Do Any Villagers Sell Pickaxes? A Minecraft Master’s Guide
Fast answer first. Then use the tabs or video for more detail.
- Watch the video explanation below for a faster overview.
- Game mechanics may change with updates or patches.
- Use this block to get the short answer without scrolling the whole page.
- Read the FAQ section if the article has one.
- Use the table of contents to jump straight to the detailed section you need.
- Watch the video first, then skim the article for specifics.
Yes, absolutely! Toolsmith villagers are your go-to source for pickaxes in Minecraft. They offer a range of pickaxes, from basic stone tools to highly sought-after enchanted diamond ones, depending on their level. Let’s delve into the specifics of acquiring these essential tools from your friendly neighborhood villagers.
The Toolsmith: Your Pickaxe Provider
Unlocking the Pickaxe Potential
The toolsmith is the villager profession dedicated to crafting and trading tools. They wear a distinctive brown apron and use a grindstone as their workstation. Finding a toolsmith is crucial for early-game tool acquisition and late-game enchanted pickaxe farming.
Pickaxes Available for Trade
The types of pickaxes available from a toolsmith villager depend entirely on their profession level. Leveling up a villager involves trading with them, which increases their experience and unlocks new trades.
- Novice Level: At the novice level, a toolsmith has a 40% chance to sell a stone pickaxe for just one emerald. This is a fantastic early-game deal.
- Journeyman Level: At the journeyman level, there is a 40% chance they offer an enchanted iron pickaxe for 7–22 emeralds. The enchantment varies but can significantly improve mining speed or durability.
- Master Level: Reaching the master level is where things get really exciting. A master-level toolsmith always sells an enchanted diamond pickaxe for 18–35 emeralds. This pickaxe is a treasure, combining the durability of diamond with potentially powerful enchantments like Efficiency, Fortune, or Unbreaking.
How to Get the Best Pickaxes
Leveling Up Your Toolsmith
To get those coveted enchanted diamond pickaxes, you’ll need to level up your toolsmith villager. Here’s how:
- Find an Unemployed Villager: Locate a villager without a profession (they wear plain clothes).
- Place a Grindstone: Place a grindstone near the unemployed villager. If they aren’t claimed by another villager, they will become a toolsmith.
- Start Trading: Begin trading with the toolsmith. Each successful trade gives them experience.
- Restock Trades: Toolsmiths restock their trades twice a day if they have access to their grindstone. Trade as often as possible during these restock periods.
- Reach Master Level: Continue trading until the villager reaches the master level, indicated by the final lock being removed from their trade window.
Emerald Acquisition
Emeralds are the currency of the villager trading system, and you’ll need plenty of them to buy pickaxes. Here are a few ways to acquire emeralds:
- Mining: Emeralds can be found in mountain biomes, though they are relatively rare.
- Trading with Other Villagers: Farmer villagers will trade crops like wheat, carrots, potatoes, and beetroot for emeralds. This is a reliable and renewable source.
- Selling Items to Villagers: Selling items like paper to librarian villagers or rotten flesh to cleric villagers can also generate emeralds.
The Enchantment Lottery
While a master-level toolsmith guarantees an enchanted diamond pickaxe, the specific enchantment is random. If you’re after a particular enchantment, here are a few approaches:
- Re-rolling: If you don’t like the initial enchantment, you can break the toolsmith’s grindstone and replace it. This will cause the villager to de-profession and re-profession, giving you a new set of trades (and a new chance at a different enchantment). Be careful not to trade with them before breaking the grindstone, as this will lock in their trades.
- Combining Enchantments: If you get an enchanted diamond pickaxe with a decent enchantment, you can combine it with enchanted books from librarian villagers using an anvil to add more enchantments.
- Enchanting Table: You can also enchant your own diamond pickaxes at an enchanting table using experience levels and lapis lazuli. This gives you more control over the enchantment but also involves a degree of randomness.
