All Minecraft Crossbow Enchantments (And When To Use Them)

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Updated:

04 Oct 2022

All Minecraft Crossbow Enchantments; Yes, All Of Them!

Ever wanted to know all the little details and information about all crossbow enchantments in Minecraft. Yeah, me too.

So, I prepared this list for all you wonderful folk out there who want to not only learn about all the crossbow enchantments and what they do, and how much they do it, but also when you would want to use them.

No need for further delays, let's jump right in.

6. Quick Charge

“Decreases the reloading time of the crossbow.”
Quick Charge stats:

Reloading time with no Quick Charge: 1.25 seconds
Reloading time with Quick Charge I: 1.00 second
Reloading time with Quick Charge II: 0.75 seconds
Reloading time with Quick Charge III: 0.50 seconds

While people seemed to love it when the crossbow was first introduced to Minecraft, the worst thing about it seemed to be the draw time. It would take a long time to reload your crossbow and especially in a PvP scenario, you might not have enough time to use your crossbow for a second time.

So, what to do? Well, Quick Charge helps a lot with that problem. While it takes more than a second (1.25 seconds) to reload your crossbow if you haven’t enchanted it with Quick Charge, it will only take 0.50 seconds (half a second!) to reload your crossbow with Quick Charge III.

So, yeah. It’s really worth it to have Quick Charge on your crossbow.
Use Quick Charge if:

You want to use your crossbow a second time, especially in PvP.
You want to shoot more with your crossbow in less time.
You don’t like having multiple crossbows in your inventory and/or hotbar for PvP.

5. Multishot

“Makes the crossbow fire a spread of 3 projectiles at once instead of a single projectile.”
Multishot stats:

Maximum level: I
Enchantment weight: 2
Incompatible with Piercing
Only available for the crossbow

I really can’t comment on how effective this enchantment is, but I can easily say that it is really cool.

With this enchantment on your crossbow, you’ll be able to shoot three arrows from your crossbow at once. The great thing is that this will only consume a single arrow, and you will be able to pick up the middle arrow after shooting it too.

The three shots will be 10 degrees apart from each other and here is the great thing: you will also be able to shoot firework rockets and such with this and have them be tripled as well.

This one is definitely great for PvP, and also PvE, while you are fighting more than a single enemy. Keep in mind that only one arrow out of the three will hurt the same mob or player, definitely be mindful of that.
Use Multishot if:

You are fighting against multiple enemies at once.
You want to shoot more than three arrow but not only arrows, but also other things like triple firework rockets and spectral arrows, and so on.
You enjoy looking really cool when you use your crossbow.

4. Piercing

“Makes arrows shot from the crossbow pierce entities they hit and continue their flight.”
Piercing stats:

Pierce up to 2 enemies with Piercing I
Pierce up to 3 enemies with Piercing II
Pierce up to 4 enemies with Piercing III
Pierce up to 5 enemies with Piercing IV
Incompatible with Multishot

Piercing is also a great enchantment that is only available for the crossbow. It also serves some purposes that Multishot also serves, and you will also quickly find out or have already found out that you cannot have both Multishot and Piercing in the same crossbow, bummer.

So, what does Piercing do? Well, the name kind of explains it all, really. When you shoot a mob or a player with a crossbow enchanted with Piercing, the arrow will damage and go through that entity and hit other entities behind it, up to 5, 6 if you include the first enemy you hit, depending on the level of your piercing enchantment.

Definitely a great enchantment if you are fighting more than one enemy or you are using your crossbow for a mob farm.
Use Piercing if:

You use your crossbow for your mob farm. Kind of different to use a crossbow for a mob farm but we don’t judge.
You are fighting multiple enemies at once.
You are doing PvP where you have to fight more than one player at a time.

3. Unbreaking

“Grants a chance to negate durability consumption, making the crossbow last longer.”
Unbreaking stats:

%100 more durability on a tool at Unbreaking I
%200 more durability on a tool at Unbreaking II
%300 more durability on a tool at Unbreaking III

One of the most integral parts of the enchanting process and experience, you will definitely want Unbreaking on your crossbow.

Your crossbow only has 465 durability if you haven’t enchanted it with any Unbreaking; however, if you do so, the numbers will change, a lot! With unbreaking III, you will get 1860 durability for your crossbow, which is more than an unenchanted diamond pickaxe. Yeah, it’s a lot!

If you are using your crossbow a lot and don’t want to repair it all the time, with an anvil or with Mending, you’ll definitely want Unbreaking on your crossbow. Unbreaking III even, if you are able.
Use Unbreaking if:

You don’t want to always repair your crossbow.
You want your crossbow to last 4 times as long (with Unbreaking III).
You want to use your crossbow in fights more without worrying about its durability.

2. Mending

“Repairs the crossbow using experience, but also preventing the player from gaining score.”
Mending stats:

Enchantment weight: 2
Incompatible with Infinity
Maximum level: 1

Mending, even though it came out later than the original enchantments, is an amazing tool that you probably should have in all your equipment, from your armor to every single one of your tools. I mean, have Mending on your flint and steel, yeah, try it, it works (I don’t know if it works I never tried it, I don’t think anyone ever did, please don’t bully me if it doesn’t work, thank you.)

With Mending on your crossbow, you will be able to collect XP orbs from the enemies you slay, and XP will, instead of going to your XP bar and levelling you up, go and repair the tool you are holding or wearing at the moment.

With this, you won’t have to worry about fixing your crossbow or your crossbow breaking without you realizing it. Combined with Unbreaking, you will basically have an indestructible tool in your hands, which is pretty neat.
Use Mending if:

You don’t want to always repair your crossbow.
You would like your crossbow to be repaired by the looted XP from your fallen foes.
Yeah, I think that’s about it.

1. Curse of Vanishing

“The crossbow vanishes on death, not dropping as an item.”
Curse of Vanishing stats:

Maximum level: 1
Not able to disenchant.
Only appliable with an anvil

Curse of Vanishing is not an enchantment you can just come across as you enchant your items with the enchanting table. No, you might come across enchanted books with Curse of Vanishing on them, or you might find tools as loot that already has it. Well, if that’s the case, you can’t get rid of it, it will stay there forever.

What does it do? If you die with a tool, this time the crossbow, in your inventory that has Curse of Vanishing, it will completely disappear and will not drop to the ground as an item like every other item in your inventory.

So, yeah. Not the most desirable enchantment out there. While there really isn’t any reason why you would want Curse of Vanishing for your crossbow, I’m sure some people will find one regardless.
Use Curse of Vanishing if: