What is the Best Type of Pickaxe in Minecraft?

The absolute best pickaxe in Minecraft is undeniably the Netherite Pickaxe enchanted with Efficiency V, Unbreaking III, Fortune III (or Silk Touch), and Mending I. This combination provides the fastest mining speed, the highest durability, the ability to either acquire more resources or obtain the blocks themselves, and ensures near-infinite lifespan with proper use. While a Diamond Pickaxe is necessary to even obtain Netherite, the Netherite Pickaxe is the ultimate goal for any serious Minecraft player.

Breaking Down the Best Pickaxe

Let’s dissect why this specific configuration reigns supreme.

• Netherite: Netherite is simply superior to diamond. It has higher durability, meaning it can mine more blocks before breaking. More importantly, Netherite tools have a higher mining speed than diamond, allowing you to clear blocks faster. Plus, Netherite items float in lava and are immune to fire, a crucial advantage when exploring the Nether.

• Efficiency V: Efficiency increases the mining speed of the pickaxe dramatically. Each level of Efficiency reduces the block breaking time significantly, and level V represents the highest obtainable level without using commands or external editors. This is what allows you to instantly break many common blocks.

• Unbreaking III: This enchantment significantly increases the durability of the pickaxe. Unbreaking doesn’t actually stop the pickaxe from losing durability; instead, it reduces the chance that it will lose durability upon use. Level III provides the most significant boost.

• Fortune III vs. Silk Touch: This is where player preference comes into play.

  • Fortune III increases the number of items dropped from certain blocks, such as diamonds, emeralds, lapis lazuli, and redstone. This allows you to maximize your resource acquisition.

  • Silk Touch allows you to mine blocks in their original form, such as glass, ice, and ore blocks. This is essential for building and decoration, and for moving certain blocks without destroying them.

  The choice depends on your priorities. If you’re focused on gathering as many resources as possible, Fortune III is the better choice. If you prioritize obtaining specific blocks intact, Silk Touch is the way to go. Many players opt to have two Netherite pickaxes, one with Fortune III and one with Silk Touch.

• Mending I: Mending uses experience orbs to repair the pickaxe’s durability. This makes the pickaxe effectively unbreakable as long as you continue to gain experience while mining. Repairing can be done by simply holding the pickaxe in either your main hand or off-hand while collecting experience.

Why Not Other Pickaxes?

While other pickaxes have their uses, they simply don’t compare to an enchanted Netherite Pickaxe.

• Wooden, Stone, Iron, and Gold Pickaxes: These are all stepping stones towards obtaining a Diamond Pickaxe, and subsequently a Netherite Pickaxe. They have lower mining speeds and durability, making them less efficient for long-term use. A Golden Pickaxe is the fastest in the game in terms of raw speed, but its extremely low durability makes it impractical.

• Diamond Pickaxe: As mentioned earlier, a Diamond Pickaxe is essential for mining Obsidian to reach the Nether and Ancient Debris to craft Netherite. However, its durability and mining speed are simply lower than Netherite. Once you have the resources, upgrading to Netherite is always the superior choice.

The Importance of Enchanting

A plain Netherite Pickaxe is already excellent. But enchanting takes it to the next level. Without Efficiency, Unbreaking, Fortune (or Silk Touch), and Mending, you’re missing out on the full potential of the tool. The process of obtaining the enchantments can be time-consuming, but the payoff is well worth the effort. Building an enchanting setup with 15 bookshelves surrounding an enchanting table is the key to unlocking high-level enchantments. Then, use an anvil to combine enchanted books with the pickaxe.

Exploring Alternative Enchantments

While Efficiency, Unbreaking, Fortune/Silk Touch, and Mending are considered the “best” enchantments, some players may find other enchantments useful in specific situations.

• Curse of Vanishing: While generally undesirable, there are niche situations where this enchantment can be strategically used, such as in PvP scenarios to prevent opponents from looting your tools.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can you get Efficiency VI on a pickaxe?

No. In vanilla (unmodified) Minecraft, the highest obtainable level of Efficiency is Efficiency V. However, with commands or external editors, you can technically apply higher levels of Efficiency, but it is not possible to obtain higher levels legitimately.

2. How do you get Mending on a pickaxe?

Mending can be obtained through several methods:

• Fishing: There is a chance to obtain enchanted books, including Mending, through fishing.
• Trading with Villagers: Librarian villagers can offer Mending books in exchange for emeralds.
• Loot Chests: Mending books can be found in loot chests in various structures, such as dungeons, mineshafts, and temples.

3. What is the fastest way to get Fortune III?

The fastest way to get Fortune III is usually by trading with librarian villagers. While fishing and loot chests are options, they are less reliable. Keep re-rolling the trades of a librarian villager until they offer a Fortune III book. This requires breaking and replacing their lectern until the desired trade appears.

4. What is the rarest pickaxe in Minecraft?

In terms of official Minecraft items, there isn’t a definitively “rarest” pickaxe. All pickaxes are equally easy to obtain, assuming you have the resources and tools. However, certain cosmetic pickaxes and tools from special events or limited-time promotions could be considered rarer due to their limited availability. In the world of Fortnite, cosmetic pickaxes like Raider’s Revenge are considered some of the rarest.

5. Does Fortune work on Nether Quartz?

Yes, Fortune does work on Nether Quartz. It increases the amount of Nether Quartz obtained when mining Nether Quartz Ore.

6. What enchantments are incompatible with Sharpness?

In Minecraft, the Sharpness enchantment (which applies to swords) cannot be combined with Bane of Arthropods or Smite. This is because all three enchantments provide damage boosts against different types of mobs, and they are mutually exclusive.

7. How much faster is Netherite than Diamond?

Netherite pickaxes have a slightly faster mining speed than diamond pickaxes, and they also have significantly higher durability, making them the preferred choice for any serious mining operation. The exact percentage difference in mining speed varies slightly depending on the block being mined.

8. Can you swim in lava with Netherite armor?

With a full set of Netherite armor enchanted with Fire Protection IV or Protection IV, you can indeed swim in lava with minimal to no damage. The Netherite armor itself provides some fire resistance, and the enchantments further mitigate the lava’s damage.

9. How do you make unbreakable tools in Minecraft with commands?

You can make unbreakable tools using the /give command: /give @p minecraft:diamond_pickaxe 1 0 {Unbreakable:1}. Replace diamond_pickaxe with the item you wish to make unbreakable.

10. What is the best grip for a real-life pickaxe?

The “best grip” for a real-life pickaxe depends on personal preference and the task at hand. Factors to consider include the material of the handle (wood, fiberglass, steel), the length of the handle, and the overall balance of the tool. Fiberglass handles are known for their durability and resistance to the elements.

11. What is the highest efficiency pickaxe in Minecraft?

The highest Efficiency level achievable without commands is V (5).

12. What does Sharpness 5 do?

Sharpness V adds 6.25 points (3 hearts and 1.25 points) of damage to the weapon it is enchanted on.

13. Is Netherite real in real life?

No, Netherite is not a real-life material. However, the closest real-world equivalent would be steel, which is significantly stronger than iron and used in construction and toolmaking.

14. Does Netherite float in lava?

Yes, Netherite items float in lava and are also fire-resistant, making them incredibly valuable in the Nether dimension.

15. Why is the Curse of Vanishing good?

The Curse of Vanishing is rarely considered “good,” as it causes an item to disappear upon the player’s death. However, it can be strategically used in PvP scenarios to prevent opponents from looting valuable items, such as a Lodestone Compass, that might reveal the location of your base.

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