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Trident Enchantment Minecraft: The Best Choices
The trident is one of the most versatile weapons in Minecraft: it strikes in melee (9 damage, more than a diamond sword), can be thrown at a distance (8 damage), and can trigger lightning or propel the player into the air. However, you need to choose the right trident enchantment to make the most of it.
This guide lists all the Minecraft trident enchantments available in 2026, details the incompatibilities to be aware of, and suggests the two optimal combos according to your play style.
All Trident Enchantments
The trident accepts seven enchantments, four of which are exclusive to it. Some are mutually incompatible, which requires choosing between two usage philosophies.
| Enchantment | Max Level | Effect | Trident Exclusive | Incompatibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loyalty | III | The trident automatically returns to the player after being thrown | Yes | Riptide |
| Riptide | III | Propels the player in the direction of the throw (water/rain only) | Yes | Loyalty, Channeling |
| Channeling | I | Summons lightning on the target hit during a thunderstorm | Yes | Riptide |
| Impaling | V | +2.5 damage per level against aquatic creatures (Java) or any creature in water (Bedrock) | Yes | None |
| Unbreaking | III | Reduces durability loss (~75% at level III) | No | None |
| Mending | I | Converts XP into durability | No | None |
| Curse of Vanishing | I | The item disappears upon the player's death | No | None |
The central incompatibility to remember: Riptide cannot coexist with Loyalty or Channeling on the same trident. This is due to the game mechanics: Riptide prevents the trident from leaving the player's hand, making return (Loyalty) and impact on a target (Channeling) impossible.
The best Minecraft trident enchantment therefore depends on how you use it: ranged combat or mobility.
Best Combos
Two configurations cover all situations. Ideally, you should have two tridents enchanted differently.
The first combo is the Combat Trident: Loyalty III + Channeling I + Impaling V + Unbreaking III + Mending I. This setup turns the trident into a formidable ranged weapon that always returns to the player. Channeling summons lightning during thunderstorms, which is useful for transforming villagers into witches, Creepers into charged Creepers (to farm mob heads), and pigs into zombified Piglins. Impaling V adds 12.5 additional damage against aquatic creatures (Java), ideal for clearing an ocean monument.
The second combo is the Mobility Trident: Riptide III + Impaling V + Unbreaking III + Mending I. This setup exploits the trident's propulsion to move at high speed. In rain or water, a throw propels the player 21 blocks (formula: 6 x level + 3). Combined with a pair of elytra, Riptide III reaches speeds of over 110 blocks per second, far more than firework rockets. It's the fastest mode of transport in the game under favorable weather conditions.
For both tridents, Unbreaking III and Mending are essential. The trident only has 250 durability points (equivalent to an iron sword), making it fragile without these enchantments. Mending makes it virtually eternal. For a detailed guide on this enchantment, check out our article on mending.
How to Obtain a Trident
The trident cannot be crafted on a crafting table. It is only obtained by killing Drowned equipped with one.
In Java Edition, 6.25% of Drowned spawn with a trident, and among those, only 8.5% drop it upon death. This gives an overall probability of about 1 in 188 per Drowned killed. In Bedrock Edition, the rates are more generous: 15% spawn with a trident and 25% drop, or about 1 in 27.
The Looting III enchantment on your sword increases the drop rate to 11.5% (Java) or 37% (Bedrock), significantly improving your chances.
To optimize hunting, target river biomes and Dripstone Caves where Drowned spawn more frequently than in the open ocean. An aerial Drowned farm (spawn platform above water) remains the most effective method for farming multiple tridents.
Tridents recovered from Drowned often arrive damaged. Combine two damaged tridents on an anvil to add their durability while retaining enchantments, or use Mending to restore them with XP.
On a multiplayer server, the command /give @s trident allows you to obtain a trident in creative or admin mode. For all useful commands, check out our Minecraft commands guide or launch your own server with a dedicated Minecraft hosting.
Trident FAQ
Can Riptide be used out of water?
No. Riptide only works when the player is wet: standing in water, in the rain, or in snow in certain biomes. In dry weather on land, the trident is thrown normally without propulsion.
Does Channeling work in the rain?
No. Channeling requires a thunderstorm, not just rain. The target must also be in the open sky and directly hit by the trident.
Which combo to choose if I only want one trident?
If you can only enchant one, the mobility combo (Riptide III) is generally considered more useful in the long term. Propulsion with elytra is irreplaceable, while ranged combat can be handled by a bow or crossbow.
Does the trident deal more damage than a netherite sword?
In melee, the trident deals 9 base damage compared to 8 for the netherite sword. However, the sword attacks faster (1.6 hits/s vs. 1.1) and has much higher durability (2,031 vs. 250).