Top 16 Minecraft Armor Enchantments You Need

From nighttime excursions to intense boss battles, Minecraft armor proves indispensable. Some enhancements grant unique perks like underwater breathing or enhanced mobility. Discover the most potent armor enchantments for 2022, spanning helmets to boots, compatible with both Java and Bedrock editions. However, not all enchantments are beneficial; consult our guide on removing them. Let’s delve into these enhancements without delay.

We’ve tested each armor enchantment on the latest Minecraft 1.18 update, ensuring compatibility. Use the table below to explore.

Optimizing Armor Enchantments in Minecraft

Most enchantments listed can be applied via an Enchanting table or enchanted books. Refer to our guide on crafting Enchanting tables. We’ve also provided a tutorial on utilizing enchanted books in Minecraft. Now, let’s delve into the top armor enchantments of 2022:

1. Protection

Applicable to all armor, protection stands as a fundamental enchantment in Minecraft. It shields against combat, lava, fire, and falls. Before applying protection, explore other specific types. Note, armor doesn’t guard against hunger damage. This enchantment offers four levels, granting up to 80% extra protection.

2. Blast Protection

Due to its limited use, blast protection is often overlooked until the final encounter with the Ender dragon. It shields against blast attacks, encompassing mobs, TNT, and fireworks. Notably, it mitigates knockback effects, particularly evident in the Java edition.

3. Projectile Protection

Projectile Protection, as the name suggests, shields against distant attacks like arrows, tridents, shulker bullets, llama spit, blaze fireballs, and ghast fireballs. However, it’s among the least favored armor enchantments in Minecraft due to its limited use. Notably, it doesn’t defend against splash potions, dragon fireballs, or fireworks.

4. Fire Protection

The following armor enchantment functions akin to Potion of Fire Resistance, diminishing damage from fire-based attacks, encompassing lava, magma blocks, fire charges, blaze fireballs, and fire itself. Nonetheless, it fails to shield against damage from touching blazes or ghast fireballs.

5. Feather Falling

This entry in the roster of premier armor enchantments in Minecraft targets the prevalent fall damage. With up to 4 levels, it lessens falling damage, albeit without altering falling speed. Notably, feather falling can solely be applied to boots.

6. Respiration

Respiration, a helmet enchantment, extends underwater breathing by up to 60 seconds. Add an extra 10 seconds with a turtle shell helmet. For longer underwater exploration, opt for an 8-minute Potion of Water Breathing.

7. Thorns

Transitioning from defense to offense, our next enchantment focuses on combat. Thorns inflicts damage on attackers in Minecraft, reflecting their attacks. Damage occurs from any projectile or melee attack, though not consistently.

At the 4th level of this enchantment, there’s a 68% chance of reversing damage to the attacker. You still receive damage, but you’re not alone. Increasing your chances is possible by wearing multiple items with this enchantment. Thorns also cause a knockback to the enemy, offering an opportunity to escape.

8. Depth Strider

Depth Strider, an exclusive boot enchantment in Minecraft, enables faster underwater movement by reducing water flow resistance. With 3 levels, at level 3, you can swim as swiftly as you walk on land. When paired with an enchanted helmet, it facilitates easy ocean exploration in Minecraft.

An additional status effect, Dolphin’s Grace, accompanies this armor enchantment in Minecraft. It enhances swimming speed, particularly when near dolphins. While effective in both editions of the game, the status indicator appears exclusively in the Java edition.

9. Aqua Affinity

Expanding our focus to the oceans, consider the Aqua Affinity enchantment for helmets. It accelerates mining speed underwater, performing at five times the normal rate. With only one level available, it cannot be further upgraded. Being a basic enchantment, it can be combined with others.

10. Unbreaking

Unbreaking stands out as a premier armor enchantment in Minecraft, widely applicable to any item with durability. It significantly enhances durability by reducing the likelihood of depletion. At its pinnacle, with a level cap of 3, it offers a substantial 30% decrease in durability loss.

Moreover, it’s among the more readily accessible enchantments in the game. However, its utility diminishes due to the necessity of applying it individually to each armor piece and tool. Consequently, most players opt to reserve unbreaking for their shields or weapons.

11. Mending

If you don’t encounter unbreaking or choose not to apply it, you can utilize the mending enchantment instead. This enchantment, as its name implies, repairs armor in Minecraft, restoring decreased durability. Like other enchantments, it requires an anvil for application.

Experience orbs automatically mend armor pieces with applied mending. If multiple items have mending, Minecraft randomly selects one for repair. While not the most efficient method, it proves effective for smaller batches.

12. Frost Walker

Most top armor enchantments in Minecraft are exclusive to boots. However, fret not, for frost walker stands out as one of the most unique enchantments available. Upon activation, it allows you to create ice blocks while traversing water. Consequently, any water block beneath your feet transforms into ice, regardless of whether you are on solid ground or in the depths of the ocean.

If that fails to impress, consider its added benefit of granting immunity from damage inflicted by magma blocks and campfires. Nevertheless, bear in mind the necessity of continuous movement, as the ice dissipates swiftly. Nonetheless, anticipate prolonged efficacy in colder biomes and during nighttime. Experimenting with the Minecraft 1.18 mountain seeds is recommended for experiencing this enchantment’s full potential.

13. Soul Speed

Our next enchantment is unique to boots, aptly named, enhancing your walking speed specifically on soul sand or soul soil, both found solely in the Nether. Consequently, this enchantment is exclusive to that dimension. To traverse the Nether swiftly, craft a Nether portal. It features three speed levels akin to the Potion of Swiftness.

14. Curse of Binding

Among the two curses applicable to armors in Minecraft, the curse of binding is the less punishing one. The worst part is that you can’t remove it; once worn, the armor piece becomes inseparable. The sole method to remove armor with the curse of Binding is through death. Once deceased, you can retrieve the item from the location of demise, or alternatively, await the depletion of its durability.

15. Curse of Vanishing

Even with binding, you can die in survival gameplay and use your item normally. However, the curse of vanishing results in the item disappearing upon your death, rather than dropping at your demise point. It simply despawns from the world. The curse’s sole benefit is preventing other players from pilfering your items in multiplayer mode.

It’s wise not to add other enchantments to anything with a curse of vanishing. Like any curse, you can’t remove it from your armor. Fortunately, neither curse of vanishing nor binding is common in the game. So, you don’t have to worry too much.

16. Swift Sneak

Part of Minecraft 1.19 update, Swift Sneak is the only leggings-exclusive enchantment. It allows players to walk at a higher pace while sneaking. Technically, there are 3 natural levels of this enchantment, each increasing your speed by 25%. The only way to obtain this enchantment is from loot chests of ancient cities in the deep dark biome of Minecraft.

Try out the Best Minecraft Armor Enchantments

Empowered by top-tier armor enchantments in Minecraft, you’re primed to confront the most perilous in-game mobs. Yet, embrace versatility. Applying various enchantments to separate pieces of armor can diversify your defensive capabilities. For instance, implementing different protection enchantments mitigates damage across a range of scenarios, even at lower levels. Let’s not overlook boot-exclusive enchantments like feather falling, pivotal in averting fall damage. Additionally, consult our compilation of premier Minecraft potions for added benefits.

Alternatively, harness the prowess of top Minecraft mods for external assistance. Ensure seamless mod execution by integrating Forge into Minecraft. Now, embark on the journey to unearth these optimal armor enchantments. Many remain elusive, so relentless exploration is key. Share your preferred armor enchantments from the roster in the comments below.