Quick answer
To get the "What Goes Around Comes Around" advancement, run Minecraft Java 26.4 Snapshot 5 or later, collect an Ice Ball from a Frostbite, and land the killing blow on another Frostbite with that Ice Ball.
Minecraft’s newest Java snapshot adds a small but specific challenge: kill a Frostbite using its own weapon against it. The What Goes Around Comes Around advancement sounds simple, but it only counts if the final hit comes from an Ice Ball, not a sword or any other damage source.
This guide walks through getting the right snapshot running, finding a Frostbite, collecting an Ice Ball, and landing the kill so the advancement actually triggers. It also covers the common reasons it doesn’t pop when players expect it to.
Before you start
- Difficulty Easy
- Time needed 20 minutes
- Works on Minecraft Java Edition, Snapshot 26.4 Snapshot 5 or later (PC/Mac/Linux)
What you'll need
- Minecraft Java Edition installed through the official Launcher
- A Microsoft account entitled to Java Edition snapshots
- A world with Snapshot 5 or later loaded
- Access to a cold biome or ice cave where Frostbites spawn
Important
- Back up any world before loading it in a snapshot, since experimental builds are still being tested.
- Snapshot 5 is not a stable release, so expect other bugs and incomplete features alongside this advancement.
Unlock the Advancement in Minecraft Java Snapshot 5
This is the only path available right now, since the advancement is exclusive to Java Edition snapshots.
Step 1: Open the Minecraft Launcher and enable snapshots
Launch the Minecraft Launcher and click the installations dropdown near the Play button.
Select a profile running 26.4 Snapshot 5 or later. The advancement doesn’t exist in earlier builds or in the current stable release, so this step matters more than it looks.
Tip: If you don't see Snapshot 5 listed, create a new installation and set its version to the latest snapshot.
Step 2: Launch the snapshot and load a world
Click Play to start the snapshot build, then create a new world or load an existing one.
Back up any world you care about before opening it in a snapshot, since experimental builds can occasionally affect saves.
Step 3: Travel to a cold biome or ice cave
Head to a Snowy Plains, Ice Spikes, Frozen River, Frozen Ocean, Snowy Slopes, Jagged Peaks, or Frozen Peaks biome. Frostbites spawn there at night or during thunderstorms.
You can also find them at light level 0 inside Ice Caves at any time, which is often faster than waiting for nightfall on the surface.
Tip: Zombies that stay in powder snow too long also turn into Frostbites, so a powder snow trap can produce more of them.
Step 4: Fight the first Frostbite and collect its Ice Ball
Frostbites throw Ice Balls at you and drop them when killed, the same way snowballs work. Fight or wait out a Frostbite, then pick up the Ice Ball it leaves behind.
There’s no crafting recipe for Ice Balls, so collecting a dropped one is the only way to get one.
Step 5: Equip the Ice Ball and find a second Frostbite
Place the Ice Ball in your hotbar and track down another Frostbite, either nearby or by luring one with the same spawn conditions as before.
Step 6: Throw the Ice Ball to land the killing blow
Throw the Ice Ball at the Frostbite and make sure it’s the Ice Ball damage that finishes the mob off, not a sword hit or fall damage.
If the Frostbite is already low on health from something else, the kill won’t count unless the Ice Ball itself deals the final blow.
Tip: Keep extra Ice Balls in your hotbar in case the first throw misses or only wounds the Frostbite.
Step 7: Check the Advancements menu
Open the pause menu and select Advancements, or press the advancements key if you’ve bound one. Look under the Adventure tab for What Goes Around Comes Around.
A toast notification should also appear in the top-left corner the moment the kill registers.
Pro tips
- Fighting a Frostbite in an Ice Cave at light level 0 skips the need to wait for night or a storm.
- Keep a few spare Ice Balls on hand since a missed throw means hunting down another Frostbite.
- The advancement sits after Monster Hunter in the Adventure tree, so check there first if you're scrolling through the list.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| The advancement never pops even after killing a Frostbite with an Ice Ball | Confirm you're on Snapshot 5 or later rather than an older 26.4 snapshot or the stable release, since Frostbites existed before the advancement did. |
| No Ice Balls are dropping | Make sure you're letting Frostbites die rather than fleeing the fight, and check the ground near the kill location since the item can be easy to miss on snow. |
| Frostbites aren't spawning anywhere | Check the time of day and weather on the surface, or head into an Ice Cave where they spawn regardless of light cycle at light level 0. |
| A different advancement unlocked instead | Monster Hunter and Monsters Hunted both track Frostbite kills but don't require an Ice Ball, so they can trigger separately from What Goes Around Comes Around. |
Frequently asked questions
Does this work in Bedrock Edition?
No. The advancement, the Frostbite mob changes, and the Ice Ball are currently Java Edition snapshot features only.
Can I craft an Ice Ball instead of finding one?
No crafting recipe exists for Ice Balls right now. You need to collect one dropped by a Frostbite after combat.
Will this advancement carry over to the full 26.4 release?
It should, since advancements introduced in snapshots typically stay in the final build, though an exact release date for 26.4 hasn’t been confirmed.
Does killing a Frostbite with a sword after throwing an Ice Ball count?
No. The kill has to be credited to the Ice Ball itself, so finishing with any other weapon won’t trigger the advancement.
Once you’ve got the sequence down, the advancement usually takes one or two Frostbite encounters to finish. For more on what else changed in this build, see the full rundown of Snapshot 5, including the new building blocks covered in the guide to crafting Minecraft Java Packed Ice Bricks.
Sources and further reading
- Minecraft.net — Minecraft 26.4 Snapshot 5
- iGeeksBlog — Minecraft 26.4 Snapshot 5: New advancement, Packed Ice Bricks & more – iGeeksBlog
- Endgame Tools — Minecraft 26.4 Snapshot 5: Packed Ice Bricks, new advancement
- minecraft.how — Minecraft 26.4 Snapshot 5: Ice Bricks & Frostbite
