Lightning Rod

A lightning rod is a block used to divert lightning strikes.

Obtaining[]

Breaking[]

A lightning rod must be mined with a stone pickaxe or better, or else it drops nothing.

Block	Lightning Rod
Hardness	3
Tool
Breaking time[A]
Default	15
Wooden	7.5
Stone	1.15
Iron	0.75
Diamond	0.6
Netherite	0.5
Golden	1.25

Crafting[]

Ingredients	Crafting recipe
Copper Ingot

Usage[]

Lightning rods can be oriented in different directions. Lightning rods that are the highest block in the column redirect lightning strikes within a spherical volume having a radius of 128 blocks in Java Edition and 64 blocks in Bedrock Edition. The block emits particles during thunderstorms as an indicator. If multiple lightning rods are in range, the closest to the original location of the strike is chosen.

Lightning can also strike a lightning rod hit by a trident enchanted with Channeling during a thunderstorm, even if there are solid blocks above it blocking rainfall, as long as all the blocks are fully transparent (sky light level 15 at rod position). Lightning rods do not divert the lightning created by a Channeling trident thrown at an entity, or the lightning summoned by commands.

Unlike in real life, a lightning rod doesn't require a direct connection to ground in order to work.

Lightning strikes on lightning rods cannot summon skeleton trap horses.

A lightning rod and the block it's attached to emit a redstone signal for 8 game ticks when struck by lightning.

Lightning diverted by a lightning rod can still start fires nearby (quickly extinguished on non-flammable blocks or by rain) and inflicts lightning damage on mobs within a 6×12×6 box centered 4 blocks above the bottom center of the lightning rod block (that is extending 2 below and 9 above). Adjacent blocks can ignite even if the lightning rod is mounted on a non-flammable block.

Sounds[]

Generic[]

Java Edition:

Sound	Subtitles	Source	Description	Resource location	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
	Block broken	Blocks	Once the block has broken	block.copper.break	subtitles.block.generic.break	1.0	0.8	16
	Block placed	Blocks	When the block is placed	block.copper.place	subtitles.block.generic.place	1.0	0.8	16
	Block breaking	Blocks	While the block is in the process of being broken	block.copper.hit	subtitles.block.generic.hit	0.25	0.5	16
	None[sound 1]	Entity-Dependent	Falling on the block with fall damage	block.copper.fall	None[sound 1]	0.5	0.75	16
	Footsteps	Entity-Dependent	Walking on the block	block.copper.step	subtitles.block.generic.footsteps	0.15	1.0	16

Bedrock Edition:

Sound	Source	Description	Resource location	Volume	Pitch
	Blocks	Once the block has broken	dig.copper	1.0	0.8-1.0
	Blocks	When the block is placed	dig.copper	1.0	0.8-1.0
	Blocks	While the block is in the process of being broken	hit.copper	0.3	0.5
	Players	Falling on the block with fall damage	fall.copper	0.4	1.0
	Players	Walking on the block	step.copper	0.3	1.0
	Players	Jumping from the block	step.copper	0.12	1.0
	Players	Falling on the block without fall damage	step.copper	0.22	1.0

Unique[]

Java Edition:

Sound	Subtitles	Source	Description	Resource location	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
	Trident thunder cracks	Weather	When a trident with Channeling strikes a lightning rod	item.trident.thunder	subtitles.item.trident.thunder	5.0	1.0	16

Bedrock Edition: None^[1]

Data values[]

ID[]

Java Edition:

Name	Identifier	Form	Translation key
Lightning Rod	lightning_rod	Block & Item	block.minecraft.lightning_rod

Bedrock Edition:

Name	Identifier	Numeric ID	Form	Item ID[i 1]	Translation key
Lightning Rod	lightning_rod	567	Block & Giveable Item[i 2]	Identical[i 3]	tile.lightning_rod.name

Block states[]

Java Edition:

Name	Default value	Allowed values	Description
facing	up	up down north south east west	The direction that the lightning rod is facing, determined by its anchoring.
powered	false	false true	Whether or not the lightning rod is powered.
waterlogged	false	false true	Whether or not there's water in the same place as this lightning rod.

Bedrock Edition:

Name	Metadata Bits	Default value	Allowed values	Values for Metadata Bits	Description
facing_direction	Not Supported	0	0 1 2 3 4 5	Unsupported	The direction the lightning rod faces. 0: Down 1: Up 2: North 3: South 4: West 5: East

Advancements[]

Icon	Advancement	In-game description	Parent	Actual requirements (if different)	Resource location
	Surge Protector	Protect a Villager from an undesired shock without starting a fire	Adventure	Be within 30 blocks of a lightning strike that doesn't set any blocks on fire, while an unharmed villager is within or up to six blocks above a 30×30×30 volume centered on the lightning strike.	adventure/lightning_rod_with_villager_no_fire

History[]

October 3, 2020					Lightning rods are revealed at Minecraft Live 2020.
					Inventory model was different.
October 20, 2020					LadyAgnes shows a lightning rod can be placed in different positions, and can emit a redstone signal.
Java Edition
1.17		20w45a			Added lightning rods.
		20w46a			The texture of lightning rods has been changed to match copper blocks.
					The range of lightning rods has been increased from 16 blocks to 32 blocks.
		21w05a			Lightning rods are now shaded properly.[2]
		21w10a			Changelog states they can now be waterlogged, though this is not the case.
		21w11a			When lightning strikes, the lightning rod turns white due to its new blockstate, powered.
					Lightning rods can now be waterlogged.
					Lightning emits particles during thunderstorms as an indicator.
		21w13a			The model of the lightning rod has been changed that the underside texture is corrected.
Bedrock Edition
Caves & Cliffs (experimental)		beta 1.16.210.57			Added lightning rods under the Caves and Cliffs experimental gameplay toggle.
					It also has a broken texture in the inventory.
		beta 1.16.220.52			Lightning rods can now be waterlogged.
					Now emits particles when in contact with rain.
1.17.0		beta 1.17.0.50			Blocks connected to a Lightning Rod now correctly conduct redstone signal when the rod is hit by lightning.
		beta 1.17.0.52			Lightning Rods are no longer available only through Experimental Gameplay.

Issues[]

Issues relating to "Lightning Rod" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.

Trivia[]

• According to Minecraft Live 2020, Ulraf had the idea of lightning rods when a lightning strike burned down his wooden house.^[3]
• In Minecraft Dungeons, there are lightning rod blocks as well. These generate on the roof of the Woodland Mansion Ancient Hunt to charge creepers.
• If /item replace is used to place a lightning rod on a player's head, the item appears upside-down and to the right of their head, somewhat resembling a robot's antenna.‌^{[Java Edition only]}
• In china edtion,lightning strikes are the only way to set your defaulted pet on fire,
• this doesn't kill them because they are immortal.
• Lightning rods turn white upon being struck, which causes release of end rod particles and redstone power.

Gallery[]

Renders[]

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Screenshots[]

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  Range testing in Java 1.17.1. Glowstone marks where lightning struck.

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  Range testing in Bedrock 1.17.34, simulation distance 12. Sea lanterns mark lightning strikes.

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  Lightning hitting a lightning rod and sending a redstone signal.

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  A lightning-struck lightning rod decreasing the oxidizing level of nearby copper blocks.

References[]