Stray

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This article is about the snowy skeleton variant. For other skeletons, see Skeleton (disambiguation). For untamed cats, see Stray cat.
Stray
Stray.png: Infobox image for Minecraft entity 'Stray'
Invicon Stray Spawn Egg.png: Inventory sprite for Stray Spawn Egg in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Stray Spawn Egg
Health points 20HP❤️ × 10
Behavior Hostile
Mob type Undead
Monster
Attack
strength
Ranged:

Bow:
In Java Edition:
Easy: 2HP❤️ - 4HP❤️❤️
Normal: 3HP❤️💔 - 5HP❤️❤️💔
Hard: 4HP❤️❤️ - 8HP❤️❤️❤️❤️
In Bedrock Edition:
3HP❤️💔 - 5HP❤️❤️💔
Arrow of Slowness :
Slowness for 30 seconds


Melee:
Easy: 2HP❤️
Normal: 2HP❤️
Hard: 3HP❤️💔
Slowness for 9 seconds ‌[BE only]

Hitbox size In Java Edition:

Height: 1.99 Blocks
Width: 0.6 Blocks
In Bedrock Edition:
Height: 1.9 Blocks
Width: 0.6 Blocks

Spawn

A stray is a skeleton variant that spawns in various snow-covered biomes. They behave very similarly to skeletons, except they fire tipped arrows of Slowness from their bows and do not freeze in powder snow.

Spawning

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A stray may spawn directly under the sky in snowy plains, or ice spikes, replacing 80% of skeletons. They can also spawn underground in Ice Caves. Additionally, a stray may spawn in frozen rivers, frozen oceans, deep frozen oceans, legacy frozen oceans, snowy slopes, jagged peaks, and frozen peaks in Bedrock Edition. Strays do not spawn naturally from monster spawners in Java Edition.

Stray spawns in:
Category: MonsterJava EditionBedrock Edition
Spawn areaSpawn weightSpawn chanceGroup sizeSpawn weightGroup size
Snowy Plains80⁄53015.09%4961–2
Ice Spikes80⁄54014.81%4961–2
Ice Caves10⁄5201.92%4101–2
Jagged Peaks———961–2
Frozen River———961–2
Deep Frozen Ocean———961–2
Frozen Ocean———961–2
Frozen Peaks———961–2
Snowy Slopes———961–2

Converting

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When a skeleton is kept inside powder snow for 7 seconds (140 game ticks), it begins shaking. After another 15 seconds (300 game ticks), it becomes a stray. A converted stray appears with full health even if the original skeleton did not have full health. Items being held or worn by a skeleton when it becomes a stray remain unchanged. Unlike regular skeletons, bogged and parched do not turn into strays, but take freezing damage instead.

Trial spawners

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Strays have a 1⁄3 chance to be selected as the "ranged" mob for trial spawners in trial chambers.

Spider jockeys

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In Bedrock Edition, spiders and cave spiders spawned in biomes where strays can spawn (spiders cannot naturally spawn in snowy plains) have a 1% chance to spawn as a spider jockey, with an 80% chance of the rider being a stray. In Java Edition, stray spider jockeys cannot spawn naturally, but the skeleton rider can convert into a stray and continue as a stray spider jockey.

Drops

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On death

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Java Edition:

ItemQuantity / Chance / Average
DefaultLooting ILooting IILooting III
Bone0–266.67%1.000–383.33%1.500–491.67%2.000–594.44%2.50
Arrow0–266.67%1.000–383.33%1.500–491.67%2.000–594.44%2.50
Arrow of Slowness[A]0–150.00%0.500–175.00%0.750–187.50%0.880–191.67%0.92

ItemQuantity / Chance / Average
DefaultLooting ILooting IILooting III
Bone0–22⁄310–35⁄63⁄20–411⁄1220–517⁄185⁄2
Arrow0–22⁄310–35⁄63⁄20–411⁄1220–517⁄185⁄2
Arrow of Slowness[A]0–11⁄21⁄20–13⁄43⁄40–17⁄87⁄80–111⁄1211⁄12

