To make a Potion of Strength in modern Minecraft, brew an Awkward Potion with Blaze Powder. The base potion lasts 3 minutes. Add Redstone Dust to extend it to 8 minutes, or Glowstone Dust to make Strength II for 1 minute 30 seconds.
| Version | Recipe | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | Awkward Potion + Blaze Powder | 3:00 |
| Strength (extended) | Strength + Redstone Dust | 8:00 |
| Strength II | Strength + Glowstone Dust | 1:30 |
| Splash Strength | Finished Strength potion + Gunpowder | Thrown effect |
What you need
- a Brewing Stand;
- Blaze Powder to fuel the Brewing Stand;
- Water Bottles;
- Nether Wart;
- another Blaze Powder as the actual Strength ingredient;
- optional Redstone Dust, Glowstone Dust or Gunpowder.
Step 1: make an Awkward Potion
Put Water Bottles in the bottom slots of the Brewing Stand, fuel the stand with Blaze Powder, and place Nether Wart in the ingredient slot.
When brewing finishes, the Water Bottles become Awkward Potions. These are the base for most useful Minecraft potions.
Step 2: add Blaze Powder
Leave the Awkward Potions in the Brewing Stand and put Blaze Powder into the top ingredient slot.
After brewing, you will have Potions of Strength lasting 3 minutes.
A current Minecraft 26.2 recipe check confirms the same Water Bottle → Nether Wart → Awkward Potion → Blaze Powder sequence.
How to make an 8-minute Potion of Strength
Add Redstone Dust to a normal Potion of Strength. This extends Strength I from 3 minutes to 8 minutes.
This is usually the better choice when you expect a long fight or want the effect during several encounters.
How to make Strength II
Add Glowstone Dust to a normal Potion of Strength. This creates Strength II, which is more powerful but lasts only 1 minute 30 seconds.
You cannot combine the Redstone extended version and the Glowstone Strength II upgrade on the same potion.
How much extra damage does Strength give?
The exact damage calculation depends on Minecraft edition and current combat rules. In Java Edition, current references list Strength as adding flat melee attack damage, with a larger bonus at Strength II.
The old version of this article confused damage points with hearts and dramatically overstated the effect of Strength II, so that arithmetic has been removed.
How to make a Splash Potion of Strength
Add Gunpowder to a finished Potion of Strength. That turns it into a throwable Splash Potion.
This is useful in multiplayer because several nearby players can receive the effect, although enemies can be affected too if they are caught in the splash.
How to make a Lingering Potion of Strength
First create a Splash Potion of Strength, then brew it with Dragon’s Breath. The resulting Lingering Potion creates an effect cloud on the ground.
Where do Blaze Rods come from?
Blazes spawn in Nether Fortresses. Blaze Rods can be crafted into Blaze Powder.
You need Blaze Powder twice in the Strength-potion process: one supply fuels the Brewing Stand, while another is placed in the ingredient slot to create Strength.
Is Strength the “best” Minecraft potion?
There is no single best potion. Strength is excellent for melee combat, but Fire Resistance can be far more valuable in the Nether, Water Breathing matters underwater, and Slow Falling can save you during End exploration.
The old article’s ranked “top five potions” section made a simple recipe unnecessarily difficult to find, so this version stays focused on the query.
Quick answer
Brew Water Bottles with Nether Wart to make Awkward Potions, then add Blaze Powder to make Potion of Strength. Add Redstone for 8 minutes, Glowstone for Strength II, or Gunpowder for a splash version.
