Protection

Protection is an enchantment applied to armor that increases the armor's damage reduction.

Usage
Protection has no effect on damage from the Void, the command, poison, or hunger.

The formula for damage reduction is, meaning for every additional level another 4% of damage is absorbed. The highest level (Protection IV) will absorb 16% of damage. Theoretically at level 25 no damage is possible (because it would transcend 100%), but because the damage to be absorbed is capped at 80%, the maximum efficient level would be 20.

Damage reduction from Protection, Fire Protection, Feather Falling, Blast Protection, and Projectile Protection stacks up to an upper limit cap (see Armor).

Incompatibilities
Protection, Blast Protection, Fire Protection, and Projectile Protection are mutually exclusive. However, if commands are used to have two or more of these enchantments on the same item, the effects will stack.