ItemAmountProbability
DefaultLooting ILooting IILooting III
Bone01⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄6 (16.67%)1⁄12 (8.33%)1⁄18 (5.56%)
11⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄4 (25.00%)1⁄6 (16.67%)
21⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄3 (33.33%)5⁄18 (27.78%)
301⁄6 (16.67%)1⁄4 (25.00%)5⁄18 (27.78%)
4001⁄12 (8.33%)1⁄6 (16.67%)
50001⁄18 (5.56%)
Average1 (1.00)3⁄2 (1.50)2 (2.00)5⁄2 (2.50)
Arrow01⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄6 (16.67%)1⁄12 (8.33%)1⁄18 (5.56%)
11⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄4 (25.00%)1⁄6 (16.67%)
21⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄3 (33.33%)5⁄18 (27.78%)
301⁄6 (16.67%)1⁄4 (25.00%)5⁄18 (27.78%)
4001⁄12 (8.33%)1⁄6 (16.67%)
50001⁄18 (5.56%)
Average1 (1.00)3⁄2 (1.50)2 (2.00)5⁄2 (2.50)
Arrow of Slowness[A]01⁄2 (50.00%)1⁄4 (25.00%)1⁄8 (12.50%)1⁄12 (8.33%)
11⁄2 (50.00%)3⁄4 (75.00%)7⁄8 (87.50%)11⁄12 (91.67%)
Average1⁄2 (0.50)3⁄4 (0.75)7⁄8 (0.88)11⁄12 (0.92)

Killed1
ItemExpected Drops
DefaultLooting ILooting IILooting III
Bone1.001.502.002.50
Arrow1.001.502.002.50
Arrow of Slowness[A]0.500.750.880.92

  1. ↑ Only when killed by a player or a tamed wolf.

Bedrock Edition:

ItemQuantity / Chance / Average
DefaultLooting ILooting IILooting III
Bone0–266.67%1.000–366.67%1.330–466.67%1.670–566.67%2.00
Arrow0–266.67%1.000–366.67%1.330–466.67%1.670–566.67%2.00
Arrow of Slowness[A]0–150.00%0.500–250.00%0.750–350.00%1.000–450.00%1.25

ItemQuantity / Chance / Average
DefaultLooting ILooting IILooting III
Bone0–22⁄310–32⁄34⁄30–42⁄35⁄30–52⁄32
Arrow0–22⁄310–32⁄34⁄30–42⁄35⁄30–52⁄32
Arrow of Slowness[A]0–11⁄21⁄20–21⁄23⁄40–31⁄210–41⁄25⁄4

ItemAmountProbability
DefaultLooting ILooting IILooting III
Bone01⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄3 (33.33%)
11⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄6 (16.67%)1⁄12 (8.33%)1⁄18 (5.56%)
21⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄4 (25.00%)1⁄6 (16.67%)
301⁄6 (16.67%)1⁄4 (25.00%)2⁄9 (22.22%)
4001⁄12 (8.33%)1⁄6 (16.67%)
50001⁄18 (5.56%)
Average1 (1.00)4⁄3 (1.33)5⁄3 (1.67)2 (2.00)
Arrow01⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄3 (33.33%)
11⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄6 (16.67%)1⁄12 (8.33%)1⁄18 (5.56%)
21⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄3 (33.33%)1⁄4 (25.00%)1⁄6 (16.67%)
301⁄6 (16.67%)1⁄4 (25.00%)2⁄9 (22.22%)
4001⁄12 (8.33%)1⁄6 (16.67%)
50001⁄18 (5.56%)
Average1 (1.00)4⁄3 (1.33)5⁄3 (1.67)2 (2.00)
Arrow of Slowness[A]01⁄2 (50.00%)1⁄2 (50.00%)1⁄2 (50.00%)1⁄2 (50.00%)
11⁄2 (50.00%)1⁄4 (25.00%)1⁄8 (12.50%)1⁄12 (8.33%)
201⁄4 (25.00%)1⁄4 (25.00%)1⁄6 (16.67%)
3001⁄8 (12.50%)1⁄6 (16.67%)
40001⁄12 (8.33%)
Average1⁄2 (0.50)3⁄4 (0.75)1 (1.00)5⁄4 (1.25)

Killed1
ItemExpected Drops
DefaultLooting ILooting IILooting III
Bone1.001.331.672.00
Arrow1.001.331.672.00
Arrow of Slowness[A]0.500.751.001.25

  1. ↑ Only when killed by a player.
  • Any picked-up equipment has a 100% chance of dropping and drops with the same damage level it had when picked up.
  • Any naturally spawned equipment, including the bow, has an 8.5% chance of dropping (9.5% with Looting I, 10.5% with Looting II and 11.5% with Looting III). It is damaged and may be enchanted.
  • 5XP experience orbs when killed by a player or tamed wolf and an extra 1–3XP if the stray has armor.

