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Enchanting table Minecraft: Unlock powerful gear upgrades

December 23, 2024

June 10, 2025

7 minutes

First of all, in the world of Minecraft, the enchanting table Minecraft is one of the most essential tools for progressing your gear. Whether you’re mining rare resources, battling hostile mobs, or exploring dangerous terrain, enchantments can drastically enhance your efficiency and survivability.

The enchanting table Minecraft enables you to imbue your weapons, tools, and armor with magical abilities. From faster mining to increased damage or durability, these enhancements can completely change how you play. And when combined with a smooth, lag-free connection—boosted by ExitLag—your enchanted gear becomes even more effective in real time.

So, what exactly is the enchanting table in Minecraft?

What is an enchanting table in Minecraft?

In that regard, the enchanting table is a functional block that lets you apply enchantments to various items. Using lapis lazuli and experience points, you can choose between randomized enchantments to improve your gear. The stronger your enchantments, the more prepared you’ll be for late-game challenges.

Often, as you progress through your Minecraft world, crafting and upgrading gear with an enchanting table becomes a major part of your strategy. It’s the gateway to acquiring tools that last longer, deal more damage, and provide valuable bonuses like underwater breathing or faster digging.

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How to make an enchanting table in Minecraft

Creating your own enchanting table is a key milestone in any survival or adventure playthrough. Fortunately, crafting one doesn’t take long once you have the right materials.

Crafting recipe: what you need

To build an enchanting table, gather the following:

  • 4 Obsidian blocks: Found when water touches a lava source block. Must be mined with a diamond pickaxe.
  • 2 Diamonds: Typically found at levels Y-16 and below. Bring an iron or diamond pickaxe.
  • 1 Book: Crafted from 3 paper and 1 leather.

Once you have the materials, arrange them in the crafting grid like this:

This recipe gives you one enchanting table, ready for placement.

Tips for gathering materials

  • Obsidian: Use a water bucket near lava pools in caves to create obsidian. Always carry extra food and blocks for safety.
  • Diamonds: Strip mine around Y=-59 for the highest efficiency. Fortune-enchanted tools increase diamond yield.
  • Books: Hunt cows for leather and harvest sugarcane for paper. Farming both saves time long term.

How to use the enchanting table in Minecraft

minecraft enchanting table

Now that you’ve crafted your enchanting table, it’s time to put it to work. To enchant an item, you need:

  • The item (e.g., sword, pickaxe, armor)
  • Lapis lazuli
  • Experience levels

Step-by-step guide to enchanting

  1. Place your enchanting table on the ground in your base or storage room.
  2. Insert the item you want to enchant into the left slot.
  3. Add lapis lazuli to the slot beside it.
  4. Choose one of the three enchantments presented. Each option requires a different number of experience levels and lapis.
  5. Click the enchantment to apply it.

Note: The enchantments are semi-random. Higher levels offer better effects, but they cost more XP and lapis.

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Key enchantment mechanics

  1. The number of bookshelves placed nearby affects enchantment levels.
  2. You can enchant books and combine them later in an anvil for precision.
  3. Items can be re-enchanted using grindstones or combined using an anvil.

How many bookshelves are needed for an enchantment table?

minecraft enchanting table How many bookshelves are needed for an enchantment table

So, bookshelves are the secret behind unlocking high-tier enchantments in Minecraft. Without them, your enchanting table will only offer low-level options. By surrounding your table with bookshelves, you increase the strength and variety of enchantments available.

In that way, to reach the maximum enchantment level (level 30), you’ll need exactly 15 bookshelves. They must be placed one block away from the enchanting table, with a one-block air gap between the table and each bookshelf.

Before you keep going, we suggest this article: Minecraft Fish: a Complete Guide to Fishing, Breeding, and More

Bookshelf placement rules

  • Place bookshelves around the table with one block of air in between
  • Bookshelves must be on the same level or up to two blocks higher than the table
  • No blocks can be placed between the bookshelves and the table

Setting up your enchantment station

  1. Place the enchanting table in the center of a room
  2. Add bookshelves around it in a U-shape or full ring
  3. Leave one block of space between the bookshelves and the table
  4. Make sure there are no torches, carpets, or other blocks obstructing the setup
  5. Count carefully: you need exactly 15 bookshelves to unlock level 30 enchantments

[INSERIR UMA IMAGEM DISSO, QUEM TÁ DIAGRAMANDO]

This is the optimal setup for enchanting gear with the highest-level enchantments possible.

What does the enchanting table language mean?

When you open the enchanting table interface, you’ll see unreadable glyphs instead of regular words. This text is written in Standard Galactic Alphabet (SGA) — a fictional script from the Commander Keen video game series that Mojang included as a cosmetic Easter egg.

