Guides / Enchanting Strategy / Best Enchantments in Minecraft for Every Item
Best Enchantments in Minecraft for Every Item
Published October 23, 2026 · Updated November 3, 2026
The best enchantments in Minecraft depend on the item, but every item has a short, clear answer: a handful of enchantments that stack, plus at most one real either/or choice. This page lists the best enchantments for every item in one table, names the decision that matters for each, and links to the detailed guide when you want the reasoning.
Checked against Java 1.21.11, 26.1, 26.3 and Bedrock 1.19.1, 26.52, 26.60 on October 24, 2026.
Best enchantments for every item
| Item | Best enchantments | The one decision | Calculator |
|---|---|---|---|
 SwordBest Sword Enchantments |
| The one decisionSharpness, Smite or Bane of Arthropods (only one) | Build in calculator |
 AxeIdeal Axe |
| The one decisionSharpness, Smite or Bane of Arthropods (only one) | Build in calculator |
 PickaxeIdeal Pickaxe |
| The one decisionFortune or Silk Touch | Build in calculator |
 ShovelIdeal Shovel |
| The one decisionFortune or Silk Touch | Build in calculator |
 HoeIdeal Hoe |
| The one decisionFortune or Silk Touch | Build in calculator |
 HelmetIdeal Helmet |
| The one decisionProtection or one specific protection | Build in calculator |
 ChestplateIdeal Chestplate |
| The one decisionProtection or one specific protection | Build in calculator |
 LeggingsIdeal Leggings |
| The one decisionSwift Sneak only exists as an Ancient City book | Build in calculator |
 BootsIdeal Boots |
| The one decisionDepth Strider or Frost Walker | Build in calculator |
 BowBest Bow Enchantments |
| The one decisionInfinity or Mending | Build in calculator |
 CrossbowIdeal Crossbow |
| The one decisionMultishot or Piercing | Build in calculator |
 TridentIdeal Trident |
| The one decisionRiptide or Loyalty (Channeling also excludes Riptide) | Build in calculator |
 MaceIdeal Mace |
| The one decisionDensity or Breach | Build in calculator |
 SpearBest Spear Enchantments |
| The one decisionSharpness, Smite or Bane of Arthropods (only one) | Build in calculator |
 Fishing rodMax Fishing Rod |
| The one decisionNone, everything stacks | Build in calculator |
 ShearsIdeal Shears |
| The one decisionNone | Build in calculator |
 ShieldIdeal Shield |
| The one decisionNone, nothing else applies | Build in calculator |
 ElytraWhere to Get Elytra |
| The one decisionNone. The only other enchantments it can take are Curse of Binding and Curse of Vanishing, which you normally skip. | Build in calculator |
Give this build in-game
Sword
/give @s minecraft:diamond_sword[enchantments={"minecraft:looting":3,"minecraft:mending":1,"minecraft:sharpness":5,"minecraft:sweeping_edge":3,"minecraft:unbreaking":3}]Needs cheats enabled and operator permission (or creative mode with commands allowed).
/give @s diamond_sword /enchant @s looting 3 /enchant @s mending 1 /enchant @s sharpness 5 /enchant @s unbreaking 3
Run the commands one at a time, in order. /enchant works on the item held in your hand. Needs cheats enabled.
Not in this edition, left out: sweeping_edge.
Axe
/give @s minecraft:diamond_axe[enchantments={"minecraft:efficiency":5,"minecraft:mending":1,"minecraft:sharpness":5,"minecraft:unbreaking":3}]Needs cheats enabled and operator permission (or creative mode with commands allowed).
/give @s diamond_axe /enchant @s efficiency 5 /enchant @s mending 1 /enchant @s sharpness 5 /enchant @s unbreaking 3
Run the commands one at a time, in order. /enchant works on the item held in your hand. Needs cheats enabled.
Pickaxe
/give @s minecraft:diamond_pickaxe[enchantments={"minecraft:efficiency":5,"minecraft:fortune":3,"minecraft:mending":1,"minecraft:unbreaking":3}]Needs cheats enabled and operator permission (or creative mode with commands allowed).
