Best mace enchantments in Minecraft 1.21
The mace is one of the strongest weapons in the game: the farther you fall, the harder it hits. The catch is the three new enchantments, Density, Breach and Wind Burst, and deciding which of them to put on it. Density and Breach cannot be combined, while Wind Burst works with either. This guide sorts out what to pick.
What the mace is and how to make it
The mace was added in the 1.21 update (Tricky Trials, June 2024). It is a weapon whose damage grows with the height you fall from. A hit after a long fall kills most mobs in one blow.
How to get one:
- Breeze rod - dropped by breezes (a mob found in Trial Chambers).
- Heavy core - rare loot from an ominous vault (a special vault in Trial Chambers, opened with an ominous trial key). Chance: about 8%.
You craft the mace from a breeze rod and a heavy core. The heavy core is the rarest ingredient, so expect to open quite a few ominous vaults before you get one.
Base stats:
- Base damage: 6 (3 hearts) with no fall, weaker than a diamond sword (7)
- Attack speed: 0.6 (slower than a sword)
- Durability: 500 uses
- Unique effect: the smash attack, which deals extra damage for every block you have fallen (even more with Density)
The mace is not a weapon for ordinary sword-style fighting. It is a weapon for one crushing blow: you plan the attack, fall and land the hit. If you are not falling, a sword is better.
How fall damage works with the mace
A mace hit gets stronger the farther you have fallen before it lands. This is the smash attack. The longer the fall, the bigger the hit, and enchantments change how much each block of falling is worth.
Key detail: the mace cancels fall damage when you hit a mob during the fall. If the hit lands, you take no fall damage. If you miss, you take the full fall damage. Precision is mandatory.
Density: the power of a single hit
Levels: I-V | Source: enchanting table, villagers
Density increases the damage of a smash attack for every block you have fallen. The higher the level, the more extra damage per block, up to level V.
When to choose Density: when you want the maximum damage from a single hit. It is best against bosses (the Warden, Elder Guardian), for PvE with a prepared fall (towers, elytra) and in situations where you only get one window to attack.
Breach: the armor breaker
Levels: I-IV | Source: enchanting table, villagers
Breach reduces the effectiveness of the target's armor by 15% per level. Breach IV ignores 60% of armor.
Mutually exclusive: Breach and Density cannot be on the same mace. You have to pick one or the other.
Breach does not add damage directly. Instead, it lets more of your damage through the armor. It is useless against mobs without armor (creepers, the Warden, the Ender Dragon) and extremely valuable against armored targets.
When to choose Breach: PvP, mainly. Breach IV on a mace is the answer to players in full netherite armor. In PvE it is close to useless, because mobs rarely wear armor. The one exception is farms of zombies in armor, but that is a niche case.
Wind Burst: the combo enchantment
Levels: I-III | Source: ominous vault (the only source - you cannot get it from an enchanting table!)
Wind Burst launches you into the air after you land a smash attack with the mace. The higher the level, the higher the launch. That makes a combo possible: you fall, hit, fly up, fall again and hit again.
The sequence:
- You fall from some height and land a mace hit
- Wind Burst launches you back up
- You fall and hit again
- Repeat until the target dies
Key detail: Wind Burst does not conflict with Density or Breach. You can have Density V + Wind Burst III on the same mace, which makes every hit of the combo a heavy one.
When to choose Wind Burst: always. Wind Burst is compatible with Density and Breach, so you do not have to choose. The catch: Wind Burst only comes from ominous vaults. You cannot get it from an enchanting table and you cannot buy it from a villager. You have to farm Trial Chambers.
