Updated:
Deal two hearts of damage
| Version | Command |
|---|---|
| Java 1.19.4 and later | /damage @p 4 |
| Bedrock Edition | /damage @p 4 |
The number is health points: 1 is half a heart and 2 is one heart. Players have 20 health (10 hearts), so 4 removes two hearts. Armor reduces the damage.
Choose a damage type
| Version | Magic damage that ignores armor |
|---|---|
| Java | /damage @p 4 minecraft:magic |
| Bedrock | /damage @p 4 magic |
The type decides whether armor and enchantments reduce the damage. magic ignores armor, so it always removes the exact amount. Other types include fall (reduced by Feather Falling) and lava.
Set the attacker
| Version | Command |
|---|---|
| Java | /damage @p 6 minecraft:mob_attack by @e[type=minecraft:zombie,limit=1,sort=nearest] |
| Bedrock | /damage @p 6 entity_attack entity @e[type=zombie,c=1] |
With an attacker, the death message names that mob. Between mobs, the damaged mob will target the attacker.
Common damage types
| Java type | Bedrock cause | Notes |
|---|---|---|
minecraft:fall | fall | Feather Falling and Protection reduce it. |
minecraft:in_fire, minecraft:lava | fire, lava | Fire Protection reduces it; Fire Resistance blocks it. |
minecraft:explosion | entity_explosion | Blast Protection reduces it. |
minecraft:magic | magic | Ignores armor; good for exact amounts. |
minecraft:wither | wither | Shows the wither death message. |
minecraft:drown, minecraft:starve | drowning, starve | Useful for themed death messages. |
The type mostly changes which enchantments help and which death message appears. Java type IDs are lowercase with underscores; Bedrock uses its own cause names, so the two lists do not match one to one.
Damage from a position (Java)
/damage @p 6 minecraft:explosion at ~ ~ ~5at sets where the damage comes from, which decides the knockback direction. You can use either at or by, not both.
For projectiles, by is the direct source and from is who caused it. This makes the nearest zombie take arrow damage credited to you:
/damage @e[type=minecraft:zombie,limit=1,sort=nearest] 5 minecraft:arrow by @s from @sA damage floor trap
Put this in a repeating, always active command block. Anyone standing on a magma block loses one heart:
/execute as @a at @s if block ~ ~-1 ~ minecraft:magma_block run damage @s 2 minecraft:magicIt runs every tick, but players are invulnerable for half a second after each hit, so the real rate is about two hits per second. Change the selector to @a[tag=!builder] to keep tagged builders safe in Survival.
/damage, /kill or instant damage?
| Goal | Use |
|---|---|
| Remove an exact amount | /damage |
| Always kill | /kill |
| Java 1.19.3 and earlier | /effect give @p minecraft:instant_damage 1 0 (about 3 hearts at level I) |
Common problems
- Health does not go down: players in Creative mode are not hurt by /damage.
- Less damage than expected: armor reduced it; use
magic. - Unknown command (Java): your version is older than 1.19.4.
- Second hit does nothing: after taking damage there is a short invulnerability window; space the hits out.
Check your command
The Command Error Doctor checks common syntax mistakes in your browser.