How to Make a Potion of Poison in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Brew a potion of Poison by adding a spider eye to an awkward potion in a brewing stand. It poisons for 45 seconds, extendable to 1 minute 30 seconds with redstone dust or upped to Poison II with glowstone dust.

What you need

Brewing stand + blaze powder fuel
Nether wart + water bottles (for awkward potions)
1 spider eye
Redstone dust or glowstone dust (optional modifiers)
Gunpowder (optional, splash)

Step by step

Set up a brewing stand and fuel it with blaze powder.
Brew water bottles with nether wart to make awkward potions, the base for almost every potion.
Get a spider eye from killing spiders, cave spiders or witches.
Place up to 3 awkward potions in the bottom slots of the brewing stand.
Put the spider eye in the ingredient slot on top.
Wait 20 seconds. You now have potions of Poison that damage over 45 seconds.
Optional: add redstone dust to extend it to 1 minute 30 seconds, glowstone dust for Poison II (21 seconds, faster damage), or gunpowder for splash potions.

Java vs Bedrock

Poison is damage over time that can never kill by itself: it stops at half a heart. That makes splash poison great for weakening mobs for XP farms or captures. Java and Bedrock differ slightly: the extended potion lasts 1:30 in Java and 2:00 in Bedrock, and Poison II lasts 0:21 in Java and 0:22 in Bedrock.

Versions: javabedrock

Frequently asked questions

Can poison kill you in Minecraft?

No. Poison damage stops at 1 health (half a heart). It weakens you dangerously but the finishing blow must come from something else, which is why poison is used to soften mobs rather than kill them.

How long does Poison last?

The base potion lasts 45 seconds. Redstone extends it to 1 minute 30 seconds, and glowstone upgrades it to Poison II for 21 seconds of faster ticks.

What is a spider eye used for?

Spider eyes brew potions of Poison from awkward potions, and they are one of the three ingredients (with a brown mushroom and sugar) for a fermented spider eye, which corrupts potions into negative effects like Harming and Slowness.