Arbalistic: How to Kill 5 Unique Mobs with a Crossbow

Arbalistic requires you to kill five different types of mobs using a crossbow. This is a hidden advancement under the Adventure tab. You must kill each mob type with a crossbow shot as the final blow. Melee kills, bow kills and other methods do not count. This guide covers which mobs to target, crossbow preparation and an efficient strategy.

What counts

You need to kill five different mob types where the killing blow is dealt by a crossbow bolt (arrow or firework rocket fired from a crossbow). The mob types must be distinct, so five Zombies does not count. You need five different species.

Recommended targets

Pick five mobs that are easy to find and have low health:

1. Zombie: 20 HP. Common at night. One or two crossbow shots with a good crossbow kills them.
2. Skeleton: 20 HP. Also common at night. They shoot back, so approach carefully or snipe from range.
3. Creeper: 20 HP. Common at night. Shoot before they get close enough to explode.
4. Spider: 16 HP. Common at night. Low health makes them an easy kill.
5. Drowned: 20 HP. Found in rivers and oceans. Shoot them while they are in water.

You can use any five mob types. The above are simply the easiest to find and kill.

Crossbow setup

Enchant your crossbow for maximum effectiveness:

• Quick Charge III: Reduces reload time from 1.25 seconds to 0.5 seconds. Almost mandatory for combat use.
• Piercing IV: Arrows pass through entities, hitting multiple mobs. Useful if mobs are grouped but not required for this advancement.
• Multishot: Fires three arrows at once but only uses one. Increases your hit chance on moving targets. Note: Multishot and Piercing are mutually exclusive.
• Unbreaking III: Extends crossbow durability since you will be using it heavily.

Using firework rockets

Crossbows can fire Firework Rockets as ammunition. Rockets deal area-of-effect damage based on the number of Firework Stars used in crafting:

• 1 Firework Star: 5-6 damage
• 2 Firework Stars: 9-10 damage
• 3 Firework Stars: 13-14 damage (maximum)

Firework rockets are useful for killing tougher mobs or hitting targets at odd angles since the explosion has area damage. They also look impressive.

Efficient strategy

1. Enchant a crossbow with Quick Charge III and either Piercing or Multishot.
2. Go out at night in a plains or desert biome where mobs spawn openly.
3. Kill the first mob type you see. Make sure the crossbow bolt is the killing blow. If you accidentally hit a mob with your sword first, let it regenerate or find another one.
4. Move on to the next mob type. Check off each type mentally.
5. After killing five different types, the advancement triggers.

Tracking kills

Minecraft does not show you which mobs you have already killed with the crossbow for this advancement. Keep a mental or written note of which mob types you have confirmed kills on. If you are unsure whether a kill counted (maybe the mob died to fall damage after your shot), kill another of the same type to be safe.

Common mistakes

• Killing the same mob type five times. You need five different types, not five total kills.
• Using a bow instead of a crossbow. Only crossbow kills count. Bows are a different weapon entirely.
• Mob dying from other causes. If you shoot a Creeper and it explodes near you before the arrow damage kills it, the explosion might be what kills it. Ensure your bolt deals the final blow.
• Not tracking progress. There is no progress bar for this advancement. Keep your own records.

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