Why are blacksmiths important in Minecraft?

Often seen in their workshops in villages throughout the Minecraft world, blacksmiths (now divided into weaponsmiths, toolsmiths, and armorers) are very helpful both for their shops and what they can offer in trade.

Blacksmiths are one of many different villager professions (Image via Mojang Studios)

After Minecraft's Village & Pillage update, generic blacksmith villagers branched off into three different varieties. Although all of these villagers perform roughly the same function, they offer different items when trading with players and wear different outfits.

Weaponsmiths retain the original eye-patched appearance of the blacksmith, armorers sport a heat mask over their heads, and toolsmiths look similar to standard Minecraft villagers but with a large belt.

Minecraft: What each blacksmith villager offers

An armorer at their job site (Image via Mojang Studios)

After the reworking of villagers in Minecraft's Village & Pillage update, the different iterations of blacksmiths now offer different inventories to players during trades. As their names might imply, weaponsmiths offer weapons, armorers offer armor, and toolsmiths offer tools.

These pieces of gear differ in quality, with higher-quality items costing more emeralds. Players can also offer certain resources that each villager uses in their craft to receive emeralds or other items.

Below, Minecraft players can find a list of items that each blacksmith villager is willing to trade. The professional level required to offer the trade is also displayed. These offers will pertain to Minecraft: Java Edition unless stated otherwise:

Armorers

15 coal for one emerald (Novice)
Five emeralds for an iron helmet (Novice)
Nine emeralds for an iron helmet (Novice)
Seven emeralds for iron leggings (Novice)
Four emeralds for a pair of iron boots (Novice)
Four iron ingots for one emerald (Apprentice)
36 emeralds for one bell (Apprentice)
Three emeralds for chainmail leggings (Apprentice)
One emerald for chainmail boots (Apprentice)
One lava bucket for one emerald (Journeyman)
One diamond for one emerald (Journeyman)
One emerald for a chainmail helmet (Journeyman)
Four emeralds for a chainmail chestplate (Journeyman)
Five emeralds for a shield (Journeyman)
19-33 emeralds for enchanted diamond leggings (Expert)
13-27 emeralds for enchanted diamond boots (Expert)
13-27 emeralds for an enchanted diamond helmet (Master)
21-35 emeralds for an enchanted diamond chestplate (Master)

Weaponsmiths

15 coal for one emerald (Novice)
Three emeralds for one iron axe (Novice)
7-21 emeralds for an enchanted iron sword (Novice)
Four iron ingots for an emerald (Apprentice)
36 emeralds for a bell (Apprentice)
24 flint for one emerald (Journeyman)
One diamond for one emerald (Expert)
17-31 emeralds for an enchanted diamond axe (Expert)
13-27 emeralds for an enchanted diamond sword (Master)

Toolsmiths

15 coal for one emerald (Novice)
One emerald for one stone tool between axes, shovels, pickaxes, and hoes (Novice)
Four iron ingots for one emerald (Apprentice)
36 emeralds for one bell (Apprentice)
30 flint for one emerald (Journeyman)
6-20 emeralds for an enchanted iron axe (Journeyman)
7-21 emeralds for an enchanted iron pickaxe (Journeyman)
8-22 emeralds for an enchanted iron shovel (Journeyman)
Four emeralds for a diamond hoe (Journeyman)
One diamond for one emerald (Expert)
17-31 emeralds for an enchanted diamond axe (Expert)
10-24 emeralds for an enchanted diamond shovel (Expert)
18-32 emeralds for an enchanted diamond pickaxe (Master)