For example "Ark for PS4" or "Update my Server"
CONTENT ON THIS SITE
GPORTAL
Home / Wiki / Minecraft / Minecraft Enchantments
Minecraft
Genre: Open-World-Survival
Studio: Mojang
Publisher: Mojang
Rent a Minecraft Server
Rent a server
Genre: Open-World-Survival
Studio: Mojang
Publisher: Mojang
Rent a Minecraft Server

Minecraft Enchantments

Enchantments turn ordinary gear into legendary tools and weapons. With the right setup, you can make your sword deal massive damage, your armor nearly indestructible, and your tools mine faster than ever. In this guide, you’ll learn how to use the Enchantment Table in Minecraft, how to repair and combine gear, and you’ll get the best enchantments for swords, bows, crossbows, tridents, and every piece of armor. 

Overview Minecraft Enchantments:

 

How Enchanting Works in Minecraft

Enchanting is one of Minecraft’s most powerful late-game mechanics, but you can get started early once you collect some obsidian, diamonds, and books. There are three main ways to enhance items:

  • Enchanting table: Use experience and Lapis Lazuli to apply random upgrades.
  • Anvil with enchanted books: This combination allows you to add specific enchantments to your item.
  • Finding enchanted equipment: Certain structures contain chests with enchanted diamond armor and tools. Blacksmiths also sell enchanted iron and diamond weapons. Illagers often drop enchanted weapons after a raid.

If you want a specific enchantment, combining an anvil with an enchanted book is the best option. Enchanted books can be purchased from librarians, found in chests, or fished out of the water (rare).

How to Enchant Items in Minecraft (Step by Step)

Enchanting is simple once you have the right setup. Here’s a detailed step-by-step process:

How to Enchant with the Enchantment Table

  1. Craft an Enchantment Table: Combine 4 Obsidian, 2 Diamonds, and 1 Book on a Crafting Table.
  2. Place up to 15 Bookshelves: Arrange them one block away from the table, leaving an air gap. This unlocks level 30 enchantments, which is the highest tier available.
  3. Gather Lapis Lazuli and XP Levels: You’ll need both to enchant. Each enchant costs 1–3 Lapis and several XP levels.
  4. Insert Your Item: Right-click the table, put your weapon/tool/armor in the left slot, Lapis Lazuli in the right slot.
  5. Choose an Enchantment: Hover over the three options to preview what you’ll get (one is guaranteed to be shown).

How to Use an Anvil for Gear Upgrades

Anvils give you more control than the table. Here’s how they work:

  1. Repair Gear Combine the damaged item with its base material (e.g. a Diamond Sword + 1 Diamond).
  2. Combine Items: Put two of the same type in the Anvil to merge durability and enchantments.
  3. Apply Enchanted Books: Place the target item in the left slot and an enchanted book in the right to add that enchantment directly.
  4. Rename Items: Use the text box to give your item a custom name.

Tip: Each time you use the Anvil, its “work penalty” increases. If the cost ever says “Too Expensive,” you’ll need to create a new base item and re-enchant it.

Complete Minecraft Enchantments List

Before diving into recommended setups, here’s a quick reference of all enchantments in Minecraft, grouped by item type. This is perfect if you want to check compatibility.

  • Universal: Mending, Unbreaking, Curse of Vanishing
  • Armor: Protection, Fire Protection, Blast Protection, Projectile Protection, Thorns, Aqua Affinity (helm), Respiration (helm), Swift Sneak (leggings), Feather Falling / Depth Strider / Frost Walker / Soul Speed (boots)
  • Weapons: Sharpness, Smite, Bane of Arthropods, Looting, Knockback, Fire Aspect, Sweeping Edge (Java)
  • Bow: Power, Punch, Flame, Infinity
  • Crossbow: Multishot, Piercing, Quick Charge
  • Trident: Loyalty, Riptide, Channeling, Impaling
  • Tools: Efficiency, Fortune, Silk Touch
  • Fishing Rod: Luck of the Sea, Lure

Tip: Watch Out for Curses! Minecraft also includes two “negative” enchantments: Curse of Vanishing (item disappears on death) and Curse of Binding (item cannot be removed until it breaks or you die). These are mostly found on loot or via trades. Be careful before equipping them, especially in Hardcore mode.

