These Are the Best Crossbow Enchantments in Minecraft

Let’s face it: crossbows in Minecraft don’t get as much love as they should. Sure, everyone’s rushing to craft a sword or an axe, but the crossbow? Not so much

With the right enchantments, you can transform your crossbow from a “meh” weapon into a total game-changer.

So grab your crafting table (and maybe some extra patience for RNG), because we’re about to load up the best crossbow enchantments Minecraft has to offer.

Quick Glance: Best Crossbow Enchantments

If you don’t want to go through all the details (although you should), here are the best enchantments at a glance:

Enchantment	Effect	Best For	Drawback
Piercing	Arrows pass through multiple targets	Crowd control	Cannot combine with Multishot
Multishot	Fires 3 arrows at once	Mob clearing	Significant durability loss
Unbreaking	Reduces durability consumption	Long-term use	None
Quick Charge	Reduces reload time	Rapid firing	None
Mending	Repairs crossbow with XP	Sustainability	Hard to obtain
Curse of Vanishing	Disappears on death	PvP and risky situations	Permanent loss upon death

1. Piercing Enchantment

If you like lining up your enemies for maximum destruction, Piercing is your go-to crossbow enchantment. This bad boy lets your arrows pass through multiple enemies – or even objects! Perfect for tight corridors or a row of zombies that just won’t quit.

Here’s the breakdown:

• Damage Boost: Piercing ensures every shot feels worth the time spent loading.
• Multiple Hits: At max level (IV), your arrows can pass through up to four targets in a straight line.
• Pro Tip: Combine Piercing with Unbreaking to offset the durability hit.

The downside? Piercing doesn’t play nice with Multishot. You’ll need to pick your favorite. But hey, who needs three arrows when one can skewer a whole mob lineup?

Now, if you’re more of the melee player, you might want to check out my previous article about the best axe enhancements in Minecraft.

2. Multishot Enchantment

Feeling extra aggressive? Multishot fires three arrows at once, spreading destruction in every direction. Great for clearing mobs or keeping enemies at bay.

Key features:

• Crowd Control: Perfect for dealing with groups of enemies spread out around you.
• Durability Trade-Off: Each shot takes a bigger toll on your crossbow’s durability, so pair it with Unbreaking.
• Quick Note: You’ll only need to enchant your crossbow once since Multishot doesn’t have levels.

Pro Tip: Multishot pairs beautifully with Quick Charge. You’ll feel like a medieval machine gun, scattering arrows like nobody’s business.

This is a good Enchantment to have if you play various mods that bring in a lot of new and amazing mobs, like the Cracker’s Wither Storm Mod.

3. Unbreaking Enchantment

Durability is always a concern with powerful enchantments like Piercing and Multishot, but Unbreaking has your back.

By reducing wear and tear, this enchantment ensures your crossbow sticks around for the long haul.

Why it’s a must-have:

• Durability Boost: Increases the chances your crossbow won’t consume durability on use.
• Universal Compatibility: Works with every other enchantment, making it an essential pick.

Trust me, there’s nothing worse than crafting the perfect crossbow only for it to snap mid-battle. With Unbreaking, that worry is gone.

Related reading: Best free Minecraft skins to download this year.

4. Quick Charge Enchantment

One reason many players avoid crossbows? The painfully long reload time. Enter Quick Charge, the ultimate fix for slow reloads.

What makes it awesome:

• Faster Firing: Each level reduces reload time by 0.25 seconds, with a max reduction of 0.75 seconds at level III.
• Combo Power: Works seamlessly with Piercing or Multishot for rapid-fire destruction.

5. Mending Enchantment

Mending turns your crossbow into a self-sustaining weapon. As you earn experience points, this enchantment repairs your crossbow automatically, keeping it in peak condition.

Why you need it:

• Durability for Days: Never worry about your crossbow breaking during a fight.
• Single Use: One enchantment book is all it takes to max out Mending.

The only catch? Mending requires a lot of luck (or villager trading) to obtain. But once you have it, your crossbow will practically last forever.

Also read: How to Get Zombie Pigman Head

6. Curse of Vanishing Enchantment

This one’s a double-edged sword. Curse of Vanishing ensures your crossbow disappears if you die, preventing enemies from stealing it.

Best used for:

• PvP Matches: Keep your fully enchanted crossbow out of enemy hands.
• High-Stakes Situations: Protect your gear during risky exploration or raids.

The downside? If you die near your spawn point, you lose the crossbow entirely. Use with caution – or a good backup plan.

Also read: 50 Fun Things to Do in Minecraft When You’re Bored

Conclusion

Crossbows may not be the most common weapon in Minecraft, but with these enchantments, they’ll quickly become your favorite. Or at least much better and useful overall.

Go on ahead and give these enchantments a try and do let us know in the comments below which one is your favorite to use and why!