Talk:Enchanting mechanics

Min/Max Levels
According to the page, the min and max range for bookshelves, b, seems a bit weird to me when b = 30. Even if that table is designed using the third slot, the formula itself gives me a minimum level of 16 to 50. If it was designed for the first slot, which sets s to 0.5, i get a range of 8 to 25 not the min of 9 shown there. On the off-hand chance of it being designed for the second slot, it gets a range for 11 to 33. Where is it that it's getting a minimum level of 9? Kalbintion 22:06, 7 June 2012 (UTC)


 * The maximum assumes the bottom slot is used, and the minimum uses the top slot. The problem is that the formula is not quite accurately described. Starting with

Base enchantment level available = (1..5 + (b/2) + 0..b)
 * where b is the number of bookshelves (as on the page currently), the top slot has

Actual level = (base / 2) + 1
 * and the middle slot has

Actual level = ((base * 2) / 3) + 1
 * All calculations are performed in integer arithmetic (all fractions round down). That '+ 1' is why the minimum level with 30 bookshelves is 9, rather than 8. Of course, all this may have changed in the latest snapshot releases. -- Orthotope 01:36, 8 June 2012 (UTC)


 * The base formula still seems wrong. With 15 bookshelves, you get a base of 1..5 + (15/2) + 0..15, thus the max level available would be 5 + 7 + 15 = 27 (and 5 with no bookshelves at all). Ord did I get something wrong ? --78.210.48.117 08:32, 2 September 2012 (UTC)


 * I got exactly the same answer in as the previous post using the formula as it is on the page. I also used the formula to calculate the minimum for b = 15. That gives me exactly 4.25, while this page says it should be 2 (rounded down). I also got the same answer for b = 0, so I think somethings wrong with this formula. --Creator13 18:40, 17 September 2012 (UTC)


 * This was changed in 1.3. New formulas:

Base level = (1..8 + (b/2) + 0..b) Top slot level = max(base / 3, 1) Middle slot level = ((base * 2) / 3) + 1 (same as before) Bottom slot level = max(base, b * 2)
 * -- Orthotope 02:18, 18 September 2012 (UTC)


 * Sorry for complaining more, but I don't understand some parts of the formula, like the "max" before the top and bottom slot formula; and in the top slot, I don't understand the comma between the 3 and the 1. Does this mean 3.1, or anything else of a higher mathematical level than I have :/ ? Please forgive me about asking this, but I'm writing a program where I need these formulas. By the way, may we ask things like this on the discussion page, if not, please tell me so I know it for the next time... --Creator13 19:48, 18 September 2012 (UTC)


 * picks the greater of the two numbers a and b. In the top slot, this ensures the level is at least 1 (with no bookshelves, base can be as low as 1, and in integer arithmetic 1/3 = 0). In the bottom slot, the level will always be at least twice the number of bookshelves. This is why it always gives a level 30 enchantment when you have 15 bookshelves nearby. -- Orthotope 03:02, 19 September 2012 (UTC)


 * Thanks, really, this helped me alot. Except that I now have to rewrite the code... Creator13 19:00, 19 September 2012 (UTC)

probability after 1.3.1
Can anyone confirm these probability charts? According to the charts it is no longer possible to get efficiency 5 on a diamond pick.

- Also not possible to get Sharpness V on diamond sword and it's only 0.2% chance on a golden sword with level 30. 94.237.64.32 23:58, 19 August 2012 (UTC)

Move page
I think this page should be merged with enchanting since it involves enchantments. 64.56.253.180 20:19, 6 December 2012 (UTC)


 * They originally were on the same page. This information was split off as it's rather technical, and players don't need to understand it in order to make use of enchantments. -- Orthotope 08:52, 7 December 2012 (UTC)

How about books?
Enchantability is clearly not an issue, but contra some rumors, I did see enchantments up to level 30 when I tried it (only once so far). Can anyone figure out how enchanted books pick their results? --Mental Mouse 21:32, 21 December 2012 (UTC)
 * I only did some experimenting in creative, but I noticed that books will only pick one enchantment. You can use up to 30 levels to enchant them, and the higher the level, the more likely for a higher level/better enchantment. I would assume that the algorithm is very much the same, only it picks 1 enchantment rather than allowing for multiples. I'd be interested to see what other people find as well. --Kahless61 21:37, 21 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Using Minecraft Coder Pack I've found out that enchantability value of the book item is 1, the same as for bow. --skupr [this was posted at 09:51, December 25, 2012]
 * Thanks! --Mental Mouse 12:17, 25 December 2012 (UTC)