Best helmet enchantments in Minecraft: Mending, Respiration, more

Udit Surve
Netherite, diamond, and gold enchanted helmets on armor stands in Minecraft.

One of the best ways to improve your gear in Minecraft is to use enchantments. Enchantments can add special effects and bonuses to your armor, making you more powerful and durable. Here are some of the best helmet enchantments in Minecraft that you should try.

A helmet is an essential piece of armor in Minecraft, as it protects your head from various hazards, such as falling blocks, arrows, fire, and explosions. A helmet can also give you multiple special abilities with the right enchantments.

Enchantments are effects that can be applied to your gear using an enchanting table, an anvil, or a command. Helmet enchantments can improve your defense, your vision, your respiration, and more. Some enchantments are compatible with each other, while others are mutually exclusive.

On that note, we have listed all the available enchantments for helmets in Minecraft and also ranked the 5 best ones so you’ll know which ones to get in the game.

An enchanted helmet on an enchantment table in Minecraft.
There are 11 enchantments available for helmets in Minecraft.

All Minecraft Helmet Enchantments

Here are all the enchantments you can get for a helmet in Minecraft with a short description of what each does:

EnchantmentMax LevelDescription
Aqua AffinityIAllows you to mine blocks faster underwater.
Blast ProtectionIVLowers the damage from blasts and explosions.
Curse of BindingIPrevents you from removing the cursed item.
Curse of VanishingIMakes the cursed item disappear when you die.
Fire ProtectionIVLowers the damage from fire and lava.
MendingIRepairs your tools, weapons, and armor with XP.
Projectile ProtectionIVLowers the damage from projectiles (arrows, fireballs, fire charges).
ProtectionIVProvides general protection from attacks, fire, lava, and falling.
RespirationIIIIncreases underwater breathing time (improves underwater vision)
ThornsIIIInflicts damage to attackers.
UnbreakingIIIEffectively increases the durability of the item by reducing the chance of losing durability when used.

Best Minecraft Helmet Enchantments

Now that we have seen all the enchantments, let’s take a look at the 5 best ones you can get for a helmet in Minecraft:

Various enchanted helmets in Minecraft surrounded by XP bottles in frames.
Chainmail helmet has a higher enchantability than iron or diamond helmet.

5. Aqua Affinity

If you love exploring the underwater world in Minecraft, you will need a helmet with the Aqua Affinity enchantment. This enchantment allows you to mine blocks underwater at the same speed as on land, instead of being slowed down by the water pressure.

The Aqua Affinity enchantment only has one level, and it can be applied to any type of helmet using an enchanting table or an anvil. It is one of the best helmet enchantments in Minecraft, and we rank it at number 5 in our top 5 list.

4. Respiration

Another great enchantment for helmets in Minecraft is Respiration, which lets you breathe longer underwater. This enchantment is perfect for those who want to explore the hidden treasures of the ocean, such as ocean ruins, shipwrecks, and ocean monuments.

Respiration has three levels, and each level adds 15 seconds to your base underwater breathing time of 15 seconds. With Respiration III, you can stay underwater for a whole minute without needing any potions or air bubbles.

3. Mending

One more enchantment that you should definitely have on your helmet in Minecraft is Mending. This enchantment allows you to repair your helmet using experience points that you collect from various activities, such as mining or killing mobs.

This way, you can keep your helmet in good condition without needing to craft a new one or use an anvil. Mending has only one level, but it is very effective and convenient. Mending is one of the best helmet enchantments in Minecraft, and we rank it at number 3 on our list.

Iron, gold, and diamond helmets in Minecraft on armor stands and in frames,
A Netherite helmet covers most of the player’s face, due to a nose guard and cheek plates.

2. Unbreaking

The Unbreaking enchantment in Minecraft helps you preserve the durability of your helmet, which means it will last longer and not break easily. Durability is important because it affects the performance and protection of your armor.

The higher the level of Unbreaking, the less likely your helmet will lose durability when you take damage. With Unbreaking III, your helmet will only lose durability 25% of the time, which is a huge improvement.

1. Protection – Best Enchantment for helmet in Minecraft

Protection is the best and most versatile enchantment for any piece of armor, especially helmets. It reduces all kinds of damage that players may encounter, such as fire, projectiles, explosions, and melee attacks.

To get the maximum benefit from this enchantment, one should aim for Protection IV, which is the highest level available in Minecraft. Unlike other specific Protection enchantments, such as Fire Protection or Blast Protection, Protection does not conflict with any other enchantments and can be applied to any armor piece.

With that, we wrap up our list of the best enchantments for helmetS in Minecraft. For more content on the game, have a look at:

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About The Author

Udit is an Evergreen Writer at CharlieIntel who specializes in first-person and sandbox games such as Call of Duty and Minecraft. After freelancing for Gameloop, Udit joined CharlieIntel in 2023. When not working, you can find him on YouTube watching a Zelda or Baldur's Gate 3 playthrough. Get in touch with him at [email protected].