Most entities can be pushed around by water currents. Some entities can be renamed by using a name tag on them.
Entities cannot pass through solid blocks. Most types of entities prevent blocks from being placed in the space they occupy, except for resources (dropped items) and experience orbs, which are automatically pushed out of the block to open air. Also, if an entity does overlap a block, (due to falling sand or a door being swung), then it is free to move out of the solid block but not back in. (For example, if a door is closed on you, you can jump up and stand on top of the bottom half-door block, if there is air above the door.)
Entities are lit according to the light level of the block their position is in. For example, if a minecart runs over a non-straight track directly into a solid block, it will turn black (since solid blocks always have a light level of 0); arrows are also sometimes seen to turn black (especially if fired shallowly into the ceiling).
Types of entities[edit | edit source]
The following types of entities currently exist in Minecraft.
Type Solid Drops
when killed/destroyed Despawns Health Width × Height ID Notes
The Player Yes Contents of their inventory No 20 (Heart.svgHeart.svgHeart.svgHeart.svgHeart.svgHeart.svgHeart.svgHeart.svgHeart.svgHeart.svg) (Varies with attributes) 0.6×1.8 Player Special case: Notch also drops an apple.
Note: Players will also become un-rendered around 64 blocks away
Mobs Yes see Drops see Spawn Varies Varies see Entity IDs
Boats Yes Sticks and wood planks if broken with fall damage, boat if hit by a player No 6 (Heart.svgHeart.svgHeart.svg) 1.5×0.6 Boat (41) Recovers health quickly over time.
Takes damage from colliding with blocks or other entities at high speed.
Minecarts Yes (to projectiles and other minecarts) 1 minecart No 6 (Heart.svgHeart.svgHeart.svg) 0.98×0.7 MinecartRideable (42), MinecartChest (43), MinecartFurnace (44), MinecartTNT (45), MinecartHopper (46), MinecartSpawner (47), MinecartCommandBlock (40) Recovers health quickly over time.
Snaps to rails if in a block occupied by them.
Items Only to boats and minecarts None 5 minutes 5 (Heart.svgHeart.svgHalf Heart.svg) 0.25×0.25 Item (1) Destroyed by explosions, fire, lava, cacti, and falling anvils, but cannot be struck. The only exception is the Nether Star, which cannot be blown up.
Experience orb No None 5 minutes 5 (Heart.svgHeart.svgHalf Heart.svg) 0.3×0.3 XPOrb (2) Same behaviors as dropped items; also attracted to the player.
Projectile arrows Yes (to boats and minecarts) n/a 1 minute ∞ 0.5×0.5 Arrow (10) Damages other entities if moving; harmless when stuck in a block.
Projectile snowballs, eggs Breaks on impact n/a No ∞ 0.25×0.25 Snowball (11) Eggs may spawn a chicken on impact. (1/8 chance)
Projectile ender pearl Breaks on impact n/a No ∞ 0.25×0.25 ThrownEnderpearl (14) Teleports player on impact and deals 5 (Heart.svgHeart.svgHalf Heart.svg) of fall damage
Thrown eye of ender No Eye of ender after flight (1:5 chance of shattering) No ∞ 0.25×0.25 EyeOfEnderSignal (15) Floats towards the end portal in the closest stronghold.
Launched firework rocket No n/a Varies (explodes) ∞ ? FireworksRocketEntity (22)
Primed TNT No n/a 4 seconds or fewer
(Explodes) ∞ 0.98×0.98 PrimedTnt (20)
Falling sand No Itself as an item (unless hits ground) Once entity hits ground or ~4 seconds ∞ 0.98×0.98 FallingSand (21) Drops itself when landing in a non-solid block such as a torch.
Fishing Rod bobber Only to boats and minecarts n/a 1 minute ∞ ? unknown This entity has a different name for different languages, unknown being the name in English.
Lightning bolt No n/a 1-3 ticks ∞ ? LightningBolt
Lead knots, paintings, item frames, and armor stands No 1 Lead, 1 painting, 1 item frame or 1 armor stand (item frames will drop item inside; armor stand will drop armor/equipment on it) No ∞ Varies LeashKnot (8), Painting (9), ItemFrame (18), ArmorStand (30) Drops as an item when struck