Best Crossbow Enchantments in Minecraft
Quick answer
- Quick Charge III
- Multishot I
- Unbreaking III
- Mending I
Cheapest anvil order: 17 levels in 4 steps (Java)
Why each enchantment earns its slot
- IIIQuick Charge
Cuts crossbow reload time by 0.25 s per level.
- IMultishot
Fires three arrows or rockets for the cost of one.
- IIIUnbreaking
Chance to skip durability loss; roughly quadruples tool life at level III.
- IMending Treasure
Collected XP repairs the item (2 durability per XP point). Librarian trade or loot only. Get it from librarian villager trades, fishing, or loot chests.
Cheapest order to combine the books
Left item goes in the anvil’s first slot. Costs are Java Edition levels for a fresh crossbow and books straight from the table or a librarian.
- Crossbow + Mending book2
- Unbreaking book + Multishot book2
- Crossbow (Mending) + Book (Unbreaking + Multishot)7
- Crossbow (Mending + Unbreaking + Multishot) + Quick Charge book6
Trade-offs to know
Multishot and Piercing conflict. Take Piercing instead for single-target damage and to recover your arrows.
Other enchantments a crossbow can take: Piercing.Piercing can’t sit with Multishot.
With cheats on (Java 1.21.5+), this command gives the finished crossbow: /give @p crossbow[enchantments={quick_charge:3,multishot:1,unbreaking:3,mending:1}]
Every crossbow enchantment
| Enchantment | Max | What it does | Conflicts with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multishot | I | Fires three arrows or rockets for the cost of one. | Piercing |
| Piercing | IV | Bolts pass through one extra mob per level and can be picked back up. | Multishot |
| Quick Charge | III | Cuts crossbow reload time by 0.25 s per level. | — |
| Unbreaking | III | Chance to skip durability loss; roughly quadruples tool life at level III. | — |
| Mending Treasure | I | Collected XP repairs the item (2 durability per XP point). Librarian trade or loot only. | Infinity |
| Curse of Vanishing Curse | I | The item is destroyed instead of dropping when you die. | — |
Questions players ask
What are the best crossbow enchantments in Minecraft?
The strongest all-round set is Quick Charge III, Multishot I, Unbreaking III, Mending I. Multishot and Piercing conflict. Take Piercing instead for single-target damage and to recover your arrows.
How many levels does a max-enchanted crossbow cost?
Combining the books in the cheapest order costs 17 levels in total over 4 anvil uses in Java Edition, and no single step reaches the 40-level “Too Expensive!” cap. Applying the books one at a time costs more because the crossbow’s prior-work penalty doubles with every use.
Which crossbow enchantments can’t be combined?
Piercing and Multishot are mutually exclusive, so pick one of each pair.
Where do I get Mending?
Mending never appears on an enchanting table; get it from librarian villager trades, fishing, or loot chests.
Is there a command to give a fully enchanted crossbow?
Yes, with cheats on in Java Edition 1.21.5 or later: /give @p crossbow[enchantments={quick_charge:3,multishot:1,unbreaking:3,mending:1}]. Older versions use a different syntax.