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Genre: Open-World-Survival
Studio: Mojang
Publisher: Mojang
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Minecraft Weapons

In Minecraft, you craft your way through the game. But sooner or later, something will try to stop you – a hostile mob, a rival player, or an undead army at your door. That’s where Minecraft weapons come in. Whether you prefer the reliable swing of a sword or the dramatic fall of a mace, knowing your options is the difference between a clean victory and an unexpected respawn screen.

Overview Minecraft Weapons:

What is a Minecraft Weapon?

While tools are designed for gathering resources, Minecraft weapons exist to deal damage. Anything that hurts an entity technically qualifies, but in practice, Minecraft draws a clear line between dedicated weapons and everything else.

Similar to tools and armor, every Minecraft weapon has a durability value. Once it hits zero, the weapon breaks. Most can be repaired using an anvil either by combining two damaged weapons of the same type, or by adding the raw crafting material directly.

All Minecraft Weapons At A Glance

There are six direct Minecraft weapons in vanilla, split into melee and ranged.

Melee:

Minecraft melee weapons deal damage in close range. In Java Edition, all of them are governed by an attack cooldown – swing too early and you deal reduced damage. In Bedrock Edition, there is no attack cooldown.

Ranged:

Minecraft ranged weapons deal damage from a distance. Unlike melee weapons, they are not affected by the attack cooldown in the same way: damage depends on charge time or ammunition type instead.

Minecraft Weapon Damage & Stats Comparison

weaponbase damageattack cooldown (Java)durabilitycraftable
wooden sword4 (2 hearts)0.6 s59yes
stone sword5 (2.5 hearts)0.6 s131yes
iron sword6 (3 hearts)0.6 s250yes
golden sword4 (2 hearts)0.6 s32yes
diamond sword7 (3.5 hearts)0.6 s1561yes
netherite sword8 (4 hearts)0.6 s2031on smithing table
wooden spear1 (0.5 hearts)0.6 s59yes
stone spear2 (1 heart)0.9 s131yes
copper spear2 (1 heart)0.8 s190yes
iron spear3 (1.5 hearts)0.7 s250yes
golden spear1 (0.5 hearts)0.9 s32yes
diamond spear4 (2 hearts)1 s1561yes
netherite spear5 (2.5 hearts)1.1 s2031on smithing table
trident (melee)9 (4.5 hearts)0.9 s250no
trident (thrown)8 (4 hearts)———
mace (base)6 (3 hearts)1.67 s500rare crafting
bow (fully drawn)6-10 (3-5 hearts)charge-based384yes
crossbow6-11 (3-5.5 hearts)charge-based326yes

The Sword

Swords are the go-to Minecraft weapon from your first night to your last boss fight. They have the fastest cooldown of all melee weapons (0.6 s in Java), deal reliable damage, and are the only melee weapon capable of sweep attacks, hitting multiple enemies in a single swing. There are six sword tiers:

  • wooden
  • stone
  • iron
  • golden
  • diamond
  • netherite

To get the last tier, a diamond sword has to be upgraded at a smithing table using a netherite upgrade smithing template and 1x netherite ingot. All other tiers follow this recipe:

2x planks / stone blocks / iron ingots / gold ingots / diamonds + 1x stick = 1x sword

Swords can also be found in chests across villages, end cities, strongholds and bastion remnants, or obtained by trading with weaponsmith villagers.

The netherite sword is the most powerful craftable Minecraft weapon in the game. Pair it with the right enchantments – sharpness V, looting III, sweeping edge III – and most enemies won’t get a second chance.

The Trident

The trident is unique: it works as both a melee and a throwing Minecraft weapon. Melee attacks deal 9 damage; thrown, it deals 8. It is the only weapon unaffected by water resistance, making it the weapon of choice for underwater combat.

