Overview
Riptide turns the trident into a means of travel. Throw it while you are in water or standing in the rain and you are launched in the direction you were aiming, carrying the trident with you — no arc, no landing, just a burst of movement that covers a serious distance and does damage to anything you pass through on the way. Higher levels launch you further. In a thunderstorm, or in an ocean, that makes it one of the fastest ways to move in the game, and combined with an elytra it becomes a launch mechanism: riptide upward out of water, open the wings, fly. The restriction is absolute — dry and out of the rain, the trident simply will not throw, so a Riptide trident is useless in the Nether, in a cave, and on a clear day. It also conflicts with both Loyalty and Channeling, which means a Riptide trident cannot be thrown as a weapon at all, only swung in melee or ridden. That is why players who own two tridents make one of each, and players who own one usually choose Loyalty first.
Fast travel across oceans and through thunderstorms, and launching yourself high into the air for an elytra takeoff during a storm without spending a single firework rocket on the climb.
Launches you with the trident when it is thrown in water or rain, turning it into a movement tool. It conflicts with both Loyalty and Channeling.
III is as high as Riptide goes. It is a standard enchantment, which means the enchanting table can roll it for you.
Weight 2 gives it roughly 13% of the pool a table draws from for an item in its slot, and that share is about how often a level-30 table puts it in front of you.
How to get it
Enchant a Trident at a table with 15 bookshelves, or combine 2 level II books for level III. Weight 2 makes it an uncommon roll, and it conflicts with both Loyalty and Channeling.
Tips
- It will not throw when you are dry — no rain, no water, no launch, which rules out the Nether entirely.
- Riptide into the sky and open an Elytra at the peak for a rocket-free takeoff during a storm.
- It conflicts with Loyalty and Channeling, so this trident is never a thrown weapon.
- You take the trident with you, so it cannot be lost mid-flight the way a thrown one can.
What each level does
Level by level, this is what you get. Most of the gain is in reaching III, and two II books on an anvil make one III.
Riptide III gives the longest launch distance.
| Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| I | launches you 3 blocks when thrown in water or rain |
| II | launches you 6 blocks when thrown in water or rain |
| III | launches you 9 blocks when thrown in water or rain |
Properties
An enchanting table can offer it directly, and a librarian villager will sell it as a book — rerolling a librarian's trade by breaking and replacing their lectern is the cheapest route to it.
- Weight
- 2 (13%)
- Incompatible enchantments
- Channeling, Loyalty
What it can be applied to
Riptide can be applied to Trident.
- Trident
Gear it goes on
Incompatible enchantments
Riptide cannot share an item with Channeling and Loyalty.
Combining them costs levels and still leaves you with only one of the two. Decide which you actually want before the book goes on the anvil.
How to get it
Enchanting table or an enchanted book.
The level-30 slot at a fifteen-bookshelf table is where to look; a smaller ring means lower levels and a thinner offer pool.
Command
With cheats on, the first command applies Riptide III to whatever you are holding; the second hands you an item that already has it. Since 1.20.5 the item form uses the "enchantments" component rather than the old NBT tag.
Apply it
/enchant @s minecraft:riptide 3Give an enchanted item
/give @s trident[enchantments={levels:{"minecraft:riptide":3}}]Guides and tools that cover this
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum level of Riptide?
Riptide goes up to level 3. Riptide III gives the longest launch distance.
How do you get Riptide in Minecraft?
Enchanting table or an enchanted book.
What does Riptide conflict with?
Riptide cannot be combined with Channeling and Loyalty.
What does Riptide III do?
Riptide III launches you 9 blocks when thrown in water or rain.
