Every mace enchantment, ranked
| Enchantment | Max | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
 Wind Burst | III | Max build | Chain smash after smash. |
| Smite | V | Alternative | Undead only; replaces Density. Excludes Density, so you pick one. |
| Bane of Arthropods | V | Alternative | Excludes Density, so you pick one. |
| Density | V | Max build | Raw smash damage; best against mobs. |
| Breach | IV | Alternative | Ignores armor; best against players. Excludes Density, so you pick one. |
| Fire Aspect | II | Max build | Sets targets on fire. |
| Unbreaking | III | Max build | Part of every max mace. |
| Mending | I | Max build | Part of every max mace. |
| Curse of Vanishing | I | Avoid | A curse: it only makes the item worse. |
What matters on a mace
The mace is all about the smash attack: fall onto a target and the hit grows with every block you dropped. Density, Breach, Smite and Bane of Arthropods exclude each other, while Wind Burst fits with all of them. So the mace has more real choices than most weapons.
A mace has 500 durability and deals 6 base damage. You craft it from a heavy core, which only drops from ominous vaults, and a breeze rod. So treat it like netherite gear and put Unbreaking and Mending on early.
A smash attack that lands also cancels your fall damage. So the mace is safer than it looks, as long as you hit.
Builds for different playstyles
Breach mace: Wind Burst III, Breach IV, Fire Aspect II, Unbreaking III, Mending. 34 levels in 5 steps. Open in the calculator.
Smite mace: Wind Burst III, Smite V, Fire Aspect II, Unbreaking III, Mending. 31 levels in 5 steps. Open in the calculator.
Mob and boss mace
Density V, Wind Burst III, Fire Aspect II, Unbreaking III and Mending. Density adds 2.5 damage per block fallen, and Wind Burst launches you back up for the next smash.
Undead mace
Smite V instead of Density adds 12.5 damage against undead on every hit. But Density V adds 2.5 per block, so it overtakes Smite on any smash from more than 5 blocks up. Smite only wins for ground hits and short drops.
PvP mace
Breach IV instead of Density makes the target's armor 60% less effective. Against players in diamond or netherite armor, that is the better pick.
Wind Burst combos
Wind Burst III throws you up after each smash, so you can chain hits without climbing. Carry wind charges too: they launch you up for the first smash.
Conflicts and which one to pick
Java 26.3 has 6 conflicts on the mace: Smite with Bane of Arthropods, Smite with Density, Smite with Breach, Bane of Arthropods with Density, Bane of Arthropods with Breach and Density with Breach. An anvil refuses a book that clashes with an enchantment already on the item, so decide before you start.
Density, Breach or Smite
Density for mobs and raw damage, Breach for armored players, Smite only for a dedicated undead mace. Bane of Arthropods sits in the same group and is rarely worth it. See Density vs Breach.
Wind Burst fits with everything
Wind Burst conflicts with none of them, so every mace build can carry it. It only comes from ominous vaults, so you may wait a while for it.
Each enchantment on the mace
Wind Burst III
Wind Burst launches you back into the air after a mace smash attack, so you can chain smash after smash. The book costs 6 levels on a fresh mace. More about Wind Burst.
Density V
Density makes the mace's smash attack hit harder the further you fall. At level V that means +2.5 damage per block fallen. Raw smash damage; best against mobs. The book costs 5 levels on a fresh mace. More about Density.
Fire Aspect II
Fire Aspect sets the mob you hit on fire. At level II that means the target burns for 8 seconds. The book costs 4 levels on a fresh mace. More about Fire Aspect.
Unbreaking III
Unbreaking gives items a chance to not lose durability when used. At level III that means tools skip 75% of durability loss, armor 30%. The book costs 3 levels on a fresh mace. More about Unbreaking.
Mending
Mending repairs an item with experience orbs. At level I that means each experience point you pick up repairs 2 durability. The book costs 2 levels on a fresh mace. More about Mending.
The numbers behind the build
A mace has 500 durability. Unbreaking III skips three out of four durability losses on average, so it lasts about 2000 uses instead of 500. Mending repairs 2 durability per experience point, so a full repair from almost broken takes about 250 points. That is roughly the XP needed to go from level 0 to level 13. With both books, each point of experience pays for about 8 uses.
