Creeper

Creepers are hostile mobs that walk up silently (hence the name) and explode when near The Player.

Behavior
Creepers will chase after any player, as long as he/she is within a 16 block range. Creepers can climb up ladders and vines like any other mob, but do not do so intentionally.

When within one block of a player, a creeper will hiss loudly, start flashing and inflating, and violently explode after 1.5 seconds. A creeper's detonation can be halted if the player gets out of the blast radius (about 3 - 5 blocks, depending on the difficulty setting; including by knocking back a creeper) or kills it. However, the creeper's fuse countdown lasts a little longer if it encounters a cobweb.

Creepers will flee from ocelots and cats if one is too close, until they are approximately 25-30 blocks away from the feline.

Offense
The creepers is a 'kamikaze' style mob, meaning its only attack is to commit suicide. Creepers will start chasing the player once within a range of 16 blocks and will explode when within a few blocks' range. However, they will not explode if the player moves away within 1.5 seconds. The creeper will then continue to pursue the player, until the player moves out of its range.

Defense
A bow should be your first choice of weapon. However, if you are fast enough, it is possible to hit a creeper with a sword without it blowing up. You can also ignite a creeper using Flint & Steel and touching the button to ignite the creeper, and then run away before it explodes. This however, will not make it drop Gunpowder, which can be used in making TNT. The player can also try to make it fall into lava or touch cactus if necessary.

Trivia

 * Creepers are the most recognized of all Minecraft mobs.


 * Creepers were created when Notch tried to make a pig. Notch tried to make the sprite small and fat, but he got the width and height the other way round. So he gave it a different skin and then implemented it.


 * As they can explode, they can cause damage to the environment, buildings or ignite other TNT within the range; this cannot happen if they are in water.