When a player kills another player using a firework (either from a crossbow or from a normally placed firework), the death message will not mention the player who executed the kill.
However, if the firework is fired from a crossbow that is renamed, a death message mentioning the player who dealt the damage is shown: <Player 1> went off with a bang due to a firework fired from <Item> by <Player 2>.
It is surprising that you need to rename a crossbow for this death message to properly credit the kill (in chat).
To reproduce
Craft a firework rocket with a firework star (easiest is just gunpowder + any dye)
Kill another player with a firework, either by using a crossbow, or by placing it so that it explodes next to them
Observed behaviour
The death message does not say who fired the firework, it just says <Player 1> went off with a bang
Expected behaviour
The death message should state that Player 1 killed Player 2 (using the firework)
Video
Linked issues
relates to 8
MC-177771
"death.attack.fireworks.item" displays raw translation string (is untranslated)
Resolved
MC-260289
"<Player 1> was squashed by a falling anvil whilst fighting <Player 2>" never appears (without /damage)
Open
MC-181265
Message “player went off with a bang whilst trying to escape mob” is impossible to get (nevermind)
Resolved
MC-300444
The death message for dying by the explosion of a firework rocket doesn't show the attacker when the item is not renamed
Open
MC-84595
"Roasted in dragon's breath" death message does not appear when player is killed by dragon's breath
Open
Attachments
Comments 12
Confirmed for 1.16-pre2.
@unknown, I'm unable to get it even hitting the player with a firework. Could you give repro steps?
This death message doesn't exist anymore. The %2$s (<Player 2>) variable is now in the death.attack.fireworks death message, even though it isn't included in the vanilla translation.
The "whilst fighting <mob>" variants of normal death messages only exist for environmental damage types. "fireworks" used to be an environmental damage type, so it had this death message. However, since 1.16, it has been changed to a damage type directly from players or mobs, which don't have "whilst fighting" variants. It now has the "<player> went off with a bang due to a firework rocket fired from <item> by <player/mob>" variant (the renamed item variant for short) just like every other direct player/mob damage type.
This death message appears when the player is hurt by a player or mob then killed by a firework. It isn't how you describe it.