Mace vs trident in Minecraft: Which weapon is better?

Minecraft's weaponry had grown stale, but the introduction of the mace revitalized the game. Following the trident, which was released in 2018, the mace is the newest weapon that is set to be introduced with the Minecraft 1.21 update, slated to arrive in early June 2024. Both weapons are hard to acquire and are considered end-game weapons.

With its unique damage-boosting abilities and detailed design, the mace has quickly become a fan favorite and is regarded as the best by many. This has led many players to compare it to other weapons in Minecraft. While it is a definite choice, there are other aspects to consider as well. In this article, we compare the new mace to the trident to determine which one is better.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and reflect the writer's opinion.

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Minecraft weapon comparison: Mace vs Trident

The similarities between the mace and the trident end with their rarity. Below, we compare the main statistics of these two Minecraft weapons:

Attack damage

Mace has the potential to one-shot kill even a warden. (Image via Mojang)

Under normal circumstances, the trident's melee attack deals nine health points of damage per hit, slightly more than the mace’s seven health points of damage in Java Edition and eight points in Bedrock Edition.

However, the mace has a unique ability that can significantly boost its damage output. When a falling player uses the mace, it deals five additional health points of damage for each block fallen. Because of this ability, not only the trident but even netherite axes and swords fall short against the mace.

Although it doesn't match the mace’s damage output while falling, putting Impaling on a trident can enhance its attack power. Impaling V adds 12.5 more damage points to both its melee and ranged attacks.

Since the mace cannot perform ranged attacks, there's no comparison to be made in that department. However, for those interested, the trident's ranged attack deals eight points of damage per hit.

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Enchantments and other uses

Players using a trident with Riptide to propel themselves (Image via Mojang)

Aside from combat, the trident has a few uses that can help players in certain situations. When paired with the Riptide enchantment, the trident can propel the player forward during rain, allowing them to travel longer distances through the air with an elytra.

Additionally, with the Loyalty enchantment, the trident becomes an ideal ranged weapon. Players can throw it at mobs, and it will return to them, allowing for repeated, safe attacks from a distance.

The mace has a handful of exclusive enchantments: Breach, Density, and Wind Charge. However, unlike the trident enchantments, these only enhance the mace's combat power in various ways and do not offer utility outside of battle.

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Verdict

The mace is the stronger Minecraft weapon (Image via Mojang)

Since the mace is a close-range weapon and the trident supports both melee and long-range combat, it is only fair to compare their melee damage values. In terms of raw power in melee fights, the mace, with its unique abilities, is a far stronger weapon than the trident.

However, many might prefer taking out mobs safely from a distance, even if it means dealing less damage per hit. Therefore, the real deciding factor will always be the players' preference in a specific combat scenario.