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Best Enchantments for Every Item

The best set for every weapon, tool and armor piece, and all 43 enchantments with what they do at max level. Click an item for its full setup, then plan the anvil order.

Java 26.3 game data

Mending and Unbreaking III go on everything. The rest depends on the item.

ItemBest enchantmentsMax
Weapons
Sharpness V, Looting III, Fire Aspect II, Sweeping Edge III, Unbreaking III, Mending8
Efficiency V, Sharpness V, Unbreaking III, Mending6
Sharpness V, Lunge III, Looting III, Fire Aspect II, Unbreaking III, Mending8
Density V, Wind Burst III, Fire Aspect II, Unbreaking III, Mending6
Impaling V, Loyalty III, Channeling, Unbreaking III, Mending6
Power V, Punch II, Flame, Unbreaking III, Mending6
Quick Charge III, Multishot, Unbreaking III, Mending5
Tools
Efficiency V, Fortune III, Unbreaking III, Mending5
Efficiency V, Silk Touch, Unbreaking III, Mending5
Efficiency V, Fortune III, Unbreaking III, Mending5
Efficiency V, Unbreaking III, Mending4
Armor
Protection IV, Respiration III, Aqua Affinity, Unbreaking III, Mending8
Protection IV, Unbreaking III, Mending6
Protection IV, Swift Sneak III, Unbreaking III, Mending7
Protection IV, Feather Falling IV, Depth Strider III, Soul Speed III, Unbreaking III, Mending9
Other gear
Unbreaking III, Mending4
Unbreaking III, Mending3
Luck of the Sea III, Lure III, Unbreaking III, Mending5

Best sword enchantments

6 in the set, up to 8 fit at once
The set
Sharpness VTable
+3 damage on every hit
Looting IIITable
Up to 3 more of each common drop, and rare drops more often
Fire Aspect IITable
Burns the target for 8 seconds and cooks its meat
Sweeping Edge IIITable
Sweep hits deal 75% of your attack damage
Unbreaking IIITable
Tools and weapons take damage a quarter of the time
MendingBook only
XP repairs it, so it never breaks
Librarian trades, fishing and chest loot

Smite V (+12.5 against undead) beats Sharpness at a zombie or skeleton farm. Sharpness, Smite and Bane of Arthropods can't share a sword.

Leave off Knockback: it pushes mobs out of reach, and off ledges with their drops.

Reference

Every enchantment at its max level

What each one does at its top level, what it goes on, what it can't share an item with, and where the book-only ones come from.

Every item

Unbreaking III

Table
Tools and weapons take damage a quarter of the time; armor wears about 30% slower.
On Sword, Axe, Pickaxe, Shovel, Hoe, Helmet, Chestplate, Leggings, Boots, Elytra, Shield, Bow, Crossbow, Trident, Mace, Spear, Fishing Rod, Shears

Mending

Book only
XP orbs repair the item at 2 durability per XP point before they reach your XP bar.
On Sword, Axe, Pickaxe, Shovel, Hoe, Helmet, Chestplate, Leggings, Boots, Elytra, Shield, Bow, Crossbow, Trident, Mace, Spear, Fishing Rod, Shears
Not with Infinity
From librarian trades, fishing and chest loot
Armor

Protection IV

Table
16% less damage per piece, 64% for a full set. All protection together caps at 80%.
On Helmet, Chestplate, Leggings, Boots
Not with Blast Protection, Fire Protection, Projectile Protection

Fire Protection IV

Table
32% less fire damage per piece and 60% shorter burning.
On Helmet, Chestplate, Leggings, Boots
Not with Blast Protection, Projectile Protection, Protection

Blast Protection IV

Table
32% less explosion damage per piece and 60% less explosion knockback.
On Helmet, Chestplate, Leggings, Boots
Not with Fire Protection, Projectile Protection, Protection

Projectile Protection IV

Table
32% less damage from arrows, tridents and other projectiles per piece.
On Helmet, Chestplate, Leggings, Boots
Not with Blast Protection, Fire Protection, Protection

Thorns III

Table
45% chance to hit an attacker for 1 to 5 damage, at the cost of extra durability.
On Helmet, Chestplate, Leggings, Boots

