Guides / Ideal Tools / God Bow: The Ideal Bow Enchantments
God Bow: The Ideal Bow Enchantments
Published September 14, 2026
The bow has the single most important either/or decision of any item in the game, and it's worth understanding before you spend levels on the wrong half. The result is commonly called the "God Bow" — but be skeptical of any "God Bow" list that includes both Infinity and Mending together, since that specific combination is impossible in-game (see below).
Infinity vs. Mending — pick one
Infinity lets you fire unlimited arrows as long as you have at least one regular arrow in your inventory, since it clones the arrow instead of consuming it. Mending repairs the bow using collected XP instead of levels. They're mutually exclusive — you cannot have both, ever, on the same bow, no matter what a generic "best bow enchantments" list elsewhere on the web claims. That forces a real choice: Infinity means you never carry stacks of arrows again but the bow's durability only survives on Unbreaking alone (no Mending safety net); Mending means the bow repairs itself forever, but you're back to crafting or looting arrows normally. Most players standardize on the Infinity Bow for the endgame, since arrow logistics are the bigger long-term chore — but the Mending Bow is a completely legitimate, real build too, not a consolation prize.
Power V
Flat bonus damage per shot, no exclusions, no reason to skip it on any bow build.
Punch II and Flame — situational, not conflicting
Punch knocks a hit target back, useful for crowd control at range; Flame sets the target on fire. Neither excludes anything else in this list, so add either (or both) freely if your playstyle wants them.
Unbreaking III
Doubly important on an Infinity bow specifically, since it's the only durability enchantment available to you once Mending is off the table.
The Infinity Bow
Power V- Infinity I
- Unbreaking III
Give this build in-game
/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.
The Mending Bow
- Power V
- Mending I
- Unbreaking III
Give this build in-game
/give @s minecraft:bow[enchantments={"minecraft:mending":1,"minecraft:power":5,"minecraft:unbreaking":3}]Needs cheats enabled and operator permission (or creative mode with commands allowed).
/give @s bow /enchant @s mending 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.
See also Best Bow Enchantments, which compares every bow enchantment side by side and explains the Infinity or Mending choice, and Best Enchantments in Minecraft for every other item.
To see where this build sits among all your gear, see Minecraft Enchanting Order.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't a bow have both Infinity and Mending?
They're flagged as directly conflicting enchantments in the game's own data, not just a design suggestion — no anvil combination or enchanting table roll can put both on the same bow. Conceptually it's a balance call: Infinity means you never run out of arrows, and Mending means the bow repairs itself forever from XP, so having both would make durability a non-issue on a weapon with unlimited ammo.
Can a bow have Power and Punch together?
Yes. Power and Punch don't conflict with each other or with Flame — all three are free to combine on the same bow alongside whichever of Infinity or Mending you pick.
Should I build the Infinity Bow or the Mending Bow?
Most players standardize on the Infinity Bow for the endgame, since never needing to carry stacks of arrows again outweighs losing the free repairs — but the Mending Bow is a completely legitimate build too, not a downgrade, especially if you already keep a full quiver on hand.
Does Flame add extra hit damage, or does it just set the target on fire?
Flame's direct effect is igniting the target on impact — that burn then deals its own damage over the next few seconds. It isn't a flat damage boost added to the arrow's initial hit the way Power is; the extra damage comes from the fire ticking afterward.
What is the 'God Bow'?
It's the community nickname for a maxed-out bow build, but treat any list claiming a God Bow with both Infinity and Mending as wrong — that specific combination doesn't exist in the game. A real God Bow is Power V plus Unbreaking III plus either Infinity or Mending, never both.