Best Sword Enchantments in Minecraft

Swords are the go-to melee weapon, and enchanting them properly makes fighting mobs much easier. Your choice depends on whether you want maximum damage, mob farming efficiency, or PvP utility. Here’s what most players consider the top sword enchantments:

  • Sharpness V — increases melee damage by +1 extra damage at level I and +0.5 more per level.
  • Smite V — adds +12.5 damage vs. undead mobs — great for Wither fights.
  • Looting III — increases mob drops, perfect for farming rare items.
  • Unbreaking III + Mending — greatly extends sword durability and repairs with XP.
  • Sweeping Edge III (Java only) — improves sweep attack damage for groups of mobs.

Best Bow Enchantments (Infinity vs. Mending)

The bow is Minecraft’s classic ranged weapon, and the right setup turns it into a powerhouse. The most important choice is whether to use Infinity for unlimited arrows or Mending for a bow that never breaks.

  • Power V — max damage per shot
  • Unbreaking III — improves durability
  • Punch II — adds knockback
  • Flame — sets arrows on fire
  • Infinity or Mending — pick one depending on whether you want infinite arrows or infinite durability

Example: An enchanted bow with Power V and Infinity can one-shot most overworld mobs when used with critical hits.

Best Crossbow Enchantments

Crossbows work differently from bows: they can store a charged shot and have unique playstyles. You’ll usually pick one of these two builds:

  • Multishot + Quick Charge III + Unbreaking III + Mending — fires three arrows at once
  • Piercing IV + Quick Charge III + Unbreaking III + Mending — shoots through multiple mobs

Multishot and Piercing cannot be combined.

Best Trident Enchantments (Java vs. Bedrock)

The trident is rare and powerful, obtainable only from drowned mobs. Its enchantments let you create either a ranged weapon or a mobility tool.

  • Ranged build: Loyalty III, Channeling, Unbreaking III, Mending
  • Mobility build: Riptide III, Unbreaking III, Mending

Best Armor Enchantments

Armor is your main protection, and the right combination can make you nearly unkillable. You can run Protection IV on every piece for general defense or mix Fire/Blast/Projectile protections as needed.

  • Best Helmet Enchantments: Protection IV, Respiration III, Aqua Affinity, Unbreaking III, Mending
  • Best Chestplate Enchantments: Protection IV, Thorns III (optional), Unbreaking III, Mending
  • Best Leggings Enchantments: Protection IV, Unbreaking III, Mending, Swift Sneak III
  • Best Boot Enchantments: Protection IV, Feather Falling IV (essential for survival falls), Unbreaking III, Mending, plus Depth Strider III or Frost Walker II. Add Soul Speed III for faster Nether travel.

Best Tool & Fishing Rod Enchantments

Enchanting tools makes mining and building much faster. The key choice is between Fortune III (more drops) and Silk Touch (block drops). They can’t be combined.

  • Pickaxe: Efficiency V, Unbreaking III, Mending, Fortune III or Silk Touch
  • Axe: Efficiency V, Unbreaking III, Mending
  • Shovel: Efficiency V, Unbreaking III, Mending
  • Fishing Rod: Luck of the Sea III (boosts treasure chance), Lure III, Unbreaking III, Mending

Enchantment Stats

Enchantment Stats indicate the effects and strength of an enchantment – how much a weapon, armor, or tool is improved, or what unique abilities it gains.

Power (Bow)

Each level increases arrow damage by 25% × level + 1 extra point.

Power LevelDamage FormulaApprox. Damage Increase
IBase × 1.25 + 1~50% more damage
IIBase × 1.5 + 1~75% more damage
IIIBase × 1.75 + 1~100% more damage
IVBase × 2 + 1~125% more damage
VBase × 2.25 + 1~150% more damage

Smite (Sword/Axe)

Adds +2.5 extra damage per level to undead mobs. Smite V = +12.5 damage.