Respiration III

Table
Air lasts about four times longer underwater.
On Helmet

Aqua Affinity

Table
Mine at full speed underwater instead of a fifth of it.
On Helmet

Swift Sneak III

Book only
Sneak at 75% of walking speed instead of 30%.
On Leggings
From ancient city chests only

Feather Falling IV

Table
48% less fall damage.
On Boots

Depth Strider III

Table
Move as fast in water as on land.
On Boots
Not with Frost Walker

Frost Walker II

Book only
Water freezes in a 4-block radius under you, and magma blocks stop hurting.
On Boots
Not with Depth Strider
From librarian trades, fishing and chest loot

Soul Speed III

Book only
About 60% faster on soul sand and soul soil, at the cost of boot durability.
On Boots
From piglin bartering and bastion chests only
Swords, spears and axes

Sharpness V

Table
+3 damage on every hit.
On Sword, Axe, Spear
Not with Bane of Arthropods, Breach, Density, Impaling, Smite

Smite V

Table
+12.5 damage to zombies, skeletons, withers and other undead.
On Sword, Axe, Mace, Spear
Not with Bane of Arthropods, Breach, Density, Impaling, Sharpness

Bane of Arthropods V

Table
+12.5 damage to spiders, bees, silverfish and endermites, plus Slowness IV for up to 3.5 seconds.
On Sword, Axe, Mace, Spear
Not with Breach, Density, Impaling, Sharpness, Smite

Fire Aspect II

Table
Sets the target on fire for 8 seconds, and meat drops come out cooked.
On Sword, Mace, Spear

Looting III

Table
Up to 3 more of each common drop, rare drops more often, and +3% to drop the mob's gear.
On Sword, Spear

Knockback II

Table
Hits knock the target back much further.
On Sword, Spear

Sweeping Edge III

Table
Sweep hits deal 75% of your attack damage.
On Sword

Lunge III

Table
A spear jab dashes you forward, further at each level, for some hunger and 1 durability.
On Spear
Tools

Efficiency V

Table
+26 mining speed with the right tool.
On Axe, Pickaxe, Shovel, Hoe, Shears

Fortune III

Table
Averages 2.2 diamonds per ore, up to 4, and more from crops.
On Axe, Pickaxe, Shovel, Hoe
Not with Silk Touch

Silk Touch

Table
Blocks drop themselves: ores, glass, grass blocks, ice. No XP from them, though.
On Axe, Pickaxe, Shovel, Hoe
Not with Fortune
Bows and crossbows

Power V

Table
Arrow base damage goes from 2 to 5.
On Bow

Punch II

Table
Arrows knock the target back further.
On Bow

Flame

Table
Arrows set their target on fire.
On Bow

Infinity

Table
The bow shoots without using arrows; keep one in your inventory.
On Bow
Not with Mending

Quick Charge III

Table
The crossbow loads in 0.5 seconds instead of 1.25.
On Crossbow

Multishot

Table
Fires 3 arrows or fireworks for the cost of one.
On Crossbow
Not with Piercing

Piercing IV

Table
Each arrow passes through 4 mobs.
On Crossbow
Not with Multishot
Trident

Impaling V

Table
+12.5 damage to guardians, squid, fish and other water mobs.
On Trident
Not with Bane of Arthropods, Breach, Density, Sharpness, Smite

Loyalty III

Table
The thrown trident flies back to you, fastest at III.
On Trident
Not with Riptide

Riptide III

Table
Throwing it in water or rain launches you, furthest at III. It can't be thrown otherwise.
On Trident
Not with Channeling, Loyalty

Channeling

Table
Thrown in a thunderstorm, the trident calls lightning on the mob or lightning rod it hits.
On Trident
Not with Riptide
Mace

Density V

Table
+2.5 smash damage for every block you fell.
On Mace
Not with Bane of Arthropods, Breach, Impaling, Sharpness, Smite

Breach IV

Table
The target's armor is 60% less effective.
On Mace
Not with Bane of Arthropods, Density, Impaling, Sharpness, Smite

Wind Burst III

Book only
A smash attack launches you back into the air.
On Mace
From ominous vaults in trial chambers only
Fishing rod