You can’t craft a trident. Still, there are two ways to obtain one:

  1. kill a drowned that is holding one (6.25% drop chance in Java)
  2. open a vault in a trial chamber (as of 1.21)

Tridents can be repaired at the anvil using other tridents. They have four exclusive enchantments:

  • loyalty (returns after throwing)
  • channeling (summons lightning on hit)
  • riptide (propels you through water)
  • impaling (bonus damage to aquatic mobs)

Tip:Channeling + trident throw will turn certain mobs into rarer variants when struck by lightning – a neat trick for farms

The Mace

The mace was added in 1.21 ‘Tricky Trials’ and is the first new melee Minecraft weapon in years. It has the slowest attack speed of all weapons (1.67 s cooldown) but makes up for it with its signature mechanic: the smash attack. If you hit a target while falling more than 2 blocks, the mace:

  • deals bonus damage equal to 0.5 HP per fallen block (scales infinitely with height)
  • cancels your fall damage – you take none
  • knocks back all nearby entities in a 2.5-block radius

Crafting the mace requires two rare items from trial chambers:

  • breeze rod – dropped by the breeze mob inside trial chamber spawners (100% drop rate)
  • heavy core – found in ominous vaults (7.5% chance)

To unlock an ominous vault you need an ominous trial key, obtained by running an ominous trial (trigger by having bad omen when entering a trial chamber). Then, the recipe looks like this:

1x heavy core + 1x breeze rod = 1x mace

The mace has three exclusive enchantments:

  • density (more smash damage per level)
  • breach (ignores a portion of target armor)
  • wind burst (launches you upward after a smash, allowing chained aerial attacks). 

It can be repaired with breeze rods at an anvil.

The Spear

The spear arrived in 1.21.11 ‘Mounts of Mayhem’ (December 2025) and fills a niche no other weapon covers: a melee weapon built around movement and reach. It has two attacks — a quick jab that keeps enemies at distance, and a charge attack whose damage scales directly with your velocity. Sprint, ride a horse, or use an elytra: the faster you’re moving on impact, the harder it hits. A well-timed charge can also dismount enemy riders.

The spear comes in seven tiers:

The recipe follows a diagonal shovel pattern:

2x sticks + 1x tip material = 1x spear

Similar to swords, the netherite spear is upgraded from diamond at a smithing table using a netherite upgrade smithing template and 1x netherite ingot. You can also find spears as loot: copper and iron variants in weaponsmith village chests, stone in ocean ruins, and iron in buried treasure. Zombies, husks, and piglins also spawn carrying them.

Its one exclusive enchantment is lunge (I–III): activates on jab attacks and propels you horizontally, adding burst mobility – and the ability to knock riders off mounts. Higher levels consume hunger points, so keep food on hand.

Attention!The spear loses durability faster when used on blocks — don’t mine with it.

Bow & Arrow

The bow and arrow are the classic long-range combo. A fully drawn bow can deal between 6 and 10 damage depending on charge time, and a critical arrow (full draw) deals 10. The bow and arrow are listed together because, while technically separate items, a bow without arrows is just a stick with string.

3x stick + 3x string = 1x bow

Once you have a bow, all you need are arrows. Luckily you don’t need to craft them individually, as they come in sets of four:

1x flint + 1x stick 1x feather = 4x arrow

Arrows can also be collected from killed skeletons or picked up from the ground in some situations (with the right mod or enchantment – arrows are not normally recoverable in vanilla). Bows are repairable at the anvil.

Key bow enchantments are:

  • power (more damage)
  • infinity (never run out of arrows – except tipped arrows)
  • punch (increased knockback)
  • flame (sets target on fire)

The Crossbow

The crossbow is a more powerful but slower to reload alternative to the bow. It pre-loads a shot that stays loaded until fired, which lets you keep it ready without holding the button. It can also be loaded with fireworks for area-of-effect explosions.

Unenchanted, the crossbow deals slightly more damage than an unenchanted bow (up to ~11 damage). However, a bow with power V can surpass it. The crossbow is better when you value a pre-loaded shot and extra range; the bow is better for sustained fire. This is how you craft this Minecraft weapon

3x stick + 1x iron ingot + 2x string + 1x tripwire hook = 1x crossbow

The crossbow’s key exclusive enchantment is quick charge (reduces reload time). Multishot fires three arrows at once (great for groups), and piercing lets arrows pass through multiple enemies.