Fire Protection (Armor)

Reduces fire damage by 8% per level, up to a max 80% reduction across all armor pieces.

LevelDamage Reduction
I8%
II16%
III24%
IV32%

Fortune (Tools)

Increases item drop count for ores:

Fortune LevelChance for +0Chance for +1Chance for +2Chance for +3Avg. Drops
I33.3%66.7%––1.33×
II25%50%25%–1.75×
III20%40%20%20%2.20×

Minecraft Repair & Durability Enchantments

Durability determines how many uses an item has. Unbreaking III can almost triple that lifespan, and Mending repairs items automatically.

  • Anvil: Combine items or use base materials
  • Mending: XP-based auto-repair
  • Grindstone: Removes unwanted enchantments

What to Look for When Hunting Enchantments

Finding the perfect books can take time. Here are the most reliable ways to get the best ones:

  • Mending: Librarian trade cycling
  • Unbreaking III: Villager trade or loot
  • Fishing: Luck of the Sea III increases book drops
  • Loot Chests: End Cities, Bastions, Strongholds

FAQ: Minecraft Enchantments

How many bookshelves do I need for level 30 enchantments?

You need exactly 15 bookshelves placed one block away from the Enchantment Table with nothing blocking the path.

How do I get Mending fast in Minecraft?

The best way is to get a Librarian villager and keep breaking and replacing its lectern until it offers Mending. Buy a book to lock in the trade.

How do I repair enchanted items in Minecraft?

Combine them with base materials or identical items in an Anvil, use Mending to repair with XP, or use a Grindstone to combine two damaged items.

What is the best enchantment for a sword in Minecraft?

The best setup for most players is Sharpness V, Looting III, Unbreaking III, and Mending. Smite V is better if you mainly fight undead mobs like Wither Skeletons or the Wither boss.

Can you have Infinity and Mending on the same bow?

No. Infinity and Mending are mutually exclusive — you must choose one.

What is the best enchantment for a bow in Minecraft?

Power V, Unbreaking III, Punch II, and Flame, plus either Infinity or Mending depending on whether you want infinite arrows or infinite durability.

How does Feather Falling work?

Feather Falling reduces fall damage by 12% per level, up to 48% at Feather Falling IV.

What is the maximum level of Efficiency in Minecraft?

Efficiency V is the max — combined with Haste II, it allows instant mining of stone.

How do Fortune and Silk Touch differ?

Fortune increases the number of drops you get from ores, while Silk Touch makes ores drop as blocks. You can’t have both on the same tool.

Is Strength an enchantment in Minecraft?

No. Strength is a potion effect that boosts melee damage — it’s not an enchantment.

What is Protection in Minecraft?

Protection reduces most types of incoming damage. With Protection IV on four armor pieces, you reach the damage-reduction cap.

Can I remove Curse of Binding?

Not without dying or breaking the item. The curse prevents manual removal.

Conclusion: Minecraft Enchantments

Now that you know how to get the best upgrades for every weapon, tool, and piece of armor, it’s time to put them to use! Enchanted books and the enchantment table await you on a Minecraft server from GPORTAL, as do all the experiences and new adventures you will encounter after your first enchantments. Have fun, master magician!

MORE ABOUT MINECRAFT

similar articles

Minecraft

Minecraft: How to install a datapack

Minecraft

Minecraft: Admin Commands

Minecraft

Minecraft Vex

EU: Ociris GmbH
Aschauer Str. 32a
81549 München

US: GPORTAL, Inc
3416 Hillcrest Dr
Waco, TX 76708

support@g-portal.com

Copyright © 2003-2025 by Ociris GmbH. All rights reserved.
The logos and brandmarks displayed on the Website may be trademarked by their respective owners. g-portal.com, Intel® Core™, AMD™ and others are protected by legal standards. All rights reserved.