Luck of the Sea III

Table
More treasure and less junk on every catch.
On Fishing Rod

Lure III

Table
Fish bite 15 seconds sooner.
On Fishing Rod
Curses

Curse of Binding

Curse
Worn gear can't be taken off until it breaks or you die.
On Helmet, Chestplate, Leggings, Boots, Elytra
From librarian trades, fishing and chest loot

Curse of Vanishing

Curse
The item disappears when you die instead of dropping.
On Sword, Axe, Pickaxe, Shovel, Hoe, Helmet, Chestplate, Leggings, Boots, Elytra, Shield, Bow, Crossbow, Trident, Mace, Spear, Fishing Rod, Shears
From librarian trades, fishing and chest loot

Best enchantments by item

The full set for each item on Java 26.3, what every enchantment in it does, and the swaps worth knowing.

Weapons

Best sword enchantments

  • Sharpness V: +3 damage on every hit
  • Looting III: Up to 3 more of each common drop, and rare drops more often
  • Fire Aspect II: Burns the target for 8 seconds and cooks its meat
  • Sweeping Edge III: Sweep hits deal 75% of your attack damage
  • Unbreaking III: Tools and weapons take damage a quarter of the time
  • Mending: XP repairs it, so it never breaks (librarian trades, fishing and chest loot)

Smite V (+12.5 against undead) beats Sharpness at a zombie or skeleton farm. Sharpness, Smite and Bane of Arthropods can't share a sword.

Leave off Knockback: it pushes mobs out of reach, and off ledges with their drops.

On Bedrock the set has no Sweeping Edge.

Best axe enchantments

  • Efficiency V: +26 mining speed for logs and planks
  • Sharpness V: +3 damage, on top of the axe's heavy hits
  • Unbreaking III: Tools and weapons take damage a quarter of the time
  • Mending: XP repairs it, so it never breaks (librarian trades, fishing and chest loot)

Add Fortune III for more melon slices, or Silk Touch to take bookshelves and mushroom blocks whole. An axe can hold one of the two.

Best spear enchantments

  • Sharpness V: +3 damage on every hit
  • Lunge III: Jabs dash you forward, further at each level
  • Looting III: Up to 3 more of each common drop
  • Fire Aspect II: Burns the target for 8 seconds
  • Unbreaking III: Tools and weapons take damage a quarter of the time
  • Mending: XP repairs it, so it never breaks (librarian trades, fishing and chest loot)

Smite V instead of Sharpness against undead; the spear holds only one of Sharpness, Smite and Bane of Arthropods.

Leave off Knockback: it shoves mobs away from the reach you just closed.

Best mace enchantments

  • Density V: +2.5 smash damage for every block you fell
  • Wind Burst III: Each smash launches you back up for the next one (ominous vaults in trial chambers only)
  • Fire Aspect II: Burns the target for 8 seconds
  • Unbreaking III: Tools and weapons take damage a quarter of the time
  • Mending: XP repairs it, so it never breaks (librarian trades, fishing and chest loot)

Breach IV instead of Density makes the target's armor 60% less effective, the better pick against armored players. Density, Breach, Smite and Bane of Arthropods share one slot.

Best trident enchantments

  • Impaling V: +12.5 damage to guardians, squid, fish and other water mobs
  • Loyalty III: Flies back after every throw
  • Channeling: Calls lightning on what it hits in a thunderstorm
  • Unbreaking III: Tools and weapons take damage a quarter of the time
  • Mending: XP repairs it, so it never breaks (librarian trades, fishing and chest loot)

Riptide III instead of Loyalty and Channeling turns it into a launcher in water and rain, but then it can't be thrown at all.

Best bow enchantments

  • Power V: Arrow base damage goes from 2 to 5
  • Punch II: Knocks targets back further
  • Flame: Sets targets on fire
  • Unbreaking III: Tools and weapons take damage a quarter of the time
  • Mending: XP repairs it, so it never breaks (librarian trades, fishing and chest loot)

Infinity instead of Mending saves arrows but leaves the bow to wear out. The two can't share a bow.

