The Minecraft spear has two attacks: tap attack for a quick jab that pushes enemies back, or hold use for a charge attack whose damage depends on how fast you and your target are moving. Keep a little distance, because a spear does no damage to something standing right against you. Below we cover crafting, the controls on every platform, how the charge works, mounted combat, and the spear-only Lunge enchantment.
This guide is current for Minecraft Java Edition 26.3 and Bedrock Edition 26.50. The spear arrived in the Mounts of Mayhem drop on December 9, 2025 (Java 1.21.11 and Bedrock 1.21.130) and works on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch.
How to Craft a Spear
Spears come in wood, stone, copper, iron, gold and diamond. The recipe is one material plus two sticks in a diagonal line: put the material (planks, cobblestone, a copper ingot, an iron ingot, a gold ingot or a diamond) in the top-right slot of a crafting table, a stick in the center, and a stick in the bottom-left. Netherite spears are made by upgrading a diamond spear at a smithing table.
You can also find them. Per Mojang’s Mounts of Mayhem changelog, iron spears turn up in buried treasure, copper and iron spears in village weaponsmith chests, stone spears in ocean ruins, and diamond spears in bastion remnants and End cities. Zombies, husks, piglins and zombified piglins can also spawn holding one.
Spear Controls on Every Platform
| Attack | PC | Xbox | PlayStation | Switch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab | Tap left-click | Tap RT | Tap R2 | Tap ZR |
| Charge | Hold right-click | Hold LT | Hold L2 | Hold ZL |
Mojang describes the jab as a quick press of the primary action button and the charge as pressing and holding the secondary action button, so the attack and use buttons above are the ones you need. Per the community wiki, Java players can also charge with a spear in the off hand, while Bedrock does not let you hold one there.
How the Jab Attack Works
The jab is your close-quarters tool. Per Mojang, it is “a low damage attack with knockback,” it can hit several enemies at once, and it never breaks blocks. Each material has its own cooldown: wooden spears jab fastest and netherite slowest.
The community wiki lists Java jab damage from 1 (wooden and golden) up to 5 (netherite), with cooldowns from 0.65 seconds for wood to 1.15 seconds for netherite. That is less than a sword of the same material, so the jab is best for keeping mobs at arm’s length. The spear’s reach is its advantage: the wiki gives a minimum range of 2 blocks and a maximum of 4.5, so step back until the target is just inside that window.
How the Charge Attack Works
Hold the use button and the spear lowers into a charge. Mojang says the damage depends on “Spear material, the player’s view angle, and the velocity of both the player and the target.” Each effect only triggers above a speed threshold, so a slow charge may not hit at all; sprinting, riding or diving into a target is what makes it hit hard.
While you hold the button, the spear goes through three stages:
- Engaged: full effect. It deals damage and knockback, and can knock riders off their mounts if you are going fast enough.
- Tired: the spear tips up to vertical and shakes. It still deals damage and knockback, but can no longer dismount.
- Disengaged: the spear points down. It only deals damage.
Let go and hold again to start a fresh charge. Aim straight at the target, since view angle is part of the damage calculation.
Mounted Combat and Elytra
The spear was built for mounts. Charging from a galloping horse or a dashing camel adds your mount’s speed to the hit, and the Engaged stage is how you knock zombie horsemen and camel husk riders out of the saddle. Mojang also points players to diving with an elytra, where your falling speed feeds the charge.
On Java, spearing 5 enemies with a charge attack earns the Mob Kabob advancement. On Bedrock, Mojang notes that an animal killed in one hit by a charge from a spear with Fire Aspect drops cooked food.
Best Spear Enchantments, Including Lunge
Per Mojang, spears take the same enchantments as swords except Sweeping Edge, so Sharpness, Smite, Bane of Arthropods, Fire Aspect, Knockback, Looting, Unbreaking and Mending all apply. Our best enchantments for every item guide explains which to prioritize, and Mending keeps a diamond or netherite spear alive for good.
Lunge is the spear’s own enchantment, up to level III. It only works with the jab: each jab throws you forward horizontally in the direction you are looking, farthest when your view is perfectly level. Mojang lists the costs:
- 1 point of durability per lunge, at every level.
- 1, 2 or 3 hunger points per lunge for levels I, II and III.
- No lunge if your hunger bar is too low, in water, or while gliding with an elytra. The game’s Java data also blocks it while you are riding.
On Java, Lunge is a regular enchantment, so it can appear at an enchanting table as well as on books. There is more in every Minecraft guide on the site.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you use the spear charge attack in Minecraft? Hold the use button (right-click, LT, L2 or ZL) while moving fast toward a target. The faster you and the target are moving, the more damage it does.
Why does a spear sometimes do no damage? You are probably too close. Spears have a minimum reach, so back off a step, or get moving before you charge.
Is the spear better than a sword? Not for standing fights, where a sword hits harder per swing. The spear wins on reach, knockback, and huge charge hits from a mount or an elytra dive.
How do you make a netherite spear? Upgrade a diamond spear at a smithing table with a netherite upgrade template and a netherite ingot.
Does Lunge work on a horse? No. The game’s Java data only allows Lunge when you are not riding anything, and it also fails in water or while gliding.