Why players should use the Aqua Affinity enchantment in Minecraft

When underwater, Minecraft players are sure to run into a few obstacles, such as slower movement and mining speed. Fortunately, a few enchantments can help them overcome these hurdles.

Aqua Affinity is one enchantment that can assist players in their aquatic adventures. Enchantable to a player's helmet, Aqua Affinity increases one's mining speed while underwater. The enchantment activates when a player is completely submerged in water.

Normally, a player who tries to break a block via mining would be slowed down five-fold while underwater.

Aqua Affinity removes this penalty, allowing players to mine blocks underwater just as quickly as they would on land.

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Is Aqua Affinity worth using in Minecraft?

Mining penalties are removed with Aqua Affinity, although players still mine slowly if floating (Image via Mojang)

Minecraft players may not want to utilize Aqua Affinity on their main suit of armor. However, the enchantment is an excellent addition to armor optimized for underwater exploration.

Whether players are underwater for building purposes or for investigating ruins and ocean monuments, Aqua Affinity is very helpful. The enchantment allows players to clear out a large number of seafloor blocks to make space for construction. It also lets players break blocks inside a structure to create an escape route.

However, Aqua Affinity does come with one major drawback. Specifically, the enchantment doesn't activate when a player is floating on the surface of the water. This means that players who are treading water will still mine five times slower than they normally would.

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While this is inconvenient, simply submerging the player's head will activate Aqua Affinity. Players can then mine as normal. This should be kept in mind in most situations, as most bodies of water in Minecraft aren't very shallow.

One of the major advantages of Aqua Affinity in Minecraft is that it doesn't possess additional ranks.

Many enchantments in the game possess multiple ranks of varying costs. However, once Aqua Affinity is applied, players won't need to worry about spending extra Lapis Lazuli or experience levels for more powerful ranks. It's a one-and-done enchantment, making it cost-effective compared to other enchantments that are applied to armor.

Some players may prefer Respiration for their helmets, and it's an understandable alternative. Considering that the enchantment increases the time players can stay underwater without resurfacing, it's often the go-to pick for aquatic exploration. However, Aqua Affinity is an excellent choice if players have alternative breathing methods and a desire to break blocks quickly underwater.

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