Minecraft: The 5 Best Armor Enchantments in 2023
With dangerous mobs and environmental hazards around every corner, staying well-protected plays pivotal ensuring survival success across the blocky biomes of Minecraft. While crafted armor boosts defense ratings substantially, adding Armor Enchantments greatly bolsters battle and exploration-readiness exponentially.
But with over a dozen possible protections to pick from, determining the best combinations for gear proves daunting even for seasoned experts. As devoted Minecraft players since 2010 betas, we break down the top 5 definitive armor enchantments entering 2023 and explain exactly why they edge out the competition when applied correctly.
How Armor and Enchanting Work in Minecraft
Before ranking top enchantment superpowers, let’s review armor mechanics and enchanting basics quick:
Armor
- Reduces health lost blocking attacks
- Comes in 4 materials: leather, gold, iron, diamond
- Wear full sets covering head, torso, legs and feet for max effectiveness
Enchanting
- Adds bonus buffs and abilities to weapons, tools or armor
- Requires enchantment table, lapis lazuli and experience points
- Unlocks higher tiers after establishing xp farms and trading
Enchanted gear withstands environmental stresses and enemy encounters longer through enhanced attributes. But choices overload on what to enchant first with limited resources early, so prioritize the best bang for buck options ranked below!
Protection – The Gold Standard Defense Buff
The simply named Protection enchantment delivers exactly as advertised universally, decreasing all types of incoming damage substantially, earning the undisputed top dog status for essential enchanting.
At max Protection IV level, receive 24% less hurt from void falls, lightning strikes, mob melee swipes, ranged arrow snipes, fire/lava hazards or creeper detonations. It significantly covers any bases lacking focused resistance otherwise with damage decreases stacking above natural armor ratings.
As hardcore Minecraft adventurers since elementary school, we always target Protection IV first when decking out fresh sets of diamond armor. The all-encompassing damage reduction makes a noticeable difference surviving longer against virtually every environmental threat the blocky worlds throw your way!
Mending – Constant Passive Armor Repair
Nothing hurts worse than losing god-tier enchanted diamond gear permanently to gradual decay through extensive use over time exploring, especiallyatts, especially Protection IV pieces!
Enter Mending to save the day! Any armor possessing the Mending enchantment passively repairs gradually by absorbing collected experience orbs. As long as enrolled xp keeps flowing regularly, durability retention sustains itself near peak almost indefinitely if paired properly with Unbreaking III as well (more below).
Now treasured armor lasts perpetually revitalizing condition without manually grinding material repairs. Our elytra wings fly infinitely far thanks to Mending-fueled restoration!
Just remember, Mending only delays item demise rather than preventing entirely once removed or xp income disrupted. But combined with a few other secret sauce enchantments discussed below, achieving practical immortality on equipped armor remains possible!
Unbreaking – Boosted Durability Through Damage Resistance
Another skill complementing exceptional armor longevity is Unbreaking, increasing item durability significantly. The chance of negating damage from actions entirely scales based on enchantment leveling:
- Unbreaking I = 20% damage resistance
- Unbreaking II = 33% damage resistance
- Unbreaking III = 50% damage resistance
When handling enchanted armor or weapons actively often, those durability-draining blows add up quick. But Unbreaking lessens durability deductions anywhere from 1/5th to half the time statistically.
Combining both Mending’s constant trickle regeneration with Unbreaking’s cut incoming damages makes near-invincible equipment realistic end game. We can literally explore entire oceans and dimensions without armor ever cracking thanks to this durable duo!
Thorns – Offensive Defense Through Counterattacking
While protection enchantments focus on durability, Thorns takes an offensive defense approach sending some pain back attackers’ way.
When struck wearing Thorns-enhanced armor, it reflects a portion of received damage instantly back onto the mob or player instigator themselves. Higher levels escalate the retaliation rate and intensity:
- Thorns I has a 15% deflection chance at 1 heart return
- Thorns II boasts 30% odds dealing 2 hearts damage
- Thorns III doubles power again to 4 hearts at a hefty 60% probability trigger
If facing lots of routine enemy mobs like skeleton archers or zombie pigmen confronting them constantly, the consistent Thorns computed counter-punches add up quickly improving survival rates substantially while looting the Nether or raiding monuments.
Just know that constant deflecting cuts into durability faster, so sustain gear through an auxiliary Mending or Unbreaking enchant. Wield Thorns responsibly!
Blast Protection – Explosive Resistance
With volatile Creepers and unpredictable Bed explosives threatening builds, Blast Protection gives indispensable defense once unlocked. All levels reduce explosive attack impacts by 50%, making TNT tunneling or fighting the Wither boss more strategic endeavors likely seeing you through intact.
The tradeoff comes in lessened all-around protection against general sources compared to standard Protection enchantments when opting solely for damage type-specific resistance instead. But when Creeper swarms and TNT raid worries fill everyday gameplay regularly, lean heavier into Blast Protection seeing you through safely.
Closing Thoughts
Hopefully the thorough explanations behind Minecraft’s 5 most beneficial armor enchantments for 2023 prove helpful establishing priorities as you gather experience levels and lapis. Blanket Protection IV defense, constant Mending regeneration, Unbreaking’s durability boosts, calculated Thorns retaliation, and necessary Blast Protection provide pretty reliable coverage exploring blocky frontiers near and far this new year.
What other enchantment combinations work well ensuring your survival resilience long-term? Please share your preferred late-game armor enhancement strategies so we can further improve our own unbreakable sets over the infinite adventures ahead!