Benefits of Trading for Pickaxes
Trading with toolsmith villagers for pickaxes provides several advantages:
- Early-Game Access: A stone pickaxe for a single emerald in the early game can be a lifesaver.
- Enchantments: Getting enchanted pickaxes through trading saves you experience levels and lapis lazuli, and offers unique combinations.
- Efficiency: A master-level toolsmith offers a reliable way to obtain high-quality enchanted diamond pickaxes without relying on luck or extensive resource gathering.
- Sustainability: Villager trading is a renewable resource. As long as you provide them with a workstation and trade items, they will continue to restock and offer valuable items.
Alternatives to Toolsmith Pickaxes
While toolsmiths are a great source, there are alternative ways to obtain pickaxes in Minecraft:
- Crafting: You can craft pickaxes using wood, stone, iron, gold, or diamond.
- Loot Chests: Pickaxes can sometimes be found in chests in generated structures like mineshafts, dungeons, or temples.
- Enchanting Table: You can enchant pickaxes using an enchanting table, but this requires experience levels and lapis lazuli.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What other items do toolsmith villagers sell?
Besides pickaxes, toolsmiths also sell axes and shovels. They may also trade coal for emeralds or iron ingots for emeralds.
2. How do I protect my toolsmith villager from zombies?
Build walls around the village and ensure there’s sufficient light to prevent zombies from spawning. You can also use iron golems to defend the village.
3. Can I change a villager’s profession back if I accidentally trade with them?
Once you’ve traded with a villager, their profession is locked. You cannot change it back.
4. Why won’t my villager become a toolsmith?
Ensure there are no other claimed grindstones nearby. Also, make sure the villager has a bed claimed and can reach the grindstone.
5. Can I breed toolsmith villagers?
Yes, to breed villagers, you need to provide them with beds and food (like bread, carrots, or potatoes). Ensure they are willing to breed by having enough beds and food available.
6. What is the best enchantment I can get on a pickaxe from a toolsmith?
The “best” enchantment depends on your needs. Efficiency V is great for mining speed, Fortune III increases ore drops, and Unbreaking III increases durability. Many players also value Mending to repair the pickaxe automatically.
7. How do I get Mending on a pickaxe?
Mending is a treasure enchantment and cannot be obtained from an enchanting table. The best way to get it is through trading with librarian villagers or finding it in loot chests. Then, combine the Mending book with your pickaxe using an anvil.
8. Can I get a Netherite pickaxe from a toolsmith?
No, toolsmiths only sell diamond pickaxes. You need to craft a Netherite pickaxe by combining a diamond pickaxe with a Netherite ingot at a smithing table.
9. Do different biomes affect the enchantments sold by toolsmiths?
No, the biome does not affect the enchantments sold by toolsmiths. The enchantments are randomly determined.
10. How can I improve my villager trading setup?
Build a dedicated trading hall with individual cells for each villager, ensuring they have access to their workstation and bed. This makes trading more organized and efficient.
11. What is the most profitable villager to trade with?
Librarians are often considered the most profitable due to their potential to offer valuable enchanted books like Mending. Farmer villagers can also be quite profitable for converting crops into emeralds.
12. What happens if a toolsmith villager dies?
If a toolsmith villager dies, their trades are lost. You’ll need to find or create a new toolsmith to continue trading.
13. Can Wandering Traders sell pickaxes?
No, wandering traders do not sell pickaxes. They sell a variety of random items, including plants, dyes, and decorative blocks. They offer unique items, but tools aren’t typically among them.
14. What are the risks of trading with villagers?
Villagers can be targeted by zombies, especially during sieges. Protecting them with walls, lighting, and iron golems is crucial. Also, ensure that the villager has access to their workstation to restock their trades.
15. Where can I learn more about Minecraft and game-based learning?
Check out the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org or https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/ for resources on how games like Minecraft can be used for educational purposes.
Understanding and utilizing the toolsmith villager is an excellent way to enhance your Minecraft experience. By leveling them up, you can reliably access enchanted diamond pickaxes, making your mining endeavors significantly more efficient.