Fireworks in Minecraft: how to make firework rockets
Item / Projectile
Yes (64)
1-3 (depends on gunpowder)
5-7+ HP (with stars)
Decoration, Elytra, crossbow
Java 1.4.6 / PE 0.16.0
Table of contents
What fireworks are in Minecraft
The firework rocket is one of the most versatile items in the game. On one hand, you use it to put on fireworks shows full of colorful explosions. On the other, it's the essential fuel for flying with an Elytra, and without it endgame travel just doesn't work. Since version 1.14 you can also load rockets into a crossbow as combat ammo.
Fireworks arrived in version 1.4.6 as a decorative gadget. In 1.11.1 Mojang made them boost the Elytra, and in 1.14 they became crossbow ammo. Every update made them more important. Today they're among the most crafted items in the endgame: players with an Elytra burn through hundreds of rockets a day.
The fireworks crafting system is surprisingly deep. The rocket itself is a simple recipe (paper + gunpowder). But the firework star, a separate item that controls how the explosion looks, has dozens of combinations of colors, shapes and special effects. One rocket can hold up to 7 stars, each with its own set of properties.
Crafting a firework rocket
The recipe is shapeless: the ingredients can go in any slots. The basic ingredients are 1 paper and 1-3 gunpowder. The amount of gunpowder sets the rocket's flight duration:
How to get the ingredients
- Paper: 3 sugar cane in a row make 3 paper. Set up a sugar cane farm, because you'll go through a lot of paper.
- Gunpowder: dropped by creepers (0-2 each), ghasts and wither skeletons. A creeper farm is the fastest source. The wandering trader sells gunpowder too.
- Firework stars: crafted separately (see below). They're optional, but without them the rocket won't burst into color.
Firework star
The firework star is a separate item where you program how the explosion looks. You can add 0 to 7 stars to a rocket, and each one explodes separately with its own colors, shape and effects.
Basic firework star recipe
On a crafting table, combine (shapeless recipe):
- 1 gunpowder: required.
- 1-8 dyes: the color of the explosion. Several dyes give you a multicolored blast.
- 0-1 shape modifier: the shape of the explosion (see the table below).
- 0-2 special effects: trail and/or twinkle.
Fade colors
You can craft a finished firework star again with 1-8 extra dyes. These dyes set the fade color: the explosion starts in the base color and shifts to the fade color. For example, a star with red dye as the base and a white fade starts the explosion red and ends it white.
Firework colors
Each firework star takes up to 8 dyes at once. There are 16 colors, one for each dye in the game. Here are their names and sources:
Here's how a multicolored blast works: each explosion particle randomly takes one of the colors you added. The more dyes, the more varied the palette. Combining a base color with a fade color makes the color change over time: the explosion starts in one color and shifts to the other.
Explosion shapes
You set the explosion shape when you craft the firework star, by adding a shape modifier. With no modifier, the default shape is a small ball.
Special effects
Besides color and shape, you can add 2 special effects to a star. You can combine both:
- Trail: add a diamond to the star recipe. The explosion particles leave streaks behind them, like a shower of sparks. This is the most spectacular effect.
- Twinkle: add glowstone dust to the star recipe. The particles flicker and crackle like tiny stars, and you get a crackling sound.
A large ball star with trail, twinkle, several colors and a fade color is the most impressive single explosion you can make. But it costs a lot: a diamond, glowstone dust, several dyes and a fire charge for just one star.
Flying with an Elytra: firework boosting
Since version 1.11.1, firework rockets work as Elytra fuel. While gliding, hold a rocket and right-click: you get a powerful boost in the direction you're looking. That turns the Elytra from a passive glider into a real jetpack.
How the boost works
- Flight duration 1 (1 gunpowder): a short boost, enough to hold your altitude. The cheapest option, but you'll be clicking a lot.
- Flight duration 2 (2 gunpowder): a medium boost, a good balance between cost and efficiency.
- Flight duration 3 (3 gunpowder): the longest boost, enough to climb and reach very high speeds. The standard choice for experienced players.
