What Happens When You Throw a Trident in Lava in Minecraft?
The question of what happens when a trident meets lava in Minecraft is surprisingly nuanced and depends heavily on the enchantments applied to it. Simply tossing a standard, unenchanted trident into the fiery depths will result in its immediate destruction, lost forever to the molten abyss. However, the presence of specific enchantments, particularly Loyalty, completely changes this outcome. Let’s delve into the details of this fiery interaction and explore related questions surrounding tridents and lava in the game.
The Loyalty Enchantment: A Lifeline in Lava
The most critical factor determining a trident’s fate in lava is the Loyalty enchantment. When a trident is enchanted with Loyalty, it will, upon being thrown, reliably return to the player’s hand after a short delay. This effect persists even when the trident is thrown into lava. This makes a Loyalty-enchanted trident invaluable in the Nether, where lava lakes are abundant and accidental throws into lava are a common hazard.
What Happens Specifically?
When a Loyalty trident is thrown into lava, it behaves as follows:
- Initial Throw: The trident is thrown as usual, entering the lava.
- Fire Damage: The trident will take fire damage while submerged in the lava. This damage is visually indicated by the item being temporarily consumed by fire particles.
- Return: Despite the fire damage, the Loyalty enchantment kicks in, and the trident will reliably return to the player’s hand after a brief pause.
This seemingly simple mechanism makes the Loyalty trident incredibly useful for players who choose to use it instead of a bow in the Nether. The Loyalty enchantment serves as a safety net, preventing the permanent loss of this valuable, and relatively rare, weapon.
The Implications of a Lava-Bound Trident
While a Loyalty trident survives being thrown into lava, it’s important to note that the trident does take damage. While it won’t be destroyed, consistent throws into lava will inevitably diminish the trident’s durability. Using Mending in conjunction with Loyalty on your trident can keep your trident in top shape as the experience gathered helps to replenish the durability.
It’s crucial to understand that other enchantments, such as Riptide, will not change the fundamental behavior of a Loyalty-enchanted trident in lava. Since Riptide is incompatible with Loyalty, the two will never be on the same trident.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can you riptide in lava?
No. The Riptide enchantment propels the player forward when a trident is thrown, but it only works while the player is in water or during rain. Riptide is incompatible with the Loyalty enchantment, so it is not possible to use Riptide in lava.
2. How rare is a drowned with a trident?
Drowned have a chance of spawning with a trident. The chances are 15% in Bedrock Edition and 6.25% in Java Edition. Additionally, the chance of a Drowned dropping its trident upon death is 8.5%. This makes obtaining a trident a challenge.
3. Can you throw a trident in the nether?
Yes, you can throw a trident in the Nether. However, if a trident is thrown into a Nether portal with a block behind it, the trident may become unowned and will transfer itself to the next player to enter the nether through that portal.
4. Why can’t I throw my trident with Riptide?
Tridents enchanted with Riptide can only be thrown when a player is standing in water or when it is raining. In such cases, the thrown trident propels the player along with it. Riptide is designed for mobility and is not a general throwing enchantment like Loyalty.
5. Can drowned pick up a thrown trident?
No, Drowned cannot pick up a thrown trident, whether the thrown trident is by the player or another Drowned. A thrown trident acts similarly to arrows fired by Skeletons that cannot be picked up.
6. Can loyalty and riptide be on the same trident?
No. Loyalty and Riptide are incompatible enchantments and cannot be applied to the same trident.
7. Will my trident burn in lava?
A Loyalty enchanted trident will not be destroyed by lava, but it will still take damage. It will take fire damage but will return to the player after being thrown due to the Loyalty enchantment.
8. What is better, a Netherite sword or a trident?
In melee combat, a trident deals slightly more damage than a Netherite sword. However, both have different utility. A trident is versatile, being usable in ranged and melee, while a sword is more focused on close-quarters combat.
9. Is the trident the most powerful weapon in Minecraft?
The trident is considered a very powerful weapon, particularly in underwater combat, where bows cannot be effectively used. It excels in both melee and ranged attacks, making it a versatile option for various combat situations.
10. Can you put mending on a trident?
Yes, you can put Mending on a trident. It can also receive Unbreaking and Curse of Vanishing, in addition to its unique enchantments such as Loyalty, Impaling, Channeling, and Riptide.
11. Is a trident better than a bow?
The choice between a trident and a bow depends on the situation. A trident is advantageous in aquatic environments and can be used for both ranged and melee combat. A bow is more suited for long-range attacks on land.
12. Do drowned infect villagers?
Yes. If a Drowned kills a villager, either with a melee attack or with a trident, the villager has a chance of turning into a zombie villager. The chance is 0% on Easy, 50% on Normal, and 100% on Hard difficulty.
13. Would I sink if I fell into lava?
No, you would not sink into lava in Minecraft. In the real world, lava is considerably more viscous and dense than water. You would float on the surface much like falling into peanut butter. This effect is replicated in Minecraft.
14. What can lava not burn in Minecraft?
Most items dropped into lava are destroyed, but netherite-related items are an exception. These items will float on lava and will not be destroyed.
15. How do you fix a trident?
There are three ways to fix a trident: combining two damaged tridents in a crafting table or anvil will make one trident at 100% durability, using a grindstone, which will remove all the enchantments, or using Mending on your trident and gaining experience.
Conclusion
The interaction between a trident and lava in Minecraft is an excellent example of how enchantments can significantly impact gameplay. While an unenchanted trident will be lost forever to the fiery depths, the Loyalty enchantment ensures its safe return, making it an invaluable tool for exploration and combat, especially in the treacherous Nether. Understanding these nuances allows players to effectively utilize their tridents, maximizing their effectiveness and keeping them safe from the fiery embrace of lava.