Can Mending Go on Infinity? Unraveling Minecraft’s Enchantment Mystery
The short and direct answer is no, you cannot have both Mending and Infinity on the same bow in Minecraft. These two powerful enchantments are mutually exclusive, meaning they cannot coexist on a single item. This restriction is a deliberate game design choice by Mojang to prevent players from having an overpowered bow that is both indestructible and requires no arrows. While the allure of such a weapon is strong, the game’s balancing mechanics prevent its existence. Let’s dive deeper into why this is the case and explore all things Mending and Infinity.
The Enchantment Dilemma: Mending vs. Infinity
Understanding Mending
Mending is a highly sought-after “treasure enchantment” that allows players to repair damaged items by collecting experience orbs. Whenever you gain experience while holding an item with Mending, the item’s durability is restored. Each experience point repairs two points of durability. This effectively makes your gear almost self-repairing, eliminating the need to repeatedly create new items or use resources like anvils for repairs. Mending is an incredibly valuable enchantment for any tool or armor piece, making them last indefinitely provided you gain enough experience. It’s particularly useful for frequently used items like pickaxes, swords, and, of course, bows.
Understanding Infinity
The Infinity enchantment, on the other hand, has a different kind of allure. Its main purpose is to provide an unlimited supply of arrows when using a bow. As long as you have at least one arrow in your inventory, you can fire the bow indefinitely without consuming any more arrows. This is incredibly useful in a variety of combat situations, from long-range fights with skeletons to epic battles with bosses. Infinity is a highly convenient enchantment, especially for saving valuable inventory slots otherwise taken up by multiple arrow stacks.
Why Not Both?
The reason why Mending and Infinity cannot be together is simple: their combination would create an overpowered weapon. A bow with both enchantments would never break (thanks to Mending) and would never require the player to craft arrows (thanks to Infinity). Such a combination would essentially eliminate the resource management aspect of bows and arrows, making the game too easy.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mending and Infinity
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the complexities of Mending and Infinity:
1. Can you repair an Infinity bow?
While you cannot repair an Infinity bow using Mending, you can repair it using an anvil and more bows. This process, however, consumes more resources each time and there is a limit to how many times you can repair your bow at the anvil before it becomes too costly to repair. This limitation is especially true for bows that also have other enchantments alongside Infinity. Keep in mind that the number of anvil repairs you can perform on an item is not unlimited and will increase the cost to repair the next time you try to do so, meaning that a fully enchanted Infinity Bow will be able to be repaired fewer times than one with no other enchantments
2. What enchantments can you get with Infinity?
The only enchantment that is mutually exclusive with Infinity is Mending. However, Infinity can be paired with various other bow enchantments like Power, Punch, Flame, and Unbreaking. These can all be obtained through enchanting tables, librarians, or fishing.
3. Is Mending better than Unbreaking?
Mending is generally considered better than Unbreaking. While Unbreaking increases an item’s durability, Mending allows it to be repaired endlessly through experience. Unbreaking only delays the inevitable, while Mending provides the solution of never needing to repair your items in an anvil at all. For items you use regularly, Mending offers more practicality.
4. Can skeletons drop Infinity bows?
Skeletons do not typically drop Infinity bows. While it’s possible to find a bow with the Infinity enchantment through other methods, such as trading or fishing, regular skeletons don’t drop enchanted bows that include Infinity. In very rare occasions a Skeleton Horseman (which is already a rare spawn) may drop a bow with both Mending and Infinity, but due to this bug (it is not supposed to happen), this is extremely rare. This is also not a typical or reliable way to get either enchantment for your bow.
5. Can crossbows get Infinity?
Crossbows cannot naturally get Infinity. Despite some players trying through commands, Infinity is not supposed to function with crossbows and was only intended for bows. Even if commands are used, tipped and spectral arrows will still be consumed.
6. Can you put Mending on a bow?
Yes, you can put Mending on a bow. However, as previously mentioned, you cannot have Mending and Infinity on the same bow simultaneously. If you choose Mending, you’ll need to have arrows in your inventory. If you choose Infinity, you have unlimited arrows, but the bow will still need repairs through anvils.
7. Is Mending 1 worth it?
Absolutely, Mending I is worth it. Even at its base level, Mending provides a powerful way to maintain the durability of your gear and make them stronger by absorbing experience. It is the only enchantment that has this ability. The amount of XP you absorb to repair your equipment is enough for the regular player to keep their items from breaking.
8. Does Mending 2 work?
No, Mending cannot be increased to level 2. There is no level II version of Mending. The article you referenced was incorrect on this point. The maximum level for mending is level I, and it is not possible to increase its repair rate.
9. Is Mending or Infinity better?
This depends entirely on your playing style and priorities. If you want infinite arrows and are okay with occasionally repairing your bow at the anvil, choose Infinity. If you want a self-repairing bow and are okay with managing your arrow supply, choose Mending. There is not a universally “better” option, but one will suit you better than the other, depending on how you play Minecraft.
10. Do tipped arrows work with Infinity?
No, Tipped arrows do not work with the Infinity enchantment. When you use a bow with Infinity, only normal arrows will fire without being consumed. Tipped and spectral arrows will still be consumed when fired from a bow with the Infinity enchantment. This prevents the infinite usage of the tipped arrows, which are made from brewed potions and are usually more limited due to this fact.
11. Is there Infinity 2 in Minecraft?
No, there is no Infinity 2 enchantment. Similar to Mending, Infinity only exists at level 1. You cannot enhance the infinity ability. This keeps this enchantment balanced so that not having an arrow will always hinder its effects.
12. Can you get Infinity on a book?
Yes, you can get Infinity on an enchanted book. You can find them through trading with librarian villagers, fishing, or exploring treasure chests. You can then use an anvil to apply the book to your bow. If you already have a bow with mending you will not be able to use this book and will have to choose between the enchantments.
13. What is Curse of Vanishing?
Curse of Vanishing is a negative enchantment that causes an item to disappear upon the player’s death. This is not useful for regular gameplay and is one of the negative enchantments that players avoid having on their items. If you get this enchantment on a tool or weapon, you will want to remove it with a grindstone as soon as possible.
14. Is an Infinity bow better than a Mending bow?
This is subjective, as mentioned before, and depends on the player’s priorities. Infinity is great for saving inventory space and worrying less about having arrows, while mending will ensure that you don’t need to find or make new bows as much. It’s up to you and your own personal playing style.
15. Is Mending a level 1 trade?
Yes, Mending can be a level 1 trade for a librarian villager. This means you don’t need to level up the villager to unlock this trade, making it easier to obtain a Mending book early in the game.
Conclusion
While the idea of a bow with both Mending and Infinity is tempting, Mojang’s design ensures that players must choose between infinite arrows and a self-repairing bow. Both enchantments provide unique advantages that will drastically improve the durability and effectiveness of your bow, but which you choose will depend entirely on how you play the game. Understanding the nuances of both Mending and Infinity will help you make the best decisions and enjoy Minecraft to its fullest.