Minecraft Sharpness vs Smite vs Bane of Arthropods

Sharpness, Smite, and Bane of Arthropods are the three damage-boosting sword enchantments, and they are mutually exclusive. You can only have one on a sword at a time. The right choice depends on what you fight most often.

Damage comparison

Sharpness V adds 3 extra damage (1.5 hearts) to every hit against every mob and player. It is universal and always active.

Smite V adds 12.5 extra damage (6.25 hearts) per hit, but only against undead mobs: zombies, skeletons, wither skeletons, phantoms, drowned, husks, strays, zombie villagers, zombie piglins, zoglins, and the Wither boss.

Bane of Arthropods V adds 12.5 extra damage per hit against arthropods: spiders, cave spiders, silverfish, bees, and endermites. It also applies Slowness IV to the target.

Mob coverage analysis

Smite covers a huge portion of hostile mobs. Zombies, skeletons, and their variants make up the majority of overworld and Nether threats. The Wither boss is also undead, making Smite V the best enchantment for the Wither fight, a netherite sword with Smite V can kill the Wither in under 10 hits.

Bane of Arthropods covers very few mobs. Spiders and cave spiders are common but die quickly even without Bane. Silverfish appear in strongholds and mountain biomes. Bees and endermites are rare encounters. The Slowness effect is nice but not game-changing.

Sharpness covers everything: all hostile mobs, neutral mobs, passive mobs, and other players. It is never the highest-damage option against a specific category, but it is never useless either.

PvP considerations

In player-versus-player combat, only Sharpness works. Smite and Bane do nothing against players. If PvP is part of your server experience, Sharpness is mandatory on your primary sword.

The Wither fight

Smite V turns the Wither from a difficult boss into a manageable fight. A netherite sword with Smite V deals 8 (base) + 12.5 (Smite) = 20.5 damage per hit. Combined with Strength II potions, you can defeat the Wither in seconds by trapping it under bedrock and swinging. This is the single strongest argument for keeping a Smite sword on hand.

Recommended approach

• Primary sword: Sharpness V. Use it for everything including PvP, Endermen, Creepers, Piglins, and general combat.
• Secondary sword: Smite V. Bring it out for the Wither fight, zombie spawner farms, and Nether fortress runs against wither skeletons.
• Skip Bane of Arthropods unless you are running a cave spider spawner farm. The mob pool it covers is too small to justify a dedicated sword.

Axes and Sharpness

In Java Edition, axes can receive Sharpness (or Smite/Bane). A netherite axe with Sharpness V deals 13 damage per hit, which is the highest single-hit melee damage in the game. The downside is the slow attack speed (1.0 per second vs the sword's 1.6). For ambush hits in PvP, a Sharpness V axe is devastating. For sustained DPS, the sword is still better.

Want to see all this in action? Astroworld MC runs a custom-built economy survival server with custom bosses, eternal enchants, crates and an auction house. Join at astroworldmc.com, IP play.astroworldmc.com, Java + Bedrock crossplay.

Questions about Minecraft Sharpness vs Smite vs Bane of Arthropods

What does Minecraft Sharpness vs Smite vs Bane of Arthropods come down to?

Sharpness, Smite, and Bane of Arthropods are the three damage-boosting sword enchantments, and they are mutually exclusive.

How much does Minecraft Sharpness vs Smite vs Bane of Arthropods actually need?

Sharpness V adds 3 extra damage (1.5 hearts) to every hit against every mob and player.

What goes wrong with Minecraft Sharpness vs Smite vs Bane of Arthropods?

It is never the highest-damage option against a specific category, but it is never useless either.

Minecraft Sharpness vs Smite vs Bane of Arthropods: what does pvp considerations mean here?

Smite V adds 12.5 extra damage (6.25 hearts) per hit, but only against undead mobs: zombies, skeletons, wither skeletons, phantoms, drowned, husks, strays, zombie villagers, zombie piglins, zoglins, and the Wither boss.