Best Pickaxe Enchantments in Minecraft
Quick answer
- Efficiency V
- Fortune III
- Unbreaking III
- Mending I
Cheapest anvil order: 23 levels in 4 steps (Java)
Why each enchantment earns its slot
- VEfficiency
Faster mining. Efficiency V + Haste II instamines many blocks.
- IIIFortune
More drops from ores and crops (up to 4× diamonds at level III).
- 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 pickaxe and books straight from the table or a librarian.
- Pickaxe + Unbreaking book3
- Fortune book + Mending book2
- Pickaxe (Unbreaking) + Book (Fortune + Mending)10
- Pickaxe (Unbreaking + Fortune + Mending) + Efficiency book8
Trade-offs to know
Most players keep two pickaxes: one with Fortune III for ores, one with Silk Touch for glass, ice, ore blocks and bookshelves.
Other enchantments a pickaxe can take: Silk Touch.Silk Touch can’t sit with Fortune.
With cheats on (Java 1.21.5+), this command gives the finished pickaxe: /give @p netherite_pickaxe[enchantments={efficiency:5,fortune:3,unbreaking:3,mending:1}]
Every pickaxe enchantment
| Enchantment | Max | What it does | Conflicts with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency | V | Faster mining. Efficiency V + Haste II instamines many blocks. | — |
| Silk Touch | I | Blocks drop themselves: ores, glass, grass blocks, bookshelves. | Fortune |
| Fortune | III | More drops from ores and crops (up to 4× diamonds at level III). | Silk Touch |
| 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 pickaxe enchantments in Minecraft?
The strongest all-round set is Efficiency V, Fortune III, Unbreaking III, Mending I. Most players keep two pickaxes: one with Fortune III for ores, one with Silk Touch for glass, ice, ore blocks and bookshelves.
How many levels does a max-enchanted pickaxe cost?
Combining the books in the cheapest order costs 23 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 pickaxe’s prior-work penalty doubles with every use.
Which pickaxe enchantments can’t be combined?
Silk Touch and Fortune 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 pickaxe?
Yes, with cheats on in Java Edition 1.21.5 or later: /give @p netherite_pickaxe[enchantments={efficiency:5,fortune:3,unbreaking:3,mending:1}]. Older versions use a different syntax.