What is Bane of Arthropods Best On?
The Bane of Arthropods enchantment in Minecraft is best utilized in very specific scenarios, primarily mob farms that are exclusively designed for arthropod mobs. It shines when dealing with large numbers of spiders, cave spiders, silverfish, and endermites. While seemingly overshadowed by more versatile enchantments like Sharpness, Bane of Arthropods excels when focused on these specific creature types, delivering higher damage output than Sharpness could achieve in these particular situations. This makes it a specialized tool for players who are willing to tailor their gear to optimize mob farming in areas with high arthropod spawns. Simply put, Bane of Arthropods is best on a weapon you intend to use exclusively against arthropods in situations where that is all you will be fighting.
Why Bane of Arthropods is a Niche Enchantment
While the allure of increased damage against certain mobs might be tempting, the primary reason Bane of Arthropods is considered a niche enchantment is its narrow application. Here’s why:
- Limited Target Mob List: Bane of Arthropods only affects a limited group of mobs: spiders, cave spiders, silverfish, endermites, and bees. This starkly contrasts with Sharpness, which boosts damage against all mobs, including players, making it far more versatile.
- Superior Alternatives: The broad effectiveness of Sharpness makes it the default choice for most players. It provides a consistent damage increase regardless of the mob, eliminating the need for specialized weapons for different enemy types. Even against arthropods, Sharpness is often sufficient for most encounters.
- Opportunity Cost: Applying Bane of Arthropods means forgoing Sharpness or Smite (which is useful against undead), as these enchantments are mutually exclusive. This is a significant drawback, as these alternatives offer far more utility in most gameplay scenarios.
When Bane of Arthropods Outperforms Sharpness
Despite its limited application, Bane of Arthropods does have its place. Here are the situations where it truly shines:
- Arthropod Mob Farms: When you are specifically farming spiders, cave spiders, or silverfish for resources like string, spider eyes, or silver, Bane of Arthropods can significantly speed up the process by rapidly dispatching the mobs.
- Early Game Spider Encounters: In the early game, facing a swarm of spiders can be challenging. A weapon with Bane of Arthropods can make these encounters easier, especially when you have limited gear.
- Situational Combat: If you know you are about to enter an area where arthropods are prevalent, such as a mineshaft or an end city, a weapon with Bane of Arthropods can be beneficial for that specific instance, but for general use it is suboptimal.
Damage Output of Bane of Arthropods
The effectiveness of Bane of Arthropods scales with its level. At level 5, the maximum level, it deals an additional 12.25 damage to arthropod creatures. This damage increase is far superior to that of Sharpness against arthropod mobs. However, against all other mobs, Sharpness remains superior.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can Bane of Arthropods be placed on an axe?
Yes, Bane of Arthropods can be placed on an axe. However, it’s generally not recommended, as Sharpness is usually a more versatile choice for axes due to its broader effectiveness. You are better off using an axe with Sharpness and another weapon like a sword with Bane of Arthropods for targeted farming if needed.
2. Is Bane of Arthropods the worst enchantment?
While often considered a less useful enchantment compared to Sharpness or Smite, it is not necessarily the worst, just the most situational. Bane of Arthropods excels in specific scenarios involving arthropod mobs, whereas other enchantments like Curse of Vanishing have almost no benefit.
3. Is Bane of Arthropods good against Creepers?
No, Bane of Arthropods does not work against Creepers. It is solely effective against spiders, cave spiders, silverfish, endermites, and bees.
4. Can you combine Bane of Arthropods with Sharpness?
No, Bane of Arthropods, Sharpness, and Smite are mutually exclusive enchantments. You can only have one of these on any given weapon. This forces players to choose the enchantment that best suits their needs.
5. Can you combine Bane of Arthropods with Sweeping Edge?
No, Sweeping Edge is exclusively for swords, and neither Sharpness, Smite, or Bane of Arthropods can stack with it, as Sweeping Edge already increases attack damage.
6. Can you put Bane of Arthropods on a bow?
No, you cannot put Bane of Arthropods on a bow. Bane of Arthropods is exclusively a weapon enchantment for swords and axes.
7. Does Bane of Arthropods give more XP?
No, Bane of Arthropods does not increase the amount of XP dropped by mobs. The XP drop is determined by the mob type and not by the weapon enchantment you used to kill it.
8. What does Bane of Arthropods do more damage to?
Bane of Arthropods increases damage against arthropod mobs only: spiders, cave spiders, silverfish, endermites, and bees.
9. Is Bane of Arthropods good against the Warden?
Yes, Wardens are considered arthropods and are thus weak to Bane of Arthropods. However, the fight with the Warden is still extremely challenging, and choosing Bane of Arthropods over Sharpness solely for this fight may not be the best approach, as most players prefer to sneak past the Warden to avoid combat.
10. Does Bane of Arthropods affect Shulkers?
No, Shulkers are not arthropods. Therefore, Bane of Arthropods has no effect on them.
11. What is incompatible with Bane of Arthropods?
Bane of Arthropods is incompatible with Sharpness and Smite. These three enchantments cannot be on the same weapon, as they are all different ways to increase damage on your weapon. Also, Bane of Arthropods is incompatible with Quick Charge.
12. Does Bane of Arthropods work against bees?
Yes, Bane of Arthropods does work against bees. It is one of the few enchantments that provides additional damage to them.
13. What is the maximum level of Bane of Arthropods?
The maximum level for the Bane of Arthropods enchantment is level 5.
14. What is better: Sharpness or Bane of Arthropods?
Sharpness is generally better due to its versatility, increasing damage against all mob types and players. Bane of Arthropods only surpasses Sharpness in very specific scenarios when fighting arthropod mobs exclusively. In most cases, Sharpness is the superior choice.
15. How much extra damage does Bane of Arthropods 5 do?
At level 5, Bane of Arthropods deals an additional 12.25 damage to arthropod creatures. This is the highest damage it can deal to those mobs.
Conclusion
Bane of Arthropods is a very niche enchantment in Minecraft. While it can be valuable when focused on targeted mob farming, its limitations and the availability of more versatile alternatives such as Sharpness and Smite make it a less desirable enchantment for most general players. Its power is undeniable in very specific circumstances, but outside those, it can be considered a waste of an enchantment slot. Choosing the best weapon for a situation will depend on your planned activity in Minecraft.