Best Sword Enchantments in Minecraft
A general-purpose sword uses Sharpness V, Looting III, Fire Aspect II, Unbreaking III and Mending, with Sweeping Edge III on Java. Knockback II is optional. Choose only one of Sharpness, Smite and Bane of Arthropods: their damage specializations cannot share a sword.
Last verified 1 Nov 2026 · Source: minecraft.wiki: Sword · minecraft.wiki: Sweeping Edge · minecraft.wiki: Enchanting
Best sword enchantments
| Enchantment | Max level | Effect | Apply to the item |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unbreaking | III | Makes durability last longer. | Enchanting table or anvil |
| Mending | I | Uses collected XP to repair durability. | Anvil with a book |
| Curse of Vanishing | I | Makes the item disappear on death; avoid for a lasting build. | Anvil with a book |
| Sharpness | V | Increases general melee damage. | Enchanting table or anvil |
| Smite | V | Specializes damage against undead mobs. | Enchanting table or anvil |
| Bane of Arthropods | V | Specializes damage against arthropods. | Enchanting table or anvil |
| Knockback | II | Pushes targets farther away. | Enchanting table or anvil |
| Fire Aspect | II | Ignites a struck target. | Enchanting table or anvil |
| Looting | III | Improves eligible mob drops. | Enchanting table or anvil |
| Sweeping Edge (Java only) | III | Increases sweep attack damage; Java only. | Enchanting table or anvil |
Sharpness vs Smite vs Bane of Arthropods
Sharpness suits a general-purpose sword. Smite focuses on undead targets, while Bane of Arthropods focuses on arthropods. Pick according to what you fight; these three enchantments are mutually exclusive, even when you apply books separately.
Is Knockback good?
Knockback II pushes enemies away. Some players like the extra space; others prefer keeping targets close for follow-up hits. Treat it as a preference. The preset leaves it out, and you can add it in the full calculator.
Java vs Bedrock
Sweeping Edge is exclusive to Java Edition. Switching the embedded calculator to Bedrock removes it from the preset and calculates the new plan. The other books in this general-purpose preset remain selected.
Cheapest anvil order for a max sword
Sharpness V, Looting III, Fire Aspect II, Unbreaking III, Mending I, Sweeping Edge III
Assumes an unenchanted item and one fresh book per enchantment, with no prior anvil work. Left slot is the target; right slot is the book being consumed.
Best order: 44 levels total
- Put Sword on the left and Sweeping Edge III book on the right → 6 levels
- Put Looting III book on the left and Fire Aspect II book on the right → 4 levels
- Put Sword (Sweeping Edge III) on the left and Book (Looting III + Fire Aspect II) on the right → 12 levels
- Put Sharpness V book on the left and Unbreaking III book on the right → 3 levels
- Put Book (Sharpness V + Unbreaking III) on the left and Mending I book on the right → 3 levels
- Put Sword (Looting III, Fire Aspect II, Sweeping Edge III) on the left and Book (Sharpness V + Unbreaking III + Mending I) on the right → 16 levels
Final prior work penalty: 7 levels (3 anvil uses).
The totals are level charges across the steps. Prior anvil work changes what you pay in-game; check how the Too Expensive limit works before using an already-worked sword.
Where to get sword books
Use librarian trades and the enchanting table for ordinary books, then use an anvil to apply them. Mending and Curse of Vanishing are unavailable from the enchanting table. Avoid Curse of Vanishing if you want to keep the sword after dying.
With Trade Rebalance enabled, savanna master librarians guarantee Sharpness III and the plains common book pool includes Smite. Those are experimental biome rules, and the guaranteed Sharpness book is below the maximum level.
Last verified 1 Nov 2026 · Source: minecraft.wiki: Librarian
FAQ
Can you have Sharpness and Smite together?
No. Sharpness, Smite and Bane of Arthropods are mutually exclusive; choose one.
Is Sweeping Edge in Bedrock?
No. Sweeping Edge is a Java-only enchantment.
What is the maximum Looting level?
Looting III is the maximum.
Can I use /enchant for Sharpness 10?
No. /enchant enforces the maximum level, so Sharpness is limited to V. Use the command generator to create a compatible command.
Last updated: 2026-11-01