Best Minecraft Bow Enchantments

Updated:

06 Jun 2020

In Minecraft combat is important. Whether you are fighting mobs or other players, having powerful weapons is key. A popular weapon of choice is the bow. One of the only range weapons in Minecraft, the bow can be especially lethal when enchanted. Today I’m going to countdown all seven bow enchantments from worst to best.

*This list is as of June 2020.*

7. Curse of Vanishing

Certainly a lesser-known enchantment, Curse of Vanishing (CoV) is an enchantment for the bow that is only supported in Java Edition (coming soon to Bedrock Edition 1.16.0). This enchantment curses the weapon and causes it to disappear once a player dies. The maximum level for Curse of Vanishing is I.

What Makes Curse of Vanishing Great:

Bows enchanted with impressive and deadly enchantments can not be obtained by the person responsible for killing a player in PVP.
Can be obtained by chest loot, fishing, and trading for enchanted books.

6. Unbreaking

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With a maximum level of III, Unbreaking allows for the bow to have a chance of reduced durability to the bow when equipped.

What Makes Unbreaking Great:

Depending on the level of the enchantment (1-3) the chance that the bow reduces durability is the level+1 times as long.
Bows last longer with this enchantment, increasing usage.

5. Mending

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Similar to Unbreaking, Mending is an enchantment that seeks to repair the bow. With a maximum level of I, mending causes XP orbs to contribute toward bow repair rather than player experience. I placed this higher on the list for its higher likelihood of repair. (NOTICE: Mending and Infinity are incompatible).

What Makes Mending Great:

Players can utilize a mob farm to help repair bows.
Experience orbs repair the bow at 2 durability per XP.
Can be obtained through chest loot, fishing, raids, or trading. NOT from an enchanting table.

4. Punch

The first enchantment that increases damage on my list is Punch. Punch has a maximum level of II and increases the knockback speed of the bow.

What Makes Punch Great:

Knockback increased by +3 blocks per level to the base knockback.
Enchantment level of 2.
The higher the knockback the more likely players are to lose health to fall damage.

3. Flame

One of the most popular bow achievements in the game, flame allows for the bow to shoot fire arrows. Flame carries a maximum level of I.

What Makes Flame Great:

Allows arrows to deal fire damage on top of base arrow damage.
Flaming arrows affect TNT and campfires as well as mobs and players.
Flaming arrows deal two hearts fire damage over a 5 second period.

2. Power

The bow enchantment with the highest maximum level (V) and landing at number two on my list is Power. Power increases the overall damage of each arrow.

What Makes Flame Great:

Each arrow’s damage is increased by 25% per level.
Damage is rounded up to the nearest half-heart.
Level V allows for maximum damage.

1. Infinity

The best enchantment for bows in Minecraft is Infinity. The Infinity enchantment has a max level of I and prevents the bow from consuming arrows during use. (Notice: Mending and Infinity are incompatible).

What Makes Infinity Great:

Players have unlimited arrows.
Players only have to carry 1 arrow for the bow to fire.
Having unlimited arrows sets players at an advantage against opponents who are limited on ammo.

Despite a rather limited enchantment pool, bows prove to have some of the most impactful enchantments in the game. If you can get your hands on these enchantments, you’ll have your enemies trembling in fear. That concludes my ranking of all of the current bow enchantments in Minecraft. Now go out and have a shootout and show those noobs whose boss!

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