Tools That can Function as Minecraft Weapons

Tools can deal damage in a pinch, but most are not efficient for combat. They aren’t part of the Minecraft weapon category, but these might be useful nevertheless:

  • axes – deal more damage per hit than swords of the same material but have a slower cooldown; the only weapon that can disable a player’s shield
  • pickaxes, shovels & hoes – can deal damage but cost 2 durability per hit (swords and tridents cost only 1)
  • axes, pickaxes & shovels – all deal less damage-per-second than a sword in most Java Edition scenarios due to their slower cooldowns

Situational Damage Sources without Minecraft Weapons

Beyond Minecraft weapons, there are many other ways to deal damage:

  • TNT – explosive area damage; excellent for traps and boss encounters
  • splash potions – area-of-effect status effects
  • snowballs – deal no HP damage to most entities, but are effective against blazes (3x snowballs = 1.5 hearts of damage) and the ender dragon
  • fireballs – launched by dispensers, blazes and ghasts; deal 5 HP fire damage on hit
  • sweet berry bushes – passive contact damage; useful in base defense
  • mobs – certain mobs can be lured or provoked into fighting other mobs, doing your dirty work for you
  • shield – not a Minecraft weapon, but essential in combat: blocks melee and projectile attacks; can be disabled temporarily by an axe hit

FAQ

What is the best weapon in Minecraft?

For general survival, the netherite sword with sharpness V is the reliable choice, but it depends on your playstyle. The netherite sword offers the best sustained damage-per-second. The mace can one-shot almost anything from height. The trident is unmatched in water.

Can you craft a trident?

No, tridents are obtained by killing drowned that carry one (6.25% drop chance in Java), or as a drop from trial chamber vaults since 1.21.

What’s the difference between a sword and an axe in combat (Java Edition)?

Axes deal more damage per hit but have a significantly slower cooldown. Swords win on DPS and can sweep multiple targets. Axes have one unique advantage: they can disable a player’s shield, which is extremely useful in PvP.

How do I get the mace?

Craft it from 1x breeze rod (dropped by the breeze in trial chambers) + 1x heavy core (from ominous vaults in trial chambers, ~7.5% chance). You’ll need to trigger an ominous trial by entering a trial chamber with bad omen. 

Do snowballs deal damage in Minecraft?

Only to specific targets. Snowballs deal no damage to players or most mobs in Java Edition. They are, however, effective against blazes and deal knockback in Bedrock Edition.

How do I upgrade a diamond sword to netherite?

Since 1.20, you need a smithing table, your diamond sword, 1x netherite ingot, and a netherite upgrade smithing template (found in bastion remnants and other structures). The template requirement is the change most players miss after updating from older versions.

What’s the difference between a Minecraft bow and a crossbow?

The crossbow pre-loads so you can swap to it ready to fire. It deals slightly more raw damage than an unenchanted bow, but a bow with power V will surpass it. The crossbow excels at burst damage and can load fireworks for AoE. The bow is better for sustained, rapid fire with Infinity.

Sharp Exit – A Minecraft Weapons Wrap-Up

As you can see, Minecraft’s weapon roster is short on numbers but deep on variety. Six weapons, each with a distinct role: the sword for reliable all-round damage, the trident for water and thunderstorm theatrics, the mace for dramatic aerial executions, the spear to trick your opponents, the bow for patient long-range control, and the crossbow for pre-loaded burst shots. Add in axes, potions and environmental traps, and the combat toolkit is surprisingly rich.

Whether you’re surviving your first night in survival mode or gearing up for multiplayer PvP action, the right Minecraft weapon – and the right enchantments – will make all the difference. And if you want a place to put your new arsenal to the test, a Minecraft server from GPORTAL is the sharpest way to start.

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