Okay, let's talk tridents. Remember when I first got my hands on one? I was so excited – until I realized I had no clue how to enchant the thing properly. Wasted two weeks trying to combine Loyalty III with Riptide before I figured out they don't play nice together. Felt like an idiot. But hey, that's why I'm writing this – so you don't make the same mistakes I did when hunting for the best enchants for trident.

Getting the best enchants for your trident isn't just about slapping on whatever enchantment book you find first. It completely changes how you use the weapon. Want to fly during storms? Rain death from above? Become an underwater powerhouse? Your enchant choices decide that. And nobody tells you about the hidden drawbacks until you're stuck in the Nether with a useless Riptide trident...

Core Trident Enchantments Ranked

After testing every combination across three different survival worlds (and one embarrassing hardcore death), here's how I'd rank the essential enchants for most players. Your playstyle matters though – we'll get to that later.

Notice how Loyalty and Riptide are both top-tier but incompatible? That's the kind of stuff that wastes your lapis if you don't plan ahead. Loyalty III is what I keep on my main trident – nothing beats watching it fly back to my hand after nailing a drowned. Except maybe Riptide III during a thunderstorm... man, that launch effect never gets old.

Here's what most guides won't tell you about Impaling though: it only affects aquatic mobs and drowned. Tested it myself against a herd of cows – same damage as a plain trident. Total bait if you're hoping for general damage boost.

Must-Have Enchants: Non-Negotiables

Some enchants you just shouldn't live without. Seriously.

Unbreaking III + Mending: The Survival Combo

Without these? You'll be crafting tridents more often than stone tools. Tridents have 250 durability – sounds like a lot until you start spamming throws.

Personal horror story: My first maxed trident (Impaling V, Loyalty III) broke during an ocean monument raid because I skipped Unbreaking. Learned that lesson the hard way. Now I won't even consider using one without both:

• Prioritize Mending first through fishing/villager trading
• Combine with Unbreaking III books at anvil
• XP farm becomes your repair station

Biggest headache? Finding Mending books early. I've had better luck with librarian villagers than fishing personally. Took twelve zombie cures to finally get one offering Mending.

Loyalty: Why You Want Level III

Loyalty I returns your trident in about 3 seconds. Loyalty III? Barely over one second. Makes all the difference in combat.

Throwing mechanics change completely with Loyalty. You can:

• Snipe phantoms from your roof safely
• Kill creepers without getting close
• Fish in lava pools (yes really!)

Downside? Your trident becomes a projectile weapon mainly. Melee range feels awkward after getting used to throws.

Specialized Enchant Combos

This is where your playstyle really matters. Made these mistakes so you don't have to:

Ocean Dominator Build

Live near water? This melts guardians and drowned:

• Impaling V (+12.5 damage to aquatic mobs!)
• Loyalty III
• Unbreaking III
• Mending

Guardians go down in two throws. Drowned? One shot even with armor. But take my advice: don't bring this against land raids. Feels like hitting things with a wet noodle.

Storm Chaser Mobility Build

My personal favorite for exploration:

• Riptide III
• Channeling
• Unbreaking III
• Mending

Riptide III during heavy rain launches you 30+ blocks. Pair with Elytra for insane mobility. Channeling lets you smite enemies with lightning – super satisfying against pillager outposts.

Enchanting Mechanics Demystified

Trident enchanting has weird quirks nobody explains:

Anvil Priorities Matter

Order of operations changes everything. From my testing:

• Apply Mending BEFORE other expensive enchants
• Combine books first to reduce repair costs
• Impaling V books should go on last (most expensive)

Repair cost example: Adding Mending to a fresh trident costs 2 levels. Adding it after Loyalty III? 12+ levels. Don't be like past me.

Where To Get Each Enchant

Channeling is surprisingly easy to get – got it first try at level 30 enchantment table. Riptide III? Farmed drowned for eight hours straight before getting one. Your mileage may vary.

Trident Enchanting FAQs

Can I combine Loyalty and Riptide?

Nope, absolutely not. The game treats them as mutually exclusive. Tried every combination at the anvil – wastes your levels every time. You have to choose between throwing functionality (Loyalty) and mobility (Riptide).

Is Impaling V worth grinding for?

Only if you spend significant time fighting ocean mobs. That +12.5 damage against guardians? Game-changing for monument raids. Against zombies? Zero benefit. I keep separate tridents for land vs ocean combat.

Why won't Channeling work during thunderstorms?

Three common issues I've encountered:

• You're under cover (even leaves block it!)
• Storm isn't "active" phase (wait for darker skies)
• Buggy biomes (desert storms sometimes glitch)

Channeling only works outdoors during active thunderstorm segments. Found that out after wasting three trident throws inside a jungle temple.

How do I repair tridents cheaply?

Mending is your only viable option. Combining two damaged tridents at anvil gets stupid expensive fast – we're talking 40+ levels for minor repairs. XP farms with Mending? Absolutely essential.

Advanced Tactics & Hidden Features

Beyond basic enchant mechanics:

Riptide + Elytra = Insane Mobility

Activate Riptide while holding elytra during rain to launch like a rocket. Conserves rockets better than firework spam. Just watch your altitude – splatted myself on a mountain once when the storm stopped mid-flight.

Loyalty Throw Cancelling

Few players know this: Sneak + right-click recalls your trident mid-flight. Lifesaver when you miss a shot against ghasts. Saved me from losing my trident in lava countless times.

Channeling Secret Use

Besides smiting enemies:

• Charges creepers without damaging terrain
• Activates conduit without prismarine
• Creates lightning traps for mob farms

Made a charged creeper farm using Channeling and nametags. Works like a charm during storms.

What NOT To Do With Tridents

From personal screw-ups:

• Never use Riptide in the Nether (freezes you mid-air)
• Don't throw Loyalty tridents near cactus
• Avoid melee combat with Unbreaking-only tridents
• Never enchant without first securing Mending

Lost my first Channeling trident to a desert cactus. The return path clipped through a cactus patch – poof. Instant disappearance.

Personal Recommendation

After hundreds of hours testing:

For general survival? Impaling V + Loyalty III + Unbreaking III + Mending. Works everywhere except dry nether.

For my skybase world? Riptide III + Channeling + Unbreaking III + Mending. Rainy weather becomes your playground.

But honestly? Craft two tridents if you can. Ocean monument runs demand different best enchants for trident than overworld exploration. Trying to make one trident do everything leads to disappointment.

Final thought? The best enchants for trident depend entirely on your world and playstyle. Experiment with different combos – just save before expensive anvil operations. Wish I'd taken my own advice before wasting all that lapis...