The Best Enchantments for Every Tool and Armor Piece

Enchantments turn good gear into great gear. Here's what to prioritise on each item. Almost everything wants Unbreaking III (longer durability) and Mending (repairs with XP) — those two are universal.

Sword

• Sharpness V — flat damage boost against everything.
• Looting III — more mob drops (great for XP and rare loot).
• Sweeping Edge III — hits multiple mobs at once.
• Fire Aspect II and Unbreaking/Mending.

Pickaxe

• Efficiency V — dramatically faster mining.
• Fortune III — multiplies ore drops (diamonds, coal, redstone). Keep a separate Silk Touch pickaxe for blocks you want to keep intact.
• Unbreaking III + Mending.

Armor (all pieces)

• Protection IV — the best all-round damage reduction.
• Unbreaking III + Mending.

Then add these piece-specific ones:

• Helmet: Respiration (breathe underwater), Aqua Affinity (mine at normal speed underwater).
• Boots: Feather Falling IV (huge fall-damage cut), Depth Strider (swim speed).

Bow & Crossbow

• Power V — more arrow damage.
• Infinity (bow) — never run out of arrows, but it doesn't stack with Mending, so pick one.
• Flame and Punch for utility.

Want the numbers behind each level? Our Enchantment calculator shows the XP costs and effects.