Overview
A crossbow hits hard and reloads slowly, and that slow reload is the reason many players carry a bow instead. Quick Charge closes the gap: at the top level the weapon reloads in a fraction of the time it takes unenchanted, which is enough to make sustained crossbow fire practical rather than a single opening shot before switching weapons. In a raid, where you are firing repeatedly at a line of pillagers, that difference decides whether the crossbow is your main weapon or your first one. It matters even more with fireworks. A firework rocket in a crossbow is one of the highest-damage attacks in the game, and Quick Charge is what turns it from a single spectacular hit into a rhythm. Combined with Multishot the two together produce three explosions on a short cycle, which is the standard answer to a raid wave. There is a trick worth knowing: a loaded crossbow stays loaded when you switch to another item, so you can pre-load before a fight and fire instantly. Quick Charge simply means the reload after that first shot no longer costs you the exchange.
Sustained crossbow fire — raids, outposts and boss fights — where the reload rather than the damage is what limits how much you can do per second.
Shortens crossbow reload time. It closes the gap between the crossbow and the bow in sustained fights.
The highest level of Quick Charge is III. It is standard, so it sits in the enchanting table's own offer pool.
Its weight of 5 is about 23% of what an enchanting table can roll for an item that accepts it, which is roughly how often a level-30 table will put it in front of you.
How to get it
Enchant a Crossbow at a table with 15 bookshelves, or combine 2 level II books for level III. Weight 5 makes it a fairly common roll, and level III reloads in 0.5 seconds against 1.25 unenchanted.
Tips
- A loaded crossbow stays loaded when you swap items, so pre-load before the fight starts.
- With Multishot and a stack of Firework Rockets loaded, it becomes the standard raid-clearing weapon.
- It does not affect damage at all — pair it with Piercing or Multishot for the actual output.
- Carry a bow as well: a crossbow still cannot take Infinity, so ammunition matters.
What each level does
The table below is the per-level effect. Going from I to III is where the real difference is, and an anvil turns two II books into a III.
Quick Charge III reloads in 0.5 seconds, against 1.25 unenchanted.
| Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| I | reload time 1.00 s instead of 1.25 s |
| II | reload time 0.75 s instead of 1.25 s |
| III | reload time 0.50 s instead of 1.25 s |
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.
- Maximum level
- III
- Type
- Standard
- From enchanting table
- Yes
- Villager trading
- Yes
- Weight
- 5 (23%)
What it can be applied to
Quick Charge can be applied to Crossbow.
- Crossbow
Gear it goes on
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
If cheats are on, use the first line to add Quick Charge III to the item you are holding, or the second to be handed one outright — written with the 1.20.5 "enchantments" component.
Apply it
/enchant @s minecraft:quick_charge 3Give an enchanted item
/give @s crossbow[enchantments={levels:{"minecraft:quick_charge":3}}]Guides and tools that cover this
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum level of Quick Charge?
Quick Charge goes up to level 3. Quick Charge III reloads in 0.5 seconds, against 1.25 unenchanted.
How do you get Quick Charge in Minecraft?
Enchanting table or an enchanted book.
What does Quick Charge III do?
Quick Charge III reload time 0.50 s instead of 1.25 s.