/give @s diamond_pickaxe /enchant @s efficiency 5 /enchant @s fortune 3 /enchant @s mending 1 /enchant @s unbreaking 3
Run the commands one at a time, in order. /enchant works on the item held in your hand. Needs cheats enabled.
Shovel
/give @s minecraft:diamond_shovel[enchantments={"minecraft:efficiency":5,"minecraft:fortune":3,"minecraft:mending":1,"minecraft:unbreaking":3}]Needs cheats enabled and operator permission (or creative mode with commands allowed).
/give @s diamond_shovel /enchant @s efficiency 5 /enchant @s fortune 3 /enchant @s mending 1 /enchant @s unbreaking 3
Run the commands one at a time, in order. /enchant works on the item held in your hand. Needs cheats enabled.
Hoe
/give @s minecraft:diamond_hoe[enchantments={"minecraft:efficiency":5,"minecraft:fortune":3,"minecraft:mending":1,"minecraft:unbreaking":3}]Needs cheats enabled and operator permission (or creative mode with commands allowed).
/give @s diamond_hoe /enchant @s efficiency 5 /enchant @s fortune 3 /enchant @s mending 1 /enchant @s unbreaking 3
Run the commands one at a time, in order. /enchant works on the item held in your hand. Needs cheats enabled.
Helmet
/give @s minecraft:diamond_helmet[enchantments={"minecraft:aqua_affinity":1,"minecraft:mending":1,"minecraft:protection":4,"minecraft:respiration":3,"minecraft:thorns":3,"minecraft:unbreaking":3}]Needs cheats enabled and operator permission (or creative mode with commands allowed).
/give @s diamond_helmet /enchant @s aqua_affinity 1 /enchant @s mending 1 /enchant @s protection 4 /enchant @s respiration 3 /enchant @s thorns 3 /enchant @s unbreaking 3
Run the commands one at a time, in order. /enchant works on the item held in your hand. Needs cheats enabled.
Chestplate
/give @s minecraft:diamond_chestplate[enchantments={"minecraft:mending":1,"minecraft:protection":4,"minecraft:thorns":3,"minecraft:unbreaking":3}]Needs cheats enabled and operator permission (or creative mode with commands allowed).
/give @s diamond_chestplate /enchant @s mending 1 /enchant @s protection 4 /enchant @s thorns 3 /enchant @s unbreaking 3
Run the commands one at a time, in order. /enchant works on the item held in your hand. Needs cheats enabled.
Leggings
/give @s minecraft:diamond_leggings[enchantments={"minecraft:mending":1,"minecraft:protection":4,"minecraft:swift_sneak":3,"minecraft:unbreaking":3}]Needs cheats enabled and operator permission (or creative mode with commands allowed).
/give @s diamond_leggings /enchant @s mending 1 /enchant @s protection 4 /enchant @s swift_sneak 3 /enchant @s unbreaking 3
Run the commands one at a time, in order. /enchant works on the item held in your hand. Needs cheats enabled.
Boots
/give @s minecraft:diamond_boots[enchantments={"minecraft:depth_strider":3,"minecraft:feather_falling":4,"minecraft:mending":1,"minecraft:protection":4,"minecraft:unbreaking":3}]Needs cheats enabled and operator permission (or creative mode with commands allowed).
/give @s diamond_boots /enchant @s depth_strider 3 /enchant @s feather_falling 4 /enchant @s mending 1 /enchant @s protection 4 /enchant @s unbreaking 3
Run the commands one at a time, in order. /enchant works on the item held in your hand. Needs cheats enabled.
Bow
/give @s minecraft:bow[enchantments={"minecraft:infinity":1,"minecraft:power":5,"minecraft:unbreaking":3}]Needs cheats enabled and operator permission (or creative mode with commands allowed).
/give @s bow /enchant @s infinity 1 /enchant @s power 5 /enchant @s unbreaking 3
Run the commands one at a time, in order. /enchant works on the item held in your hand. Needs cheats enabled.
Crossbow
/give @s minecraft:crossbow[enchantments={"minecraft:mending":1,"minecraft:multishot":1,"minecraft:quick_charge":3,"minecraft:unbreaking":3}]Needs cheats enabled and operator permission (or creative mode with commands allowed).
