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Smite: Your Ultimate Guide to Undead Domination in Minecraft

So, you want to know what Smite is good against in Minecraft? In short, Smite is an enchantment that significantly increases your damage dealt to undead mobs. This makes it an invaluable tool for combating specific enemies in the game, turning challenging encounters into manageable victories. Think of it as your undead-busting cheat code! But which undead foes tremble before the might of Smite? Keep reading to find out.

Understanding Smite’s Power

Smite is an enchantment that can be applied to swords and axes in Minecraft. Its sole purpose is to boost the damage you inflict on undead mobs. The enchantment has five levels, with each level adding more damage to your attacks. This makes even basic weapons incredibly effective against their specific targets. However, it’s crucial to remember that Smite is a specialized enchantment. Its usefulness is entirely dependent on the type of enemies you’re facing. Don’t expect it to turn your sword into a universal monster slayer. Its power lies specifically in targeting the undead.

Identifying Undead Mobs

Knowing which mobs qualify as “undead” is key to utilizing Smite effectively. Here’s a comprehensive list of the mobs that take increased damage from the Smite enchantment:

Skeletons: Including regular skeletons, strays found in snowy biomes, and skeleton horses.
Zombies: Covering all zombie variants like regular zombies, zombie villagers, husks that spawn in deserts, and zombie horses.
Zombie Piglins: The inhabitants of the Nether, now known as Zombified Piglins.
Drowned: The underwater zombie variant that emerges from the depths.
Wither Skeletons: The menacing black skeletons found in Nether fortresses.
Withers: The formidable boss mob created using wither skeleton skulls and soul sand.
Phantoms: The winged creatures that appear when you haven’t slept for several in-game nights.
Zoglins: The zombified version of a hoglin, created when a hoglin enters the Overworld or the End.

These mobs are all categorized as undead and will suffer greatly against a weapon enchanted with Smite. The Smite enchantment significantly enhances damage against these specific targets.

Smite vs. Sharpness: The Eternal Debate

One of the most common questions among Minecraft players is whether Smite or Sharpness is the better enchantment. The answer depends entirely on your playstyle and the challenges you anticipate facing.

Sharpness: Adds a flat damage bonus to all your attacks, regardless of the target. This makes it a versatile choice for general combat situations.
Smite: Delivers a much larger damage bonus, but only against undead mobs.

While Sharpness might seem like the more practical option due to its universal applicability, Smite‘s superior damage against its specific targets can be incredibly valuable. For example, if you’re planning on exploring the Nether, where you’ll encounter numerous wither skeletons and zombified piglins, a Smite weapon can be a game-changer. Similarly, if you’re preparing to fight the Wither boss, Smite is almost essential.

Ultimately, the “better” enchantment is subjective. Sharpness offers consistent value across all encounters, while Smite provides specialized power against specific, often challenging, enemies.

FAQs: Mastering the Smite Enchantment

Here are some frequently asked questions to further deepen your understanding of the Smite enchantment in Minecraft:

1. Can I put Smite on an axe?

Yes, you absolutely can! Smite can be applied to both swords and axes. Keep in mind that the damage calculations might differ slightly between the two weapon types, especially depending on the Minecraft edition you’re playing (Java or Bedrock). Axes deal more base damage in Java edition, therefore, the Smite enchantment can do more damage on the axe in this version of the game.

2. Does Smite work on spiders?

No, Smite has no effect on spiders. Spiders, along with other arthropods like cave spiders and silverfish, are affected by the Bane of Arthropods enchantment instead. Remember, Smite is exclusively for undead mobs.

3. Does Smite work on all mobs?

Definitely not. Smite only works on the mobs that are classified as undead. Don’t expect it to do anything against creepers, endermen, or any other non-undead creatures.

4. Is Smite good against the Wither?

Yes! Smite is exceptionally good against the Wither. In fact, it’s one of the best enchantments you can have when facing this boss. The Wither is an undead mob, and Smite‘s damage bonus can significantly speed up the fight.

5. Does Smite hurt the Ender Dragon?

No, unfortunately, Smite doesn’t work on the Ender Dragon. The Ender Dragon is not classified as an undead mob, so it won’t take any extra damage from the enchantment.

6. Does Smite work on Piglins?

Yes! Smite works on zombified piglins as they are classified as undead.

7. Which is better for killing zombies, Smite or Sharpness?

Smite is significantly better for killing zombies than Sharpness. Its bonus damage against undead mobs is far more effective than the general damage boost provided by Sharpness.

8. What is Smite 5 used for?

Smite V (Smite level 5) represents the maximum level of the Smite enchantment, delivering the highest possible damage bonus against undead mobs. It’s the ultimate tool for undead eradication!

9. Does Smite do more damage than Sharpness?

Against undead mobs, yes, Smite does significantly more damage than Sharpness. However, against any other type of mob, Sharpness is superior since Smite has no effect.

10. What enchantment kills Endermen faster?

Since Smite doesn’t affect Endermen, you’ll want to focus on Sharpness for increased general damage. Other useful enchantments for fighting Endermen include Knockback (to keep them at bay) and Fire Aspect (although be aware that fire can cause Endermen to teleport more frequently).

11. What is the best sword for killing zombies in Minecraft?

A diamond or netherite sword enchanted with Smite V is arguably the best weapon for dispatching zombies. Add other beneficial enchantments like Fire Aspect or Looting for maximum effectiveness.

12. What enemies should I use Smite against?

Focus on using Smite against all types of skeletons and zombies, Wither skeletons, Zombified Piglins, the Wither, Phantoms, Drowned, and Zoglins. These are the creatures that will feel the full force of your Smite-enchanted weapon.

13. How do I get the Smite enchantment?

You can obtain the Smite enchantment through several methods:

Enchanting Table: Use an enchanting table with lapis lazuli to randomly obtain enchantments on your weapons.
Anvil: Combine an enchanted book with a weapon using an anvil. You can find enchanted books in chests, through fishing, or by trading with librarian villagers.
Trading: Librarian villagers can offer enchanted books with Smite.

14. Can I have both Smite and Sharpness on the same weapon?

No, you cannot. Smite and Sharpness are mutually exclusive enchantments. You can only have one or the other on a single weapon.

15. Is Smite better on a sword or axe in Java Edition?

In Java Edition, axes have a higher base damage than swords. As such, if the goal is to maximize damage output against undead mobs, the Smite enchantment on an axe is generally more effective than on a sword. However, Swords attack faster and can be more viable for some people.

Leveling Up Your Minecraft Knowledge

Want to further explore the educational potential of video games like Minecraft? Be sure to check out the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/. The Games Learning Society explores the intersection of games, learning, and design.

What is smite good against?