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All axe enchantments in Minecraft and what they do

Whether it's Bane of Anthropodos or any other enchantment, the axe in Minecraft has some nifty enhancements.

Reviewed by: Naim Rosinski

Minecraft has many useful tools, and the axe is one of the most important. Players use axes to gather resources, build structures, and defend against monsters. But axes can do much more when they have enchantments. Enchantments make axes more powerful and efficient. Some enchantments make them stronger in combat, while others help you collect resources faster. This piece goes over all axe enchantments in Minecraft and what they do!

All axe enchantments in Minecraft

There are nine different axe enchantments in Minecraft. Here is a closer look at each one:

Bane of Arthropods

This enchantment increases damage specifically against arthropod mobs like spiders, cave spiders, silverfish, and endermites.. It also applies a Slowness IV effect, hindering their movement temporarily.

Incompatible with: Breach, Density, Sharpness, Smite

Java Edition Damage Table

Weapon

Base

BoA I

BoA II

BoA III

BoA IV

BoA V

Wooden/Gold Axe

7

9.5

12

14.5

17

19.5

Stone/Iron/Diamond Axe

9

11.5

14

16.5

19

21.5

Netherite Axe

10

12.5

15

17.5

20

22.5

Bedrock Edition Damage Table

Weapon

Base

Level I

Level II

Level III

Level IV

Level V

Wooden/Gold Axe

4

6.5

9

11.5

14

16.5

Stone Axe

5

7.5

10

12.5

15

17.5

Iron Axe

6

8.5

11

13.5

16

18.5

Diamond Axe

7

9.5

12

14.5

17

19.5

Netherite Axe

8

10.5

13

15.5

18

20.5

Bane of Arthropods is one of the most plural enchantments for axes (Image Credit: r/Minecraft)
Bane of Arthropods is one of the most plural enchantments for axes (Image Credit: r/Minecraft)

Curse of Vanishing

The Curse of Vanishing enchantment causes an item to disappear completely when the player dies. Normally, items drop when you die, but an item with this curse will vanish permanently.

You can put this enchantment on almost any item. It cannot be removed with a grindstone or crafting table. The item only vanishes if it’s in your inventory when you die.

The item will vanish after a player dies if this enchantment is equipped (Image Credit: r/Minecraft)
The item will vanish after a player dies if this enchantment is equipped (Image Credit: r/Minecraft)

Efficiency

Efficiency makes your axe faster at breaking blocks. It speeds up tasks like chopping wood.

  • Efficiency Level I slightly speeds up chopping.
  • Each level increases chopping speed further.
  • The highest level (Efficiency V) greatly speeds up block-breaking.
Break blocks faster with an axe enchanted with Efficiency (Image Credit: r/Minecraft)
Break blocks faster with an axe enchanted with Efficiency (Image Credit: r/Minecraft)

Fortune

Fortune increases the number of items you get from certain blocks. It’s good for collecting resources like apples from trees or more melons from melon blocks.

  • Level I slightly increases item drops.
  • Each level increases the number of extra drops.
  • Level III provides the maximum number of extra drops.

Fortune does not increase wood drops from trees.

You may get more items from certain blocks with Fortune (Image Credit: r/Minecraft)
You may get more items from certain blocks with Fortune (Image Credit: r/Minecraft)

Mending

Mending repairs your axe automatically using experience points (XP). When you gather XP from defeating mobs or mining, it will repair your enchanted tools.

  • Each XP point repairs two durability points.
  • The enchantment uses XP to repair items, then extra XP goes to your experience bar.
  • Mending has only one level (Mending I).
Automatically repair your axe with this enchantment (Image Credit: r/Minecraft)
Automatically repair your axe with this enchantment (Image Credit: r/Minecraft)

Sharpness

Sharpness increases your axe’s damage against all enemies. It is useful against any mob or player.

Sharpness Damage Table

Weapon

Base

Sharpness I

II

III

IV

V

Wooden/Gold Axe

7

8

8.5

9

9.5

10

Stone/Iron/Diamond Axe

9

10

10.5

11

11.5

12

Netherite Axe

10

11

11.5

12

12.5

13

Increase your axe’s damage against all enemies (Image Credit: r/Minecraft)
Increase your axe’s damage against all enemies (Image Credit: r/Minecraft)

Silk Touch

Silk Touch lets you pick up fragile blocks without breaking them into smaller parts. Normally, mining glass or ice breaks them, but Silk Touch lets you collect them whole.

