How to Maximize Your Mending Acquisition in Minecraft: A Comprehensive Guide

So, you’re on the hunt for the Mending enchantment in Minecraft. Smart choice! It’s arguably the most valuable enchantment in the game, allowing you to repair your precious gear indefinitely using experience. But how do you actually get it? Let’s cut to the chase: the best way to increase your chances of obtaining the Mending enchantment involves a multi-pronged approach, combining villager trading, fishing, and loot hunting. Focus on setting up a Librarian villager trading hall in a swamp biome (or utilize the Villager Trade rebalance experimental datapack). Supplement this with fishing with a Luck of the Sea rod and exploring structures like strongholds for enchanted books. Mastering these methods will significantly improve your odds of securing this invaluable enchantment.

Mastering the Art of Mending Acquisition

Villager Trading: Your Most Reliable Source

Librarian villagers are your primary target for obtaining Mending. While any Librarian can potentially offer Mending, recent updates (particularly when the Villager Trade rebalance experimental datapack is enabled) focus the best odds to Master level Swamp Librarians.

• Finding a Swamp: This is your starting point. Locate a swamp biome in your world. Remember there are no natural villages in swamp biomes.
• Creating a Village (if needed): You’ll likely need to transport villagers to the swamp. Curing zombie villagers is a classic (and resource-intensive) method. Breed villagers until you have a surplus.
• Setting Up a Librarian Station: Place a lectern near an unemployed villager within the swamp. They should transform into a Librarian. If they don’t immediately offer Mending, break the lectern and replace it. This resets their trades.
• Trade Refreshing: Repeat the lectern-breaking process until the Librarian offers Mending as a trade. Lock in the trade by trading with the villager at least once before resetting their trades. If the Villager Trade rebalance experimental datapack is enabled, continue to increase this villager to Master level to unlock even better Mending trades.
• Optimize for Discounts: Curing zombie villagers grants significant trading discounts. Applying the Hero of the Village effect (granted by successfully defending a village from a raid) also lowers prices.

This method, while requiring some initial setup, provides the most consistent long-term source of Mending.

Fishing: The Gamble with a (Small) Payoff

Fishing offers a chance to catch enchanted books, including Mending. However, the base chance is low.

• Luck of the Sea Enchantment: This is crucial. Max out your fishing rod with Luck of the Sea III to significantly increase the chances of catching treasure items, which includes enchanted books.
• Lure Enchantment: While not directly affecting treasure rates, Lure III reduces wait times, allowing you to fish more efficiently.
• Afk Fishing Farms: These farms can automate the fishing process, allowing you to passively accumulate treasure over time. Be aware of any game mechanic changes that could affect Afk farms.

While fishing offers a chance at Mending, it’s a supplementary method best used alongside villager trading.

Loot Chests: Treasure Hunting for Enchantments

Certain structures contain chests that have a (small) chance to contain Mending books.

• Strongholds: These underground fortresses are the best structure for finding Mending. Explore them thoroughly, checking every chest.
• Ancient Cities: Riskier to navigate due to the Warden, Ancient Cities also have the potential for Mending.
• Jungle Temples: Less reliable than strongholds or ancient cities but still worth exploring.
• Raid Farms: On Bedrock Edition, raid farms can drop enchanted books as raid rewards, providing another avenue for obtaining Mending.

While looting chests can provide Mending, it’s largely based on luck and shouldn’t be relied upon as your primary source.

Additional Tips and Considerations

• Patience is Key: Obtaining Mending requires patience. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t find it immediately.
• Resource Management: Villager trading requires emeralds. Mining and trading with other villagers (farmers, clerics, etc.) are good ways to accumulate emeralds.
• Organization: Keep your villager trading hall organized for efficient trading.
• Version Differences: Be aware that game mechanics and probabilities can vary between Minecraft versions (Java vs. Bedrock).
• Experimentation: Try different strategies and combinations to find what works best for you.

FAQs: Your Mending Questions Answered

1. What are the odds of getting Mending from a Librarian villager?

The odds depend heavily on the version of Minecraft you are playing and if you are using the villager trade rebalance experimental datapack. If this datapack is enabled, Mending is more likely to appear on Master level Swamp Librarian. Without this pack, the odds are generally considered to be 1/36 for any given trade to be Mending upon a villager first becoming a librarian. Remember, you can reset trades by breaking and replacing their lectern until you get the desired enchantment.

2. Is Mending a level 30 enchantment at the enchanting table?

No, Mending is a “treasure enchantment” that cannot be obtained through the enchanting table. You must find it through villager trading, fishing, or loot chests.

3. Is Mending a good first trade from a Librarian villager?

Absolutely! Securing Mending as a first trade saves you time and resources. It’s the ideal scenario when setting up your villager trading hall.

4. What villager sells Mending?

Any Librarian villager can sell Mending. However, if you are utilizing the villager trade rebalance experimental datapack, you are more likely to secure a Mending trade on Master level Swamp Librarians.

5. Is Mending I a good enchantment to have?

Mending I is the only level of Mending, and yes, it is an excellent enchantment. It’s one of the most powerful in the game, allowing you to repair your gear indefinitely.

6. Do I need Unbreaking if I have Mending?

While Mending repairs your gear, Unbreaking increases its durability. Ideally, you want both. Unbreaking extends the lifespan of your items, reducing the frequency with which Mending needs to activate.

7. Can you get Mending II?

No, the maximum level for Mending is Level 1 (Mending I).

8. How rare is Mending from fishing?

The base chance is around 0.8% for an enchanted book. This chance increases with the Luck of the Sea enchantment on your fishing rod.

9. Is there a way to get Infinity and Mending on a bow?

No. They are mutually exclusive. You can only have one or the other. Most players prefer Mending, as arrows are relatively easy to obtain.

10. How do you tell if a villager will have Mending?

You can’t know for sure until you place the lectern and the villager becomes a Librarian. Then, right-click on the villager to view their trades. If they don’t have Mending, break and replace the lectern.

11. Does Mending work on damaged items?

Yes, Mending repairs damaged items using experience orbs. When you gain experience, the item with Mending will be repaired before the experience is added to your level bar.

12. Is Mending or Infinity better on a bow?

It depends on your playstyle. Mending is better if you have a reliable source of experience (like a mob farm). Infinity is better if you struggle to obtain arrows.

13. Should I put Mending on my Elytra?

Yes, absolutely. Elytra are difficult to craft, and Mending ensures you can repair it indefinitely.

14. Should I put Mending on all my armor?

Yes. Mending is essential for keeping your precious armor in good condition, especially valuable diamond or netherite armor.

15. What biome is best for getting Mending?

While Mending itself isn’t tied to a specific biome, the villager trade rebalance experimental datapack focuses its best odds on a Swamp Biome. This is where you’ll want to establish your Librarian trading hall, as there are no natural Swamp villages.

Conclusion: Your Journey to Mending Mastery

Obtaining Mending in Minecraft is a rewarding endeavor that significantly enhances your gameplay experience. By combining villager trading, fishing, and loot hunting, you can significantly increase your chances of securing this invaluable enchantment. Remember to be patient, resourceful, and adaptable in your search. Good luck, and happy crafting!

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