Chainmail armor in Minecraft: Everything players need to know

Chainmail armor in Minecraft (Image via pashacraft)
Chainmail armor in Minecraft (Image via pashacraft)

Chainmail armor is one of Minecraft's least common armor types. This armor can't be crafted by players, is rarely obtainable through trading and only naturally generates on mobs.

Chainmail armor is an armor type made from chains; however, there is no in-game recipe to craft the armor. Many players have never owned or worn this armor since it's so rare. This armor type is also not the best at protecting players, giving Minecraft players even less of a reason to look for it.

Nevertheless, some passionate players have researched and found ways to get chainmail armor in Minecraft despite it not being an item that can be crafted. Here is everything that players should know about this rare armor variant in Minecraft.

Disclaimer: This article contains the writer's opinions.

All about Chainmail armor in Minecraft

History

Older version of Minecraft (Image via Reddit)
Older version of Minecraft (Image via Reddit)

Chainmail armor was first added to Minecraft in its very early development in 12w21a. Minecraft's creator Notch added the armor variant to the game in the indevelopment versions of the game. Back then, armor spawned on mobs and could be worn by players as well. Armor didn't protect the player any more than their regular skin, it was purely for decoration.

Chainmail armor never had a crafting recipe in Minecraft. Minecraft developer Notch only meant for this to be temporary, but the developers never got around to creating a true recipe to create chainmail armor.

How good is chainmail armor?

Player with chainmail armor (Image via programeguides)
Player with chainmail armor (Image via programeguides)

Chainmail armor is neither the best nor the worst armor variant in Minecraft. Chainmail armor protects the player slightly more than gold armor, and slightly less than iron armor.

At minimum performance and with no enchantments the armor protects the player 9.6% more than no armor. At its medium performance, it protects the player 28% more. At its maximum performance, it protects the player 48%. With maximum performance and protection level 4 chainmail armor protects the player 89.6%.

Compared to gold, chainmail armor is slightly better, but compared to iron chainmail armor barely stands a chance.

Another downside to chainmail armor is that it's not very durable and will require some level of unbreaking enchantment to stand a chance in constant fights.

How to get Chainmail armor in Minecraft

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Chainmail armor cannot be crafted in Minecraft. This means the only way to get the armor is to get lucky trading with blacksmith villagers or find a mob with chainmail armor and hope that it will drop the armor when killed.

Trading

Trading for chainmail armor (Image via minecraft.fandom)
Trading for chainmail armor (Image via minecraft.fandom)

To trade for chainmail armor, players will need to either find a blacksmith villager or turn a non-profession villager into a blacksmith villager.

Blacksmith villagers will usually offer very expensive trades for chainmail armor pieces. A chainmail chestplate can cost up to 14 emeralds. The player should strongly consider starting an emerald farm in order to obtain all the chainmail armor pieces necessary for a full set.

There are also scare tactics that players can use to get cheaper trades in Minecraft. For instance, players can create panic in villagers by putting them in dangerous situations next to mobs. The villagers will often offer the player better trades after they save the villagers from stressful situations.

Mobs

Zombie spawner trap (Image via gaming.stackexchange)
Zombie spawner trap (Image via gaming.stackexchange)

The other way for players to get chainmail armor in Minecraft is to kill a zombie or skeleton while they're wearing the armor. Zombies and skeletons are the only mobs in Minecraft that will spawn with these armor pieces, and are most likely to spawn with chainmail armor on the hardest difficulty in Minecraft.

One of the best ways to get chainmail armor is to start a mob farm. The easiest way to do this is to find zombie and skeleton spawners that naturally generate in the world and create some sort of farm machine to kill off the mobs.

There are many different mob farms for players to choose from. There are hundreds of YouTube videos and articles available for players to research. There are both AFK models and ones that involve player interaction. Interaction mob farms are recommended since the player will have the best chance of collecting chainmail armor with a looting sword.

Players should be sure to have a looting sword in order to have the best chance of collecting the chainmail armor from mobs. It's very rare for mobs to spawn with the armor in the first place, and even more rare for mobs to drop it when they're killed.

Older versions of Minecraft

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In older versions of Minecraft players had ways to illegally make chainmail armor. The recipe for crafting chainmail armor involved using fire blocks, which were illegal items in Minecraft at the time. These fire blocks were often times hacked in by players in order to create the illegal armor variant.

Minecraft developers took out fire blocks in an early version of Minecraft, and players haven't been able to create the armor since.

Hopes for the future

Future possibility to craft chainmail armor (Image via mcpedl)
Future possibility to craft chainmail armor (Image via mcpedl)

Even though chainmail armor isn't the best armor variant in Minecraft, players still would like a way to create it. Players hope that in the future Minecraft developers will add a recipe for chainmail armor so that players can create it using a recipie.

Also read: What is the strongest armor in Minecraft?