Guides / Enchantments / Flame Enchantment in Minecraft: What It Does and How to Use It
Flame Enchantment in Minecraft: What It Does and How to Use It
Published October 16, 2026
- Max level
- I
- Applies to
- Bow
- Incompatible with
- Nothing
- Obtained via
- Enchanting table, anvil, villager trade
Flame sets whatever a bow's arrow hits on fire — a damage-over-time effect, separate from the arrow's own direct hit.
What Flame actually does
A Flame arrow ignites its target for 5 seconds, dealing fire damage over that time (the very first tick of burn damage is ignored, so the effective damage window is the remaining ticks). Flame only has one level — there's no II or III to reach for, and forcing a higher level via commands doesn't make the fire last longer or burn harder.
How to use it
Flame is a damage-over-time add-on, not a replacement for Power's direct hit damage — the burn ticks happen after the arrow lands, so it doesn't make the initial shot itself hit harder. It's most useful against mobs/players without fire resistance where the extra few seconds of burning meaningfully adds up, and it has the side effect of lighting TNT, campfires, and other fire-triggered blocks from range. It never conflicts with anything else a bow can take.
Well-known builds that use it
Flame isn't part of the standard "God Bow" build on this site — see The Ideal Bow Enchantments, which notes Flame is free to add alongside Power/Punch/Infinity-or-Mending without excluding anything, if you want the burn effect.
Frequently asked questions
Does Flame add extra hit damage, or does it just set the target on fire?
Flame's direct effect is igniting the target on impact — that burn then deals its own damage over the next 5 seconds. It isn't a flat damage boost added to the arrow's initial hit the way Power is; the extra damage comes from the fire ticking afterward.
Can Flame be enchanted past level I?
No. Flame's maximum level is I — there's no higher tier, and even forcing a higher level through commands or an NBT editor doesn't change the fire's duration or strength.
Does Flame work on mobs and players that are immune to fire?
No — fire-immune targets (like a Blaze, a player with Fire Resistance, or anything already fireproof) take no extra damage from Flame's burn, the same as any other fire source in the game.