How to Get a Trident in Minecraft — Complete Guide (Drowned Farming, Enchantments)

Short answer: The only way to get a Trident in Minecraft is to kill a Drowned holding one — and only Drowned with tridents drop them. ~6.25% of Drowned spawn holding a trident (Bedrock: 15%, Java: 6.25%). Each trident-holder has an 8.5% drop chance when killed without Looting (rising to ~12% with Looting III). So expected tridents per Drowned killed = 0.5-2%. Translation: expect 50-200 Drowned kills per trident. Build a Drowned farm with light + spawning platform near a river to mass-produce tridents efficiently. Once you have one, enchant with Loyalty III (returns when thrown), Channeling (lightning during storms), Impaling V (anti-aquatic), or Riptide III (rocket-launch yourself in rain).

Quick Answer Table

Question	Answer
How to get a Trident?	Kill a Drowned holding one
Drowned trident spawn rate?	6.25% Java / 15% Bedrock
Drop rate (Looting 0)?	8.5%
Drop rate (Looting III)?	~12%
Damage	9 (melee) / 8 (thrown)
Best for?	Underwater combat, Riptide mobility, Channeling lightning
Renewable?	YES — but slow without a farm

Where Drowned Spawn (Best Hunting Grounds)

• Rivers — best location (Drowned spawn naturally, easy to fight)
• Oceans — common but harder to reach
• Swamps — uncommon but present
• Underground caves with water (Y < 60, dark, flooded)
• From Zombies converted in water — Zombies in water for 30 seconds turn into Drowned (NO trident drops though; converted Drowned never spawn with tridents)

Important: Only NATURALLY-SPAWNED Drowned can hold tridents. Drowned converted from Zombies in water NEVER carry tridents. So your farm needs natural Drowned spawning.

Trident Farm (Step by Step)

1. Find a river or ocean at Y=63 (water surface level)
2. Build a 10×10 dark "spawning platform" 30 blocks above the water surface
3. Drop water from the platform → creates falling water column
4. Drowned spawn in the water at platform Y, get pulled down by water flow
5. At the bottom, route Drowned into a 1×1 chamber where you can hit them from outside
6. Use a Looting III sword to maximize trident drop rate
7. Hopper-collect tridents into a chest

A well-designed farm produces 1-3 tridents per hour.

Trident Enchantments (All 4)

Loyalty I-III (Most Popular)

The thrown trident returns to your hand. Loyalty III returns it instantly (no flight time). Without Loyalty, thrown tridents vanish after 1 minute if you don't pick them up. Pair with Channeling for the ultimate Thor build.

Channeling (Conflicts with Riptide)

During a thunderstorm, throwing a trident at a mob summons lightning that hits the mob. Hit a Villager with Channeling = converts to Witch. Hit a Pig = Zombified Piglin. Hit a Creeper = Charged Creeper. Combined with Loyalty III + thunderstorm = god-tier lightning attacks.

Riptide I-III (Conflicts with Loyalty/Channeling)

In rain OR water, throwing the trident launches YOU forward as a rocket-jump (Mojang's flight workaround). Riptide III gives 3-block burst per throw. Best for getting around in rain or swimming fast.

Impaling I-V (Anti-Aquatic)

Adds +2.5 damage per level vs aquatic mobs (Java) — Guardians, Elder Guardians, Drowned, Squids, Glow Squids, Pufferfish. With Impaling V, an Elder Guardian dies in 3 trident hits instead of 8. Essential for Ocean Monument raids.

Common Questions

Can I craft a Trident?

NO. There is no crafting recipe for Trident. Drowned drops are the only source.

Does Looting III actually help much?

Yes — drops go from 8.5% → 12% (+40% effective rate). Always use Looting III when farming Drowned.

Why is the Trident so hard to get?

Mojang's design — the Trident is one of the most powerful weapons in the game (best ranged + Loyalty homing + Channeling lightning), so they made it rare.

Can two tridents be combined for Mending?

Yes — two damaged tridents on an Anvil combine into one with combined durability. Plus you can add Mending books at the same time.

For more weapon guides, see Best Sword Enchantments, What Does Power Do, and How to Defeat the Wither.