/give @s crossbow /enchant @s mending 1 /enchant @s multishot 1 /enchant @s quick_charge 3 /enchant @s unbreaking 3
Run the commands one at a time, in order. /enchant works on the item held in your hand. Needs cheats enabled.
Trident
/give @s minecraft:trident[enchantments={"minecraft:impaling":5,"minecraft:mending":1,"minecraft:riptide":3,"minecraft:unbreaking":3}]Needs cheats enabled and operator permission (or creative mode with commands allowed).
/give @s trident /enchant @s impaling 5 /enchant @s mending 1 /enchant @s riptide 3 /enchant @s unbreaking 3
Run the commands one at a time, in order. /enchant works on the item held in your hand. Needs cheats enabled.
Mace
/give @s minecraft:mace[enchantments={"minecraft:density":5,"minecraft:mending":1,"minecraft:unbreaking":3,"minecraft:wind_burst":3}]Needs cheats enabled and operator permission (or creative mode with commands allowed).
/give @s mace /enchant @s density 5 /enchant @s mending 1 /enchant @s unbreaking 3 /enchant @s wind_burst 3
Run the commands one at a time, in order. /enchant works on the item held in your hand. Needs cheats enabled.
Spear
/give @s minecraft:diamond_spear[enchantments={"minecraft:lunge":3,"minecraft:mending":1,"minecraft:sharpness":5,"minecraft:unbreaking":3}]Needs cheats enabled and operator permission (or creative mode with commands allowed).
/give @s diamond_spear /enchant @s lunge 3 /enchant @s mending 1 /enchant @s sharpness 5 /enchant @s unbreaking 3
Run the commands one at a time, in order. /enchant works on the item held in your hand. Needs cheats enabled.
Fishing rod
/give @s minecraft:fishing_rod[enchantments={"minecraft:luck_of_the_sea":3,"minecraft:lure":3,"minecraft:mending":1,"minecraft:unbreaking":3}]Needs cheats enabled and operator permission (or creative mode with commands allowed).
/give @s fishing_rod /enchant @s luck_of_the_sea 3 /enchant @s lure 3 /enchant @s mending 1 /enchant @s unbreaking 3
Run the commands one at a time, in order. /enchant works on the item held in your hand. Needs cheats enabled.
Shears
/give @s minecraft:shears[enchantments={"minecraft:efficiency":5,"minecraft:mending":1,"minecraft:unbreaking":3}]Needs cheats enabled and operator permission (or creative mode with commands allowed).
/give @s shears /enchant @s efficiency 5 /enchant @s mending 1 /enchant @s unbreaking 3
Run the commands one at a time, in order. /enchant works on the item held in your hand. Needs cheats enabled.
Shield
/give @s minecraft:shield[enchantments={"minecraft:mending":1,"minecraft:unbreaking":3}]Needs cheats enabled and operator permission (or creative mode with commands allowed).
/give @s shield /enchant @s mending 1 /enchant @s unbreaking 3
Run the commands one at a time, in order. /enchant works on the item held in your hand. Needs cheats enabled.
Elytra
/give @s minecraft:elytra[enchantments={"minecraft:mending":1,"minecraft:unbreaking":3}]Needs cheats enabled and operator permission (or creative mode with commands allowed).
/give @s elytra /enchant @s mending 1 /enchant @s unbreaking 3
Run the commands one at a time, in order. /enchant works on the item held in your hand. Needs cheats enabled.
Armor has its own comparison with the per-piece variants: see Best Armor Enchantments.
Unbreaking and Mending: the two that go on almost everything
Unbreaking and Mending appear in every row above. On tools and weapons, Unbreaking I, II and III give a 50%, 66.7% or 75% chance that a use costs no durability (items last 2, 3 or 4 times as long on average). On armor the effect is much weaker: each durability hit has only a 20%, 26.7% or 30% chance of being ignored. Mending repairs the item with experience at 2 durability per XP point, and it works on whatever you hold or wear, so it carries most of the load on armor. The only place Mending is not free is the bow, where it excludes Infinity.
