The basic crafting recipe to make a Firework is extremely simple in Minecraft. It only requires two main ingredients at a crafting table, which you can see below:
- Place a piece of Paper in the center of a crafting table
- Place at least one Gunpowder below the Paper. You can use more Gunpowder to increase the number of flights your Firework has
This crafting recipe rewards you with three Firework Rockets. You can make the Paper you need for the recipe by reading our previous guide, while the Gunpowder is acquired by looting specific mobs; Creepers, Ghasts, and Witches drop Gunpowder when they die. You can also trade for Gunpowder with a Wandering Trader in exchange for an Emerald. The traders only have Gunpowder to sell 1/6th of the time.
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While you can stick with your basic Firework Rockets and call it a day, Minecraft also gives you the ability to add more flair to the explosion. This comes in the form of Firework Stars, which can be added to the basic Firework recipe. Firework Stars give the explosion its colors and they can be crafted by combining dye with other materials. The basic crafting recipe for a Firework Star is as follows:
- Place Gunpowder in the center of a crafting table
- Place different Dyes around the Gunpowder to add more color to the Firework Star
You can also add other materials to the recipe, including Feathers, Gold Nuggets, Fire Charges, Mob Heads, Diamonds, and Glowstone Dust to add more effects to the Firework. Once you have the Firework Star you want, you can place it in the Paper and Gunpowder recipe for a basic Firework Rocket to add color to the Fireworks you craft.
Adding a Firework Star to the recipe changes the colors. Once you have the Firework Rocket you want, you can use it simply by right-clicking (LT on controller) on any block in Minecraft. This launches the Firework into the air and when it explodes, you can see the colors and effects if you added any to the recipe. Fireworks can also be launched using a Dispenser or a Crossbow.
The final use for a Firework is to pair with the Elytra wings. When flying with Elytra wings, you can use a Firework to further propel yourself in the direction you’re headed. For this usage, you want to ensure the Firework you have in hand doesn’t have a Firework Star attached to it, as you’ll take damage when the Firework explodes.