Elytra fuel economy
When you fly regularly, you use about 1 rocket every 2-4 seconds. A minute of flight takes 15-30 rockets. A stack (64) of flight duration 3 rockets lasts a few minutes of heavy flying. That's why a sugar cane farm (for paper) and a creeper farm (for gunpowder) are key endgame investments.
Fireworks from a crossbow
Since version 1.14 you can load firework rockets into a crossbow. Load a rocket like an arrow (hold right-click), then fire. The rocket flies straight where you aim and explodes when its flight duration runs out.
- A rocket with stars damages mobs and players within the blast.
- The damage depends on the number of stars (5 HP for 1 star + 1-2 HP for each extra one).
- A crossbow with Multishot fires 3 rockets at once, which makes for powerful combat ammo.
- The Piercing enchantment doesn't work on fireworks.
Firework damage
A rocket with firework stars deals damage when it explodes. The damage ignores armor, but you can reduce it with the Blast Protection enchantment.
Fireworks shows
Minecraft lets you put on impressive fireworks shows. Here are a few techniques:
- Dispensers on a clock: put rockets in dispensers wired to a redstone clock. The dispensers launch rockets automatically at regular intervals. Set up several dispensers at different angles and you get a whole symphony of explosions.
- Different colors and shapes: prepare rockets with different stars. Multicolored bursts look better than single-color ones.
- Sync with music: use note blocks and redstone repeaters to time the explosions to a melody.
- A dark night sky: fireworks look best at night. Hold your show in open terrain with no light sources nearby.
Tips
For everyday flying, craft rockets WITHOUT stars. They're cheaper (1 paper + 1 gunpowder), deal no damage and give exactly the same speed boost. Save the stars for show rockets.
Gunpowder is the bottleneck of firework production. Build a creeper farm (ideally with ocelots to scare off other mobs) so you have a steady supply of gunpowder. One creeper drops 0-2 gunpowder.
For Elytra flight, flight duration 3 gives the longest boost and lets you climb. Flight duration 1 barely holds your altitude. 2 extra gunpowder per rocket is a small price for much better performance.
The strongest combat ammo in the game: a crossbow with Multishot fires 3 rockets at once, and 7 stars per rocket deal over 17 HP of damage. It's an endgame weapon for bosses and PvP.
Hover over a rocket in your inventory to see a tooltip with its flight duration, shapes, colors and effects. Handy when you're sorting large amounts of fireworks.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
How do you make fireworks in Minecraft?
Craft a firework rocket from 1 paper and 1-3 gunpowder (shapeless recipe). The recipe makes 3 rockets. For visual effects, craft a firework star (gunpowder + dye + optional modifiers) and add it to the rocket recipe.
How do you use fireworks with an Elytra?
While gliding with an Elytra, hold a firework rocket and right-click. You get a powerful boost in the direction you're looking. Flight duration 3 (3 gunpowder) gives the longest boost. Use rockets without stars: they deal no damage and are cheaper.
What explosion shapes are there?
There are 5 shapes: small ball (the default, no modifier), large ball (fire charge), star-shaped (gold nugget), creeper-shaped (a mob head) and burst (feather). You set the shape when you craft the firework star.
Do fireworks deal damage?
Yes. A rocket with firework stars damages mobs and players when it explodes: 5-18 HP depending on the number of stars (1-7). One star deals 5 HP and each extra star adds 1-2 HP. The damage ignores armor. A rocket without stars deals no damage.
How many colors can fireworks have?
Each firework star takes up to 8 dyes (base colors) plus up to 8 fade dyes. One rocket holds up to 7 stars, each with its own colors and shape, which gives you hundreds of combinations.
How do you shoot fireworks from a crossbow?
Load a firework rocket into a crossbow like an arrow (hold right-click), then fire. The rocket flies straight where you aim and explodes when its flight duration runs out, dealing star damage near the target. A crossbow with Multishot fires 3 rockets at once.
Related pages
- Paper in Minecraft - crafting and uses
- Items and blocks - the full database
- Crafting recipes - visual recipe grids
- Firework generator - an interactive tool
- Redstone - mechanisms and automation
