How the Thorns enchantment works in Minecraft

A piece of armor with the Thorns enchantment in Minecraft has a chance to cause enemies to suffer damage when attacking the player who is wearing it.

Minecraft players can punish the enemies of the game world for attacking them, by wearing armor that is enchanted with Thorns. Enemies who attack a player that is wearing a piece of Thorns enchanted armor have a chance to take damage in retaliation.

This means that using the Thorns enchantment can be a fun way for players to naturally go on the offensive against multiple mobs at once.

Players have a chance to deal damage and even possibly kill mobs without ever attacking back, so long as they are wearing Thorns enchanted armor. The Thorns enchatment isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it can be quite fun to use.

This article breaks down how the Thorns enchantment works in Minecraft and explains how players can get it on their own pieces of armor.

How the Thorns enchantment works in Minecraft

The Thorns enchantment can be placed on any piece of armor, such as chestplates, helmets, leggings, and boots. Minecraft players who do not already have armor can refer to this guide, which details how to craft a full set of iron armor.

Minecraft players can also obtain armor by killing a variety of different hostile mobs, looting from specific structure chest, or by buying pieces from amorer villager.

Enemies who attack a player with the Thorns enchantment will always take damage when the effect procs, no matter what form of combat was used. As an example, the proc will still have the same effect for attacks from melee hits, arrows, or even a snowball.

The entity who attacked the player wearing Thorns enchanted armor will also suffer a small knockback effect.

There are three levels of the Thorns enchantment that players can get under normal conditions in survival mode. Each level of the enchantment will progressively increase the chance for the retaliate effect to proc.

When the effect of the Thorns enchantment procs, players deal between half a heart to two hearts worth of damage to the entity who attacked them.

The maximum amount of damage that a player can deal to any mob who attacks them is two hearts worth of health, per attack against them. Unfortunately, players are not able to deal any more damage than this in a single proc.

Minecraft players are welcome to wear as many pieces of thorns enchanted armor as they desire, but they will only ever be able to deal a capped amount of damage.

However, each additional piece of Thorns enchanted armor has it's own independent chance to proc. This means that players can maximize their chances for procs, by getting the Thorns enchantment on all four of their armor pieces.

The only way for players to get a 100% chance to deal damage with Thorns is with the use of console commands.

Getting the Thorns Enchantment

An enchanting table in Minecraft (Image via Sportskeeda/Minecraft)

Thorns can be placed on any piece of armor by using an enchanting table, expending experience, and also some lapis lazuli.

This enchantment can also be placed on a piece of equipment with an anvil and the correct corresponding enchantment book.

Combining two iron chestplates with Thorns II into one iron chestplate with Thorns III at an anvil in Minecraft. (Image via Minecraft)

Minecraft players should note that Thorns III cannot be obtained from the enchanting table, and players will need two combine two Thorns II enchanted armor pieces at an anvil in order to get Thorns III.

Players can also find an enchanted book for Thorns III in chests found in mineshafts, strongholds, ocean ruins, desert temples, jungle temples, pillager outposts, woodland mansions, and dungeons.

Gear pieces with the Thorns III enchantment already on it can sometimes be found in chests at shipwrecks, ruined portals, bastion remnants, and end cities.

A complete guide to enchantments in Minecraft can be found here.