Overview
Channeling summons a lightning bolt onto whatever a thrown trident hits, and the conditions are strict enough that most players use it twice and then keep it for the novelty. It works only during a thunderstorm, and only on a target that can see the sky — indoors, underground or under a roof, nothing happens at all. When those conditions line up it is one of the most spectacular attacks in the game and also one of the most useful, because lightning transforms mobs. A creeper struck by lightning becomes a charged creeper, whose explosion is the only way to obtain a mob head from a skeleton, wither skeleton, zombie or creeper. That single interaction is why Channeling exists in most players' worlds: charged creeper, mob head, decorative build. Lightning also turns a villager into a witch, a pig into a zombified piglin and a red mooshroom into a brown one, all of which are one-way changes worth being careful about near your village. It cannot share a trident with Riptide, which is the real cost — you are choosing between a weapon that returns and travels and one that calls the sky down.
Making charged creepers during a thunderstorm, which is the only route in the game to a skeleton, zombie, creeper or wither skeleton head, and converting mobs by lightning for farms and decoration.
Summons lightning where a thrown trident lands, but only during a thunderstorm and only on a target in the open sky. The standard way to make a charged creeper.
I is as high as Channeling goes, and that single level is all there is. It is a standard enchantment, which means the enchanting table can roll it for you.
It carries a weight of 1, which is roughly 7% of everything a table can roll for gear that takes it — so that is about how often you should expect to see it.
How to get it
Enchant a Trident at a table or apply a book; there is only 1 level. Tridents themselves drop from drowned about 8.5% of the time when the drowned spawns holding one, so the weapon is the hard part.
Tips
- Nothing happens without a thunderstorm and open sky above the target — rain alone is not enough.
- Lead a creeper somewhere open, strike it, then detonate it beside a skeleton to farm its head.
- It conflicts with Riptide, so a stormy-weather trident and a mobility trident are separate weapons.
- Pair it with Loyalty III so the trident comes back rather than landing in the sea.
What each level does
Channeling has a single level. Once it is on the item, more books of it change nothing.
Channeling has a single level.
| Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| I | a thrown trident calls lightning on the target during a thunderstorm |
Properties
The enchanting table can roll it, and librarians sell it as a book — breaking and replacing a lectern rerolls the trade until one does.
- Weight
- 1 (7%)
- Incompatible enchantments
- Riptide
What it can be applied to
Channeling can be applied to Trident.
- Trident
Gear it goes on
Incompatible enchantments
Channeling cannot share an item with Riptide.
The anvil does not warn you. It leaves the conflicting enchantment off, keeps the cost, and hands the item back, so plan the order before you spend the book.
How to get it
Enchanting table or an enchanted book.
Build the full fifteen-bookshelf ring and take the level-30 slot: below 30 the pool is smaller and the levels are lower.
Command
Cheats on: the first command enchants what is in your hand with Channeling I, and the second spawns the finished item. The component syntax below replaced the old NBT tag in 1.20.5.
Apply it
/enchant @s minecraft:channeling 1Give an enchanted item
/give @s trident[enchantments={levels:{"minecraft:channeling":1}}]Guides and tools that cover this
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum level of Channeling?
Channeling has a single level.
How do you get Channeling in Minecraft?
Enchanting table or an enchanted book.
What does Channeling conflict with?
Channeling cannot be combined with Riptide.
What does Channeling I do?
Channeling I a thrown trident calls lightning on the target during a thunderstorm.
