The Potion of Weakness is a bit of an oddball: it makes a target weaker, which sounds useless until you realize it is the key to curing zombie villagers. It is also the easiest potion in the game to brew, the only one that does not need nether wart. This guide covers the recipe, the splash version, and how to use it.
Everything here is confirmed in the current 2026 version of Minecraft (26.2).
Quick answer: brew a water bottle with a fermented spider eye in a brewing stand. That is the whole recipe, no nether wart required. Add gunpowder to turn it into a Splash Potion of Weakness, which is what you throw to start curing a zombie villager.
Potion of Weakness at a Glance
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Base recipe | Water bottle + fermented spider eye |
| Nether wart? | Not needed (the only such potion) |
| Effect | Reduces the target’s melee attack damage |
| Duration | 1:30 (longer with redstone) |
| Splash version | Add gunpowder |
| Main use | Curing zombie villagers |
The Recipe
Weakness breaks the normal brewing rules. Every other potion starts with an Awkward Potion (water + nether wart), but Weakness is made straight from a water bottle:
- Put a water bottle in the bottom slot of the brewing stand.
- Put a fermented spider eye in the top ingredient slot.
- Add blaze powder for fuel and wait.
You get a Potion of Weakness (1:30). To make the fermented spider eye, combine a spider eye, a brown mushroom, and sugar, no crafting table needed.
Making the Splash Version
The regular (drinkable) potion is rarely what you want. To cure a zombie villager you need to throw it, so make a Splash Potion of Weakness:
- Put your Potion of Weakness back in the brewing stand.
- Add gunpowder in the top slot.
Now it is throwable. You can also add redstone first to extend the duration before converting it to a splash potion.
How to Use It: Curing Zombie Villagers
The number-one use for weakness is turning a zombie villager back into a normal villager:
- Throw the Splash Potion of Weakness so it hits the zombie villager.
- Feed it a golden apple (use the apple on the affected zombie).
- Wait a few minutes while it shakes and converts, then it becomes a cured villager, often with big trade discounts.
Trap the zombie villager somewhere safe (out of sunlight so it does not burn) before you start. For the full process, see our cure a zombie villager guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Put a water bottle in a brewing stand and add a fermented spider eye. It is the only potion that does not need nether wart or an Awkward Potion base.
No. Weakness is brewed directly from a water bottle and a fermented spider eye, making it the one potion you can make without nether wart.
Brew a normal Potion of Weakness, then add gunpowder in the brewing stand. That converts it into a throwable splash potion.
Its main use is curing zombie villagers: throw a splash version at the zombie villager, then feed it a golden apple. It also lowers a target’s melee attack damage in combat.
Combine a spider eye, a brown mushroom, and sugar in your inventory crafting grid. No crafting table is required.
Throw a Splash Potion of Weakness at the zombie villager, then give it a golden apple. After a short conversion, it becomes a normal villager, usually with discounted trades.
The Potion of Weakness is quick, cheap, and nether-wart-free, and it unlocks one of the best moves in the game: rescuing zombie villagers into cheap, loyal traders. Brew it, add gunpowder, and keep a golden apple ready.
