Trading mechanics in video games can sometimes be cumbersome and difficult to understand due to complicated in-game lore reasons, however, this commerce-related aspect can definitely be done correctly when simplicity and functionality are considered by the game developers, such as in Minecraft.
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Trading in Minecraft is basically bartering with Villagers and can be learned quite easily, even without instructions. All the player needs to do is give specific villagers the items that they ask for in the dialogue menu on the left in return for the items depicted on the right.
Since there are a ton of different jobs for Villagers, a particularly diverse Village can be an excellent place to acquire Emeralds by trading easy-to-find resources, or even trade Emeralds for refined goods. One of the best Villagers to trade with for optimal gains are Fletchers, who are Villagers that have picked up their arrow-making profession from a Fletching Table.
Players who want more Fletchers to trade with at their favorite Village can even craft Fletching Tables with only a few simple components and then plant them near jobless Villagers in hopes that they will interact with it and become a Fletcher.
Updated on September 27, 2021, by Reyadh Rahaman: The primary reason to seek out a Fletcher, besides to gain Emeralds, is to gain access to resources related to archery and Bows. In addition to Bows and Arrows, players can get crafting ingredients and other tools that require similar crafting components to them.
As such, all of this potential can stem from simply crafting and placing a Fletching Table. How to use a Fletching table and what it does can often be gleaned pretty quickly for most players given its name and other hints, such as being able to possibly find them spawned naturally in houses of a Village alongside a Fletcher.
How To Craft A Fletching Table
Thankfully, creating one of these ranged-weapon-oriented blocks is very easy. The resources used to craft a Fletching Table are 2 pieces of Flint and 4 blocks of any kind of Wood Planks. The crafting recipe used to make them needs a Crafting Table, as it is in a 2 x 3 shape.
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When the player has the Crafting Table menu open, place the 2 Flint in the top-left and top-middle slots before filling up the rest of the left and middle slots with Wood Planks. This will grant one a Fletching Table that can be placed anywhere.
How To Use A Fletching Table To Create Fletchers
As Villager employment depends a bit on their sometimes less than stellar AI, getting a jobless Villager to become a Fletcher can be a bit tricky if none of them can reach the Fletching Table, so the easiest way to employ one as desired is to be very blunt about the recruitment process.
The best way to transform a jobless Villager into a Fletcher is to corner one in their home, or another cramped location, and seal up all possible exits from within. Then, place the Fletching Table anywhere and wait until the jobless Villager interacts with it.
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When they do, they and the Fletching Table will emit green particles and the Villager will instantly change appearance into a Fletcher wearing brown leather clothes and a simple hat. Now, after their transition, they are ready to trade with the player.
All Trades With Fletcher Villagers
As Fletchers are some of the easiest and best Villagers to trade with for Emeralds and ranged weapons, players should seek them out and level them up with lots of buying and selling so that they can become a Master Fletcher and provide even more awesome trades. Here's a quick rundown on what Fletchers buy and sell (depending on their level) so that players can keep track while preparing for some commerce:
Items That Fletchers Buy & Sell
- 32 Sticks for 1 Emerald (Novice)
- 1 Emerald for 16 Arrows (Novice)
- 1 Emerald & 10 Gravel for 10 Flint (Novice)
- 26 Flint for 1 Emerald (Apprentice)
- 2 Emeralds for 1 Bow (Apprentice)
- 14 String for 1 Emerald (Journeyman)
- 3 Emeralds for 1 Crossbow (Journeyman)
- 24 Feathers for 1 Emerald (Expert)
- 7 to 21 Emeralds for 1 Enchanted Bow (Expert)
- 8 Tripwire Hooks for 1 Emerald (Master)
- 8 to 22 Emeralds for 1 Enchanted Crossbow (Master)
- 2 Emeralds & 5 Arrows for 5 Tipped Arrows (Master)
How To Make & Use A Bow
How To Craft A Bow
For those who do not wish to get a Bow from a Fletcher, players can also make one fairly easily. All that is needed are 3 sticks and 3 pieces of String. In a crafting table, place the 3 pieces of String in the right column. Then, place 1 Stick in the top-middle slot, 1 in the middle-right slot, and finally 1 in the bottom-middle slot. This will give one a Bow, ready to use if one has some Arrows on hand.
How To Craft Basic Arrows
Making basic Arrows is pretty straightforward, as it only takes 1 Flint, 1 Stick, and 1 Feather to make a bundle of 4 Arrows. In a Crafting Table, place the Flint in the top-middle slot, the Stick in the middle slot, and the Feather in the bottom-middle slot to form a vertical column of components that will yield 4 Arrows.
How To Craft Spectral Arrows (Java Edition-Only)
A variation of Arrows, Spectral Arrows can be created in a Crafting table by surrounding an Arrow on the top, bottom, left, and right adjacent slots with Glowstone Dust. This crafting recipe will yield 2 Spectral Arrows, which, when shot at foes, will cause them to gain a glowing outline for a short period of time, potentially helping one fight creatures in the dark.
How To Craft Tipped Arrows
Players can completely surround any kind of Lingering Potion in a Crafting Table with Arrows to craft a bundle of 8 Tipped Arrows with effects pertaining to whichever Lingering Potion was used. Here is a list of all the different kinds of Tipped Arrows players can craft:
- Arrow of Regeneration
- Arrow of Swiftness
- Arrow of Fire Resistance
- Arrow of Healing
- Arrow of Night Vision
- Arrow of Strength
- Arrow of Leaping
- Arrow of Invisibility
- Arrow of Poison
- Arrow of Weakness
- Arrow of Slowness
- Arrow of Harming
- Arrow of Water Breathing
- Arrow of Luck (Java Edition-only)
- Arrow of Decay (Bedrock Edition-only)
- Arrow of the Turtle Master
- Arrow of Slow Falling
Minecraft is available on Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Xbox 360, Raspberry Pi, Windows Phone, PlayStation 3, Fire OS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation Vita, Universal Windows Platform, Wii U, tvOS, Nintendo Switch, and New Nintendo 3DS.