Minecraft enchanting is one of the most sophisticated mechanics in the game, yet many players neglect to learn how to do it properly. Luckily, we have produced a beginner’s guide to enchanting to ease you into the dark arts.
While Minecraft is often praised for its resource-focused mining and building mechanics, the enchanting element of the game is relatively under celebrated. The reason for this may be that enchanting is only possible after collecting specific resources and reaching a certain experience level.
Enchanting is a game mode that only the die-hard Minecraft players will have truly conquered. It will give them an edge on their foes and protect them from unpredictable monsters and elements of nature. That being said, it’s not too difficult to understand once you know the basics.
Minecraft enchanting: what do I need?
In this quick guide, we are going to teach you how to enchant items yourself. While you can obtain enchanted items by finding them in end chests, trading them with villagers, chancing upon them while fishing, and retrieving them from dead mobs, it’s important to learn how to enchant items independently, so you can choose whichever enchantment you like.
The first thing you need to do is build an enchanting table. You can do this using four obsidian blocks, two diamonds, and a book (see image above). If you are playing in survival mode, you will appreciate how difficult these items are to retrieve, which explains why so few people explore the world of Minecraft enchanting. Remember that you can find obsidian where lava and water meet each other (usually in underground caves).
Bookshelves are essential
It’s not enough to simply have an enchanting table, however, as the table will derive its power from bookshelves. Surround the table with at least 15 bookshelves to achieve maximum power. You will be able to see magical runes floating around the table when it is fully powered. A bookshelf can be crafted fairly easily, using six wood planks with three books.
How do I enchant an item?
The most common type of enchantment is a sword enchantment, and here we will teach you how to enchant a diamond sword. By placing the item in the left slot and 1-3 lapis lazuli in the right slot, you will be presented with three different enchantment options. By hovering over the options, you will see the specifics of the enchantment.
You must also be conscious of how experience is used when enchanting. On the left-hand side of the enchantment option, you will see a green experience orb with a number next to it; this indicates how many experience points will be used. The number on the right-hand side indicates the level of the enchantment, with the higher the number making the enchantment more powerful.
The power of enchantments
Enchanting a weapon, such as a sword or bow, will make you a force to be reckoned with, while enchanting armour will offer you a brilliant form of protection from mobs and other players. This particular enchantment (in the image above) not only gives me better attack damage, but will also set my foes on fire with the strike of a sword. Pretty cool; for me at least.
While this guide has covered the basics of enchanting items, the only true way to become experienced in the art of enchanting is to try out all the different spells yourself, though it may help you to check out the enchanting page in the Minecraft Wiki. This will explain enchanting in a level of detail that only the nerdiest of Minecraft wizards would ever benefit from!
