How to Make a Potion of Slowness in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Brew a potion of Slowness by adding a fermented spider eye to a potion of Swiftness or Leaping in a brewing stand. It slows movement for 1 minute 30 seconds, extendable to 4 minutes with redstone dust or intensified to Slowness IV with glowstone dust.

What you need

Brewing stand + blaze powder fuel
Potion of Swiftness or Leaping as the base
1 fermented spider eye (spider eye + brown mushroom + sugar)
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 a base potion first: a potion of Swiftness (awkward potion + sugar) or a potion of Leaping (awkward potion + rabbit's foot).
Craft a fermented spider eye from 1 spider eye, 1 brown mushroom and 1 sugar.
Place up to 3 potions of Swiftness or Leaping in the bottom slots of the brewing stand.
Put the fermented spider eye in the ingredient slot on top. It corrupts the speed boost into Slowness.
Wait 20 seconds. You now have potions of Slowness that slow movement for 1 minute 30 seconds.
Optional: add redstone dust for a 4-minute version, glowstone dust for Slowness IV, or gunpowder for splash potions to slow enemies.

Java vs Bedrock

Slowness works the same in Java and Bedrock: it cuts movement speed by 15% at level I and much more at level IV. Splash Slowness is also half of the zombie villager curing combo's crowd control, slowing a chasing zombie while you line up the weakness splash and golden apple. In Bedrock, swamp hut cauldrons can hold a potion of Slowness, handy for a free zombie-villager curing setup.

Versions: javabedrock

Frequently asked questions

How long does Slowness last?

The base potion lasts 1 minute 30 seconds. Redstone extends it to 4 minutes, and glowstone upgrades it to Slowness IV for a much stronger but shorter effect.

Why does Slowness brew from Swiftness?

Fermented spider eyes corrupt potions into their opposite effect. Swiftness speeds you up, so its corrupted form slows you down. The same trick turns Leaping into Slowness and Healing into Harming.

What is Slowness good for?

Thrown as a splash potion it slows hostile mobs and other players, giving you time to escape or control a fight. It is also handy for keeping a zombie villager still while you cure it with weakness and a golden apple.