What Does Power Do in Minecraft? (Bow Enchantment Guide, Damage Numbers, Stacking)
Short answer: Power is a bow-only enchantment in Minecraft that increases arrow damage by 25% per level (rounded up), maxing at Power V for +150% base arrow damage. A normal bow does ~6 damage per fully-drawn arrow; with Power V, that's ~15 damage per arrow — enough to one-shot zombies and skeletons. Power doesn't stack with Sharpness (it only works on bows; Sharpness works on swords/axes). Pair Power V with Infinity for unlimited high-damage arrows, or with Flame for fire-damage arrows that ignite mobs.
Quick Answer Table
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What does Power do? | Increases bow arrow damage by 25% per level |
| Max level? | V (5) — books up to V drop naturally; commands allow higher |
| Damage at Power V? | ~15 damage per fully-drawn arrow (vs ~6 normal) |
| Stack with Sharpness? | No — Power is bow-only, Sharpness is sword/axe-only |
| Stack with Flame? | YES — Flame adds fire damage on top of Power's damage |
| Stack with Infinity? | YES — perfect combo for unlimited high-damage arrows |
| Costs (Anvil)? | 1 Power V book + 1 bow = 17 levels via anvil |
Damage Calculation (Exact Numbers)
Bow base damage is 1-4 (random, drawn-strength dependent). Power adds 25%-150% on top:
| Power Level | Damage Bonus | Per-Arrow Damage (fully drawn) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 (no enchant) | +0% | ~6 |
| I | +25% | ~7.5 |
| II | +50% | ~9 |
| III | +75% | ~10.5 |
| IV | +100% | ~12 |
| V (max) | +125% | ~13.5 |
For critical hits (release at full draw + jump = critical), damage increases by an additional 25-50%.
Best Bow Loadout for PvE
- Power V — max damage
- Infinity — unlimited arrows (1 arrow in inventory needed)
- Unbreaking III — extra durability
- Mending — auto-repair from XP
- Flame (optional) — sets mobs on fire (no fire damage on Nether mobs)
Note: Infinity and Mending CANNOT be on the same bow (they conflict). Choose one.
Best Bow Loadout for PvP
- Power V + Flame + Punch II + Infinity
- Punch II adds knockback — sends opponents flying
- Flame deals 4 fire damage in addition to Power damage
- Per arrow: 13.5 base + 1.25 fire/sec for 5 sec = ~20 total damage
Getting Power V (How to Enchant)
Method 1: Enchanting Table (random)
Place a bow + 3 lapis on an enchanting table surrounded by 15 bookshelves. ~10% chance per attempt to roll Power V at level 30.
Method 2: Villager Trading (most reliable)
- Find a Cleric or Librarian villager
- Trade emeralds for enchanted books — Librarians sell Power V books at ~30 emeralds
- Take book + bow + 1 emerald to an Anvil → enchant the bow with Power V
Method 3: Looting + Trial Chambers
Power V books drop from Ominous Vaults in Ominous Trial Chambers. Stronghold libraries also have Power books in chests.
Common Questions
Why is Power capped at V?
Mojang's max enchantment level for Power. Commands can push it higher (e.g., Power 255 = absurd one-shots), but vanilla survival caps at V.
Does Power affect Crossbow damage?
No — Crossbows use the Piercing enchantment instead, which adds pierce-through damage but doesn't boost base damage like Power does.
Does Power work against the Wither/Ender Dragon?
Yes — Power V Bow + Smite V Sword combo is the meta for boss fights. Sword for melee, Bow for ranged plinking.
For more enchantment guides, see Best Sword Enchantments, What Does Mending Do, and How to Defeat the Wither.