Nether Combat
Beat a Blaze
Blazes guard the nether fortress with 20 HP and a 3-shot fireball volley. Counter with snowballs (3 damage each), cobblestone cover to break their line of sight, and a Fire Resistance potion so a stray fireball never ends your run. Cap the spawner and the same fight becomes a blaze-rod farm.
The fireball-volley counter
Blazes telegraph every attack: they glow brighter, then loose three fireballs in a fast burst. Watch for the wind-up and step behind a 2-block pillar, the volley breaks against the cover instead of you. The instant the volley ends the blaze has a cooldown, that is your window to lean out, land snowballs, or close for a sword combo, then retreat before the next wind-up. Keep Fire Resistance active so the rare fireball that clips you does zero damage.
Quick answers
+How much health does a blaze have?
A blaze has 20 HP (10 hearts). Snowballs deal 3 damage each, so 7 snowballs kill one. A Sharpness V netherite sword deals 13+ and kills in 2 hits.
+Do snowballs really hurt blazes?
Yes. Blazes are the only common mob that takes damage from snowballs, 3 per hit. Stack a few stacks before a fortress run and you can clear a spawner cheaply without burning durability.
+How do I avoid the fireballs?
Blazes fire a 3-shot volley after a glowing wind-up. Break line of sight behind a 2-block cobblestone pillar during the wind-up, or block with a shield to negate the hit and the fire.
+What's the best gear for a blaze?
Fire Resistance potion, a shield, Sharpness/Looting netherite sword, a Power bow, and a stack of snowballs. Fire Protection IV armor stops fireball and fire-tick damage almost entirely.
+Why do I keep catching fire?
A direct fireball hit and standing in lava both set you on fire. Drink Fire Resistance before engaging, it cancels all fire damage for 3-8 minutes, turning a deadly fight into a safe farm.
+How do I farm blaze rods?
Cap the spawner area, funnel blazes into a 1-block drop or fall damage, and finish them with snowballs or a sword for Looting. A proper blaze farm yields hundreds of rods per hour for brewing and Ender eyes.