Behavior

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Strays behave the same as normal skeletons but make noises with an echoing effect and shoot tipped arrows that inflict Slowness for 30 seconds on any target that they hit. In Bedrock Edition, strays that are underwater use a melee attack that inflicts Slowness. Strays do not take damage from freezing in powder snow, but they are not immune to Slowness. A stray holding a tipped arrow or spectral arrow in its off-hand always shoots that type of arrow instead, and the arrow held is not consumed.

Unlike frostbites​[upcoming: Fourth Drop 2026], strays do not naturally have the ability to walk on powder snow, and must wear leather boots to do so.

Being an undead mob, they are:

As they are also under the "skeletons" entity type tag, if a stray kills a creeper, the creeper drops a music disc, randomly selected from 13, cat, blocks, chirp, far, mall, mellohi, stal, strad, ward, 11, and wait.

Like bogged and parched, the eyes of strays are emissive with Vibrant Visuals.

Picking up items

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Some strays spawn with the ability to pick up dropped items from the ground. Unlike zombies, however, they pick up only weapons, shields, and armor. In Java Edition, strays pick up items that they happen to walk near. In Bedrock Edition, they actively search for and walk toward dropped items.

If the picked up item is a weapon (other than a bow), the stray uses the item as a melee weapon. Strays do not pick up spears under any circumstances. In Java Edition, strays prefer bows over other weapons, and do not pick up other weapons while wielding a bow. In Bedrock Edition, the only weapon a stray will swap its held bow for is a sword. When picking up weapons, strays prefer ones that deal more damage without considering enchantments. They also prefer weapons with NBT data over those without, and weapons that are less damaged.

If the picked up item is a shield, the stray equips the shield into their offhand. It cannot use the shield to block incoming attacks, however.

If the picked up item is armor, a carved pumpkin or a head, the stray equips itself with the item. Strays prefer armor that give more armor points, and will replace their current armor with it. Strays pick up cosmetic wearables (heads and carved pumpkins) as long as they aren't wearing a helmet, and will replace the cosmetic wearable if they find a helmet.

If a stray has equipment and picks up something they prefer more, the stray drops the old equipment, with the same chance as if killed with Looting I[verify], in favor of the new one.

A stray equipped with a picked-up item becomes persistent and does not despawn, similar to being named.

Sounds

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Java Edition:

Sounds
SoundClosed captionsSourceDescriptionIdentifierTranslation keyVolumePitchAttenuation
distance
​Stray rattlesHostile MobsRandomlyentity.stray.ambientsubtitles.entity.stray.ambient​1.00.8–1.216
​Stray hurts​[until: JE 26.4]Hostile MobsWhen a stray is damagedentity.stray.hurtsubtitles.entity.stray.hurt​1.00.8–1.216
​Stray diesHostile MobsWhen a stray diesentity.stray.deathsubtitles.entity.stray.death​1.00.8–1.216
​FootstepsHostile MobsWhile a stray is walkingentity.stray.stepsubtitles.block.generic.footsteps​0.151.016
​Skeleton shoots[sound 1]Hostile MobsWhen a stray shoots an arrowentity.skeleton.shoot​[sound 1]​subtitles.entity.skeleton.shoot​​[sound 1]​1.05⁄6-1.2516
​Skeleton converts to StrayHostile MobsWhen a skeleton converts to a strayentity.skeleton.converted_to_straysubtitles.entity.skeleton.converted_to_stray​2.00.8–1.216
  1. ↑ a b c The stray reuses the skeleton's sound events instead of having its own, resulting in these unintuitive subtitles - see MC-98316

Bedrock Edition:

Sounds
SoundClosed captionsSourceDescriptionIdentifierTranslation keyVolumePitch
​ ?Hostile MobsRandomlymob.stray.ambient​ ?1.00.8–1.2
​ ?Hostile MobsWhen a stray is damagedmob.stray.hurt​ ?1.00.8–1.2
​ ?Hostile MobsWhen a stray diesmob.stray.death​ ?1.00.8–1.2
​ ?Hostile MobsWhile a stray is walkingmob.stray.step​ ?1.01.0
​ ?PlayersWhen a stray shoots an arrow[sound 1]random.bow​ ?1.00.83–1.25
​ ?Friendly MobsWhen a skeleton converts to a straymob.skeleton.convert_to_stray​ ?1.01.0

