Can You Put Armor on a Skeleton Horse in Minecraft? The Undead Equine Unveiled
The burning question for many Minecraft enthusiasts diving into the spooky side of the game is: Can you put armor on a skeleton horse in Minecraft? The short and definitive answer is: No, you cannot equip a skeleton horse with armor in Minecraft. While this might be disappointing to some, there’s a fascinating reason behind it and plenty more to explore about these unique undead steeds.
Understanding the Skeleton Horse
Skeleton horses are a special type of mob in Minecraft, distinct from regular horses and even zombie horses. They are undead entities, meaning they behave differently and possess unique properties.
Why No Armor?
The inability to equip a skeleton horse with armor stems from the fact that they do not have an inventory. Unlike regular horses, which have a dedicated inventory slot for saddles and armor, skeleton horses lack this feature. They exist in a more simplified state, focused on their core functionality: being ridden and traversed.
What You Can Do
While you can’t add armor, after taming a skeleton horse, you can equip it with a saddle. The saddle allows you to control the horse’s movement, making it a rideable mount. Remember, taming skeleton horses is possible on console versions (Xbox, PlayStation, Wii, Nintendo Switch) and PC versions.
More on Skeleton Horses
Skeleton horses are a rare spawn, often appearing during thunderstorms. A “skeleton trap” can occur when lightning strikes a horse, spawning a skeleton horse and rider(s). This adds to the excitement of encountering one of these unique creatures.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Skeleton Horses
Let’s delve deeper into the world of skeleton horses with these common questions:
1. How do you tame a skeleton horse?
Unlike normal horses, you don’t tame a skeleton horse by repeatedly attempting to mount it. In fact, skeleton horses do not need taming. If you encounter one spawned naturally during a thunderstorm (via a skeleton trap), you can immediately place a saddle on it and ride it.
2. Can you breed skeleton horses?
No, you cannot breed skeleton horses. As undead creatures, they lack the biological processes needed for reproduction in Minecraft.
3. Can you feed a skeleton horse?
You cannot feed a skeleton horse. Being undead, they don’t require sustenance in the same way living creatures do.
4. How do you heal a skeleton horse?
Interestingly, since they are undead, effects are reversed. You can heal a skeleton horse by applying Instant Damage effects. Use splash potions or lingering potions of Harming, or even arrows of Harming, to restore their health.
5. Can skeleton horses breathe underwater?
Yes, skeleton horses can breathe underwater, making them excellent for aquatic exploration. You can ride them underwater without either of you taking damage from drowning (though the rider will still need a way to breath underwater).
6. Are skeleton horses faster than normal horses?
Skeleton horses can be faster than regular horses. The exact speed depends on the individual horse’s stats (which are random), but they often have higher speed potential. Some players have found that skeleton horses have 1.5 times the maximum speed of horses(so it goes up to 25 blocks a second), but its MAXIMUM health is now only 8 hearts, with the average being 4 or 5 hearts.
7. Do skeleton horses despawn?
Yes, skeleton horses spawned via a skeleton trap will automatically despawn after 15 minutes (18,000 game ticks). So, quickly saddle it if you want to keep it around after lightning strikes the horse during a thunderstorm to spawn them.
8. What is a skeleton trap?
A skeleton trap is a phenomenon where lightning strikes a horse during a thunderstorm, spawning a skeleton horse and riders. These riders are typically skeletons equipped with enchanted bows and iron helmets.
9. How rare is a skeleton trap?
The chance of a skeleton trap occurring varies depending on the difficulty level. It’s a relatively rare event, with probabilities ranging from 0.75–1.5% on Easy, 1.5–4% on Normal, and 2.25–6.75% on Hard, based on regional difficulty.
10. Can you stable a skeleton horse?
In some games, like Breath of the Wild, you cannot stable a skeleton horse. However, in Minecraft, there is no concept of stabling a horse. You can just leave the horse in a penned area and it will remain until it despawns or dies.
11. What are the benefits of riding a skeleton horse?
Besides underwater breathing, skeleton horses offer a fast means of transportation. Their speed and ability to navigate underwater environments make them valuable for exploration. However, they can’t fit through single-block-wide openings.
12. What is the rarest type of skeleton in Minecraft?
The Skeleton Horseman is a variant that rides on a skeleton horse. They’re considered a rare spawn because they only appear when lightning strikes on a Skeleton Trap.
13. How do you summon a skeleton horse with the summon command?
In Java Edition, you can summon a trap skeleton horse using the command: /summon skeleton_horse ~ ~ ~ {SkeletonTrap:1}. In Bedrock Edition, the command is: /summon skeleton_horse ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ minecraft:set_trap.
14. Can you put a saddle on a skeleton horse?
Yes, you can put a saddle on a skeleton horse. This is essential for controlling the horse’s movements and riding it effectively.
15. What are zombie horses in Minecraft?
Zombie horses are another type of undead horse in Minecraft. They are passive mobs that behave similarly to regular horses, but with a zombie-like appearance. They are typically only available through commands or using spawn eggs obtained in Creative mode. They do not spawn naturally in the wild. They cannot be equipped with armor or saddles.
The Allure of the Undead Equine
While skeleton horses lack the customizability of their living counterparts, they offer a unique and compelling gameplay experience. Their speed, underwater capabilities, and the thrill of obtaining them through rare events make them a sought-after mount for many Minecraft players. Perhaps future updates will bring some changes!
Learn More
For those interested in the broader intersection of gaming and education, be sure to explore the resources available at the Games Learning Society website: https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/ or GamesLearningSociety.org. They provide a platform for understanding how games can be used as powerful learning tools.