Skeleton is an undead hostile mob that attacks from a distance using a bow. It is one of the most common ranged enemies in Minecraft, spawning in dark areas, caves, and at night on the surface. Skeletons burn in sunlight unless they wear a helmet, making them more dangerous in caves and at night.

Skeletons drop 0–2 bones and 0–2 arrows upon death, which can be increased with the Looting enchantment. A Skeleton skull can be obtained if a Skeleton is killed by a charged creeper.

Skeletons cannot be bred and spawn naturally in dark areas. They also spawn from monster spawners in dungeons and trial spawners in trial chambers. If a Skeleton stands in powdered snow for 7 seconds, it transforms into a stray, a Skeleton variant that shoots Arrows of Slowness.

Skeletons are hostile mobs that shoot arrows at players and other targets from a distance. They back away if a player gets too close, making them harder to fight in melee combat. If a Skeleton picks up a melee weapon, such as a sword, it will use it instead of a bow. Strays and wither skeletons are variants of skeletons that spawn in different biomes and conditions.