Data values

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Java Edition:

NameIdentifierEntity tags Translation key
EntitySprite stray.png: Sprite image for stray in Minecraft Straystrayburn_in_daylight
can_breathe_under_water
freeze_immune_entity_types
ignores_poison_and_regen
inverted_healing_and_harm
no_anger_from_wind_charge
skeletons
undead
wither_friends
sensitive_to_smite
entity.minecraft.stray

Bedrock Edition:

NameIdentifierNumeric ID FamilyTranslation key
EntitySprite stray.png: Sprite image for stray in Minecraft Straystray46 mob
monster
skeleton
stray
undead
entity.stray.name

Entity data

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Strays have entity data associated with them that contains various properties.

Java Edition:

Main article: Entity format

Bedrock Edition:

See Bedrock Edition level format/Entity format.

Achievements

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IconAchievementIn-game descriptionActual requirements (if different)Gamerscore earnedTrophy type (PS)
PS4Other
Monster HunterAttack and destroy a monster. Other mobs may be killed, but are ignored for this achievement.15Bronze
Sniper DuelKill a Skeleton with a Bow and Arrows from more than 50 meters.Use a launched arrow to kill a skeleton, wither skeleton, stray, bogged, or parched from 50 or more blocks away, horizontally.30Bronze
It SpreadsKill a mob next to a catalystKill any mob that drops experience near a sculk catalyst, with the sole exception of the ender dragon. Mobs that drop no experience are ignored for this achievement.10Bronze

Achievements that apply to all mobs:

Advancements

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IconAdvancementIn-game descriptionActual requirements (if different)
Not Today, Thank YouDeflect a projectile with a ShieldBlock any projectile with a shield.
Monster HunterKill any hostile monster Other mobs may be killed, but are ignored for this advancement.
It SpreadsKill a mob near a Sculk CatalystKill any mob that drops experience near a sculk catalyst, with the sole exception of the ender dragon. Mobs that drop no experience are ignored for this advancement.
Monsters HuntedKill one of every hostile monster Other mobs may be killed, but are ignored for this advancement.

Advancements that apply to all mobs:

History

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This section would benefit from the addition of more sounds.
Please remove this notice once you have added suitable sounds to the section.
The specific instructions are:
Sounds from before 1.10-pre2, they used to use normal skeleton sounds (also was this actually the change version? the Husk page gives a different version)

Development

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April 11, 2016 Jens Bergensten tweets an image of a new skeleton-type mob.

Java Edition

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Java Edition
1.1016w20a Added strays. When explaining the origin of the stray, Jeb stated, "They’re based on a concept that emerged from a game jam the Bellevue team had, where they were just adding a bunch of stuff to Minecraft - whatever they wanted. Jason Major made a bunch of cool mobs and I thought these particular ones fitted [sic] really well with what we were already planning."[1]
Added spawn eggs for strays, which strays can be spawned from.
pre2 The spawn egg for strays has been removed.
New sounds have now been added for strays, which allow them to have their own sounds. Previously, they had the same sounds as a regular skeleton.
1.1116w32a The spawn egg for strays has been re-added.
The in-game name of strays is now "Stray" instead of "entity.Skeleton.name".
Creepers no longer drop music discs when killed by strays.[2]
Strays can no longer spawn from normal skeleton spawn eggs used in snowy biomes.
The entity ID Skeleton has been changed to skeleton, wither_skeleton and stray for those respective mob.
The SkeletonType tag[verify] has been removed.
1.1318w19a Strays now sink underwater.
Strays no longer drown underwater.
1.1418w43a The texture of strays has been changed.
Creepers now drop music discs when killed by strays again.
19w09a Strays holding tipped arrows or spectral arrows in their off-hand now shoot that type of arrow.[3]
1.1519w37a Mobs that spawn wearing carved pumpkins or jack o'lanterns on Halloween no longer drop them.
1.1721w05a Skeletons now convert to strays when in powder snow.
21w13a Strays are now immune to freezing.
Skeletons now only take 20 seconds to convert to strays when in powder snow, instead of 45.
1.20.323w40a Strays are now part of the #can_breathe_under_water and #undead tags.
1.20.3
Experiment
Update 1.21
23w45a Strays now spawn in trial chambers behind the "Update 1.21" experimental data pack.
1.20.5
Experiment
Update 1.21
24w04a No longer retaliates against attacks from the breeze.
1.21.224w33a Now naturaly spawn with armor in the order of (most likely to least likely): helmet, chestplate, leggings, boots.[4]
1.21.424w45a Prefer to pick bows from the ground as opposed to other items.
1.21.11pre1 Strays can no longer pick up spears.