Best crossbow enchantments

  • Quick Charge III: Loads in 0.5 seconds instead of 1.25
  • Multishot: Three arrows or fireworks for the cost of one
  • Unbreaking III: Tools and weapons take damage a quarter of the time
  • Mending: XP repairs it, so it never breaks (librarian trades, fishing and chest loot)

Piercing IV instead of Multishot sends each arrow through 4 mobs, better for lines of enemies. A crossbow takes one of the two.

Tools

Best pickaxe enchantments

  • Efficiency V: +26 mining speed
  • Fortune III: Averages 2.2 diamonds per ore, up to 4
  • Unbreaking III: Tools and weapons take damage a quarter of the time
  • Mending: XP repairs it, so it never breaks (librarian trades, fishing and chest loot)

Silk Touch instead of Fortune takes ore blocks, glass and ice whole. Most players keep one pickaxe of each.

Best shovel enchantments

  • Efficiency V: +26 digging speed
  • Silk Touch: Grass blocks, mycelium, podzol and snow come back as blocks
  • Unbreaking III: Tools and weapons take damage a quarter of the time
  • Mending: XP repairs it, so it never breaks (librarian trades, fishing and chest loot)

Fortune III instead of Silk Touch only raises the flint chance from gravel.

Best hoe enchantments

  • Efficiency V: +26 speed on leaves, moss, sculk and hay
  • Fortune III: More seeds, carrots, potatoes and beetroot from every harvest
  • Unbreaking III: Tools and weapons take damage a quarter of the time
  • Mending: XP repairs it, so it never breaks (librarian trades, fishing and chest loot)

Silk Touch instead of Fortune collects leaves, moss and sculk blocks whole.

Best shears enchantments

  • Efficiency V: Cuts wool, leaves and cobwebs faster
  • Unbreaking III: Tools and weapons take damage a quarter of the time
  • Mending: XP repairs it, so it never breaks (librarian trades, fishing and chest loot)
Armor

Best helmet enchantments

  • Protection IV: 16% less damage of every kind
  • Respiration III: Air lasts about four times longer underwater
  • Aqua Affinity: Mine at full speed underwater
  • Unbreaking III: About 30% less wear on armor
  • Mending: XP repairs it, so it never breaks (librarian trades, fishing and chest loot)

Protection IV covers every kind of damage. Blast, Fire or Projectile Protection doubles the cut against one damage type instead, and a piece can hold only one of the four.

Thorns III fits as well: attackers take 1 to 5 damage 45% of the time, at the cost of extra durability.

Best chestplate enchantments

  • Protection IV: 16% less damage of every kind
  • Unbreaking III: About 30% less wear on armor
  • Mending: XP repairs it, so it never breaks (librarian trades, fishing and chest loot)

Protection IV covers every kind of damage. Blast, Fire or Projectile Protection doubles the cut against one damage type instead, and a piece can hold only one of the four.

Thorns III fits as well: attackers take 1 to 5 damage 45% of the time, at the cost of extra durability.

Best leggings enchantments

  • Protection IV: 16% less damage of every kind
  • Swift Sneak III: Sneak at 75% of walking speed instead of 30% (ancient city chests only)
  • Unbreaking III: About 30% less wear on armor
  • Mending: XP repairs it, so it never breaks (librarian trades, fishing and chest loot)

Protection IV covers every kind of damage. Blast, Fire or Projectile Protection doubles the cut against one damage type instead, and a piece can hold only one of the four.

Thorns III fits as well: attackers take 1 to 5 damage 45% of the time, at the cost of extra durability.

Best boots enchantments

  • Protection IV: 16% less damage of every kind
  • Feather Falling IV: 48% less fall damage
  • Depth Strider III: Move as fast in water as on land
  • Soul Speed III: About 60% faster on soul sand and soul soil (piglin bartering and bastion chests only)
  • Unbreaking III: About 30% less wear on armor
  • Mending: XP repairs it, so it never breaks (librarian trades, fishing and chest loot)

Frost Walker II instead of Depth Strider freezes water under you so you can walk across it. Boots take one of the two.

Thorns III fits as well: attackers take 1 to 5 damage 45% of the time, at the cost of extra durability.

