Overview
A Netherite Shovel is the tool for people whose builds are measured in chunks rather than blocks. It holds 2,031 uses, digs at a multiplier of 9, and — like every netherite item — cannot be destroyed by fire or lava, which matters on Nether projects where you are shovelling soul sand and soul soil above an open lava sea. Practically, the upgrade over diamond is not the speed, which is marginal, but never having to stop. A single netherite shovel with Efficiency V, Unbreaking III and Mending will outlast the project you built it for and the two after it, and the fire immunity means an accidental step into a lava pocket costs you health rather than the tool. It is worth remembering that soul sand and soul soil are shovel blocks, so any wither build, soul-speed path or Nether farm is shovel work. Upgrade the enchanted diamond version at a smithing table with an ingot and the template; nothing on the tool is lost in the process. It is the quiet luxury of the netherite tier: not more power, simply no interruptions at all.
Chunk-scale terraforming without repairs, and shovel work in the Nether — soul sand, soul soil and gravel — where a diamond tool dropped into lava would be gone.
Netherite Shovel 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 Shovel is the same shape in a different material.
Netherite Shovel 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 Shovel 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 Shovel at a Smithing Table using 1 Netherite Ingot and a Netherite Upgrade Smithing Template from a bastion remnant. That is 4 ancient debris and 4 gold ingots.
Tips
- Soul sand and soul soil are shovel blocks, so any wither summoning platform or soul-speed road is shovel work.
- Netherite tools survive lava, which is the only reason to take one to a Nether build site at all.
- The speed gain over diamond is small — the real upgrade is 2,031 uses and never stopping to repair.
- Enchant the diamond shovel fully before the smithing step; the upgrade carries every enchantment across.
Damage and attack speed
Netherite Shovel deals 6.5 damage per hit and swings 1 times a second, which works out at 6.5 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 4 hits to kill a zombie or a creeper, the same for a skeleton, and 3 hits for a spider.
Properties
Netherite Shovel 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 Shovel does not stack — each one occupies an inventory slot of its own.
- Damage per second
- 6.5
- Enchantability
- 15
- Repaired with
- Netherite Ingot
- Category
- Tools
How it compares to the rest of the set
Every tier of shovel in the game, side by side, so the trade-off is visible in one place: Netherite Shovel 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 Shovel | 59 | 2.5 | 1 | 15 |
| Stone Shovel | 131 | 3.5 | 1 | 5 |
| Iron Shovel | 250 | 4.5 | 1 | 14 |
| Golden Shovel | 32 | 2.5 | 1 | 22 |
| Diamond Shovel | 1,561 | 5.5 | 1 | 10 |
| Netherite Shovel | 2,031 | 6.5 | 1 | 15 |
How to get it
Smithing Table
Netherite Shovel
Enchantments it can take
5 enchantments can be applied to Netherite Shovel: Efficiency, Fortune, Mending, Silk Touch, 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 Shovel in Minecraft?
Netherite Shovel is not crafted at a bench. Put Netherite Upgrade in the left slot of a smithing table, Diamond Shovel in the middle and Netherite Ingot on the right.
What is the stack size of Netherite Shovel?
Netherite Shovel 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 Shovel do?
6.5 damage per fully charged hit, at 1 attacks per second — 6.5 damage per second. Strength II adds 6 damage on top of that.
How much durability does Netherite Shovel have?
Netherite Shovel has 2031 durability, and can be repaired on an anvil with Netherite Ingot.
Can Netherite Shovel be enchanted?
Yes — 5 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 Shovel is one of 6 variants of the same shape. The others are made from different materials, so their numbers differ:
