In Minecraft, there is a decorative block whose unique nature often sparks debate among players about whether it is a mob or not. That’s right, it’s the Armor Stand—an entity used for displaying and holding wearable items. So, is an Armor Stand actually a mob? After reading these 5 points, you’ll understand.
Crafting
Although the Armor Stand itself is well-known, its crafting recipe is rarely known. Actually, an Armor Stand is crafted using sticks and a smooth stone slab. Since it can be crafted, from this perspective, the Armor Stand probably isn’t a mob.
Function
In the game, Armor Stands don’t have a major function; they are generally used to display valuable items or serve as decoration.
Behavior
Armor Stands can be pushed by pistons or flowing water, and can even be bounced away or pulled by slime blocks and fishing rods. They are also affected by gravity, falling and standing on incomplete blocks like snow or slabs. From this point of view, Armor Stands fully possess the characteristics of a mob.
Moreover, unlike other blocks or items, holding down the left mouse button won’t break it; you need to attack it rapidly to make it drop. It isn’t damaged by cacti, but arrows can destroy it. These are all traits specific to mobs.
Commands
Interestingly, we can use commands to give an Armor Stand arms or make it perform various strange poses. Enter: /summon armor_stand ~ ~ ~ {ShowArms:1} to get an Armor Stand with arms.
Besides that, we can even use commands to spawn a baby Armor Stand. From this perspective, the Armor Stand seems even more like a mob.
Enchantments
Three enchantments are effective on an Armor Stand. The Thorns enchantment causes players to take damage when they attack it. Depth Strider slows down the speed at which the Armor Stand is pushed by water currents. Frost Walker allows the Armor Stand to turn water into ice.
From the above 5 points, we can speculate that the Armor Stand is very likely a mob, just without an independent AI.