Comparison: Density vs Breach vs Wind Burst
| Trait | Density V | Breach IV | Wind Burst III |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damage bonus | More damage per block fallen | -60% of the target's armor | Enables combos (indirect) |
| Damage against a boss | Highest per hit | No effect (no armor) | Highest over a whole fight (combos) |
| PvP | Good | Best | Very good |
| PvE | Best | Weak | Very good |
| Combines with | Wind Burst (YES), Breach (NO) | Wind Burst (YES), Density (NO) | Density (YES), Breach (YES) |
| Sources | Enchanting table, villagers | Enchanting table, villagers | Ominous vault only |
| Max level | V | IV | III |
Best enchantment sets
PvE set (boss killer)
Density V + Wind Burst III + Unbreaking III + Mending
The best set for killing bosses and strong mobs. Density V maximizes fall damage, and Wind Burst III lets you combo without having to climb back up. Unbreaking III and Mending keep the mace going indefinitely. One mace for the whole game.
PvP set (anti-netherite)
Breach IV + Wind Burst III + Unbreaking III + Fire Aspect II
Breach IV ignores 60% of armor, which takes a big bite out of the protection of a player in full netherite. Wind Burst III gives you the combo in open terrain. Fire Aspect II adds burning (useful because the mace attacks slowly, so the target keeps burning between hits). Take Mending instead of Fire Aspect if you prefer durability.
Without Density you lose raw damage, but Breach makes up for it against armored targets. On PvP servers where everyone wears netherite, Breach is better than Density.
Budget set (early game)
Density III + Unbreaking III
If you do not have Wind Burst yet (because you have not farmed ominous vaults) or Mending (because no librarian is selling it), this set is enough. Upgrade it with Wind Burst and Mending when you get them.
Mace combat strategies
The one-time tower
Pillar up 20-30 blocks, aim at a mob below, jump and strike. Simple and effective, but one-shot: you have to climb back up. Wind Burst removes this problem (you are launched back up after the hit).
Elytra dive-bomb
Use an elytra and rockets to get high up, then dive straight down onto the target. A hit from that height with Density V is huge. The catch: a miss means death from fall damage. Use it on bosses, not on creepers.
The Wind Burst combo
Land the first hit after a fall. Wind Burst launches you back up. Aim on the way down and hit again. Repeat. This technique takes precision, because you have to hit the target while falling from above, which is hard against moving mobs. Practice on zombies before you take on the Warden.
PvP: water bucket vs mace
A common PvP habit is to place water under yourself while falling to cancel fall damage. With a mace you can skip it, because a landed hit cancels fall damage automatically. Your opponent expects a water bucket and takes a massive hit instead. It is all about surprise.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
How do I make a mace in Minecraft?
A mace is crafted from a breeze rod (dropped by breezes in Trial Chambers) and a heavy core (rare loot from an ominous vault in Trial Chambers). The heavy core has roughly an 8% chance to drop, so expect a dozen or more tries.
Can Density and Breach be combined on a mace?
No. Density and Breach are mutually exclusive, just like Fortune and Silk Touch on a pickaxe. You can have one or the other. Both combine with Wind Burst, Unbreaking, Mending and Fire Aspect.
How much damage does a mace deal?
The mace's base damage is 6 (3 hearts). A smash attack adds damage for every block you have fallen, and Density adds even more per block on top of that, up to level V. The farther you fall, the harder the hit.
Is Wind Burst better than Density?
You do not have to choose: Wind Burst combines with Density. The best setup is Density V + Wind Burst III. Density gives you raw damage per hit, Wind Burst gives you repeatability by launching you back up for another smash attack. Together they are deadly.
What is the best enchantment combo for a mace?
PvE: Density V + Wind Burst III + Unbreaking III + Mending. PvP: Breach IV + Wind Burst III + Unbreaking III + Fire Aspect II. See the section on the best enchantment sets above.
The mace is the most interesting weapon added to Minecraft in years. It demands a completely different approach to combat than a sword or a bow: you plan, you fall, you hit. To understand the other enchantments, see our enchanting guide. To get a heavy core you have to go into Trial Chambers, so read up on Trial Chambers. And for a comparison of weapons, see the Minecraft weapon ranking.