Minecraft enchantments guide

You'll want to brush up on your Minecraft enchantments if you're looking to upgrade your gear. There are multiple tiers of enchantments and lots of possible effects that can pop out of the magical vending machine so we're here to offer a study guide for your enchantment coursework.

Surviving without enchantments is possible, but it will make your experience a lot harder. They can also make finding other resources a much more simple job. For example, your base chance of getting nuggets out of gilded Blackstone is only 10%, but enchantments can offer a substantial boost. With that out of the way, let's get down to the business of how to use enchantments in Minecraft, what they do, and which ones you want to have attached to your gear. 

Of course, enchanting items isn’t the only way to bulk yourself up in Minecraft. You can also find some Ancient Debris to make Netherite armor, one of the rarest and most valuable armor kits out there. Oh, and speaking of rare gear, you’ll need a Diamond Pickaxe to gather all the parts needed for enchantment, so be warned. 

What is Minecraft enchanting?

Enchanting in Minecraft is an essential mechanic to set you up for endgame as it grants your items various special effects. You can enchant everything from weapons, tools, and armor, so there's certainly something in your possession that you can take to the next level. It basically involves imbuing items with special powers to make them stronger. 

How to build an Enchanting Table

To craft a Minecraft Enchanting Table, you first need the ingredients. Here's your shopping list:

• 4 obsidian blocks
• 2 diamonds
• 1 book

To get the obsidian, you need a Diamond Pickaxe: you can pilfer the diamonds you need for that in the deeper levels of the world, though you may need a bit of luck to stumble across them.

Obsidian, on the other hand, doesn't require luck to find. What's more, you can craft it yourself. Obsidian forms when water and lava meet, so grab a bucket and go looking for some of the hot stuff.

You can make books by combining three pieces of paper and some leather, or by destroying book cases. Either way, they are one of the easier items to obtain for the Enchanting Table.

Once you have the ingredients, you can combine them using a Crafting Table. Just place the obsidian along the bottom row, then the middle row needs to be as follows: diamond, obsidian, diamond. Finally, a book must be placed in the top-middle space. Then, it's time to get enchantin'. 

How to use an enchantment table 

Enchanting items in Minecraft comes in three main flavours, each with different rules. The main way to enchant items is to use an Enchanting Table, which allows you to exchange experience points and Lapis Lazuli to grant special effects to your items. 

There are two other ways of enchanting items. The first of which is to combine an Enchanted Book with an item that has no enchantments. The other involves combining two enchanted items into one single item that has the enchantments of both. 

To enchant items from scratch, you need to place Lapis Lazuli into the table and then the item you want to enchant. Once you've done this, you'll be shown an enchantments list. Each has a level cost no higher than your current level and the number of Lapis Lazuli in the table. The higher your level, the better the enchantments. That said, there's no real way to guarantee you get the enchantments you want. 

How to get better enchanting items 

If you hover your mouse over the enchantments, you'll see a suggestion of what the enchantments could include. If you're lucky, you could get more than one. You can also make these enchantments more powerful if you set up bookcases around the enchanting table. If you put up to fifteen bookcases around the table, the enchantments created will be far more potent. 

You can't change the offered enchantments until you select one. For instance, if you enchant a book, this allows you to save those enchantments for later. Then you can combine it with an item at an anvil to enchant it. This is a great way of making sure you don't accidentally waste some rubbish enchantments on your Diamond Sword.

The best Minecraft enchantments

There is a wide range of Minecraft enchantments, each with different levels of effectiveness. It can take a lot of time to craft your perfect set up, but it's well worth it if you're patient enough. Here are the ones to look out for: 

Unbreaking
What it does: Increases the durability of your items, making them last longer.
Max Level: 3

Mending
What it does: Allows you to repair items with experience.
Max Level: 1

Fortune
What it does: Increases the drops from certain blocks, making rare items much more bountiful.
Max Level: 3

Looting
What it does: Increases mob drops.
Max Level: 3

Infinity
What it does: Allows you to shoot your bow without consuming arrows.
Max Level: 1

Sharpness
What it does: Increases damage with your sword or axe.
Max Level: 5

Silk Touch
What it does: Lets you collect a block in its current state, for instance, mining stone without it becoming cobblestone or collecting glass blocks without breaking them.
Max Level: 1

That's it for our Minecraft enchantments guide. Hopefully, you feel wiser, stronger, and ready to face Mojang's perilous world. Failing that, at least you know a bit more than you did previously. Crafting the perfect items takes a lot of time and a bit of luck, but it's certainly worth the effort.