Minecraft Enchantment Order Calculator

Pick the item you want to enchant and tick the enchanted books you have. The calculator checks every possible order of anvil merges and shows the cheapest one step by step, with the level cost of each step. It uses the Java Edition anvil rules and warns you when a step would hit the 40-level "Too Expensive!" limit.

How to use the enchantment order calculator

1. Choose the item. The list only shows enchantments that item can take from a book.
2. If the item has been in an anvil before, set how many times. A new item, or one enchanted only at an enchanting table, counts as 0.
3. Tick each book you are adding and set its level. Enchantments that clash with your picks, such as Smite after Sharpness, are greyed out.
4. Choose Fewest levels or Fewest XP points. The XP option can pick a different order, because high levels hold far more experience points.
5. Follow the steps in order. Each one says what goes in the first (left) and second (right) slot.

Enchantments the item already has don't add to the cost in Java Edition, so leave them unticked.

How anvil costs work in Java Edition

Each anvil step adds up three parts:

The multipliers come from the game's enchantment data. A book costs half as much as an enchanted item would, rounded down, with a minimum of 1. From a book, most common enchantments cost 1 or 2 per level. Thorns, Silk Touch, Infinity, Channeling, Soul Speed, Swift Sneak and the two curses cost 4.

After every step, the result's penalty becomes double the higher of the two penalties, plus 1. That is why the order matters. Adding Sharpness V, Looting III, Sweeping Edge III, Fire Aspect II, Knockback II, Unbreaking III and Mending to a sword one book at a time costs 5, 7, 9, 11, 17, 34 and then 65 levels, and the last step is Too Expensive. The calculator's order for the same books costs 49 levels in total, with no step above 14.

If any step costs 40 levels or more in Survival, the anvil shows "Too Expensive!" and won't make the item. Creative mode has no limit. A job that only renames an item is capped at 39 levels. When no order stays under the limit, the tool shows the cheapest order with the blocked steps marked and tells you which single book you could leave out.

Tips for cheaper enchanting

• Combine books in pairs before you touch the item. Fewer passes through the anvil keep the item's penalty low.
• Don't repair or rename the item between steps. Every anvil use raises the penalty.
• Add Mending in the same session. After six or more books the penalty is usually 7 or 15, so later anvil repairs get expensive, while Mending repairs with experience orbs.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best order to combine enchantments in Minecraft?

Combine books in pairs first, then add the bundles to the item so it goes through the anvil as few times as possible. The exact best order depends on your books, so the calculator searches every order for your set. A sword with Sharpness V, Looting III, Sweeping Edge III, Fire Aspect II, Unbreaking III and Mending costs 44 levels in six steps.

Why does the anvil say Too Expensive?

The anvil refuses any job that costs 40 levels or more in Survival. The usual cause is the prior work penalty, which roughly doubles each time an item goes through an anvil.

How do I reset the prior work penalty on an item?

Use a grindstone. It removes every enchantment except curses and resets the penalty, to 0 when no curses are left. You lose the enchantments, so it only helps if you plan to enchant the item again.

Does it matter which item goes in the first anvil slot?

Yes. You pay for the enchantments on the item in the second slot, while the first slot keeps its own for free. The item you want to keep always goes first.

Does enchanting at a high level cost more XP?

In levels, no. In experience points, yes: dropping from level 40 to 30 uses 1,525 points, while dropping from level 10 to 0 uses only 160. Choose Fewest XP points if that matters to you.

Does this work for Bedrock Edition?

No. The calculator uses the rules from the Java Edition game files. Bedrock Edition has its own anvil code, so costs there can be different.

Sources

• Multipliers, maximum levels, conflicts and the items each enchantment fits: enchantment data in the Java Edition 26.3 game files, mirrored at misode/mcmeta.
• Anvil rules, the grindstone reset and the experience formula: the anvil, grindstone and player code in Mojang's official 26.3 server file.
• Independent check: iamcal's Enchantment Order tool, an open-source calculator that uses the same cost model.

Related guides

• Best Enchantments in Minecraft by Item
• Minecraft Villager Trading Guide, for buying enchanted books from librarians