/damage

`/damage`
Permission level; required	2 ‌; 1 ‌;
Restrictions	Cheat only;

Applies a set amount of damage to the specified entities.

Usage

/ applies damage to entities with health or an equivalent statistic. The <damageType>‌ or cause: DamageType‌ argument is used to specify the kind of damage which will be applied to the entity.

When being applied to an applicable entity, / uses the same underlying logic when applying damage as is used elsewhere in the game. As such, the damage specified by the <damageType>‌ or cause: DamageType‌ argument is not the exact amount of damage which will be applied to the entity. The resulting damage is affected by statistics which would otherwise modify or nullify said damage based on the damage source and type of damage (for instance players in creative mode are invulnerable to most types of damage, and damage types categorized as fire damage will be nullified by fire resistance and weakened by fire protection). Entities will also react to damage inflicted by / in the same manner they would if said damage was inflicted through normal means (for instance, endermen will teleport away if the damage source is categorized as a projectile).

Undefined behavior

Mob	Behavior
All mobs	Knocked back. Begins invulnerable cooldown period.
Balloon‌	Damaged with a source entity, the balloon swings.
Bat	When damaged, a sleeping bat begins flying.
End Crystal	Controlled by the Ender Dragon's fight system.
Enderman	Teleports away.
Guardian	While its spikes are extended, if the damage source is a mob and the cause isn't `magic`, `block_explosion`, or `projectile`, it deals thorn damage to the damage source.
Shulker	Teleports away.
Squid	If the damage source is an entity, spawns ink particles.

Hardcoded behaviors

When amount: int is 0, entities are always considered successfully damaged. If not 0, only entities (except armor stands, NPCs, and camera), boats, paintings, leash knots, falling blocks, and minecarts may be recognized as successfully damaged.

Some behaviors are data-driven (e.g. end crystal explosion, fireball rebounding). These data-driven behaviors have no effect on the command's output text, result, and return value. Only hardcoded behaviors can affect them.

