Lightning Rod

This feature is exclusive to Java Edition.

This page describes content that may be included in a future update to Java Edition.

These features have appeared in Java Edition development versions, but the full update containing them has not been released for Java Edition yet.

Lightning Rod

Renewable	No
Stackable	Yes (64)
Tool
Blast resistance	6
Hardness	3
Luminant	No
Transparent	Yes
Flammable	No
Catches fire from lava	No

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

Obtaining[edit]

Breaking[edit]

Lightning rods must be mined with a stone pickaxe or better, or else it drops nothing.

Block	Lightning Rod
Hardness	3
Tool
Breaking time^{[note 1]}
Default	15
Wooden	7.5
Stone	1.15
Iron	0.75
Diamond	0.6
Netherite	0.5
Golden	1.25

↑ Times are for unenchanted tools as wielded by players with no status effects, measured in seconds. For more information, see Breaking § Speed.

Crafting[edit]

Ingredients	Crafting recipe
Copper Ingot

Usage[edit]

Lightning rods redirect lightning strikes within an area of 32×4×32 blocks to the top of the rod, which can prevent flammable structures from catching on fire during thunderstorms, and it emits a redstone signal when struck by lightning. Lightning rods also divert the lightning created by a trident enchanted with Channeling thrown at an entity during a thunderstorm, but they won't output a redstone signal. Lightning rods can be oriented in different directions.

Channeling tridents thrown at lightning rods will always create thunder without the need for a mob.

Sounds[edit]

Subtitle	Source	Description	Namespaced ID	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
Block broken	Blocks	Breaking the block	`block.copper.break`	`subtitles.block.generic.break`	?	?	?
None^{[sound 1]}	Blocks	Falling on the block with fall damage	`block.copper.fall`	None^{[sound 1]}	?	?	?
Block breaking	Blocks	Mining the block	`block.copper.hit`	`subtitles.block.generic.hit`	?	?	?
Block placed	Blocks	Placing the block	`block.copper.place`	`subtitles.block.generic.place`	?	?	?
Footsteps	Blocks	Walking on the block	`block.copper.step`	`subtitles.block.generic.footsteps`	?	?	?

↑ ^a ^b MC-177082

Data values[edit]

ID[edit]

Java Edition:

Name	Namespaced ID	Item form?	Translation key
Lightning Rod	`lightning_rod`	Yes	`block.minecraft.lightning_rod`

Block states[edit]

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.

History[edit]

Upcoming Java Edition
October 3, 2020		Lightning rods are revealed at Minecraft Live 2020.
1.17	20w45a	Added lightning rods.
	20w46a	The texture of lightning rods has been changed to match copper blocks.
	20w46a	The range of lightning rods has been increased from 16 blocks to 32 blocks.