Witch

A witch is a hostile mob neither considered an illager nor a villager that uses harmful splash potions as ranged weapons and positive potions on itself. Witches spawn in the darkness, in swamp huts, during raids and when lightning strikes villagers.

Spawning
A witch may spawn in the Overworld above opaque blocks at a light level of 0. They can spawn in all biomes except mushroom fields and deep dark. Witches always spawn as part of raids starting from wave 4 $$, or wave 3 or 4 $$ depending on the world difficulty. When lightning strikes within 4 blocks of a villager, it transforms into a witch. A witch transformed from a villager cannot despawn or be changed back into a villager. This witch attacks the player with its potions, even if the player traded with it before. Additionally, every swamp hut spawns a witch and a black cat inside during world generation, they never despawn. Otherwise, $$ only witches (which may despawn) spawn in the 7×7×9 (x×y×z) volume that is the hut. This is the size of the roof and one block over the porch, from one level below the floor of the hut to two blocks above the roof. $$, witches respawn on only one block within the swamp hut. Witches despawn instantly in peaceful difficulty.

Drops
Witches have the largest loot table of any mob in the game, making 1–3 drops of 0–2 items each, for a maximum of 6 items total. A witch drops:
 * (12.5% chance)
 * (12.5% chance)
 * (12.5% chance)
 * (12.5% chance)
 * (12.5% chance)
 * (12.5% chance)
 * (25% chance)

The odds of a witch dropping the maximum amount of items possible (6 items total) without a Looting enchantment are 1 in 81 (1.2%).

Each level of Looting increases the maximum items dropped by one for each of the 1–3 drops, leading to a maximum of 5 items per drop and a maximum of 15 items total. No Looting averages 2 items per kill, Looting I averages 3, Looting II averages 4 and Looting III averages 5.

Potions
If a witch is killed while drinking a potion, the potion has a 8.5% chance of dropping, increased by 1% for every level of Looting. A witch drops one of the following:

Behavior
Witches are passive toward villagers and wandering traders although their potions can hit one by accident. Despite being similar in appearance to villagers, witches cannot open doors or use cauldrons. A witch fits through two block tall gaps, despite being taller than two blocks with its hat.

Witches pursue players within 64 blocks. They use potions in combat, throwing splash potions offensively and drinking normal potions defensively. These potions are the same as ones obtainable through brewing, with the same duration. Witches have infinite potions in their stock, ready to be thrown or drunk. They never run out of potions, even when transformed from a villager via lightning and not having had any potions equipped in their inventory. Because they have infinite potions at their disposal, witches require a long time to die in lava or fire. Witches are extremely difficult to kill via suffocation or cacti (though not impossible), due to their frequent use of healing potions as well. $$, they don't attack each other, even if hit accidentally by another witch's potion. A witch damaged by another witch's potion drinks a healing potion instead, same as damaged by an illager.

$$, witches locate targets even if they are behind blocks, are hostile to snow golems and iron golems and attack each other if damaged by another witch's potion.

Offense
Each potion is thrown in a 3-second interval within 10 blocks.


 * Witches throw a splash potion of slowness if the player is 8 or more blocks away and does not already have the slowness status effect.
 * Witches throw a splash potion of poison if the player's health is at least and is not already poisoned.
 * Witches have a 25% chance of throwing a splash potion of Weakness if the player is 3 or less blocks away and does not already have the weakness status effect.
 * If none of the above conditions are true, witches default to using a splash potion of harming, which does magical damage.

Defense
On each 0.05 second or tick, when the witch is not already drinking a potion, it may choose to equip and drink a potion. Drinking the potion takes 1.6 seconds and slows down its moving speed. It does not attack during this time.
 * When 80% under water and lacking water breathing, there is a 15% chance of drinking a potion of Water Breathing.
 * When on fire or the last damage taken in the past 2 seconds was fire damage, there is a 15% chance of drinking a potion of Fire Resistance.
 * When not at full health, 5% chance of drinking a potion of Healing, which heals.
 * When 11 or more blocks from a target and lacking Swiftness, 50% chance of drinking a potion of Swiftness.

$$, witches are 85% resistant to magic: Poison, Instant Damage, evoker fangs and the Thorns enchantment. $$, witches are immune to poison, Fatal Poison and to their own thrown harming potions.

Particles
For decoration, witches have a 1.5% chance every second to spawn 10 to 44 purple particles above their heads, named “witch” $$ or “witchspell” $$.

Riding
In Java Edition, witches can ride any mob via commands, including boss mobs. In Bedrock Edition, witches cannot ride ravagers, as the witch is not considered an illager.

Like other villager-like mobs, witches don't stick their legs forward when riding a minecart, a boat or another mob. Their legs seem to sink in these entities visually.

Patrols
In Java Edition, any witch can join a patrol if sufficiently near a patrol captain. Unlike non-patrolling or raiding witches, witches that are part of a patrol are hostile towards villagers, wandering traders and iron golems if in their sight.

Raids
$$, witches that participate in a raid seek out illagers and ravagers and throw splash potions of Regeneration (45 seconds) or Instant Health if they have or less. $$, witches participating in a raid do not heal other illagers, but still attack the player, iron golems and snow golems.

If the raiders kill all the villagers in a village, witches celebrate their victory by jumping and laughing.

$$, witches do not retaliate when attacked by evoker fangs, illagers or harming potions from other witches. Instead, they drink a healing potion. $$ witches throw negative splash potions at any mob that attacks it, including illagers, which leads to vicious fights if an illager hits the witch by accident.

ID




Entity data
Witches have entity data associated with them that contains various properties.




 * See Bedrock Edition level format/Entity format.
 * See Bedrock Edition level format/Entity format.

Trivia

 * The witch is based on Baba Yaga, a witch from Slavic folklore who also lives in a swamp hut.
 * When the subject of witches dropping sticks was brought up, Dinnerbone jokingly replied that it's because witches are made of wood. He later explained that it was a reference to this scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
 * Witches do not use the equipment in their swamp huts, but they can be used by players.
 * When drinking a potion, a witch's nose lifts and points forward. A witch's nose slightly wiggles when idle.
 * Witches have small mouths hidden under their noses. During their potion-drinking animation, this mouth becomes visible from the side.
 * Before the Java 1.18 update, witches have an unused purple hat layer in their texture file, similar to the illusioner's hat.
 * The same hat layer is also present in the vindicator and evoker's texture files, where it is also unused.
 * These hat models also used to exist in the nitwit, librarian, and priest's textures before the Village and Pillage Update.
 * In the Village and Pillage Update artwork banner, the witch in the picture has its arms unfolded like a pillager, despite this being impossible in-game.

Video
Witches before the Village & Pillage and Texture Update update: