Enchanting is one of the new game mechanics introduced in Minecraft Survival mode. This function was first released with the 3rd version of the 1.9 prerelease. As of now, enchanting is not possible in the Creative mode of the game since to enchant object, the player needs Experience points and there is no experience in the Creative mode. Since enchanted objects, tools and armors are more potent, more durable and come with other special effects, the mechanic of enchanting has caught the fancy of the Minecraft enthusiasts fast and all are eager to have knowledge of Minecraft enchanting recipes and how to enchant in Minecraft. So here is a guide and a few tips on Minecraft enchanting.
To enchant armor and weapon, you must first build an enchanting table. To prepare the enchanting table, a player needs a book, four pieces of Obsidian and two Diamonds. Once you have arranged these items in the requisite way to build an enchanting table, your next task is to gather experience points to enable yourself to enchant objects.
Remember that both your experience points and the level you are in will decide what objects you are eligible to enchant. At any point of the game, you can only enchant objects that require a level that is lower or equal to the level you are in on that point. Enchanting comes at a cost, too. It uses up your earned experience. Certain enchantments will also demote you to a lower level. For example, if you want an enchanted sword while in level 1, you are returned back to level 0 after the enchantment. As you go higher up on the levels, and opt for more precious enchants, you lose out on more experience. Thus the primary purpose for getting to higher levels and gathering experience is to be eligible for more valuable enchants. Once you spend your experience on enchants, you will have to move back and earn still more exp so that you are able to opt for even more precious enchants.
However, as at this moment, you cannot enchant all desirable items. Enchanting is at present limited to all manners of swords, bows, armors and tools (only shovels, axes and pickaxes). Moreover, each of these items has several levels of enchantments. At higher levels, you can opt for these multiple enchantments.
To enchant an object, you will have to first right click on the enchantment table, upon which a GUI or a Graphical User Interface appears displaying one item slot. Once you place the object you want to enchant inside the slot, three randomized options will show on the right side of the GUI. You can of course only select the ones that your level and experience permits. There is no meaning to the texts that accompany these three options. It is the level number which is important.
Types of Enchantments
Sword: You can apply six types of enchantments to a sword. These enchants are sharpness, smite, Bane of Arthropods, knockback, five aspect and looting. The sharpness is used for extra damage up to 1.5 hearts per level. Smite inflicts extra damage to zombies, skeletons and zombie pigmen up to 2 hearts per level. Bane of Arthropods causes extra damage to silverfish, spiders and cave spiders. Knockback is also a very useful and special kind of enchantment. It increases the power of the knockback during fights with players and mobs. Fire aspect helps the players by lighting up the target in fire and it controls the duration of the burning.
Tool: there are four different enchantments that you can apply to your tools. The Efficiency enchant helps you gather resources faster. It also effects a 250% speedboost. It boosts the speed by breaking a few blocks that can be broken by hand or that specific tool. Silk Touch ensures that the mined blocks will only drop themselves, even if they happen to drop something else. It also allows the player to collect unobtainable blocks like Mycelium, Ores, Grass and Huge Mushrooms. The Unbreaking enchantment makes a tool retain its durability which means that after each use, the tool will not lose on its durability. The Fortune enchantment is used to multiply drop rates of blocks items. However, this only applies to diamond, coal and lapis lazuli. Although this enchantment can also effect the drop rates of wheat, Tall Grass, Nether Wart, Melons, Glowstone and Redstone.
Armor: there are seven types of enchantments available for armors. First is the Protection which has the power to convert all damage except those inflicted by the void and the killcommand. Fire Protection provides added protection against fire. Feather Falling is for protection against fall-damage. For protection against explosion, you can avail of the Blast Protection enchantment. Similarly, to protect yourself against projectile entities, there is Projectile Protection enchantment. Finally, Respiration decreases the rate of underwater air loss.
Bow: Power enchantment for bow deals extra damage to hostile entities. To augment the knockback effect on mobs, there is Punch enchantment. Flame enchantment helps to set mobs and arrows on fire. The most valuable bow enchantment is however the Infinity enchantment which gives, with a single arrow, unlimited shots.
Another thing to keep in mind about enchantment is that if you repair an armor, tool or weapon, it will lose all its enchantments. As you keep playing Minecraft and enhance your skill, you will gain more knowledge on Minecraft enchanting recipes and how to enchant in Minecraft. So keep playing, and enjoy!