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Ocean · Weapon · 1.21

How to Get a Trident

The trident is the only weapon you cannot craft. It drops from drowned that spawn holding one, and the right enchantments turn it into a returning spear, a lightning rod, or a rocket through the rain. Try the four modes below.

Loyalty. A thrown trident flies back to your hand, like a boomerang.

Where to get one

Only drowned that spawn holding a trident can drop it. Hunt rivers and oceans.

A drowned holding a trident has a chance to drop it when killed. Looting raises the odds. (In Java, zombies that convert to drowned do not carry tridents, so look for naturally spawned ones.)

Base drop6.25%
With Looting III11.5%

The four enchantments

These shape how the trident plays. The hero above shows each one in motion.

Loyalty

A thrown trident flies straight back to your hand. Higher levels return it faster. Almost everyone runs this.

Riptide

While in water or rain, using the trident launches you forward riding it. Replaces Loyalty, and does nothing when dry.

Channeling

Hit a mob with a thrown trident during a thunderstorm and a lightning bolt strikes it. Pairs with Loyalty.

Impaling

Bonus damage to ocean mobs: drowned, guardians, squid, fish and turtles. Great for underwater fights.

Two ways to fight with it

Melee

Swing it like a sword for a strong, slightly slower hit. No enchant needed, and it never leaves your hand.

Thrown

Hold to charge, then release to hurl it like a spear. Without Loyalty it sticks where it lands and you walk over to collect it.

Keeping it sharp

Throwing and fighting wears it down. Repair it on an anvil with prismarine shards (dropped by guardians), or enchant it with Mending so the XP you pick up keeps it whole.

Quick answers

Can you craft a trident?
No. A trident has no crafting recipe and is not sold by villagers. The only way to get one is from a drowned that spawns holding a trident.
How do I get one?
Find drowned in rivers or oceans and look for one carrying a trident. Killing it has about a 6.25% chance to drop the trident, rising to roughly 11.5% with Looting III.
What is the best trident enchantment?
Loyalty is the must-have, since it returns the trident after every throw. Add Channeling for storm lightning, or run Riptide instead if you want to fly through water and rain.
Does Riptide work without water?
No. Riptide only launches you while you are in water or standing in rain or a snowstorm. On dry land in clear weather it does nothing.
Can I repair a trident?
Yes. Combine it with prismarine shards on an anvil, or use the Mending enchantment to repair it with the XP you collect.
Do converted zombies drop tridents?
Not in Java. Zombies that drown and convert do not carry tridents, so you must find naturally spawned trident drowned. Bedrock is more generous here.

Repair it with an anvil, study the trident, prismarine shards and guardian drops in the items database, or browse the enchanting recipes to plan Loyalty and Channeling.