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Minecraft Enchantment Calculator

Pick an item and select enchantments to see the total anvil cost in XP levels. Shows incompatibilities and the "too expensive" threshold.

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Item

Enchantments for Sword

max 5
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max 2
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max 1
max 1

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How enchantment costs work in Minecraft

The anvil system, XP math, and the 'Too Expensive' limit.

Every enchantment applied through an anvil has a base cost in XP levels. Higher-level enchantments cost more, and rare enchantments (like Mending, Soul Speed, Swift Sneak) have higher base multipliers. The total cost is the sum of all enchantment costs plus a "prior work" penalty.

The prior work penalty doubles each time an item passes through an anvil. A fresh item has 0 prior work. After one anvil operation, its penalty is 1. After two, it is 3. After three, 7. After six operations, the penalty alone reaches 63 levels, which exceeds the 39-level cap and makes the item permanently unable to be enchanted further on an anvil.

This is why enchantment order matters. Combining books before applying them to the item reduces the number of anvil operations on the final piece. The optimal strategy: merge books in pairs (creating "super books"), then apply the combined book to the item in as few steps as possible.

Enchantment FAQ

Common questions about Minecraft enchanting.

When the total XP cost exceeds 39 levels, the anvil refuses the operation in survival mode. This happens when an item has been repaired or enchanted too many times. Each anvil use doubles the prior work penalty. To avoid this, plan your enchantment order carefully and combine books before applying them.
Let the calculator pick it: for all seven max-level sword books (Sharpness V, Looting III, Sweeping Edge III, Fire Aspect II, Knockback II, Unbreaking III, Mending) the cheapest order costs 49 levels, with no single step above 14. The rule of thumb is to keep the priciest books away from high prior work penalties and to merge books in pairs before they touch the sword. Looting III and Sweeping Edge III cost the most (6 levels each), then Sharpness V (5), Fire Aspect II (4), Unbreaking III (3), and Knockback II and Mending (2 each).
Reaching level 30 requires 1,395 XP points. For reference, level 16 needs 352 points, level 20 needs 550 points, and level 40 needs 2,920 points. Killing the Ender Dragon for the first time gives 12,000 XP, enough for level 68 from zero.
Yes. If both items have the same enchantment at the same level, the output gets one level higher (up to the max). If they differ, the target item keeps its enchantments and gains any new ones from the sacrifice item. Incompatible enchantments are skipped.
Protection, Fire Protection, Blast Protection, and Projectile Protection conflict with each other. Sharpness, Smite, and Bane of Arthropods conflict. On the mace, Density, Breach, Smite, and Bane of Arthropods all conflict with each other. Fortune and Silk Touch conflict. Depth Strider and Frost Walker conflict. Mending and Infinity conflict. Multishot and Piercing conflict. Loyalty/Channeling and Riptide conflict.
Yes. The item in the first slot is the target; the second slot is the sacrifice. The sacrifice item is destroyed. Placing the more-enchanted item in the first slot and the book in the second usually costs fewer levels. Always target the item with more existing work.

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