Other gear

Best elytra enchantments

  • Unbreaking III: Four times the flight time per point of durability
  • Mending: XP repairs it, so it never breaks (librarian trades, fishing and chest loot)

Best shield enchantments

  • Unbreaking III: Tools and weapons take damage a quarter of the time
  • Mending: XP repairs it, so it never breaks (librarian trades, fishing and chest loot)

Best fishing rod enchantments

  • Luck of the Sea III: More treasure and less junk
  • Lure III: Fish bite 15 seconds sooner
  • Unbreaking III: Tools and weapons take damage a quarter of the time
  • Mending: XP repairs it, so it never breaks (librarian trades, fishing and chest loot)

Where each enchantment comes from

The enchanting table rolls everything except the book-only enchantments, but only on the items it treats as their main target: on Java it never puts Sharpness on an axe or Thorns on boots, even though both fit. Those come from an anvil book, which you can enchant at the table yourself or buy from a librarian.

Book-only enchantments never come from the table. Mending and Frost Walker turn up in librarian trades, fishing and chest loot; Soul Speed only from piglin bartering and bastion chests, Swift Sneak only from ancient city chests, and Wind Burst only from ominous vaults in trial chambers.

How many enchantments fit on each item

The most enchantments that can sit on one item together, curses included. The best set usually leaves one or two of them out on purpose.

ItemJava 26.3Bedrock 1.26
Sword87
Axe66
Spear88
Mace66
Trident66
Bow66
Crossbow55
Pickaxe55
Shovel55
Hoe55
Shears45
Helmet88
Chestplate66
Leggings77
Boots99
Elytra44
Shield33
Fishing Rod55

Frequently asked questions

What are the best enchantments in Minecraft?

Mending and Unbreaking III go on everything that takes damage. After that it depends on the item: Protection IV on every armor piece, Sharpness V and Looting III on a sword, Efficiency V with Fortune III or Silk Touch on a pickaxe, and Power V on a bow. The table at the top lists the full set for each item.

How many enchantments can a sword have?

Up to 8 at once on Java and 7 on Bedrock, counting Knockback and Curse of Vanishing. The useful set is 6 on Java (Sharpness V, Looting III, Fire Aspect II, Sweeping Edge III, Unbreaking III, Mending) and 5 on Bedrock, which has no Sweeping Edge.

Which enchantments can't be combined?

Each of these groups allows one per item: Protection, Blast Protection, Fire Protection and Projectile Protection; Frost Walker and Depth Strider; Infinity and Mending; Multishot and Piercing; Sharpness, Smite, Bane of Arthropods, Impaling, Density and Breach; Fortune and Silk Touch. Riptide also can't go with Loyalty or Channeling, though Loyalty and Channeling work together.

How do you get Mending?

Not from the enchanting table, which never rolls it. Librarian villagers can sell it as a book, and it turns up in chest loot and as fishing treasure. Put the book on your item at an anvil.

Which enchantments can't you get from an enchanting table?

Frost Walker, Mending, Soul Speed, Swift Sneak and Wind Burst, plus the two curses. Soul Speed comes from piglin bartering and bastion chests, Swift Sneak comes from ancient city chests, Wind Burst comes from ominous vaults in trial chambers; the rest come from librarian trades, fishing and chest loot.

Is Protection better than Blast or Fire Protection?

For everyday play, yes. Protection IV cuts 16% of nearly every kind of damage per piece. Blast, Fire and Projectile Protection IV cut 32% per piece, but only of their one damage type, and a piece can hold just one of the four. All protection together tops out at 80%.

Is Thorns worth putting on armor?

Only if you don't mind the wear. Thorns III hits attackers for 1 to 5 damage 45% of the time, but every time it triggers it costs the piece extra durability. With Mending on the same piece that matters much less.

Are enchantments different on Bedrock?

A few. Bedrock has no Sweeping Edge, shears can take Silk Touch, and Impaling isn't grouped with Sharpness, so one book can hold both. The Bedrock enchanting table also rolls Sharpness, Smite and Bane of Arthropods on axes, and Thorns on helmets, leggings and boots. Switch the page to Bedrock 1.26 to see its sets.

Put a set together:

Anvil Order CalculatorEnchanting Table OddsBrowse All Tools