Best Trident Enchantments in Minecraft
Quick answer
- Loyalty III
- Impaling V
- Channeling I
- Unbreaking III
- Mending I
Cheapest anvil order: 33 levels in 5 steps (Java)
Why each enchantment earns its slot
- IIILoyalty
A thrown trident flies back to you; faster at higher levels.
- VImpaling
+2.5 damage per level to aquatic mobs (Bedrock: to anything in water or rain).
- IChanneling
Summons lightning on a hit mob during thunderstorms. Conflicts only with Riptide.
- 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 trident and books straight from the table or a librarian.
- Trident + Unbreaking book3
- Channeling book + Mending book2
- Trident (Unbreaking) + Book (Channeling + Mending)8
- Impaling book + Loyalty book3
- Trident (Unbreaking + Channeling + Mending) + Book (Impaling + Loyalty)17
Trade-offs to know
Loyalty + Channeling for combat, or a separate Riptide trident for fast travel in the rain.
Other enchantments a trident can take: Riptide.Riptide can’t sit with Loyalty.Riptide can’t sit with Channeling.
With cheats on (Java 1.21.5+), this command gives the finished trident: /give @p trident[enchantments={loyalty:3,impaling:5,channeling:1,unbreaking:3,mending:1}]
Every trident enchantment
| Enchantment | Max | What it does | Conflicts with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loyalty | III | A thrown trident flies back to you; faster at higher levels. | Riptide |
| Riptide | III | Throwing in water or rain launches you instead of the trident. | Loyalty, Channeling |
| Channeling | I | Summons lightning on a hit mob during thunderstorms. Conflicts only with Riptide. | Riptide |
| Impaling | V | +2.5 damage per level to aquatic mobs (Bedrock: to anything in water or rain). | — |
| 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 trident enchantments in Minecraft?
The strongest all-round set is Loyalty III, Impaling V, Channeling I, Unbreaking III, Mending I. Loyalty + Channeling for combat, or a separate Riptide trident for fast travel in the rain.
How many levels does a max-enchanted trident cost?
Combining the books in the cheapest order costs 33 levels in total over 5 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 trident’s prior-work penalty doubles with every use.
Which trident enchantments can’t be combined?
Riptide and Loyalty; Riptide and Channeling 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 trident?
Yes, with cheats on in Java Edition 1.21.5 or later: /give @p trident[enchantments={loyalty:3,impaling:5,channeling:1,unbreaking:3,mending:1}]. Older versions use a different syntax.