  • Good for collecting blocks like ice, glass, or ores.
  • Silk Touch has only one level (Silk Touch I).
Pick up fragile blocks without breaking them into smaller parts (Image Credit: r/Minecraft)
Pick up fragile blocks without breaking them into smaller parts (Image Credit: r/Minecraft)

Smite

Smite increases damage against undead mobs like zombies, skeletons, and wither skeletons. 

Damage added per Smite level:

  • Level I: Adds 2.5 extra damage.
  • Each level adds another 2.5 extra damage.
  • Level V: Adds 12.5 extra damage (highest level).
Deal more dagame against undead mobs (Image Credit: r/Minecraft)
Deal more dagame against undead mobs (Image Credit: r/Minecraft)

Unbreaking

Unbreaking makes your axe last longer. Normally, tools lose durability with every use, but Unbreaking reduces this chance.

  • Level I reduces the chance of durability loss.
  • Each level reduces durability loss further.
  • Level III greatly increases the axe’s lifespan.
Use your axe longer than its lifespan with Unbreaking (Image Credit: r/Minecraft)
Use your axe longer than its lifespan with Unbreaking (Image Credit: r/Minecraft)

Which is the best enchantment for axe in Minecraft?

The best enchantment for your axe in Minecraft is Sharpness. It increases the damage your axe deals to all enemies. Sharpness is effective against any mob or player, making it the most versatile and powerful enchantment for fighting.

How to get Sharpness 5 on axe?

To get Sharpness V on an axe, you have a few options:

  1. Use an enchanting table. This usually gives you Sharpness III or IV.
  2. Combine two axes, each with Sharpness IV, using an anvil. This creates one axe with Sharpness V.
  3. Find a Sharpness V enchanted book in chests, from fishing, or by trading with villagers. Apply it directly using an anvil.

Most players prefer combining two Sharpness IV axes because it’s reliable and easy.

What is the ultimate axe in Minecraft?

The ultimate axe in Minecraft has these enchantments:

  • Sharpness V (for high damage)
  • Efficiency V (for fast chopping)
  • Unbreaking III (for durability)
  • Mending (for automatic repairs)
  • Silk Touch or Fortune III (depending on your needs)

Sharpness V is the most important enchantment because it greatly improves combat effectiveness. Efficiency speeds up wood chopping, Unbreaking and Mending keep your axe strong and lasting, and Silk Touch or Fortune depends on what you plan to gather.

Is Fortune 3 good on an axe?

Fortune III is helpful on an axe, but only in specific situations. It increases item drops from blocks like melons, apples, and saplings. However, it does not give you extra wood from chopping regular trees.

If your goal is collecting items like apples or melons, Fortune III is beneficial. But other enchantments like Efficiency and Sharpness will be more useful for regular tree chopping or combat.

Can you put Looting 3 on an axe?

In regular Minecraft, you cannot put Looting 3 on an axe. Looting only works on swords. The enchantment does not show up for axes when you use an enchanting table or an anvil in Survival Mode. If you use cheats or commands, you can add Looting 3 to an axe, but this only works in Creative Mode or with mods. In normal gameplay, you can’t use Looting with axes.

How much better is Looting 3 than 2?

Looting 3 gives you better drops than Looting 2. Each level of Looting increases the number of items you get from mobs. With Looting 2, you can get up to two extra items. With Looting 3, you can get up to three. This helps when you farm mobs like endermen, blazes, or wither skeletons. Looting 3 also increases the chance of rare drops. If you want more items and better chances, Looting 3 is the stronger choice.

Can I put Fire Aspect on an axe?

You cannot put Fire Aspect on an axe in normal Minecraft. Fire Aspect only works on swords. If you try to use an anvil or an enchanting table, the enchantment will not appear for axes. You can use cheats or commands to add it, but it won’t work in Survival Mode. In standard Minecraft, axes cannot set mobs on fire through enchantments.