Bedrock Edition

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Pocket Edition Alpha
v0.15.0build 1 Added strays.
v0.16.0build 5 New sounds have now been added for strays, which allow them to have their own sounds. Previously, they had the same sounds as the regular skeleton.
Pocket Edition
1.0.0alpha 0.17.0.2 The clothing of strays now has their own overlay and no longer glitch through their bones.
alpha 1.0.0.1 Strays can now drop tipped arrows of Slowness when killed by players.
1.1.0alpha 1.1.0.0 The entity ID has now changed from skeleton.stray to stray.
Because of the above change, they cannot spawn as riders of spider jockeys anymore.[5]
Bedrock Edition
1.5.0beta 1.5.0.0 Strays now sink underwater.
Strays now use melee attacks that inflict Slowness and no longer use ranged attacks while underwater.
1.9.0beta 1.9.0.5 Strays now have a correct overlay model.
1.10.0beta 1.10.0.3 The texture of strays has now changed.
1.16.0beta 1.16.0.51 Strays can now pick up items.
Strays now use melee attacks when not holding a bow. Prior to this, strays used any items as ranged weapons to shoot arrows of Slowness normally.
1.17.0beta 1.16.230.54 Strays are now immune to freezing.
beta 1.17.0.54 Skeletons now convert to strays when in powder snow.
release Strays don’t drop wither skeleton skulls anymore if killed by a charged creeper.[6]
1.20.60
Experiment
Update 1.21
Preview 1.20.60.20 Strays now spawn in trial chambers behind the "Update 1.21" experimental toggle.
1.20.70
Experiment
Update 1.21
Preview 1.20.70.21 Strays no longer retaliate against attacks from breezes.
1.21.90Preview 1.21.90.26 Strays now spawn as riders of spider jockeys again.
26.0Preview 26.0.23 Strays can no longer pick up spears.
26.30Preview 26.30.20 Strays now shoot arrows with difficulty-based attack intervals instead of distance-scaled intervals, making them easier to take down.[7]
Preview 26.30.25 Strays’ difficulty-based attack intervals now match Java Edition, making them even easier to take down.
26.40Preview 26.40.27 Arrow damage from strays now depends on its velocity and difficulty, rather than being randomized between a range.

Legacy Console Edition

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Legacy Console Edition
Xbox 360Xbox OnePS3PS4PS VitaWii USwitch
TU46CU361.381.381.38Patch 151.0.1 Added strays.
TU54CU441.521.521.52Patch 241.0.4 Strays now have their own sounds. Previously, they had the same sounds as a regular skeleton.
Added stray spawn eggs, which strays can be spawned from.
Strays can no longer spawn from normal skeleton spawn eggs used in snowy biomes.
TU69 1.761.761.76Patch 38 Strays now sink underwater.
1.90 Creepers now drop music discs when killed by strays.

New Nintendo 3DS Edition

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New Nintendo 3DS Edition
0.1.0 Added strays.

Issues

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Issues relating to "Stray" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.

Trivia

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  • Strays and other skeleton variants do not know how to use a crossbow, despite the same using method as a bow.
  • According to the Minecraft website, the slowness arrows represent frozen arrows that freeze on impact.[1]
  • The stray's fourth ambient sound is the skeleton's second ambient sound but partly edited.
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Renders

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Screenshots

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Mojang images

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Developer images

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Textures

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In other media

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See also

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References

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  1. ↑ a b "Meet the Stray" by Marsh Davies – Minecraft.net, December 14, 2016.
  2. ↑ MC-112579
  3. ↑ MC-106133
  4. ↑ "[MC-182478] Mob armor generates starting with boots rather than helmet – Jira" – Mojira, May 5, 2020.
  5. ↑ MCPE-89549
  6. ↑ MCPE-35876
  7. ↑ MCPE-61036 – Skeletons’ rate of fire is too high – resolved as "Fixed".
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