Two Birds, One Arrow
Kill two Phantoms with a piercing Crossbow
Overview
Two Birds, One Arrow is a challenge advancement in the Adventure tab of Minecraft's advancement system, carrying the in-game description "Kill two Phantoms with a piercing Crossbow." It branches directly off Ol' Betsy, so that earlier advancement is its prerequisite and must be earned first. The Adventure tab covers advancements focused on exploration, combat, trading, and interacting with the world and its inhabitants. Two Birds, One Arrow was added in Minecraft 1.14 and remains part of the current 1.21 advancement set.
It is rated Hard difficulty on this site: requires significant effort, rare resources, or dangerous encounters. Because it is flagged as a challenge advancement, completing Two Birds, One Arrow makes a special toast and a sound play, and its frame in the advancement screen is the magenta challenge style rather than a normal square. Challenges are the hardest tier and usually represent a milestone rather than routine progress. Nothing else in the tree depends on it, so it is a leaf at the tip of its branch.
In tree terms, Two Birds, One Arrow sits second along its line: the full path from the Adventure root reads Adventure -> Ol' Betsy -> Two Birds, One Arrow. That means 2 advancements must be completed before this one becomes available, and Two Birds, One Arrow is one of 40 total advancements in the Adventure tab. It shares its parent with 2 sibling advancements (Who's the Pillager Now? and Arbalistic), all of which open from the same point in the tree.
How to Complete Two Birds, One Arrow
Earning Two Birds, One Arrow comes down to the following, performed in order:
- Enchant a crossbow with Piercing and kill two Phantoms with a single arrow.
- Phantoms spawn when you have not slept for 3+ in-game days.
- Wait for them to line up and fire through both.
Tips & Fastest Route
Tips & Fastest Route- Fastest route: Use a Piercing crossbow to kill two phantoms with a single bolt.
- Phantoms appear after three in-game days without sleep, so stay awake to summon them.
- Wait until two phantoms line up on their swoop, then fire through both.
- Make sure Ol' Betsy is already ticked off before you start, otherwise Two Birds, One Arrow will not be tracked even if you perform the steps correctly.
- As a challenge advancement this is best saved until you are well-equipped; rushing Two Birds, One Arrow underprepared is the usual reason attempts fail, so gather everything the steps above require before you commit.
Common Mistakes
Common Mistakes- Remember that Two Birds, One Arrow will not appear as available until Ol' Betsy is done, since the game only tracks an advancement once its parent has been unlocked.
Reward & What It Unlocks
Reward & What It UnlocksCompleting Two Birds, One Arrow grants 50 experience points, reflecting its status as a challenge — challenge advancements pay out far more XP than ordinary tasks. The XP drops at your position the moment the advancement fires.
It is a leaf advancement, so nothing further unlocks from it; it stands as a completed tip of its branch.
Details
Advancement ID
Category
Version AddedAdvancement Tree
Parent Advancement
Child Advancements
Two Birds, One Arrow Advancement FAQ
How do you get the Two Birds, One Arrow advancement in Minecraft?
Use a Piercing crossbow to kill two phantoms with a single bolt. In full, enchant a crossbow with Piercing and kill two Phantoms with a single arrow. Phantoms spawn when you have not slept for 3+ in-game days. Wait for them to line up and fire through both.
What do you need for Two Birds, One Arrow?
Before you can work on it you must have completed Ol' Betsy. Enchant a crossbow with Piercing and kill two Phantoms with a single arrow. Phantoms spawn when you have not slept for 3+ in-game days.
Which advancement tab is Two Birds, One Arrow in?
Two Birds, One Arrow is in the Adventure tab, hanging beneath Ol' Betsy. Its in-game advancement ID is minecraft:adventure/two_birds_one_arrow.
Is Two Birds, One Arrow part of the Ol' Betsy branch?
Yes. Two Birds, One Arrow sits directly below Ol' Betsy in the Adventure tree, so you must earn Ol' Betsy first. It is a leaf, so nothing further unlocks from it.
How much XP does Two Birds, One Arrow give and how hard is it?
Two Birds, One Arrow awards 50 XP and is rated Hard difficulty, and it is a challenge advancement (the hardest tier, with a special completion toast).
When was Two Birds, One Arrow added to Minecraft?
Two Birds, One Arrow was added in Minecraft Java Edition 1.14 and is present in the current 1.21 advancement set.