This is what all bug reports should look like. Thank you o7
As far as I can tell, this is intentional. They explicitly treat rails as impervious to explosions when they go boom so long as they're on them.
Also, apparently was confirmed a feature (was just sent this): https://twitter.com/Dinnerbone/status/291212723755307009
Affects 1.16.1
It can:
Edit: aaand it didn't upload. I'll compress it so it can be uploaded, as it won't let me attach new files with the edited comment.
Edit 2: Fixed
Pretty sure it's fixed.
I mean, it's sort of fixed. I'm kinda happy with what it is now. Slides across the ground still, so players can fire it into weird spots, but if it hits an entity, it explodes on them.
Would be nice if it dealt more damage, but that's more a feature request, not a bug.
I agree, option B would be quite nice.
Well, I did say that it could be putting the player's vertical velocity into the rocket. Strangely, I wasn't able to replicate this with arrows, though, so I think it's a rocket only issue.
Except I tested. I walked 20 blocks back, aimed at the block directly in front of me, the degree for looking up and down being 0.0, so when I jumped, it should've hit the 3rd block from the ground. Instead, it hit the 7th and 8th most frequently.
Problem is, they don't do anything when they collide with other entities. They just pass through them.
Ah, I thought it was a bug. Sorry ^^;
It's not something you'd notice in vanilla, no. There's no instances that I'm aware of in vanilla where there's supposed to be no particle effects at all while also still having the icon on the HUD be visible.
It's still likely unintended given the drinkable potions don't have this issue. It's only splash and lingering potions.