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Armor enchantments are essential to survival, especially in the late game, but which set should one wear against each of the bosses? Is it okay to always wear the same? Today, we answer those questions and more in “Best Armor Enchantments in Minecraft 1.21.”

All Compatible Enchantments

Protection

• Maximum Level: IV
• Source: Enchanting Table & Enchanted Books
• Restrictions: Armor Exclusive. Incompatible with Blast Protection, Fire Protection, & Projectile Protection

Protection enchanted armor reduces damage from all sources, excluding hunger and a warden’s sonic boom attack, increasing with each level of the enchantment up to a maximum of level 4. The damage reduction equals the enchantment’s level multiplied by 4%, with a total reduction of 64% if all armor pieces are enchanted with protection IV.

Blast Protection

• Maximum Level: IV
• Source: Enchanting Table & Enchanted Books
• Restrictions: Armor Exclusive. Incompatible with Protection, Fire Protection, & Projectile Protection

Blast protection enchanted armor reduces damage from all explosions, increasing with each level of the enchantment up to a maximum of level 4. The damage reduction equals the enchantment’s level multiplied by 8%, with a total reduction of 80% if at least ten levels of blast protection are present across the set of armor. 80% is the damage reduction cap and can not be exceeded.

Fire Protection

• Maximum Level: IV
• Source: Enchanting Table & Enchanted Books
• Restrictions: Armor Exclusive. Incompatible with Protection, Blast Protection, & Projectile Protection

Fire protection enchanted armor reduces all damage from fire and magma, increasing with each level of the enchantment up to a maximum of level 4. The damage reduction equals the enchantment’s level multiplied by 8%, with a total reduction of 80% if at least ten levels of fire protection are present across the set of armor. 80% is the damage reduction cap and can not be exceeded.

Projectile Protection

• Maximum Level: IV
• Source: Enchanting Table & Enchanted Books
• Restrictions: Armor Exclusive. Incompatible with Protection, Blast Protection, & Fire Protection

Projectile protection enchanted armor reduces damage from all projectiles, excluding dragon fireballs, fireworks, splash potions of harming, and a warden’s sonic boom attack, increasing with each level of the enchantment up to a maximum of level 4. The damage reduction equals the enchantment’s level multiplied by 8%, with a total reduction of 80% if at least ten levels of projectile protection are present across the set of armor. 80% is the damage reduction cap and can not be exceeded.

Thorns

• Maximum Level: III
• Source: Enchanting Table & Enchanted Books
• Restrictions: Armor Exclusive

Thorns enchanted armor provides a 15% chance to deal one to five damage to any mobs or players that attack the wearer, increasing by 15% with each level of the enchantment up to a maximum 45% at level 3. Damage by thorns can not exceed five, even with multiple enchanted pieces.

Aqua Affinity

• Maximum Level: I
• Source: Enchanting Table & Enchanted Books
• Restrictions: Helmet Exclusive

Aqua affinity enchanted helmets remove the time penalty for mining underwater. The penalty for mining while floating is reduced but still remains.

Respiration

• Maximum Level: III
• Source: Enchanting Table & Enchanted Books
• Restrictions: Helmet Exclusive

Respiration enchanted helmets provide an additional 15 seconds of breath while underwater, increasing by 15 seconds with each level of the enchantment up to a maximum of 45 seconds at level 3.

Swift Sneak

• Maximum Level: III
• Source: Enchanted Books (Ancient Cities)
• Restrictions: Leggings Exclusive

Swift Sneak enchanted leggings increase movement speed by 15% while sneaking and crawling, increasing by 15% with each level of the enchantment up to a maximum of 45% at level 3.

Feather Falling

• Maximum Level: IV
• Source: Enchanting Table & Enchanted Books
• Restrictions: Boots Exclusive

Feather falling enchanted boots reduce all fall damage by 12%, increasing by 12% with each level of the enchantment up to a maximum of 48% at level 4.

Soul Speed

• Maximum Level: III
• Source: Enchanted Books (Bastion Remnants)
• Restrictions: Boots Exclusive

Soul speed enchanted boots provide a speed boost when walking on soul soil and soul sand, increasing with each level of the enchantment up to a maximum of level 3. Additionally, any level of soul speed removes the movement penalty for walking on soul sand.

Depth Strider

• Maximum Level: III
• Source: Enchanting Table & Enchanted Books
• Restrictions: Boots Exclusive. Incompatible with Frost Walker

Depth strider enchanted boots reduce the water movement penalty by one-third, increasing by one-third with each level of the enchantment up to a maximum of 100% at level 3.

Frost Walker

• Maximum Level: II
• Source: Enchanted Books (Fishing, Raids, Strongholds, & Trading)
• Restrictions: Boots Exclusive. Incompatible with Depth Strider

Frost walker enchanted boots create a temporary path of ice as one walks on non-flowing water, increasing in size for each level up to a maximum of level 2.

Unbreaking

• Maximum Level: III
• Source: Enchanting Table & Enchanted Books
• Restrictions: None

Unbreaking creates a chance that an item or tool’s durability will not decrease when used, averaging a 100% increase in lifespan per level of the enchantment. This enchantment has a maximum level of 3.

Mending

• Maximum Level: I
• Source: Enchanted Books (Fishing, Raids, Ancient Cities, Mineshafts, Strongholds, & Trading)
• Restrictions: None

Gathered experience orbs are automatically consumed to repair items enchanted with mending. Mending enchanted items must be in the main hand, off hand, or an equipped armor slot for this effect to occur.

Best Armor Enchantments

Helmet:

• Protection IV
• Respiration III
• Aqua Affinity I
• Thorns III
• Unbreaking III
• Mending I

Chestplate:

• Protection IV
• Thorns III
• Unbreaking III
• Mending I

Leggings:

• Protection IV
• Swift Sneak III
• Thorns III
• Unbreaking III
• Mending I

Boots:

• Protection IV
• Feather Falling IV
• Soul Speed III
• Depth Strider III
• Thorns III
• Unbreaking III
• Mending I

Players seeking to craft the ultimate set of armor will want to aim for the enchantments we have listed above. This is the maximum number of enchantments each piece of armor can hold, with protection taken in favor of blast, fire, projectile protection, and depth strider taken in favor of frost walker on the boots. Due to netherite armor negating fire and lava damage entirely and the cap of 80% on the damage reduction provided by projectile and blast protection, there is little reason to pick anything other than protection IV, which reduces all damage by 64%. The additional 16% provided by specializing is rarely ever worth it outside of very niche circumstances. As for frost walker, as cool as it is, there is rarely ever a circumstance where one can’t just craft a boat. Depth strider can’t be replicated through any other means and makes for easy exploration of flooded caves and deep-sea ravines.