Overview
A Netherite Axe hits for 10 damage, the highest single-swing figure of any ordinary weapon in the game — more than a netherite sword, more than a trident, beaten only by a mace smash. At 1.0 attacks per second that works out at 10 damage per second when every swing is fully charged, which kills an unarmoured zombie in two hits and a pillager in two. Anyone who fights with axes rather than swords ends up here, and the shield-disabling property makes it the strongest answer to shielded opponents in the game. Beyond combat it is a diamond axe with 2,031 uses instead of 1,561, a slightly faster chopping speed, and complete immunity to fire and lava — so it survives the Nether accidents that swallow everything else. The upgrade path is the usual one: enchant the diamond axe first with Efficiency V, Unbreaking III and Mending, then take it to a smithing table with a netherite ingot and the upgrade template. Nothing is lost in the transfer, and the item stops being something you can lose. Once you have swung one, going back to a sword feels like negotiating with the mob rather than ending it.
The heaviest single hit available without a mace, breaking shields in PvP and against illagers, and clearing wood on a build site without ever stopping to repair.
Netherite Axe is one of the 6 variants of this shape in the game. What changes between them is the material, and with it the hardness, the drops, the durability and the recipe — so every figure on this page is this variant's own. Stone Axe is the same shape in a different material.
Netherite Axe is a tool item in Minecraft 1.21.4. It has 2,031 points of durability. Use Netherite Ingot on an anvil to repair it.
Enchanting it is possible and generally recommended. It does not stack — each one takes its own slot. You cannot craft it at a bench — take Diamond Axe and Netherite Ingot to a smithing table instead.
No recipe takes it as an ingredient.
About the netherite tool set
How to get it
Upgrade a Diamond Axe at a Smithing Table with 1 Netherite Ingot and a Netherite Upgrade Smithing Template found in bastion remnants. One ingot is 4 ancient debris plus 4 gold.
Tips
- Ten damage a swing means two hits on most humanoid mobs — but only if the cooldown bar is completely full.
- It floats in lava like all netherite gear, so a bad fall in the Nether does not cost you the tool.
- Against a shielded player, an axe hit locks their shield for 5 seconds; that is the whole axe-versus-sword argument.
- The upgrade template comes from bastion remnants; one template can be duplicated with 7 diamonds and netherite-adjacent blocks.
Damage and attack speed
Netherite Axe deals 10 damage per hit and swings 1 times a second, which works out at 10 damage per second when every swing is fully charged.
A swing that lands before the cooldown bar refills deals a fraction of that, so waiting for the bar is worth more than clicking faster.
That is 2 hits to kill a zombie or a creeper, the same for a skeleton, and 2 hits for a spider.
Properties
Netherite Axe lasts 2,031 uses before it breaks, and Netherite Ingot repairs it on an anvil. Two worn copies can also be merged, on an anvil or a grindstone. Unbreaking III roughly quadruples the lifespan, and Mending replaces the repair cost with experience. Its enchantability of 15 decides how good the enchanting table's offers are: the higher the number, the more often a level-30 table offers the top-tier enchantment rather than a weak one. Netherite Axe does not stack — each one occupies an inventory slot of its own.
- Damage per second
- 10
- Enchantability
- 15
- Repaired with
- Netherite Ingot
- Category
- Tools
How it compares to the rest of the set
Every tier of axe in the game, side by side, so the trade-off is visible in one place: Netherite Axe sits 6 of 6.
Gold is the outlier: it enchants better than anything else (enchantability 22) and breaks almost immediately, which is why gold gear is enchanted and then upgraded rather than used.
| Item | Durability | Attack damage | Attack speed | Enchantability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wooden Axe | 59 | 7 | 0.8 | 15 |
| Stone Axe | 131 | 9 | 0.8 | 5 |
| Iron Axe | 250 | 9 | 0.9 | 14 |
| Golden Axe | 32 | 7 | 1 | 22 |
| Diamond Axe | 1,561 | 9 | 1 | 10 |
| Netherite Axe | 2,031 | 10 | 1 | 15 |
How to get it
Smithing Table
Netherite Axe
Enchantments it can take
8 enchantments can be applied to Netherite Axe: Bane of Arthropods, Efficiency, Fortune, Mending, Sharpness, Silk Touch, Smite, and Unbreaking.
Mending is a treasure enchantment and never appears at an enchanting table — they come from loot chests, fishing or villager trades only.
Guides and tools that cover this
Frequently asked questions
How do you make Netherite Axe in Minecraft?
Netherite Axe is not crafted at a bench. Put Netherite Upgrade in the left slot of a smithing table, Diamond Axe in the middle and Netherite Ingot on the right.
What is the stack size of Netherite Axe?
Netherite Axe does not stack at all. Every one you carry takes an inventory slot of its own, which is the practical limit on how many you take on a trip.
How much damage does Netherite Axe do?
10 damage per fully charged hit, at 1 attacks per second — 10 damage per second. Sharpness V adds 3 damage on top of that, and Strength II adds 6 more.
How much durability does Netherite Axe have?
Netherite Axe has 2031 durability, and can be repaired on an anvil with Netherite Ingot.
Can Netherite Axe be enchanted?
Yes — 8 enchantments apply to it, at an enchanting table with fifteen bookshelves, or from an enchanted book on an anvil. Mending is usually the one worth hunting for, because it removes the repair cost entirely.
The rest of the set
Netherite Axe is one of 6 variants of the same shape. The others are made from different materials, so their numbers differ:
