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Minecraft Enchanting Table — How It Works & How to Max It

The enchanting table turns experience levels and lapis lazuli into enchantments — but the result is random, and the ceiling is set by how many bookshelves surround it. Understanding the bookshelf rule is the difference between wasting levels on level-5 offers and reliably unlocking level-30 enchants.

The 15-bookshelf rule

The table's maximum offer scales with nearby bookshelves: every two bookshelves adds one level to the cap, up to 15 bookshelves for a level-30 maximum. Place bookshelves in a ring one block away from the table with a two-block gap, at the same height or one above, with air in between — a bookshelf touching the table or blocked by another block does not count.

Lapis and the three offers

Each use costs 1 lapis for the first slot, 2 for the second and 3 for the third, plus the experience levels shown. The three offers are three different enchantment rolls; you can take one per item. If none suit you, enchant a cheap item like a wooden shovel to reroll the table's seed.

What you cannot get from the table

Some enchantments are 'treasure' enchantments and never appear in the table: Mending, Frost Walker, Soul Speed, Swift Sneak and Wind Burst among them. Those come from librarian trades, fishing, loot chests, ancient cities or piglin bartering.

  • Mending — librarian, fishing, loot
  • Frost Walker — librarian, fishing, loot
  • Soul Speed — piglin bartering
  • Swift Sneak — Ancient City loot
  • Wind Burst — trial chamber loot

Level 30 is not the same as the best enchantment

A level-30 offer rolls from the full pool for that item, but it still might not be the enchantment you want, and it can be a lower tier of one. Enchanting is gambling; the reliable route to a specific max-level book is a librarian villager, and the reliable route to a cheap anvil order is planning the combination before you start.

FAQ

How many bookshelves do I need for level 30?
15. Each pair of bookshelves raises the cap by one level, so 15 bookshelves give the maximum level-30 offers. Fewer bookshelves means a lower cap and cheaper but weaker offers.
Why do my bookshelves not count?
They must be one block away with air between (a two-block gap), at the table's height or one above, and not blocked by other blocks. Any solid block or bookshelf touching the table cancels its contribution.
What does an enchantment cost?
Lapis (1, 2 or 3 for the three slots) plus the experience levels shown on each offer. Levels 1–30 are the usual range; a level-30 enchant costs three levels.
Can I choose the enchantment?
Not directly. The table gives three random offers. To target a specific enchantment, use a librarian villager or loot; use the table for cheap general gear or to reroll.
Best EnchantmentsEnchantment XP CostEnchantment ConflictsLibrarian Villager TradingOpen Calculator