep
Sheep are one of the easiest passive mods to kill along with pigs and cows. Sheep have five hearts before 1.9 pre-release 3 and four hearts after the pre-release. Two successive strikes from a diamond, stone or iron sword will finish them off easily. For a one hit kill, critical hit them with a stone sword or better so they won't run away.