Mob	Behavior
Player	Players in Creative mode cannot be damaged even with the "falling out of the world" damage type.
Agent‌	`/kill` command can always kill the agent. This has the side-effect that `/` with the cause of `self_destruct` always removes the agent, regardless of whether `amount: int` is 0 or not.
Armor Stand	Applying `/` command on an armor stand cannot reduce its health value (except for `fire` and `fire_tick` causes), and is never considered to have damaged it successfully. It also cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs. Punching an armor stand is not considered as having damaged it. Punching an armor stand twice in Survival mode destroys it. Running `/` twice within 5 game ticks on an armor stand with the damage source being a player in Survival mode makes the armor stand drop its held items and destroy itself. Punching an armor stand in Creative mode removes it. Running `/` on an armor stand with the damage source being a player in Creative mode removes it. Explosions can always destroy the armor stand. The `/kill` command can always kill the armor stand. `/` commands with the cause of `suicide`, `block_explosion`, or `entity_explosion` make the armor stand drop its held items and destroy itself. Void damage can always kill the armor stand. `/` commands with the `void` cause always remove the armor stand. Armor stands are set on fire when in lava or fire. `/` commands with the `fire` cause set the armor stand on fire and reduce its health value by 0.5. Armor stands are damaged when on fire. If cause is `fire`, and the armor stand is not in a lava or fire block, `/` commands reduce its health value by 1.0. If an arrow hits an armor stand, the armor stand is destroyed and the arrow disappears. Running `/` commands on an armor stand with the source being an arrow causes the armor stand to be destroyed and the arrow to disappear. If a trident hits an armor stand, the armor stand is destroyed. Running `/` commands on an armor stand with the damage source being a trident causes the armor stand to be destroyed. When an armor stand falls onto the ground, a landing sound is played. Broadcasts landing sound when an armor stand is damaged with the `fall` cause.
Balloon‌	Clicking a balloon isn't considered as hurting it. This has the side-effect that running `/` on a balloon cannot reduce its health value, and is never considered to have successfully damaged it. Projectiles, fire, lava and magma can always destroy the balloon. `/kill` can always kill the balloon. This has the side-effect that the damage causes `self_destruct`, `projectile`, `fire`, `fire_tick`, `lava`, or `magma` destroy the balloon.
Boat	Punching a boat is always considered as hurting it. Running `/` on a boat is always considered to have successfully damaged it, but it cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs. Boat uses Structural Integrity instead of health points to control whether it should break or not. A boat has 40 points of Structural Integrity. Damage command changes its Structural Integrity value instead of its health value. When applying `/` on a boat with the damage source being an ender pearl, the boat's Structural Integrity is reduced, but isn't destroyed even if Structural Integrity becomes less than 0. Punching a boat in Creative mode destroys it. Running `/` on a boat with the damage source being a player in Creative mode destroys the boat, regardless of whether `amount: int` is 0 or not.
Camera‌	A camera cannot be damaged. Using `/` on a camera is never considered to have successfully damaged it and cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs. A camera cannot be affected by an explosion. Using `/` on a camera with the source being a player removes it.
End Crystal	Hurting an end crystal means making it explode. Running `/` on an end crystal makes it explode, regardless of whether `amount: int` is 0 or not, and is never considered to have successfully damaged it.
Ender Dragon	Hardcoded behavior: An ender dragon is immune to arrows when perching, and makes arrows catch fire. `/` with the damage source being an arrow cannot hurt a perching dragon, but the arrow is still set on fire despite the command not being successful. A damage command with `suffocation` cannot hurt an ender dragon and is always considered unsuccessful. Only players can hurt an ender dragon. Only a player as the source, or the `block_explosion` as a cause, can hurt an ender dragon and can be detected or controlled with behavior packs. `/kill` can always kill an ender dragon. A damage command with the cause of `self_destruct` always kills an ender dragon and is considered successful, regardless of whether `amount: int` is 0 or not.
Enderman	Projectiles, except potions, cannot hurt an enderman. If the cause is `projectile` and the source is not a potion entity, `/` makes an enderman teleport away without being hurt, and it cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs. If the enderman has successfully teleported away, the command is considered to have successfully damaged the entity.
Experience Orb	A player cannot damage an experience orb. Running `/` on an experience orb can reduce its health value, but is never considered to have successfully damaged it, and cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs.
Falling Block	Applying `/` on a falling block is always considered to have successfully damaged it, and cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs. Applying `/` on a falling block with the source being `piston` always destroys it, and drops an item of the block that the falling block is in (instead of the item form of the falling block).
Ghast	A fireball deals 1000 damage to a ghast if the fireball was rebounded by a player. Running a damage command on a ghast with a fireball that has been hit by the player as the damage source deals 1000 damage, regardless of what `amount: int` is. It cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs.
Painting and Leash Knot	Pushing a painting or leash knot destroys the entity. Paintings and lead knots are always destroyed when applying `/` on them, and drop items if the damage source is not a player in Creative mode. It is always considered to have successfully damaged it, regardless of whether `amount: int` is 0 or not, but it cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs.
Item	A player cannot damage an item. Applying `/` on an item can reduce its health value, but is never considered to have successfully damaged it, and cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs.
Minecart	Punshing a minecart is always considered as damaging it. Running `/` on a minecart is always considered to have successfully damaged it. A minecart uses Structural Integrity to control whether it should break or not, instead of its health value. A minecart has a Structural Integrity of 5. `/` changes a minecart's Structural Integrity value instead of its health value. An ender pearl can reduce a minecart's Structural Integrity, but cannot destroy it. Applying `/` on a minecart with the damage source being an ender pearl reduces Structural Integrity, but doesn't destroy it even if its Structural Integrity becomes less than 0.
Minecart with TNT	`/` with the cause being `projectile` and the damage source being an arrow that is on fire or a small fireball, or with the cause being `fire` or `lava`, primes the minecart and is considered successful. It is never considered to have successfully damaged it, and cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs. Otherwise behaves as a regular minecart.
NPC‌	NPCs cannot be damaged. Using `/` on an NPC is never considered to have successfully damaged it, and cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs. Only the void, `/kill`, or world builder can remove it. If the cause is `void` or `self_destruct`, or the cause is `entity_attack` and the source is a world builder, `/` removes the NPC. Otherwise, it does nothing.
Primed TNT	Primed TNT cannot be damaged. Using `/` on primed TNT is never considered to have successfully damaged it. `/kill` can always kill primed TNT. A damage command with the cause of `self_destruct` always kills the primed TNT, regardless of whether `amount: int` is 0 or not.
Shulker	A shulker teleports if it is in lava or fire. Applying `/` on a shulker with the cause being `lava` or `fire` cannot damage it and makes the shulker teleport away. It is considered unsuccessful and cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs. Projectiles cannot hurt a shulker when it is closed. Applying `/` on a closed shulker with the cause being `projectile` cannot damage it. It is considered unsuccessful and cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs.
Small fireball	A small fireball cannot be hit. Using `/` on a small fireball is never considered to have successfully damaged it and cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs.
Trident	A trident cannot be damaged. Using `/` on a trident is never considered to have successfully damaged it. A trident cannot be affected by an explosion. Using `/` on a trident with cause being `block_explosion` or `entity_explosion` cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs.
Wither Skull	A wither skull cannot be damaged. Using `/` on a wither skull is never considered to have successfully damaged it. A black wither skull cannot be hit. Using `/` on a black wither skull is never considered to have successfully damaged it and cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs.
Wither	Drowning and falling cannot hurt a wither. If the cause is `drowning` or `fall`, `/` does nothing on a wither and it is not considered to have successfully damaged it. It cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs. A wither cannot damage another wither. If the cause is not `self_destruct` and the source is another wither, a damage command does nothing on a wither and it is not considered to have successfully damaged it. It cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs. If a wither is in its spawning animation, the cause is `entity_attack`, and the source is a mob, `/` makes the source mob suffer knockback. When spawning, a wither cannot be damaged by anything except for the void. If a wither is spawing and the source is not the `void`, a damage command does nothing on the wither and it is not considered to have successfully damaged it. It cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs. When dying, a wither cannot be damaged. If a wither is dying, `/` does nothing on a wither and it is not considered to have successfully damaged it. It cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs. In its armored state, a wither is immune to arrows. If the wither is in its armored state, `/` with the cause being `projectile` and the damage source being an arrow does nothing to a wither and it is not considered to have successfully damaged it. It cannot be detected or controlled with behavior packs.