Like this, while the phrases are mostly random and do not describe the actual enchantments, players can translate them for fun using online tools or by memorizing the alphabet.

How to translate the Minecraft enchanting table text

To decode the SGA text, you can use online translators like the Minecraft Enchantment Table Translator. Just type the symbols you see and it will output their English equivalents.

Keep in mind, however, that these translations don’t affect gameplay — they’re purely aesthetic and serve no purpose in predicting enchantments.

Fun facts about the enchantment language

  • The glyphs are pulled from the same pool regardless of the enchantment chosen
  • Sometimes, phrases like “well played” or “the truth” appear, referencing old Mojang jokes
  • Using a resource pack, players can change the text to display real names instead of symbols

Like this, understanding this mystical language might not change your game outcomes, but it adds flavor to the enchanting experience and deepens your immersion.

Best Minecraft enchantments and how to get them

minecraft enchanting table Best Minecraft enchantments and how to get them

With dozens of enchantments available, it’s important to know which ones offer the most value. Some are universal must-haves, while others shine in niche scenarios. Choosing the right combination can extend your tool’s life, increase your output, or protect you from unexpected threats.

Best enchantments by item type

Item TypeTop EnchantmentsDescription
SwordSharpness, Looting, UnbreakingDeals more damage, drops more loot, lasts longer
PickaxeEfficiency, Fortune, UnbreakingFaster mining, more drops, extended use
ArmorProtection, Mending, ThornsReduces damage, self-repairs, reflects hits
BowPower, Flame, InfinityStronger shots, fire arrows, unlimited arrows
ElytraUnbreaking, MendingLonger flight time, automatic repairs

Each of these enchantments can appear randomly at level 30 or be applied later via enchanted books and anvils.

Tips for getting better enchantments

  • Always enchant a book first to test outcomes without wasting tools
  • Use a grindstone to remove bad enchantments and try again
  • Combine multiple books in an anvil for customized loadouts

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Community enchantment strategies

The Minecraft community has spent years testing and perfecting enchantment strategies. While the enchanting process is partially random, there are several ways to increase your odds of getting better results.

Therefore, one of the most popular techniques is to use books instead of tools. By enchanting books, you preserve valuable gear and later combine the best effects using an anvil. This method is especially helpful for stacking multiple enchantments onto a single item.

Another common trick is to refresh the enchantment pool. If all available enchantments are weak, you can enchant a throwaway item like a wooden shovel. This resets the enchantment options and gives you a new selection next time.

For maximum efficiency, combine smart enchantment methods with a fast, stable connection. With ExitLag, lag won’t interrupt your enchanting rituals or your PvP encounters. The result? Smooth mechanics, stable framerates, and quicker reaction times when every second matters.

FAQ — Frequently asked questions about the enchanting table in Minecraft

How to make an enchanting table in Minecraft?

Combine 4 obsidian, 2 diamonds, and 1 book in a crafting table. Place the obsidian in a T-shape, diamonds on both sides of the center, and the book on top.

How to use the enchanting table in Minecraft?

Place the item and lapis lazuli in the enchanting table interface, then choose one of the three available enchantments. Each option requires experience levels and lapis.

What does the enchanting table language mean?

The symbols are written in the Standard Galactic Alphabet, a fictional language used for fun. They don’t correspond to the enchantment you’ll receive.

How to get the best enchantments in Minecraft?

Place 15 bookshelves around your enchanting table, and enchant at level 30 to access the most powerful enchantments. Use books to store and combine effects with an anvil.

How many bookshelves are needed for an enchanting table?

Exactly 15 bookshelves are required to unlock level 30 enchantments. Place them with one block of air between the shelves and the enchanting table.

How to translate Minecraft enchanting table text?

Use tools like the Minecraft Enchantment Table Translator (https://lingojam.com/MinecraftEnchantingTable) to decode the symbols. However, they serve no gameplay purpose.

Master the enchanting table Minecraft setup

Finally, from crafting your first enchanting table to optimizing bookshelf layouts and chasing rare enchantments, mastering the enchanting table Minecraft setup is key to evolving your gear. The right combination of enchantments can give you a critical edge in both survival and combat scenarios.

Pair your enchanted items with optimized performance. ExitLag improves network routing and stabilizes your gameplay, ensuring that your reaction time is as sharp as your enchanted sword.

Download ExitLag today and experience lag-free Minecraft enchantment table sessions with peak FPS and performance.

About The Author

Leandro Sandmann, graduated in Computer Science from FEI, is the co-founder of ExitLag, a company created to improve stability and internet connections for online games. He has been sharing his knowledge about games and technology through various channels, contributing to the Blog's articles.

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