In Java the mace deals 6 base damage, and the smash bonus grows with fall distance. 5 blocks: +16 smash damage, or +28.5 with Density V; 10 blocks: +24 smash damage, or +49 with Density V; 20 blocks: +34 smash damage, or +84 with Density V. Density V adds 2.5 per block, so it matters most on long drops. Run your own numbers in the mace damage calculator.
How the smash works
A smash attack happens when you hit a target after falling more than 1.5 blocks. The bonus grows fast over the first few blocks and then more slowly. Density adds a flat amount per block on top, so it keeps scaling on long drops.
Height is the hard part. Wind charges, Wind Burst, pillars and ender pearls all get you up, and Wind Burst is the only one that comes for free after each hit.
Where to get the books
You need 5 books for this build. Wind Burst and Mending are treasure enchantments, so the enchanting table won't give them. Plan to trade or loot for them first. Here is where each one comes from:
- Wind Burst III: ominous vaults (trial chambers).
- Density V: the enchanting table, librarian villagers, ominous vaults (trial chambers), random chest loot and fishing.
- Fire Aspect II: the enchanting table, librarian villagers, random chest loot and fishing.
- Unbreaking III: the enchanting table, librarian villagers, random chest loot and fishing.
- Mending: librarian villagers, trial chamber vaults, random chest loot and fishing.
Librarians are the most reliable source for exact books, because you can reroll them until they offer the one you want. The trading hall guide shows how, and the villager trade tool lists the prices. Combine the books in the cheapest anvil order so no step becomes too expensive.
Put a mace in the enchanting table and it can roll Density, Breach and Unbreaking. Wind Burst, Smite, Bane of Arthropods, Fire Aspect and Mending never show up there on a mace, so those come from books only. The enchanting table calculator shows the odds for each slot.
Which books to get first
Roll Density or Breach at the enchanting table: in Java the table can give both on a mace. Smite, Bane and Fire Aspect come from books only.
Wind Burst is the slow one. It only drops from ominous vaults in trial chambers, so open those with ominous trial keys whenever you can. Meanwhile Mending can come from regular vaults, librarians or fishing.
Mistakes to avoid
- Taking Breach for mob fights. Most mobs wear little armor, so Density does far more.
- Adding Wind Burst to a mace with a big penalty. It is the dearest book in the max build, so put it on early.
- Smashing from too high without a plan. If you miss, you take the full fall damage.
- Looking for Sharpness for your mace. It can't take it; Density is the mace's damage book.
Mace enchantment questions
Every enchantment a mace can take in Java 26.3: Wind Burst, Smite, Bane of Arthropods, Density, Breach, Fire Aspect, Unbreaking, Mending.
Quick answers: can you put Mending on a mace?, can you put Sharpness on a mace?, can you put Smite on a mace?, can you put Fire Aspect on a mace?, can you put Density and Breach on a mace?
See also the full list of incompatible enchantments and the god gear command generator.
Cheapest order
Combining these books in the wrong order can cost twice as many levels or hit Too Expensive! The cheapest order for the max mace costs 31 levels in 5 steps, with no step above 10. So you never need more than 10 levels at once.
Spend the levels step by step as you earn them: that costs about 435 experience points in total. If you saved up to level 31 first, you would need 1507 points, because each level costs more XP the higher you climb. Afterwards the mace has been on the anvil 3 times, so later repairs start at a penalty of 7.
Questions
Density or Breach on a mace?
Density for mobs and raw damage, Breach for armored players.
Can a mace have Sharpness?
No. The mace takes Smite, Bane of Arthropods, Density or Breach instead.
Is Wind Burst worth it?
Yes. It launches you back up after every smash, so you can chain hits. It conflicts with nothing.
Smite or Density for the wither?
Density, if you can smash from more than 5 blocks up. Below that, Smite V adds more.
How do you get Wind Burst?
Only from ominous vaults in trial chambers. Librarians never sell it, and the table never rolls it.
What is the max level for every mace enchantment?
Wind Burst III, Smite V, Bane of Arthropods V, Density V, Breach IV, Fire Aspect II, Unbreaking III, Mending I.
