Max Enchantment Levels

Every max level

Above the max

Commands can give levels up to 255: try the command generator or god armor generator. Some effects stop scaling: total protection is still capped at 80%.

Max levels at a glance

Seven enchantments go up to level V: Sharpness, Smite, Bane of Arthropods, Power, Efficiency, Impaling and Density, the damage and speed enchantments that scale furthest. Protection and its variants stop at IV, like Feather Falling, Piercing and Breach. Most utility enchantments end at III, and single-purpose ones such as Mending, Silk Touch, Infinity, Flame, Channeling and Multishot have only level I.

A higher level always costs more on the anvil, because the cost is the level times the enchantment's multiplier. That is why a max sword or max boots can run past 30 levels in total, and why the order of the books matters.

Reaching max levels in survival

The enchanting table rarely gives the highest level of an enchantment, especially on diamond and netherite gear. Two books of the same level merge into the next level on an anvil: two Sharpness IV books make Sharpness V. Librarians can also sell the top level directly. Combine everything in the cheapest order, starting from the enchantment calculator.

Each enchantment page lists the best level each material can roll at a level 30 table, for example Sharpness and Efficiency.

Max builds for every item

A max build puts the top level of every enchantment an item can hold, picking one from each group that excludes each other. Here is what each build costs on the anvil in the cheapest order, from fresh gear and fresh books.

The boots, sword and spear take the most books, 7 each, so they need the most care with the order. Even so, no max build needs a step over 39 levels if you follow the cheapest order. Each item page explains the choices, for example Sharpness or Smite on a sword and Fortune or Silk Touch on a pickaxe.

Which max levels the table can roll

The enchanting table can't always reach the top level, even at level 30. It depends on the item's enchantability. Here is the best each item can ever get from a level 30 table.

So for the strongest damage and mining enchantments, plan to merge books or buy the top book from a librarian. The table is still a fine source of the lower levels you merge. Read how to enchant for why diamond rolls worse than netherite and gold.

Merging books up to the max

Two books of the same enchantment and level merge into one book a level higher. That doubles the book count for every level you climb. Here is how many level I books you need for each level, and what the final merge costs.

In practice, you never start from level I. Most table books come out at level III or IV, so one more merge gets you to the top. Merging a level IV with a level III does not work, though: the levels must match, otherwise the result keeps the higher one.

Keep merges short. Every merge adds a use to the book, and that penalty follows the book onto your gear. A book merged three times already carries a penalty of 7.

Is the max level always worth it?

Usually yes, but not always. Some enchantments get weaker returns, and some have downsides at high levels.

• Protection: four pieces of Protection IV give 16 of the 20 protection points that count. Add Feather Falling IV on the boots and falls hit the 80% cap. More from commands does nothing.
• Sharpness: each level adds 0.5 damage in Java, starting at 1 for level I. Sharpness V adds 3 damage per hit. Check it on the sword damage calculator.
• Knockback: level II pushes mobs out of reach, which can slow you down. Many players skip it.
• Thorns: higher levels trigger more often, but each trigger costs extra durability. Only use Thorns III with Mending.
• Fire Aspect: animals killed with it drop cooked meat, which is handy. However, burning mobs can still run at you, so some players skip it on swords for close fights.
• Riptide: level III throws you far, which is fun but hard to steer in tight spaces.

Going above the max with commands

In Java, the /enchant command refuses anything above an enchantment's normal max level. To go higher, use /give with the enchantments component instead. For example:

/give @p netherite_sword[enchantments={sharpness:10,unbreaking:10}]

Levels go up to 255. That works in creative worlds and on servers with cheats on, but never in plain survival. The anvil also won't combine two max books into a higher level, so survival players stay at the normal max. The command generator writes these commands for any item, and the god armor generator builds a full set at once.

What each max level actually does

Here is the effect of the top level for the enchantments people ask about most. Each name links to the full page with every level.

• Protection IV: 4 protection points against all damage, about 16% less damage from this piece.
• Feather Falling IV: 12 points against falls, about 48% less fall damage.
• Unbreaking III: tools skip 75% of durability loss, armor 30%.
• Efficiency V: +26 mining speed.
• Fortune III: up to 4× ore drops, about 2.2× on average.
• Sharpness V: +3 damage (1.5 hearts).
• Looting III: up to +3 common drops, +3% chance for rare and equipment drops.
• Sweeping Edge III: swept mobs take 75% of the attack damage.
• Power V: +150% arrow damage.
• Density V: +2.5 damage per block fallen.
• Breach IV: target's armor is 60% less effective.
• Impaling V: +12.5 damage against aquatic mobs.
• Respiration III: about 60 seconds of air instead of 15.
• Swift Sneak III: you sneak at 75% of walking speed.
• Quick Charge III: the crossbow loads in 0.5s instead of 1.25s.
• Lure III: fish bite 15 seconds sooner.

The cost of a full max kit

A max helmet, chestplate, leggings, boots, sword and pickaxe take 255 levels on the anvil in total, if you follow the cheapest order for each. Because each step charges levels from your current bar, that is about 4,291 experience points if you spend them from low levels.

Spread the work out. Do one item each time you reach the levels for its biggest step, instead of saving up for everything at once. That way every step comes from the cheap end of the XP bar. The XP calculator shows how many points any number of levels takes.

Fastest route to each max level

• Unbreaking III: the table gives it often on gear, even on diamond. It rarely needs a librarian.
• Protection IV: diamond and netherite armor can roll it at level 30. Otherwise merge two Protection III books.
• Efficiency V, Sharpness V and Power V: buy them from librarians or merge two level IV books. The table can't give them on diamond gear, bows or books.
• Fortune III and Looting III: librarians are the easy route, because the table offers them less often.
• Mending: only from librarians, fishing and loot. It has a single level, so any copy is the max.
• Trial chamber loot: vaults can also hand out books such as Bane of Arthropods, Breach, Channeling, Density, Efficiency, Feather Falling. Treat them as a bonus while you explore.

Combine this with the anvil order for your item, and a full max set is a few evenings of work rather than weeks of table rolls.

Max levels in Bedrock

These guide pages follow Java Edition. Bedrock uses the same max levels for the enchantments both editions share. The main difference is that Bedrock has no Sweeping Edge, so a Bedrock sword holds one fewer enchantment. Bedrock also charges the anvil differently, so the total costs above apply to Java only.