Guides / Enchantments / Depth Strider Enchantment in Minecraft: What It Does and How to Use It
Depth Strider Enchantment in Minecraft: What It Does and How to Use It
Published October 16, 2026
- Max level
- III
- Applies to
- Boots
- Incompatible with
- Frost Walker
- Obtained via
- Enchanting table, anvil, villager trade
Depth Strider makes you move through water at normal walking speed — no more wading in slow motion every time you cross a river or explore underwater.
What Depth Strider actually does
Each level increases underwater movement efficiency by 1/3, reaching full, unpenalized walking speed at level III. Levels beyond III give no additional benefit — III is the practical cap for the effect itself, even though the enchanting table won't offer it that high directly.
How to use it
Depth Strider is for players who spend real time swimming or exploring underwater without a boat — ocean monuments, underwater ruins, general exploration. It's mutually exclusive with Frost Walker (see Frost Walker vs. Depth Strider for the full tradeoff): Frost Walker is better for traveling ACROSS water on land-speed ice, Depth Strider is better for staying submerged and moving normally while underwater.
Well-known builds that use it
Depth Strider III is one of two choices (alongside Frost Walker) on The Ideal Boots Enchantments, alongside Protection, Feather Falling, Unbreaking, and Mending.
Protection IV- Feather Falling IV
- Depth Strider III
- Unbreaking III
- Mending I
Build these boots in the calculator →
Frequently asked questions
Does Depth Strider III fully remove the underwater speed penalty?
Yes — at level III you move at the same speed underwater as you do walking on land. Higher levels (via commands) give no further benefit.
Can you have Depth Strider and Frost Walker on the same boots?
No, they're mutually exclusive on normal boots — applying one replaces the other.
Which is better, Depth Strider or Frost Walker?
It depends on whether you spend more time staying underwater (Depth Strider) or crossing open water on the surface (Frost Walker, which freezes a path of ice to walk on). See the dedicated comparison guide for the full tradeoff.