You’ve probably seen it on weapons you’ve looted, or handed out by Villagers, but what is a Bane of Arthropods weapon in Minecraft? Despite being one of the more common enchantments to find in the wild, this weapon upgrade isn’t something most people prioritize.
But why is that? And what exactly is an Arthropod anyway? We’ve put together a guide to help you know everything there is about Bane of Arthropods in Minecraft.
What is Bane of Arthropods in Minecraft?
Image Credit: Esports.net
Bane of Arthropods is an enchantment that can be added to swords and axes to increase the damage they do to Arthropod mobs by 2.5. This means does 2.5 extra damage on top of the weapon’s natural damage number.
It also inflicts Slowness IV on any Arthropod enemy, for a random duration. This duration increases by level, with Bane of Arthropods V being able to inflict Slowness IV for up to 3.5 seconds.
The enchantment is incompatible to Sharpness, Smite, and Cleaving, meaning it’s a very niche pick for your weapon enchantment!
What counts as an Arthropod in Minecraft?
Image Credit: Esports.net
An Arthropod is an invertebrate creature, typically types of bug or insect, so Bane of Arthropod affects bugs. In Minecraft, this means any bug or bug-like mob. That includes Spiders, Cave Spiders, Bees, Silverfish, and Endermites. The last two on that list probably surprise you, because they’re rare mobs, and it’s even rarer you’d get a chance to use the enchantment on them!
Full list of Arthropod Mobs in Minecraft
Here’s the full list of enemies affected by Bane of Arthropods in Minecraft:
- Spiders
- Cave Spiders
- Bees
- Silverfish
- Endermites
When should I use Bane of Arthropods?
A simple Spider Spawner Farm. Image Credit: Esports.net
There’s not many common use-cases for Bane of Arthropods in Minecraft, although there are a few. If you’re raiding a Stronghold, attempting to find the End Portal, a Bane of Arthropods sword may allow you t o better clear out the pesky Silver Fish that both spawn in the area, and activate from the Spawner.
Second, if you’re raiding Mineshafts, where Cave Spider Spawners will occur, a Bane of Arthropods Sword will help you kill Cave Spiders before they can poison you. Similarly, if you construct a Spider farm from a Spider Spawner, the Bane of Arthropods enchantment can help you quickly farm items and experience from the eight-legged enemies!
