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Commands

How to Use the /effect Command

The /effect command applies any status effect to a player on command, speed, strength, night vision, even regeneration. Here is the exact syntax for giving, levelling and clearing effects.

server console, world: survival
Steve joined the game
> /effect give @p speed 60 2▌
✓ Applied effect Speed II to Steve (60s)
> /effect clear @p
Removed every effect from Steve
Active effects
Speed II
0:58
Strength I
1:42
Night Vision
3:10
Haste II
0:24
Read a /effect command
  1. 1
    Open the console or chat
    Press T in-game for chat, or type straight into the server console. You need at least permission level 2 (operator) to run /effect.
  2. 2
    Pick give or clear
    Use /effect give to apply an effect and /effect clear to remove one. The give and clear sub-commands replaced the old single-word /effect in 1.13.
  3. 3
    Choose a target
    Add a target selector after the sub-command: @p (nearest player), @a (everyone), @s (yourself) or a player name like Steve.
  4. 4
    Set effect, time and level
    Name the effect, then seconds, then amplifier: /effect give @p speed 60 2 grants Speed III for 60 seconds (amplifier 2 = level III).
  5. 5
    Hide particles or clear
    Append true to suppress swirly particles, or run /effect clear @p speed to strip just that one effect instead of all of them.

What you need

Status effects
Speed / Strength
Night Vision
Duration & level

Quick answers

?
What is the exact /effect syntax?
/effect give <target> <effect> [seconds] [amplifier] [hideParticles] and /effect clear <target> [effect]. Only the target and effect are required for give.
?
Why is Speed II written as amplifier 2 not 1?
The amplifier is zero-based: 0 is level I, 1 is level II, 2 is level III. So /effect give @p speed 60 2 actually grants Speed III, not Speed II.
?
How do I make an effect last forever?
Use infinite as the duration: /effect give @p night_vision infinite. On older versions use a very large number like 1000000 instead.
?
How do I clear only one effect?
Name it after the target: /effect clear @p slowness removes just Slowness while leaving every other active effect running.
?
How do I hide the particle swirls?
Add true as the last argument: /effect give @p speed 60 2 true applies the effect with no visible particles around the player.
?
Why does my command say 'Unknown effect'?
Use the namespaced id, not the display name. It is minecraft:night_vision (or just night_vision), with an underscore, not 'Night Vision'.
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