Infinity vs. Mending: The Ultimate Bow Enchantment Showdown

The burning question facing every Minecraft archer boils down to this: Which enchantment is better for your bow – Infinity or Mending? The straight answer, without mincing words, is Mending is unequivocally the superior choice in the long run, especially in the late game when you have established farms and readily available experience points. While Infinity initially seems appealing for its unlimited arrows, Mending offers unmatched sustainability and resource conservation, rendering it the more strategic and valuable enchantment.

Why Mending Reigns Supreme

Infinity’s allure is obvious: no more crafting arrows! However, this seemingly infinite resource comes at a cost. Bows still take durability damage with each shot. Eventually, an Infinity bow will break, and then you are back to square one. This is where Mending shines.

Mending utilizes experience orbs to repair your bow’s durability. Every experience point you collect has a chance of repairing the item in your hand, or the armor you are wearing. With a decent experience farm (enderman, guardian, etc.) your Mending bow will effectively become indestructible, barring unforeseen circumstances like lava baths or creeper explosions. This is a massive advantage because bows are time-consuming to create, and the resources can be better spent elsewhere.

The Downside of Infinity

Besides eventually breaking, Infinity has other limitations. Firstly, it requires a single regular arrow in your inventory to function. This is a minor inconvenience, but it’s still a factor to consider. Secondly, and more significantly, Infinity is incompatible with the Mending enchantment. You are forced to choose one or the other, and as we’ve established, the long-term benefits of Mending far outweigh the initial convenience of Infinity. Finally, you cannot use special arrows with an Infinity bow. You are stuck with regular arrows.

When Might Infinity Be a Viable Option?

While Mending is generally better, there are niche situations where Infinity might be considered, particularly in the very early game.

• Early Game Scarcity: If you are genuinely struggling to acquire resources for arrows in the very early game, Infinity can provide a temporary solution. This is before you have access to reliable farms or easy access to experience.
• Specific Challenge Runs: Certain challenge runs or playthroughs with self-imposed limitations might benefit from the simplicity of Infinity.
• If you don’t want to make an XP farm: In some cases, early game players might prefer to not have to make an XP farm at all.

However, even in these scenarios, prioritizing resource gathering and setting up a simple experience farm should quickly supersede the need for Infinity.

Maximizing Your Mending Bow

To truly unlock the power of a Mending bow, consider these tips:

• Build an Efficient Experience Farm: Enderman farms in the End are the gold standard, but even a simple spawner farm can generate a significant amount of experience.
• Carry Extra Bows (Initially): Until your experience farm is fully operational, carrying a spare, un-enchanted bow can prevent being disarmed.
• Combine with Other Enchantments: Power, Punch, Flame, and Unbreaking are all excellent enchantments to pair with Mending, creating a truly formidable weapon.

The Verdict: Mending for the Win

In conclusion, while the lure of unlimited arrows is tempting, Mending offers far greater long-term value, sustainability, and resource efficiency. By investing in Mending and an experience farm, you create a bow that will last indefinitely, freeing you to focus on other aspects of your Minecraft adventure. The choice is clear: Mending is the superior enchantment for your bow.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Can you have both Infinity and Mending on a bow?

No, Infinity and Mending are mutually exclusive. You can only have one or the other on a single bow.

Q2: What is the maximum level for the Power enchantment?

The Power enchantment can reach a maximum level of V (5) using an anvil.

Q3: What does the Punch enchantment do?

The Punch enchantment increases the knockback dealt by your arrows, pushing enemies further away.

Q4: Is Unbreaking necessary on a Mending bow?

While not strictly necessary, Unbreaking is highly recommended on a Mending bow. It increases the bow’s durability, meaning it will take longer to break and require less frequent repairs.

Q5: How do I get Mending books?

Mending books can be obtained through various methods:

• Fishing: A lucky catch while fishing can yield a Mending book.
• Trading with Villagers: Librarian villagers often offer Mending books in exchange for emeralds.
• Loot Chests: Mending books can occasionally be found in loot chests in structures like mineshafts and temples.

Q6: How does Mending work exactly?

Mending uses experience orbs to repair the durability of worn items you are wearing or holding. When you pick up an experience orb, a portion of that experience is used to repair damaged items instead of going towards your experience level. If you have multiple damaged items on your person, the experience is split between them, so having only the item you want repaired in your hand/worn on your body is ideal.

Q7: What is the best way to farm experience?

There are many effective experience farms in Minecraft. Some popular options include:

• Enderman Farm: Located in the End dimension, these farms exploit the enderman’s tendency to teleport when attacked.
• Guardian Farm: Draining an Ocean Monument and building a Guardian farm can provide a steady stream of experience.
• Spawner Farm: Using naturally occurring spawners in dungeons to create mob farms is a simple and reliable method.

Q8: What are the best enchantments to pair with Mending on a bow?

The best enchantments to pair with Mending are:

• Power V: Increases arrow damage.
• Punch II: Increases arrow knockback.
• Flame: Sets targets on fire.
• Unbreaking III: Increases the bow’s durability.

Q9: Does the Flame enchantment damage the bow?

No, the Flame enchantment does not directly damage the bow. However, burning enemies may drop cooked meat, saving you the effort of cooking it separately.

Q10: Can I use tipped arrows with an Infinity bow?

No, you cannot use tipped arrows with an Infinity bow. The Infinity enchantment only works with regular arrows.

Q11: Are there any alternatives to Mending for repairing bows?

Yes, you can repair bows using an anvil and another bow of the same type or by using leather and string. This is not a recommended solution as it costs XP.

Q12: How does Unbreaking affect the durability of a bow?

The Unbreaking enchantment increases the likelihood that the bow won’t lose durability each time it’s used. A higher Unbreaking level makes the bow last significantly longer.

Q13: Is it worth enchanting a wooden bow?

Enchanting a wooden bow is generally not recommended. Wooden bows have very low durability, making the enchantments less effective. Instead, focus on crafting a better bow from stronger materials.

Q14: What is the command to get an infinity bow?

To get an Infinity bow using commands, you can use the following command: /give @p minecraft:bow{Enchantments:[{id:infinity,lvl:1}]}. For a Mending bow the command is /give @p minecraft:bow{Enchantments:[{id:mending,lvl:1}]}. Remember to have cheats enabled!

Q15: Can I learn more about Minecraft and game-based learning?

Yes! Explore the intersection of gaming and education by visiting the Games Learning Society website: Games Learning Society. GamesLearningSociety.org is a great place to learn about how games can be used for learning and education.