In Minecraft, villagers can become powerful allies for gathering resources, trading rare items, and automating some survival tasks. Among the most useful professions a villager can have is the Fletcher. A Fletcher villager specializes in trades involving bows, arrows, crossbows, and other ranged equipment. If you want access to valuable trades like Tipped Arrows or an easy source of Emeralds through stick trades, learning how to get a Fletcher villager is a smart move. This guide will explain each step clearly, so you can convert an ordinary villager into a helpful Fletcher and take full advantage of everything they offer.
Understanding Villager Professions
What Are Villager Professions?
Villagers in Minecraft can take on different professions based on the workstation block placed near them. Each profession gives access to different trade options. The Fletcher profession is assigned when a villager claims a Fletching Table as their workstation. This allows the player to trade for arrows, bows, and even rare enchanted gear at higher levels.
Why Choose a Fletcher?
Fletchers are incredibly useful for players looking to stock up on arrows or trade sticks for Emeralds. Especially early in the game, the stick trade can be one of the easiest Emerald farming methods. In later stages, master-level Fletchers offer enchanted bows and crossbows that can be great for ranged combat. Their utility makes them a great choice for survival and hardcore players alike.
Steps to Get a Fletcher Villager
Step 1: Find an Unemployed Villager
The first step in getting a Fletcher is to locate an unemployed villager. Unemployed villagers wear plain clothes and do not have any profession assigned yet. They can be found in villages wandering around without a specific job site or profession-based outfit.
Tips to Find Unemployed Villagers:
- Visit villages during the day when most villagers are outside.
- Look for villagers without a workstation or profession-specific clothing.
- If no unemployed villagers are available, you can breed new ones by placing beds and feeding villagers food like bread or carrots.
Step 2: Craft or Obtain a Fletching Table
To turn a villager into a Fletcher, you need to place a Fletching Table near them. This block is their workstation and is what assigns them the Fletcher profession. Crafting one is easy and requires minimal resources.
Crafting Recipe for Fletching Table:
- 2 Flint
- 4 Planks (any wood type)
Arrange the two flint in the top row and the four planks in the bottom two rows of the crafting table to create a Fletching Table. Once crafted, you’re ready to assign the job.
Step 3: Place the Fletching Table Near the Villager
Once you have an unemployed villager and a Fletching Table, place the table within close proximity of the villager. They will detect the new workstation and change into a Fletcher within seconds. You’ll know it worked if they adopt a new outfit and their name displays as Fletcher when you hover over them.
Note that the villager must be able to reach the workstation and not be locked inside a room or fenced area without access to it.
Step 4: Lock in the Profession with a Trade
After the villager becomes a Fletcher, interact with them to view their trade offers. If you want to permanently keep them as a Fletcher, complete a trade with them. This will lock their profession and tie it to the current workstation, even if you later remove the Fletching Table.
If you haven’t traded yet, you can still change the profession by breaking the Fletching Table and placing a different workstation nearby. This is useful if you accidentally assign the wrong job.
Fletcher Villager Trades and Benefits
Trade Levels and Progression
Villager professions have five levels: Novice, Apprentice, Journeyman, Expert, and Master. As you trade with the Fletcher, they gain experience and unlock new trades at each level. Here’s a breakdown of the Fletcher’s possible trade offers:
Common Fletcher Trades:
- Novice: 32 sticks for 1 emerald, 1 emerald for 16 arrows
- Apprentice: 26 flint for 1 emerald, 3 emeralds for 1 bow
- Journeyman: 24 feathers for 1 emerald, 2 emeralds for a crossbow
- Expert: 7 emeralds and a bow for an enchanted bow
- Master: 8 emeralds and a crossbow for an enchanted crossbow, 2 emeralds for 5 tipped arrows
Best Trades to Prioritize
The most valuable early-game trade is the stick-to-emerald deal. Simply gather wood from any tree, turn it into sticks, and trade with the Fletcher for easy emeralds. Later on, the enchanted bows and tipped arrows can significantly boost your combat capabilities.
Breeding Villagers for More Fletchers
How to Breed Villagers
If your village doesn’t have enough unemployed villagers, you can breed new ones by setting up the proper environment. You need at least two villagers, extra beds, and sufficient food.
Steps to Breed Villagers:
- Place at least one extra bed per new villager you want to create
- Feed villagers bread, carrots, potatoes, or beetroots (3 pieces per villager)
- Give them space and privacy; eventually, they will create a baby villager
Once the baby villager grows into an adult, you can assign them a profession by placing a Fletching Table nearby.
Advanced Tips for Managing Fletcher Villagers
Set Up a Trading Hall
To maximize efficiency, build a trading hall where each villager has their workstation and bed. This prevents villagers from wandering and changing professions. Assign each villager a unique role and layout the hall in a way that allows easy access and protection from mobs.
Use Name Tags or Signs
Labeling your villagers with signs or name tags helps you keep track of who provides which trades. This is especially useful when you have multiple Fletchers or different professions.
Protect Your Villagers
Make sure your Fletcher and other villagers are safe from zombies, pillagers, or other threats. Keep your village well-lit, surrounded by fences or walls, and avoid letting villagers wander outside at night.
Common Issues and Fixes
Villager Not Becoming Fletcher
If a villager doesn’t take on the Fletcher profession, check these factors:
- Is the villager unemployed?
- Is the Fletching Table accessible and not blocked?
- Is the villager already locked into another profession?
To fix this, ensure no other workstation is nearby, break and replace the Fletching Table, or try using a different villager.
Fletcher Not Offering Good Trades
Villager trades are randomized when they’re first assigned. If you don’t like a Fletcher’s initial trade offers, you can reset them by removing the Fletching Table and replacing it, as long as you haven’t traded with them yet. Keep trying until you get the trades you want, such as the stick trade.
Getting a Fletcher villager in Minecraft is a simple yet highly rewarding process. From crafting the Fletching Table to assigning a profession and managing trades, every step helps you build a more efficient and prosperous village. Fletchers are especially useful for gathering emeralds, acquiring ranged weapons, and stocking up on arrows. Whether you’re preparing for late-game raids or just want a steady source of resources, having one or more Fletchers is a smart strategy. With the tips above, you’ll be able to get and manage Fletcher villagers like a pro, adding another layer of depth and efficiency to your Minecraft world.