enchantment
Piercing in Minecraft | MinecraftBible
Piercing is a level 1-4 crossbow enchantment in Minecraft 1.21.4. Crossbow only. Arrows pierce +1 entity per level (max 4 at IV), damaging every entity in line. This enchantment page includes real crafting data, contextual links, and related Minecraft references, with version-aware coverage mapped across the last 11 major updates (1.21, 1.20, 1.19, 1.18, 1.17, 1.16, 1.15, 1.14, 1.13, 1.12, 1.11).
What does Piercing do?
Piercing is a Minecraft enchantment in the Crossbow category with a Common rarity. It scales up to level 4. It is available from the enchanting table with sufficient bookshelves. Villager librarians can trade enchanted books of this enchantment.
Effect: Crossbow only. Arrows pierce +1 entity per level (max 4 at IV), damaging every entity in line.
Priority: S-tier for lined-up raid mobs. Incompatible with Multishot.
How to get Piercing
- Enchanting table
- Librarian villager trades
- Dungeon chests
Librarian trade: Cure or trap a villager, place a lectern to convert them to a librarian, then break and re-place the lectern to reroll trades until a Piercing book appears. Expected price: 5–19 emeralds at profession level 1+.
XP cost by level for Piercing
| Level | Min cost | Max cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 50 |
| 2 | 11 | 50 |
| 3 | 21 | 50 |
| 4 | 31 | 50 |
Secondary-compatible items
Items that accept Piercing through broader tags (durability, vanishing, equippable):
Compatible items
Synergy enchantments with Piercing
These enchantments stack productively on the same item:
Conflicts with
Enchantment properties
- Category: Crossbow
- Rarity: Common
- Max level: 4
- Weight: 10
- Min cost formula: 10 × level + -9
- Max cost formula: 0 × level + 50
- Anvil item cost / level: 1×
- Anvil book cost / level: 1×
- Treasure only: No
- Tradeable: Yes
- Discoverable via enchanting table: Yes
- Curse: No
Practical Guide
Piercing is an enchantment in Minecraft 1.21.4 with a maximum level of 4, usable on 1+ real item types. Crossbow only. Arrows pierce +1 entity per level (max 4 at IV), damaging every entity in line.
Practical Steps
- Effect: Crossbow only. Arrows pierce +1 entity per level (max 4 at IV), damaging every entity in line.
- Obtainable from: Enchanting table; Librarian villager trades; Dungeon chests.
- Level 4 enchanting-table cost lands between 31 and 50 XP — budget your levels before committing.
- Apply to compatible gear such as Crossbow. See the Primary Items section for the full list.
- Librarian route: cure or trap a villager, place a lectern, and reroll trades by breaking + replacing the lectern until you see the book. Expect 5-19 emeralds at profession level 1+.
Pro Tips
- Priority: S-tier for lined-up raid mobs. Incompatible with Multishot.
- Use a grindstone to safely strip this enchantment and reclaim a small XP refund.
- Before an anvil merge, confirm the two enchantments aren't in each other's exclusive list — conflicts turn the merge red and waste XP.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Piercing do in Minecraft?
Crossbow only. Arrows pierce +1 entity per level (max 4 at IV), damaging every entity in line. Max level is 4.
What is the max level of Piercing?
Piercing caps at level 4. At max level the enchanting-table cost formula lands between 31 and 50 XP.
How do I get Piercing?
Piercing can be obtained from: Enchanting table; Librarian villager trades; Dungeon chests. A librarian villager at profession level 1+ can sell an enchanted book of it for 5-19 emeralds.
Can I trade for Piercing with a villager?
Yes — cure a zombie villager or trap a fresh villager, place a lectern to convert them to a librarian, then break and replace the lectern until they roll a Piercing book. Expected price is 5-19 emeralds and requires villager level 1+.
What enchantments conflict with Piercing?
Piercing cannot be combined with: Multishot.
What is the anvil cost for Piercing?
Applying Piercing to a target from an enchanted book costs 1× per level in anvil work units, or 1× per level when combining from another enchanted item. Every anvil use also doubles the prior-work penalty on the target.