What does Depth Strider do in Minecraft?

When it comes to Minecraft enchantments, many players focus on the main few enchants that make a set of armor, like Protection and Thorns.

However, some of the best and most useful enchantments for armor are the smaller ones that players sometimes overlook. Those who are enchanting boots are usually looking for enchantments like Feather Falling and Protection. Still, one of the most useful, everyday enchantments that players can have on their boots is actually Depth Strider.

Here is an overview of how it works and everything a player needs to know to use this enchantment to its fullest potential.

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What is Minecraft's Depth Strider enchantment?

This feature gives players underwater movement speed (Image via DigMinecraft)

Depth Strider is an enchantment that players can get on their boots, which provides players with underwater movement speed.

This enchantment, with each level, decreases the amount that water slows a player by half. For example, Depth Strider I decreases the slowing effect of water on a player by half; Depth Strider II reduces that effect by another half. Finally, Depth Strider III allows the player to move in water at the same pace that they can move on land.

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Depth Strider enchantment levels

Depth Strider III is the most powerful version of the enchantment (Image via GamePlayerr)

The Depth Strider enchantment has three attainable levels in vanilla Minecraft: I, II, and III.

Depth Strider III is the most potent version of the enchantment, allowing players to swim at the same speed as they can move on land and be affected by Speed Potions while in water.

Like most enchantments, the easiest way to build up to the highest level of the Depth Strider enchantment is to combine objects — whether that be enchanted boots or books — with the same level of the Depth Strider enchantment together in an Anvil.

This is a straightforward way to build up enchantments without wasting too many materials, although it is slightly time-consuming to collect all the necessary levels.

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Does Depth Strider have any incompatibilities?

Depth Strider and Frost Walker cannot work together (Image via Testing Monkey Studios, YouTube)

Depth Strider has a single incompatibility in the game of Minecraft: Frost Walker.

Without using specific commands and cheats, players cannot obtain boots with both Depth Strider and Frost Walker enchantments. This is due to their opposing benefits.

Depth Strider allows players to swim a lot faster than usual.

Frost Walker creates ice below the player's feet (Image via Reddit)

Frost Walker — shown above — cuts swimming out of the equation entirely, as ice forms below the player's feet whenever they walk over water.

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How useful is Minecraft's Depth Strider?

Depth Strider allows Minecraft players to move about a lot quicker (Image via Parceiro)

Depth Strider is frequently overlooked as an enchantment despite being a fantastic addition to the game.

It cuts travel speeds in water practically in half, allowing players to get to where they need to go a lot quicker. It works tremendously when trying to cover long distances in the water, fighting against Guardians or Elder Guardians in Sea Temples, and collecting blocks from the seafloor.

Depth Strider is an enchantment that players should consider seeking out when creating their overpowered, final set of armor in Minecraft.