Guides / Enchanting Strategy / Best Sword Enchantments in Minecraft: Full Build
Best Sword Enchantments in Minecraft: Full Build
Published October 23, 2026 · Updated October 24, 2026
The best sword enchantments in Minecraft are Sharpness V, Looting III, Sweeping Edge III (Java Edition only), Unbreaking III and Mending. None of them conflict, so they all fit on one sword. The only real decision is which damage enchantment you take, because Sharpness, Smite and Bane of Arthropods exclude each other. This guide compares every sword enchantment, says when each one is worth it, and covers the Java and Bedrock differences.
Every sword enchantment compared
| Enchantment | Max level | Conflicts | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpness | V | Smite, Bane of Arthropods | Extra damage against every target: +3 in Java, +6 in Bedrock at level V (6.25 before Bedrock rounds down; Minecraft Wiki) |
| Smite | V | Sharpness, Bane of Arthropods | Extra damage against undead only: +12.5 in Java, +12 in Bedrock at level V |
| Bane of Arthropods | V | Sharpness, Smite | Extra damage against spiders, cave spiders, silverfish, endermites and bees, plus Slowness IV |
| Looting | III | None | +1 to the maximum number of common drops per level and +1 percentage point on rare drops |
| Sweeping Edge | III | None | Java only: sweep attack damage plus 50%, 66.7% or 75% of the sword's attack damage |
| Fire Aspect | II | None | Sets the target on fire for 4 seconds per level, and mobs killed that way drop cooked meat |
| Knockback | II | None | Pushes the target away; adds no damage |
| Unbreaking | III | None | 75% chance per use of costing no durability at level III |
| Mending | I | None | Repairs the sword with experience |
Sharpness, Smite or Bane of Arthropods
All three sit in one exclusion group, so a sword carries exactly one. The numbers above show why the choice is about targets, not strength: against undead in Java, Smite V adds roughly four times what Sharpness V does (12.5 against 3), and Bane of Arthropods V adds the same against arthropods and slows them. Against everything else the specialists add nothing.
- Main sword, general use, PvP: Sharpness V. It is never the wrong choice.
- Zombie and skeleton farms, the wither, Nether trips with husks and strays: a dedicated Smite V sword.
- Spider farms, cave spider swarms, silverfish rooms: a dedicated Bane of Arthropods V sword.
Because none of the other enchantments conflict with any of the three, swapping the damage enchantment never changes the rest of the build. For the full comparison, see Sharpness vs Smite vs Bane of Arthropods.
Looting, Sweeping Edge, Fire Aspect and Knockback
- Looting III is the best utility enchantment on a sword: it raises drops from every mob you kill with it in your main hand, which matters for farms and for rare drops. It also applies to mobs killed by a sweep attack in Java.
- Sweeping Edge III only boosts the sweep attack that hits surrounding mobs, not the target you hit directly, so it pays off against groups. It does not exist in Bedrock Edition.
- Fire Aspect II is optional. It cooks the meat that mobs drop and deals fire damage over time, but fire-immune mobs (most Nether mobs other than piglins, piglin brutes and hoglins) ignore it.
- Knockback II is a playstyle choice rather than an upgrade, since it adds no damage. It suits keeping a crowd at a distance more than killing quickly.
All four can sit on the same sword as Sharpness, Unbreaking and Mending, but each extra enchantment adds anvil cost, so the calculator is the quickest way to see what a longer build costs.
Unbreaking III and Mending
Unbreaking III means a use costs no durability 75% of the time (swords last about four times as long), and Mending repairs the sword with experience at 2 durability per XP point. They conflict with nothing on a sword, so both belong in every build.
Java vs Bedrock for swords
| Java Edition | Bedrock Edition | |
|---|---|---|
| Sweeping Edge | Available (max III) | Not in the game |
| Sharpness V bonus | +3 damage | +6 damage |
| Smite V and Bane of Arthropods V bonus | +12.5 damage | +12 damage |
| God Sword preset in the calculator | All five enchantments | Skips Sweeping Edge |
Bedrock's Sharpness bonus is ⌊1.25 × level⌋, so level V is 6.25 rounded down to 6 (+1, +2, +3, +5, +6 for levels I to V), while Java adds 0.5 × (level + 1), which is +3 at level V. Smite and Bane of Arthropods add 2.5 per level on both editions, but Bedrock rounds that down too, so +12.5 becomes +12 at level V and levels I, III and V hit slightly softer than in Java. Sources: Sharpness, Smite, Bane of Arthropods.
Build the best sword in the calculator
Each button opens the calculator with the build filled in, and it prices the cheapest combine order for your edition.
Give this build in-game
/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.
Give this build in-game
/give @s minecraft:diamond_sword[enchantments={"minecraft:looting":3,"minecraft:mending":1,"minecraft:smite":5,"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 smite 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.
For the full build with its reasoning, see God Sword: The Ideal Sword Enchantments. For every other item, see Best Enchantments in Minecraft. Each enchantment also has its own reference page, for example Sharpness, Looting and Sweeping Edge.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best sword enchantments in Minecraft?
Sharpness V, Looting III, Sweeping Edge III (Java Edition only), Unbreaking III and Mending. They do not conflict, so all five fit on one sword. Fire Aspect II and Knockback II can be added if you want them.
Is Sharpness or Smite better on a sword?
Sharpness for a sword you carry everywhere, because it adds damage against every target. Smite V adds much more damage than Sharpness V against undead mobs such as zombies, skeletons and the wither, but nothing against other mobs, so it suits a dedicated farming or wither sword.
Can a sword have Sharpness and Smite together?
No. Sharpness, Smite and Bane of Arthropods exclude each other, so a sword can carry only one of them. Looting, Sweeping Edge, Fire Aspect, Knockback, Unbreaking and Mending do not conflict with any of the three.
Does Sweeping Edge exist in Bedrock Edition?
No. Sweeping Edge exists only in Java Edition, where it increases the damage of the sweep attack against surrounding mobs. On Bedrock the best sword is Sharpness V, Looting III, Unbreaking III and Mending.
Is Fire Aspect worth putting on a sword?
It is optional. Fire Aspect sets targets on fire for 4 seconds per level and makes mobs that drop raw meat drop it cooked, but fire-immune mobs ignore it. It does not conflict with Sharpness, Looting or Mending, so adding it only costs extra anvil levels.
Is Knockback worth it on a sword?
Only as a playstyle choice. Knockback adds no damage; it pushes the target away, which helps keep a crowd off you but can make a single target harder to finish. Most main-sword builds leave it out.
Does Looting work with sweep attacks?
In Java Edition, yes: Looting applies to mobs killed by a sweep attack. Looting counts any kill made while the enchanted item is in your main hand, so it also works for arrows you fired just before swapping to the sword.