How Many Enchanted Books Can a Librarian Trade?
The number of enchanted books a librarian villager can trade in Minecraft is not fixed, but rather, it’s tied to their profession level and the game version you are playing. In Bedrock Edition, librarians have a chance to sell enchanted books as part of their trades at different levels. Specifically, they have a 50% chance to offer them at novice, apprentice, and journeyman levels, while this chance reduces to 1/3 at the expert level. This means a single librarian in Bedrock can potentially offer up to four enchanted book trades. The availability of specific enchantments is then random, making each librarian a potential source of rare treasures. In Java Edition, the mechanics differ, focusing on the number of trades offered rather than the explicit number of enchanted books available at specific levels. We’ll delve deeper into this difference and more in the following sections.
Librarian Trade Mechanics: Bedrock vs. Java
Understanding the differences between Bedrock and Java edition is crucial for optimizing your villager trading.
Bedrock Edition
As mentioned, Bedrock Edition librarians have varying probabilities of offering enchanted books at different tiers. The game assigns a 50% chance to these trades at novice, apprentice and journeyman levels, dropping to 1/3 for the highest level, expert. This implies that a single librarian can provide up to four distinct enchanted book trades at once if luck is in your favor. Critically, each reroll is a 1/x chance, where ‘x’ is the total count of possible enchantments and all their levels. This includes not only common enchantments but also curses and treasure enchantments, like mending.
Java Edition
In contrast, Java Edition focuses on the overall number of available trades, irrespective of the number of enchanted books a librarian provides. Villagers, including librarians, can have a maximum of 10 trades. Each level advancement unlocks a maximum of two new trades. If there are more than two possible trades at a specific level, the game randomly picks two from that list. Although the number of enchanted book trades isn’t capped as tightly as in Bedrock, you will have to advance a librarian villager through their levels in order to gain a chance to receive higher level enchanted book trades.
Enchantment Variety and Biome Influence
The variety of enchantments a librarian offers is extensive, including every enchantment available in the game and a wide range of levels. In both Bedrock and Java editions, it is possible for a librarian to trade any enchantment that can be obtained, from simple Protection enchantments to the very sought after Mending, Silk Touch, and Efficiency V.
With the Minecraft 1.20.2 update, there is a significant change to librarian enchantment trades. The biome in which the librarian is located now influences the enchantments they sell. Each village biome is associated with one exclusive enchantment that only master-level librarians in that biome will offer. For example, Swamp biomes are now crucial as they are the exclusive home to Mending trades, though, these biomes do not generate naturally, requiring players to manually create villages in these areas to unlock specific trades. This change adds strategic depth to villager trading and forces players to explore and utilize different biomes effectively.
Leveling Up Your Librarian
Leveling up your librarians is crucial for unlocking more trade options. Both Bedrock and Java editions work on the same principal, which is completing trades. As you trade with a librarian, they will eventually level up through the different tiers and new trades will become available. This process is essential for obtaining those sought after high level enchantments. Remember, in Java Edition, only two trades are added per level even if there are more available to choose from. Leveling up unlocks new potential trades but doesn’t guarantee the appearance of specific enchantments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify librarian trading in Minecraft:
1. Can a novice librarian trade mending?
Yes, a novice librarian can offer Mending as their first trade. You don’t need to level up a librarian to find Mending.
2. What are the chances of getting mending from a librarian?
The odds are relatively low as each trade slot is rolled based on every single enchantment and level combination. In the trade slot, the chance for a book instead of a bookshelf is 1/2, and then the chance of the book having Mending is estimated to be around 1/36. Combining these, you’re looking at approximately a 1/72 chance for Mending in any single trade slot.
3. Can you get Efficiency 5 from a librarian?
Yes, you can absolutely get Efficiency V from a librarian.
4. Can librarians trade Unbreaking?
Yes, librarians can trade Unbreaking I, Unbreaking II, and Unbreaking III.
5. Do librarians trade Looting books?
Yes, librarians can trade Looting books, among other book-related items.
6. Can you duplicate enchanted books through villagers?
No, you cannot duplicate enchanted books through villagers.
7. What is the best enchantment to get from a librarian?
Some of the best enchantments to get from a librarian include Mending, Fortune, Silk Touch, Sharpness, Efficiency V, and Unbreaking III, as well as Protection IV.
8. What is the best trade with librarians?
Enchanted books, particularly those with rare or high-level enchantments, are considered the best trade with librarians. Mending books are very valuable for the durability of items.
9. Do all librarians sell name tags?
No, only master-level librarians have the possibility to offer name tags in their trades.
10. Can librarians trade silk touch?
Yes, Silk Touch can be obtained by trading with librarian villagers.
11. Why is Mending so valuable?
Mending is highly valued because it allows players to repair the durability of their tools and equipment with experience orbs, essentially making items last indefinitely.
12. What is the best villager for emeralds?
Librarians are great for emerald trades. They buy paper, which you can produce through sugarcane farms, offering a very effective and renewable method for getting emeralds. Also, purchasing enchanted books is a great way to spend your emeralds.
13. Which biome are Mending librarians found?
Mending can only be found from Swamp Biome Librarians. You will need to create your own Swamp village as these do not spawn naturally.
14. How do you breed librarian villagers?
To breed villagers, make sure they have beds and food. Provide them with at least 12 Beetroots, 12 Carrots, 12 Potatoes, or 3 Bread to encourage them to breed.
15. How do you check a librarian for mending?
Place a lectern near a villager, and when they become a librarian, right-click to open their trade window. Check to see if the mending book is available. If not, destroy the lectern, and replace it in the same location and wait for a new villager to become a librarian.
Conclusion
The number of enchanted books a librarian can trade is not fixed but varies depending on their level, Minecraft edition (Bedrock vs Java) and, in the case of 1.20.2, the biome they’re in. While Bedrock Edition’s librarians offer a probabilistic approach to these trades, with up to four potential book trades, Java Edition presents a wider scope of potential trades. Regardless, librarians are invaluable for obtaining rare enchantments, especially given the recent biome-based enchantment changes. By strategically breeding librarians, trading with them, and making sure you utilize each of the biomes, you will be well on your way to getting that perfect set of enchanted gear.