Netherite Upgrade

Overview

The Netherite Upgrade Smithing Template is the permission slip for netherite. Without one in the smithing table's first slot, a netherite ingot does nothing at all to a diamond item — a rule 1.20 introduced that turned the netherite upgrade from a recipe into a scavenger hunt. Templates generate only in bastion remnants, where they appear in the treasure room chests at a high rate and in other bastion chests less often, so a single successful bastion raid usually solves the problem for the rest of the world. That is because templates duplicate: one template plus 7 diamonds and a netherrack block on a crafting grid returns 2, so you never need to find a second. The template is not consumed by the upgrade itself, which means one copy could technically serve forever — the duplication recipe exists so you can keep spares and lend them. Wear at least one piece of gold armour when raiding the bastion, or every piglin in it will attack on sight. One bastion raid, one template, and the whole netherite chain is unlocked for good.

Unlocking every netherite upgrade at a smithing table — armour, tools and weapons — which no amount of netherite ingots can do without it. No ingot works without it.

Netherite Upgrade is a smithing template item in Minecraft Java Edition 1.21.4. Sixty-four fit in one inventory slot. The recipe calls for Diamond, Netherite Upgrade, and Netherrack.

It is an ingredient in 9 recipes, among them Netherite Axe, Netherite Boots, Netherite Chestplate and 6 more.

How to get it

Loot a bastion remnant — treasure room chests hold them at roughly a 10% rate and other bastion chests less often. Duplicate 1 into 2 with 7 Diamonds and 1 netherrack.

Tips

The template is not consumed by an upgrade, so one copy technically upgrades your entire kit.
Duplicate it anyway with 7 diamonds and a netherrack; spares are cheap insurance against losing it.
Wear a piece of gold armour in the bastion so piglins stay neutral while you loot.
See ancient debris and netherite for the full upgrade chain in order.

Version notes

Smithing templates were introduced in 1.20 with the trim system; before that, netherite upgrades needed only the ingot and the diamond item.

Properties

One inventory slot holds 64, so a double chest holds 3,456.

Stack size: 64
Category: Smithing templates

Crafting recipe

Crafting Table

Netherite Upgrade ×2

Used to craft

Netherite Upgrade is an ingredient in 9 recipes, producing Netherite Axe, Netherite Boots, Netherite Chestplate, Netherite Helmet, Netherite Hoe, Netherite Leggings, Netherite Pickaxe, Netherite Shovel, and Netherite Sword.