Damage types

Below are the types of damage that can be applied. These are used for the <damageType>‌ or cause:DamageCause‌ arguments (see Syntax below).

Java Edition damage types
Damage type	Notes
arrow
bad_respawn_point
cactus
campfire
cramming	bypasses: • armor • shields • wolf armor
dragon_breath	bypasses: • armor • shields
drown	bypasses: • armor • shields • wolf armor
dry_out
explosion
fall	bypasses: • armor • shields
falling_anvil	bypasses: • shields
falling_block
falling_stalactite	bypasses: • shields
fireball
fly_into_wall	bypasses: • armor • shields
freeze	bypasses: • armor • shields • wolf armor
generic	bypasses: • armor • shields
generic_kill	bypasses: • invulnerability • armor • resistance effect • shields • wolf armor
hot_floor
in_fire
in_wall	bypasses: • armor • shields • wolf armor
indirect_magic	bypasses: • armor • shields • wolf armor
lava
lightning_bolt
magic	bypasses: • armor • shields • wolf armor
mob_attack
mob_attack_no_aggro
mob_projectile
on_fire	bypasses: • armor • shields
out_of_world	bypasses: • invulnerability • armor • resistance effect • shields • wolf armor
outside_border	bypasses: • armor • shields • wolf armor
player_attack
player_explosion
sonic_boom	bypasses: • armor • enchantments • shields
spit
stalagmite	bypasses: • armor • shields
starve	bypasses: • armor • effects (including resistance) • shields • wolf armor
sting
sweet_berry_bush
thorns	bypasses: • wolf armor
thrown
trident
unattributed_fireball
wind_charge
wither	bypasses: • armor • shields • wolf armor
wither_skull

Bedrock Edition damage types
Name	Description	Notes
`all`	Any damage
`anvil`	Caused by a falling anvil.	Reduced damage to targets wearing a helmet.
`block-explosion`	Caused by the explosion of a block.	Reduced damage to targets equipped with armor, with extra reduction per tier of Blast Protection.
`charging`
`contact`	Caused by contact with a damage-inflicting block (e.g. cactus and sweet berry bushes).	Reduced damage to targets equipped with armor, with extra reduction per tier of Protection.
`drowning`	Caused by drowning or rain.
`entity-attack`	Caused by a melee attack from a mob.	Reduced damage to targets equipped with armor, with extra reduction per tier of Protection.
`entity-explosion`	Caused by the explosion of a mob.	Reduced damage to targets equipped with armor, with extra reduction per tier of Blast Protection.
`fall`	Caused by falling from a higher ground, or teleporting with an ender pearl.	Main article: Damage § Fall_damage Reduced damage to targets equipped with Feather Falling or Protection armor. Some mobs are immune to or take less fall damage.
`falling_block`
`fire`	Caused by standing in fire.
`fire_tick`	Caused by being on fire.	Reduced damage to targets equipped with Fire Protection or Protection. Blazes, ghasts, magma cubes, withers, wither skeletons and zombified piglins are immune to burning.
`fireworks`	Caused by a firework rocket.
`fly_into_wall`	Caused by colliding with a block when flying with an elytra.
`freezing`	Caused by standing in powder snow.
`lava`	Caused by lava.
`lightning`	Caused by lightning.
`magic`	Caused by potions, dragon breath, evocation fangs or guardians.
`magma`	Caused by magma blocks.
`override`	Override this entity's health value.
`piston`	Caused by pistons.
`projectile`	Caused by projectiles, such as arrows.
`stalactite`	Caused by stalactites.
`stalagmite`	Caused by stalagmites.
`starve`	Caused by hunger.
`suffocation`	Caused by suffocation.
`self_destruct`	Caused by `/kill`.
`temperature`	Snow golem damaged by biome temperature.
`thorns`	Caused by thorns.
`void`	Caused by the void.
`wither`	Caused by a wither.

Syntax

Java Edition

damage <target> <amount> [<damageType>] [at <location>]

damage <target> <amount> [<damageType>] [by <entity>] [from <cause>]

Bedrock Edition

damage <target: target> <amount: int> <cause: DamageCause> entity <damager: target>

damage <target: target> <amount: int> [cause: DamageCause]

Arguments

JE: <target>: entity
BE: target: target: CommandSelector<Actor>

Specifies the entity‌ or entities‌ to damage.

Must be a player name, a target selector or a UUID‌. In Java Edition, the target selector must be in single type.

JE: <amount>: float

Specifies the amount of damage to inflict.

Must be a [Float]Single-precision floating-point number (from -(2-2^-23)×2¹²⁷ (≈-3.4×10³⁸) to (2-2^-23)2×¹²⁷ (≈3.4×10³⁸) ). And it must be greater than or equal to 0.0.

BE: amount: int: int

Specifies the amount of damage to inflict.

Must be a [Int]32-bit integer number (from -2147483648 (-2³¹) to 2147483647 (2³¹-1) ). Should be between 0 and 2147483647 (both inclusive).

JE: <damageType>: resource
BE: cause: DamageCause: enum

Specifies the damage type‌ or type of damage‌. Affects death messages and difficulty scaling, among other things.

In Java Edition, if not specified, defaults to minecraft:generic.

Must be an existing registered resource location in minecraft:damage_type registry.

For Bedrock Edition, all possible arguments are listed on the official add-on documentation.

JE: <location>: vec3

Specifies the location the damage originated at if the cause of the damage is not an entity (e.g., the position of the bed that exploded in the Nether).

Must be three-dimensional coordinates with double-precision floating-point number elements. Accepts tilde and caret notations.

JE: <entity>: entity
BE: damager: target: CommandSelector<Actor>

Specifies the entity who dealt the damage.

Must be a player name, a target selector or a UUID‌. In Java Edition, the target selector must be in single type.

JE: <cause>: entity

Specifies the cause of the damage (for example, the skeleton that shot the arrow).

Must be a player name, a target selector or a UUID. And the target selector must be in single type.

Results

Command	Trigger	Java Edition	Bedrock Edition
Any	The arguments are not specified correctly.	Unparseable	Unparseable
	`amount` or `amount: int` is lower than or equal to 0.	Failed	Failed
	`amount` or `amount: int` is greater than 0 and the damage is considered not having successfully damaged the entity.
	`amount: int` is greater than 0 and the entity is not a vanilla entity or has no hardcoded damage behavior.‌
`/damage ... by ...‌ /damage ... entity ...‌`	`source` or `damager: target` targets multiple entities.
Any	Otherwise	Successful

Output

Command	Edition	Situation	Success Count	`/execute store success ...`	`/execute store result ...`
Any	Java Edition	On fail	0	0	0
	Java Edition	On success	1	1	1
	Bedrock Edition	On fail	0	N/A	N/A
	Bedrock Edition	On success	The number of entities who are considered to have successfully took the damage.	N/A	N/A

Example

Make a villager named villager_1 deal 1HP damage to the nearest iron golem:
- /damage @e[type=iron_golem, sort=nearest, limit=1] 1 generic by @e[type=villager, limit=1, name="villager_1"]‌
- /damage @e[type=iron_golem, c=1] 1 entity_attack entity @e[type=villager, c=1, name="villager_1"]‌

History

Java Edition
1.19.4	23w06a	Added `/damage`.
1.19.4	Pre-release 2	Striders and blazes now have a weakness to freezing damage.
Bedrock Edition
1.18.10	beta 1.18.10.26	Added `/damage`.
1.20.70	Preview 1.20.70.21	Renamed the `suicide` damage type to `self_destruct`.