What Does Density Do in Minecraft? (Mace Enchantment Explained)

Short answer: Density is a Mace-only enchantment that adds +0.5 extra smash attack damage per level for every block you fall before hitting the target. It scales with fall distance, so the higher you smash from, the more damage Density adds on top.

Density was added in update 1.21 alongside the Mace, the new heavy weapon crafted from a Breeze Rod and a Heavy Core. This guide explains exactly what Density does, how it stacks, how to get it, and why it's the single most important enchantment for any serious Mace build.

Quick Answer Table

Question	Answer
What does Density do?	+0.5 smash damage per fall block per level
What weapon?	Mace only
Max level	V (5)
Bonus at max	+2.5 damage per fall block
Stacks with	Mace's base smash damage, Sharpness on the Mace? No — Mace can't have Sharpness
Conflicts with	Breach, Smite, Bane of Arthropods
How to get it	Vault loot in Trial Chambers (enchanted books only)

How Smash Attacks Work

The Mace deals normal attack damage on a regular hit, but its real power is the smash attack. To trigger one:

Jump or fall from any height.
While falling, attack a mob (left-click on Java, tap on Bedrock).
If you connect mid-fall, the attack counts as a smash.

The base smash damage formula is:

First 3 fall blocks: +4 damage per block
Next 5 fall blocks (4–8): +2 damage per block
Beyond 8 blocks: +1 damage per block, no upper limit

Plus the Mace's base attack damage of 6 (5 on Bedrock). So a basic 5-block smash deals around 6 + 4×3 + 2×2 = 22 damage with no enchantments.

How Density Modifies This

Density adds a flat bonus on top of the base smash formula: +0.5 × level × fall blocks.

Density I: +0.5 damage per fall block
Density II: +1.0 damage per fall block
Density III: +1.5 damage per fall block
Density IV: +2.0 damage per fall block
Density V: +2.5 damage per fall block

Example: 10-block smash with Density V

Base smash: 4×3 + 2×5 + 1×2 = 24
Mace base damage: 6
Density V bonus: 2.5 × 10 = 25 extra damage
Total: 55 damage in one hit

Example: 30-block smash with Density V

Base smash: 4×3 + 2×5 + 1×22 = 44
Mace base damage: 6
Density V bonus: 2.5 × 30 = 75 extra damage
Total: 125 damage in one hit

That's enough to one-shot the Wither in survival mode if you can land a clean hit from a Wind Charge boost or an elytra dive.

How to Get Density

Density is only obtainable as an enchanted book from Trial Chamber Vaults. You cannot get it from villagers, fishing, or normal enchanting at an enchanting table.

Find a Trial Chamber (generated underground in the Overworld).
Complete trials to earn Trial Keys (regular or Ominous).
Use a Trial Key on a Vault in the chamber to receive loot.
Density books are part of the Vault loot pool, more common from Ominous Vaults.
Apply the book to a Mace at an anvil.

Tip: Ominous Trial Chambers (triggered by drinking an Ominous Bottle) drop higher-tier loot, including better odds of high-level Density books. Stockpile Ominous Bottles by killing Raid Captains in the Overworld.

Density vs. Breach vs. Smite

The Mace can take three damage-boosting enchantments, but only one at a time — they're mutually exclusive:

Density — flat bonus per fall block, scales with fall height. Best for high-altitude attacks.
Breach — reduces target armor effectiveness by 15% per level (max IV = 60% armor reduction). Best against heavily armored mobs and PvP players in netherite.
Smite — bonus damage vs undead (zombies, skeletons, withers, etc.). Same formula as on swords.

For general use, Density is usually the best choice because the Mace is built around smash attacks, and Density rewards exactly that playstyle. Breach is better in PvP or against the Warden where armor reduction matters more than raw damage.

Building a "Density Stack" Combo

Top-tier Mace builds use Density alongside other enchantments to maximize smash damage potential:

Density V — main damage bonus
Wind Burst III — launches you back up after a smash, letting you chain another smash without climbing
Unbreaking III + Mending — keeps the Mace durable forever
Fire Aspect II — small bonus damage and crowd control

The classic "infinite smash" combo: smash a target, get launched up by Wind Burst, fall again, smash again. With Density V and a 10-block initial smash, you can chain 4–5 smashes back-to-back for thousands of total damage — enough to kill the Warden in seconds.

Common Questions

Does Density work without falling?

No. If you hit a mob without falling, it's a regular attack and Density does nothing. You must be falling at the moment of the hit.

Does Density work in Bedrock?

Yes. Density is identical on Java and Bedrock as of 1.21. Damage values may differ slightly because Mace base damage is 5 on Bedrock vs 6 on Java.

Can I put Density on a sword or axe?

No. Density is Mace-exclusive. Trying to apply a Density book to a sword or axe at an anvil simply doesn't work.

Does fall damage hurt me when I smash?

Yes — but smashing a mob negates 100% of your fall damage. As long as the smash connects, you take zero fall damage. If you miss, you take normal fall damage. This is a huge defensive bonus that makes high-altitude smashes safe.

Does Density stack with Critical Hits?

Smash attacks always count as critical hits in terms of visual particles and effects, but the damage formula is its own system — Density's flat bonus is added directly to the smash total. There's no separate "crit multiplier" stacking on top.

What's the maximum fall distance for Density bonus?

There's no cap. The further you fall, the more damage Density adds. Players have killed bosses by elytra-diving from build limit (Y=320) and smashing for thousands of damage at the bottom.

Putting It All Together

Here's the simplest plan for getting and using Density:

Craft a Mace: 1 Heavy Core (from a Vault) + 1 Breeze Rod (from killing Breezes) at any crafting table.
Find or generate Trial Chambers and farm Ominous Vaults for Density books.
Apply Density V to your Mace at an anvil.
Pair with Wind Burst, Unbreaking, and Mending for the ultimate Mace build.
Practice smash attacks: jump from heights, attack mobs mid-fall, learn the timing.

If you're building a redstone-powered Mace launcher or a tall pillar to smash from, our Minecraft circle generator can plan a perfect circular launch tower. And if you're hunting Trial Chambers on a multiplayer server with friends, a hosted server keeps the loot waiting for you — see our best Minecraft server hosting comparison.

That's everything you need to know about Density in Minecraft. Higher fall + Density V = absurd damage. Welcome to the smash meta.