Best Minecraft Enchantments for PvP

Minecraft Championships’ rise in popularity comes with more eyes on Minecraft‘s various PvP modes. Whether it’s a game of survival, a battle royale-esque mode, or a race, there’s a limitless amount of PvP options for Minecraft players.

Likewise, there’s a vast collection of enchantments that are especially useful for playing PvP in Minecraft. Here are some of the best enchantments you can use to get an edge on your opponents.

Best General/Tool Enchantments for PvP

Unbreaking

Unbreaking is a basic but great enchantment for virtually any weapon, tool, or piece of armor since it increases the durability of any item it affects. It’s helpful in any situation, whether you’re only spending a little experience on a basic item or drastically improving high-quality gear.

Mending

Mending is the enhanced, rarer version of the Unbreaking enchantment. It’s a treasure enchantment, which means players can only obtain it from chest loot, fishing, raids, or trading. You’re less likely to come across Mending in a PvP game than in a traditional Survival game, but if you do get your hands on it, absolutely save it for your most important item.

Best Armor Enchantments for PvP

Protection

The reliable go-to enchantment for armor, Protection is a no-brainer for any Minecraft PvP player. Protection increases the damage reduction of an affected armor piece. That reduction effect stacks with each piece of armor enchanted and increases depending on the enchantment level.

Thorns

Thorns is another excellent defensive armor enchantment. Instead of reducing the damage done to the wearer, Thorns deals damage to the attacker. The upside of Thorns is that it deals damage to any kind of melee or ranged attack, and the chance of dealing a maximum of four damage increases drastically by stacking it. The downside is that it reduces the armor’s durability when it takes a hit, but enchanting it with Unbreaking has a chance of ignoring the drop in durability.

Feather Falling

Whether you’re doing some perilous spelunking or you’re looking to make an aerial escape, Feather Falling can be your best friend when dropping from great heights. Feather Falling is a boots enchantment that reduces fall damage, and the higher the level of the enchantment, the higher a fall you can endure. Additionally, it can stack with Protection.

For example, a fall from 50 blocks high will deal 47 fall damage normally. With Feather Falling, it will deal between 41, 36, 30, or 24 damage depending on the enchantment level. But with a level-four Feather Falling and Protection enchantment, that fall would only deal nine damage. The enchantment doesn’t affect falling speed, however.

Best Melee Weapon Enchantments for PvP

Sharpness

The essential melee weapon enchantment is Sharpness, which increases weapon damage when applied to a sword or axe. Players can enchant their weapons up to Sharpness IV at any enchantment table, but they will need an Anvil to bring it to Sharpness V. It can also stack with enchantments like Unbreaking and Knockback.

Knockback

Knockback is an excellent weapon enchantment for PvP players looking to notch some environmental kills. Each level of the Knockback enchantment adds three blocks of distance to the effect, capping out at six, with the maximum distance achieved on a sprinting melee strike.

Fire Aspect

Fire Aspect has a simple effect: it lights enemies on fire when you strike them, dealing three points of damage with level one and seven points with level two. Aside from the added damage, it can also cause the opposing player to panic. A mob that drops meat will drop cooked meat if it dies while on fire.

Best Ranged Weapon Enhancements

Power

Power is the ranged version of Sharpness, adding damage to each arrow. Power I deals an extra 50 percent damage, which can increase to 150 percent more damage with Power V. A fully charged critical shot with a Power III or above bow can instantly kill an enemy with maximum health.

Punch

Punch is the ranged version of Knockback, punching whoever is hit with an arrow back further than usual. Like Knockback, Punch adds three blocks of distance to the base knockback per level. It’s great for knocking off players in the midst of building a tall structure.

Flame

Flame is the ranged version of Fire Aspect, causing arrows to light enemies on fire. Unlike Fire Aspect, there’s only one level of Flame, but it deals five fire damage over five seconds. Flaming arrows cannot cause blocks to catch fire, however.