Phantom Farm (Membranes)
Beginner Java + Bedrock
Produces: Phantom membranes to repair elytras and brew Potions of Slow Falling
Quick answer: Skip sleep (or death) for 3 in-game days and phantoms start spawning above you at night - stand in the open above sea level, let them dive at you, and kill them with a Looting sword for 0-2 membranes each.
How it works
- The insomnia clock: phantoms target players whose Time Since Last Rest passes 3 in-game days - entering a bed (even without sleeping through the night) or dying resets it.
- Spawn conditions: night or thunderstorm, you above sea level (Y=64) with sky visible above you (cobwebs do not block it), and enough local difficulty.
- Attempts every 1-2 minutes with a success chance that grows the longer you stay awake: about 25% on day 4, 40% on day 5, 50% on day 6 - packs of 1-4 on Hard.
- They spawn 20-34 blocks above and around you, circle, then dive - after a swoop they climb back to altitude, slow and vulnerable.
- Drops: 0-1 phantom membrane per player kill, and with Looting III up to 0-4 (average 2).
- Sunlight burns them like zombies - dawn cleans up whatever you missed.
Materials
- No sleep for 3+ in-game days (the only real ingredient)
- An open AFK platform above Y=62 with clear sky
- A Looting III sword
- Optional: a glass ceiling trap - phantoms spawn fine under glass, dive, and end up pinned against it where you can finish them safely
- Armor and food for the night shift
Build steps
- Stop sleeping: three full day-night cycles without touching a bed or dying.
- Build a flat platform in the open, above sea level, sky directly overhead - a glass roof over your head keeps you safe while counting as open sky.
- Wait for night: phantoms spawn in the airspace around you and begin their circling dives.
- Stand at the edge of the glass and sword them as they swoop or hover against the ceiling.
- Let sunrise burn off the stragglers, collect the membranes, repeat nightly - the spawn chance climbs every day you stay awake.
- Bank the membranes: they repair elytra at an anvil and brew Slow Falling.
Rates
On day 4-6 of insomnia, expect several phantoms per night per player - a Looting III sword turns one long night into 5-10 membranes without building anything at all.
Tips
- Entering a bed for a second resets the timer - you do not need to sleep through the night, so nap once between farm sessions.
- Cats scare phantoms: a tamed cat nearby reduces the dives.
- The wiki says an upcoming update (Third Drop 2026) will let straw beds also reset the insomnia clock.
- Phantom membranes are the elytra repair material at an anvil.
- Source: minecraft.wiki Phantom.