The decisions that matter
Almost every item has no conflicts at all. The exceptions are small groups where the game allows only one enchantment per item:
- Damage type: Sharpness, Smite and Bane of Arthropods (on a mace also Density and Breach). See Sharpness vs Smite vs Bane of Arthropods.
- Protection: Protection, Fire Protection, Blast Protection and Projectile Protection exclude each other on the same piece, but different pieces can carry different ones.
- Mining: Fortune or Silk Touch. See Fortune vs Silk Touch.
- Boots: Depth Strider or Frost Walker. See Frost Walker vs Depth Strider.
- Bow: Infinity or Mending.
- Crossbow: Multishot or Piercing.
- Trident: Riptide excludes both Loyalty and Channeling.
In the anvil, a conflicting enchantment is not carried over when you merge (it is dropped, with a small penalty), so pick one per group before you build.
Java and Bedrock differences that change the answer
- Sweeping Edge exists only in Java Edition, so the sword build loses that slot on Bedrock.
- Silk Touch on shears exists only in Bedrock Edition.
- Sharpness, Smite and Bane of Arthropods damage is calculated differently: Bedrock rounds the bonus down, so Sharpness V adds +3 damage in Java and +6 in Bedrock (6.25 before Bedrock rounds down, per the Minecraft Wiki). The sword guide has the full numbers.
Everything else in the table is the same on both editions.
Build any of these in the calculator
Each button opens the calculator with the build already filled in, and it works out the cheapest combine order and the XP cost for Java or Bedrock.
A spear can also carry Fire Aspect II, Knockback II and Looting III on top of its build. The God Spear button loads all seven (see Best Spear Enchantments for what each one costs and adds).
For the full list of 43 enchantments with their own reference pages, see All Minecraft Enchantments. For the anvil rules behind the costs, see Enchanting Strategy.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best enchantments in Minecraft?
It depends on the item, but the pattern is the same: the item's main enchantment at its top level (Sharpness V, Efficiency V, Protection IV, Power V), its specialist ones, then Unbreaking III and Mending. The table at the top of this page lists the best build for 18 items.
What is the best enchantment overall?
Mending and Unbreaking are the closest thing to a universal answer, because they fit almost every tool, weapon and armor piece. Mending repairs the item with experience, and Unbreaking makes each use less likely to cost durability. The one exception is the bow, where Mending cannot be combined with Infinity.
Which enchantments cannot be combined?
Sharpness, Smite and Bane of Arthropods (plus Density and Breach on a mace); Protection, Fire Protection, Blast Protection and Projectile Protection on the same armor piece; Fortune and Silk Touch; Depth Strider and Frost Walker; Infinity and Mending; Multishot and Piercing; and Riptide with Loyalty or Channeling.
Are the best enchantments the same in Java and Bedrock Edition?
Almost. Sweeping Edge exists only in Java, Silk Touch on shears exists only in Bedrock, and the damage bonus of Sharpness, Smite and Bane of Arthropods is rounded down in Bedrock (Sharpness V adds +3 damage in Java and +6 in Bedrock, which is 6.25 before Bedrock rounds down, per the Minecraft Wiki's Sharpness page). Every other best build in the table is the same on both.
What are the best enchantments for a pickaxe?
Efficiency V, Unbreaking III and Mending, plus either Fortune III or Silk Touch. Fortune and Silk Touch cannot share a pickaxe, so most players keep one of each: Fortune for ore and gems, Silk Touch for blocks you want to pick up whole.
What are the best enchantments for armor?
Protection IV on every piece, plus Unbreaking III and Mending, then the piece-specific ones: Respiration III and Aqua Affinity on the helmet, Swift Sneak III on the leggings, Feather Falling IV and Depth Strider III or Frost Walker II on the boots. Thorns III is optional on any piece.
Does the order I add enchantments matter?
Not for which enchantments you end up with, but it matters a lot for cost, because every anvil use makes the next one more expensive (the prior-work penalty). The calculator finds the cheapest order for your exact build. See the Enchanting Strategy guide for how the penalty works.