Have you ever found yourself in a tough situation, surrounded by mobs and trying to figure out which enchantment to use? Well, that’s exactly what we’re going to talk about here. The good old dilemma in Minecraft: smite vs sharpness.
Both are great options when it comes to taking down mobs, but they each have their unique advantages and disadvantages. While Smite might do more damage to mobs, it doesn’t affect players at all.
On the other hand, Sharpness can be used against both mobs and players, making it a versatile option. So, which one should you choose? Let’s find out in our discussion of Minecraft smite vs sharpness!
If you are interested in information on other enchantments, you can read this complete List of Minecraft Enchantments.
What Does Smite Do in Minecraft?
Smite in Minecraft is an enchantment that increases damage dealt to undead mobs when applied to swords or axes. It has 5 levels, each level raising the damage inflicted by 2.5 points. To use the Smite enchantment, players must craft an enchanting table using 4 obsidian blocks, 2 diamonds, and a book.
The enchanting table, when powered with lapis lazuli, will show randomized enchantment options with level requirements and lapis lazuli costs. Players select the Smite option, and the sword or axe will change its appearance to show the imbued enchantment.
The damage inflicted with each hit, using the Smite enchantment, depends on the type of sword or axe.
If you are looking for axes enchantments, check out out the Fortune Axe enchantment.
For example, with a generic diamond sword, each level of Smite has the following effect on your weapon damage:
| Level | Damage | Critical Hit |
|---|---|---|
| Base | 7 | 10.5 |
| Smite I | 9.5 | 13 |
| Smite II | 12 | 15.5 |
| Smite III | 14.5 | 18 |
| Smite IV | 17 | 20.5 |
| Smite V | 19.5 | 23 |
Minecraft Sharpness: What Does It Do?
Sharpness is a vital combat enchantment in Minecraft that adds extra damage per level to all mobs and players. The Sharpness enchantment increases the damage of your sword or axe against all enemies in the game.
Sharpness is a must-have enchantment for any player exploring the overworld, as it ensures that your weapon will be effective against all types of enemies, including undead, spirits, nether creatures, and endermen.
Sharpness – Java Edition
In Java Edition, Sharpness adds 0.5 * max(0, level – 1) + 1.0 extra damage per level. Generic diamond swords, for instance, have the following effects on weapon damage with each level of Sharpness:
| Level | Damage | Critical Hit |
|---|---|---|
| Base | 7 | 10.5 |
| Sharpness I | 8 | 11.5 |
| Sharpness II | 8.5 | 12 |
| Sharpness III | 9 | 12.5 |
| Sharpness IV | 9.5 | 13 |
| Sharpness V | 10 | 13.5 |
Sharpness – Bedrock Edition
In the Bedrock edition of Minecraft, the Sharpness enchantment works similarly. Each level of Sharpness adds 1.25 extra damage per hit.
The maximum level of Sharpness is level 5, and it is available for swords, axes, and tridents. With each level of enhancement your damage increases by a certain amount.
Related article: Make Minecraft fullscreen for the Java and Bedrock editions
Sharpness in generic diamond swords, for example, affects weapon damage in the following ways:
| Level | Damage | Critical Hit |
|---|---|---|
| Base | 8 | 12 |
| Sharpness I | 9.25 | 13.875 |
| Sharpness II | 10.5 | 15.75 |
| Sharpness III | 11.75 | 17.625 |
| Sharpness IV | 13 | 19.5 |
| Sharpness V | 14.25 | 21.375 |
Smite Vs Sharpness Minecraft: What’s Better?
Most players think that a Smite sword is better for mobs while a Sharpness sword is better for players. However, it’s important to note that Sharpness is effective against all mobs, while Smite is only focused on undead mobs, which can significantly reduce its overall utility.
When it comes to Sharpness, you can have 11 hit points or 15 with a critical shot, and a sweeping edge that deals 9.25 damage to any animals that are not hit directly, as the sweeping edge reduces damage to all mobs.
Speaking about Smite, the Smite bonus has to be removed so it can do 8 points of damage (the same as if it wasn’t enchanted), 12 with a critical shot, or 6 hit points with the sweeping edge.
Check out the best boots enchatnments in Minecraft!
Moving up the passive and neutral mob chain, the damage stays the same for most of the mobs until you reach the sheep and wolf, which have 8 hit points. In this case, the sweeping edge on Smite is not enough to kill them.
The main distinction between Smite vs Sharpness in Minecraft is made with the fire aspect with 7.5 hit points allowing for a one-shot kill for both. If you need to kill a large number of sheep and want to be able to one-shot them to collect raw mutton, this is an extremely niche situation.
We also have a comparison between Minecraft axe and sword if you’re looking for a powerful weapon to enchant.
Which Enchantment Does More Damage to Mobs?
Smite V on a diamond sword proved to be more effective in damaging mobs as it could one-hit kill both zombies and skeletons. The Sharpness sword couldn’t one-hit creepers and spiders. We can say that Sharpness is an overrated enchantment for swords and axes in fighting general hostile mobs in the Overworld and Nether.
Putting Sharpness V on a diamond axe and performing axe crits didn’t change the result. The Smite enchantment shines in the Nether, where the majority of the mobs are undead, including the Wither.
Discover the best enchantments for a fishing rod and reel in mobs at a much faster rate!
Does Sharpness Affect Zombies?
Yes, Sharpness affects zombies because it deals damage to ALL mobs, including undead ones. Smite enchantment only deals extra damage to undead mobs. However, Sharpness is less effective than Smite when speaking about damaging zombies.
Smite provides the highest damage bonus at 2.5 extra attack damage per level, while Sharpness provides a lower bonus at 0.5 extra attack damage per level. The enchantments also have secondary effects, with Smite slowing down its targets.
Is Sharpness Harder to Get Than Smite?
When it comes to Smite vs Sharpness, both enchantments have different weights and chances of appearing on your sword. Their chance of appearing depends on the enchantment level and the number of nearby bookshelves.
The base enchantment level is determined by the formula:
randomInt(x,y) + floor(b / 2) + randomInt(0,b)
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)“b” represents the number of bookshelves nearby (capped at 15) and “x” and “y” are random integers between 1 and 8. Depending on the slot position, enchantment levels are modified for the top, middle, and bottom slots.
Whether one enchantment is harder to get than the other depends on the enchantment algorithm. According to this enchant calculator for Minecraft, these are the chances of getting a Sharpness enchantment according to your experience (XP)
It seems that the fewer experience, the more probability to get Sharpness I enchantment. The enchantment power (Sharpness IV has a power of 4) and the enchantment level (required experience level) is determined by the enchantment algorithm which uses a three-step process.
Can I Get Both Sharpness & Smite on a Weapon in Minecraft?
Yes, you can get both sharpness and smite enchantments on a weapon in Minecraft by using admin commands. Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting both if you can’t choose between Minecraft smite vs sharpness.
Step 1. Open the “Admin” Command Bar
To do this, press by ‘/’ key (slash) on your keyboard. On some keyboards, you have to press “shift + 7” to get the slash key.
Step 2. Write the Following Command
/give @p diamond_sword{Enchantments:[{id:sharpness,lvl:5},{id:smite,lvl:5}]}
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)You can change “diamond_sword” for the weapon you want, for example, “netherite_sword”. The level (lvl) of each enchantment can also be adjusted as desired, with a maximum of level 5.
The weapon will then be able to deal extra damage to undead mobs, as well as to other mobs such as llamas, pigs, and chickens. You will know the enchantments are working if you see the Sharpness particle effects.
Smite Vs Sharpness: Dead or Undead Mobs, That’s the Question
Using Smite or Sharpness depends on the situation and personal preference. Smite is effective against undead mobs such as zombies, skeletons, and wither skeletons, while Sharpness increases damage against all mobs.
If you’re facing a lot of undead mobs, Smite may be the better choice, but if you’re facing a variety of mobs, Sharpness may be more useful. Ultimately, the better enchantment depends on your playstyle and the situation you’re in.
