At some point during your adventures in Minecraft, especially after taking down a few Creepers, you will unlock the recipe for Firework Rockets. If you are just starting out, you might be curious about how to obtain this fun item and what materials are needed to create it.
Firework Rockets have a lot of uses in the game—from aviation to demolition, celebrations, and even combat. They’re eye-catching and surprisingly versatile, offering a variety of effects. So, whether you want to light up the night sky, enhance your combat experience, or help your Elytra gliding, we’ve got you covered with everything you need to know about Firework Rockets.
How to Use Firework Rockets
The easiest way to launch Firework Rockets is to place one on the ground, where it will shoot into the sky for a brief moment. Alternatively, you can load them into a crossbow by holding them in your off-hand and then firing them horizontally.
You can also fire rockets from a dispenser by activating it with a redstone signal, like a button or a lever. Lastly, to give your Elytra flight a boost mid-air, you can use rockets for additional propulsion.
Tip: While the basic recipe for Firework Rockets may seem simple, incorporating Firework Stars and extra gunpowder significantly increases their usefulness.
What Are Firework Stars?
Firework Stars are optional components in the crafting process of Firework Rockets. However, they greatly enhance the rockets’ effects. When added to the recipe, they cause the rockets to explode either upon reaching their flight duration or when they collide with a surface.
The appearance and sound of the fireworks can vary based on the materials used to create each Firework Star. You can actually combine multiple Firework Stars when crafting, resulting in even more spectacular displays.
How to Make Firework Rockets
Firework Rockets aren’t found in the game world; you have to craft them yourself. The basic recipe requires one gunpowder and one piece of paper. You can add up to two additional gunpowder for increased flight distance (three maximum) and up to seven Firework Stars for enhanced visual effects.
Note: To create different types of rockets, you need to add the ingredients one by one; ingredients stacked will be counted as a single item.
In your crafting interface, with one paper and one gunpowder as your base, you can fill the remaining spaces with a mix of extra gunpowder or Firework Stars. However, using a crafting table allows for more combinations, while using your inventory limits you to only two extra items.
To decide what materials to include, consider how you want to utilize your rockets.
Elytra Boosting
For those using Firework Rockets to enhance their Elytra flights, do not add Firework Stars. They will explode at the end of their flight and can cause damage. For the best lift-off, use three gunpowder to maximize your flight time; crafting on the go is easy since it only needs four slots.
Combat
One of the most exciting uses of Firework Rockets is in combat. If you hold a crossbow and load it with a rocket, it will explode upon hitting a target or at the end of its flight, inflicting damage to nearby entities.
Note: In the Java Edition, rockets explode immediately upon hitting an entity, while in the Bedrock Edition, they pass through. It’s best to aim for the feet of your targets for maximum effect. Fireworks do not damage terrain, so you don’t have to worry about causing destruction to the landscape.
The number of Firework Stars added increases the damage they do, as each one counts as a separate explosion. The amount of gunpowder you choose affects your fighting range, and bear in mind that explosive timing is random.
Firework Displays
Creating firework shows is more about creativity than practicality. Remember that each Firework Star adds more detonation effects, showing the various styles of each star. However, too many effects might create visual overload.
- More gunpowder means further distance and higher flights, allowing for a better view of the explosions from afar.
- You can launch them one at a time or fire them from crossbows.
- If you’re skilled with redstone, you can set up a system to time releases for that professional touch akin to real fireworks displays.
Fireworks, Crossbows, and Enchantments
Using rockets in a crossbow presents unique challenges compared to arrows. The travel time means timing your shots carefully, and rockets deal more durability damage to crossbows compared to regular arrows.
Tip: Enchants like Unbreaking and Mending are particularly advantageous if you frequently fire rockets. If you have Multishot, it’s especially beneficial since it allows you to launch multiple rockets at once without wasting ammunition.
How to Craft Firework Stars
The crafting recipe for a Firework Star involves one gunpowder and one dye to give it its color. You can also include additional ingredients to determine how the firework will explode.
While it’s possible to craft Firework Stars without a crafting table, you won’t be able to achieve all effects without one. You can adjust color, shape, and additional effects to create a variety of firework designs.
Color and Fade
When crafting a Firework Star, you can utilize up to eight different dyes. Using one dye will predominantly show that color; adding more will create a mixed effect. You may also add dyes post-crafting for fading colors, but more dye can dilute the fading effect.
Shape
You can modify the explosion shape of your fireworks by adding different ingredients but can only select one shape modifier per star. The default is a small ball shape, and options include:
| Ingredient |
Shape |
| Feather |
Cone-shaped |
| Gold Nugget |
3D star |
| Fire Charge |
Large ball with a loud boom |
| Mob Heads |
Creeper Face |
Effects
Firework Stars can produce special effects by adding additional items. You can create flickering particles and trails by including glowstone or diamonds, which will enhance the firework’s overall experience.
Where to Find Paper
Paper is available in Villages, Shipwrecks, and Strongholds. However, it’s simpler to create your own using three Sugar Canes, yielding three sheets of paper.
Sugar Cane is prevalent near bodies of water, with the best yields found in swamps and deserts. You can grow it easily as long as it’s placed next to water.
Where to Source Gunpowder
Among the ingredients needed for Firework Rockets, gunpowder is the hardest to come by and the most crucial for crafting both fireworks and Firework Stars.
You can find it in chests or as loot from Creepers, Ghasts, and Witches. Creepers are the easiest to farm as they spawn frequently in dark areas. Ghasts drop gunpowder but are harder to defeat due to their flying nature. Witches are less common, but they can yield large amounts of gunpowder.
Where to Find Dye
To obtain dye, you can trade with the Wandering Trader or gather resources to create your own. Most dyes are made from farmable ingredients or mined materials. Some colors have unique requirements, like green, light green, and brown.
You can mix primary colors to produce dye, with one flower yielding one dye. The result will typically match the flower’s color.
| Dye Color |
Ingredients |
| Red |
Beetroot, Rose Bush |
| Orange |
Mix of Red + Yellow Dyes |
| Yellow |
Sunflower, Dandelion |
| Green |
Cactus (smelted) |
| Blue |
Lapis Lazuli |
| Black |
Ink Sac, Wither Rose |
With all this information at hand, you’ll be well-equipped to craft and utilize Firework Rockets in your Minecraft adventures!
