Zombie

**Zombies** are melee, hostile mobs that spawn in areas with a light level of 7 or less. They are found within nearly all *Minecraft* Biomes.

## Behavior

Zombies are sometimes considered the least dangerous hostile mob in the game because they are slow and can only use close-range melee attacks. However, it is possible for several zombies to collaborate and attack as a team, making them more difficult to overcome. Zombies come in many different variations as well, each with their own unique attacking abilities, or inflict a certain effect.

A zombie will target a player when he or she is within a 40 block radius. Zombies can jump 1 block up and will crowd around doors when in pursuit of players and Villagers (in Hard mode, they will break wooden doors down). Zombies also occasionally spawn with the ability to equip dropped Armor and Weapons. Any item equipped in this way will be dropped after the zombie is killed. Zombies will also not drop down into an area if the ledge is taller than five blocks. Once implemented, zombies will have a small chance of spawning another zombie to assist it.*[citation needed]* This is very buggy, albeit, and it can turn a handful of zombies into a horde in a short amount of time. This ability is activated upon any zombie taking damage, whether it's environmental or player caused.

Zombies spawn in unlit areas either above ground or underground. They will attempt to break down one's door. When the sun rises, they will burn to death above ground. As of *Minecraft* 1.2.3, they also have a chance of spawning with a Pumpkin or Jack o' Lantern on their head (during Halloween), wearing a random type of armor, or wielding an iron Sword or Shovel. Zombies normally drop Rotten Flesh, Iron Ingots (**Rarely**), Carrots (**Rarely**), Potatoes (**Rarely**), armor and weapons (**Rarely, if equipped**), and their head (if killed by a Charged Creeper).

Occasionally, zombies will attack villagers. However, zombie villagers can be healed by using a splash Potion of weakness on them and then giving them a Golden Apple. They heal faster by making a makeshift jail cell for the villager with Iron Bars and a bed.

## Uses

When killed, zombies drop 0–2 pieces of rotten flesh. Rotten flesh can be eaten by a player, but it has an 80% chance of giving a player Food Poisoning. Rotten flesh can safely be used to heal and breed tamed wolves without any risk of the wolf being poisoned, as wolves are immune to rotten flesh poisoning. Also, players can trade rotten flesh with villagers.

Because they also drop carrots and potatoes on occasion, a player can use a zombie Mob Spawner from a Dungeon to potentially collect carrots and potatoes in order to start or supplement a vegetable garden.

Zombies will rarely drop shovels, swords, carrots, potatoes, and armor (if equipped). The Looting enchantment increases the chance for these items to drop. Zombies can spawn with and drop chain armor. These items will only drop from zombies killed by a player.

## Appearance

Zombies are easily identified by their green skin and blue shirts. They also wear dark blue/purple trousers, and are the only mobs that are dressed like the default player (Steve). This makes them easy to identify if playing on single player, due to the fact that there are no other players. They make constant moaning noises when they are nearby, giving away their location and allowing a player to prepare to fight. This can be used when mining underground. Following the moaning noises can assist a player in finding a cave, or dungeon. Other zombie types wear different clothing. (eg. a Husk wears a desert outfit, and a Zombie Villager is a dead Villager).

## Baby Zombies

Baby zombies are a mini version of regular zombies which have a rare chance to spawn in either Creative Mode or Survival Mode, with cheats, or with a Spawn Egg. In 1.6.2, normal baby zombies would spawn, but rarely. Since 1.7, it is now common for a baby zombie to spawn, and there is an extremely rare chance for a baby zombie to spawn riding a Chicken. This is called a Chicken Jockey. Since 1.13, baby zombies now burn in sunlight (except for Zombie Pigman and Husks). Baby zombies (and their counterparts) are the same as zombies with these exceptions:

* They move faster than regular zombies, they can fit through one-block high spaces, yet they have the same health as their adult counterparts, making them more dangerous than adult zombies.
* They do not grow into adult zombies unlike Villagers. This also applies to their variants.
* When they wear armor, it shrinks to fit their body size.
* Baby zombies can also ride on a regular zombie, spiders, or other animals, doing damage to players while making the animals charge.
* In the Bedrock Edition, Baby Zombie can ride adult Zombies.

Baby villagers are made by villagers when there are a sufficient amount of doors in a village. Baby villagers may turn into baby zombie villagers when they are killed by zombies.

## Farming

Because they can only use melee attacks, they're easy to farm if one is prepared correctly. Just get a Ladder, in a building 4 blocks high, with a roof, then make a door, and then attack a zombie, and then let him follow. Then, when the zombie comes in, shut the door, climb up the ladder, and get out. Also, placing glass around the building allows for a good view. Just make a hole 4 blocks deep, and then put a trap door at top, and then follow it with Redstone with a Lever, then pull the lever when a zombie comes.

Another way to farm zombies is to wall off a Zombie Spawner, make a hole a single block wide into the Spawner, and chop at the zombies' feet. Make sure to be sealed off from the surrounding cavern, if applicable, and be careful. Baby Zombies can still run through the hole and attack. This will have the benefit of collecting massive quantities of Rotten Flesh, as well as the possibility of harvesting Carrots, Potatoes, and the occasional Iron ingot.

The most basic way is to find a dungeon with a spawner in it, then make a 2 block high pit, which then you can safely kill them all. Extending pit depth to around 10 blocks will allow the player to kill zombies more easily after they're weakened by damage from falling.

## Strategy

Zombies are somewhat easy to defeat. They are slow and have no ranged attacks, but if shot with an Arrow, they will attack with however many zombies are next to it. They will also do the same if attacked with a sword (As of 1.5). Zombies can be defeated with any weapon. A good sword will easily dispatch a zombie. The only hazard about zombies is their tendency to spawn in groups, which makes them a danger for unprepared or unskilled players. They are also capable of spawning with armor, giving them extra durability. Zombies wearing headgear will not burn up in sunlight, but their headgear's durability will eventually run out and break, leaving it exposed to the Sun. Also, be aware that, since 1.6.4, zombies will call other zombies to "help." Within seconds, more zombies will pursue a player. The way to prevent this is to kill the zombie as quick as possible.