A Skeleton is a common hostile mob that shoots arrows and drops 0-2 bones, 0-2 arrows, armor (if equipped), and/or a bow (most likely used, however, there is a small chance a bow may be enchanted). They are primary ranged mobs that the player encounters while in the overworld. Skeletons (before 1.13) are currently only one of two mobs that drop bones, the other being a Wither skeleton. Bones can be used to tame dogs and can be crafted into bonemeal, which is used to speed up the growth process of saplings and crops.
Like zombies, skeletons spawn in the darkness and have a chance of spawning with armor. They also burn in sunlight and take fire damage unless in the shade, water, or wearing a helmet. Skeletons seek shade when exposed to the Sun so that they don't burn in the daylight. When a skeleton's arrow hits another hostile mob (except creepers and with the aid of a player to distract the skeleton), the other mob may attack the skeleton, and, if provoked, neither mob will attack a player until one of them dies. Skeletons themselves will also turn on any other hostile mobs that hit them, including other skeletons. Unlike most other mobs, skeletons are able to spawn naturally in both the Overworld and in the Nether, where they can spawn in Nether Fortresses in place of wither skeletons 20% of the time.
