What Does Smite Do in Minecraft? 2026 Guide
You finally enchant your diamond sword, walk out at night, and a wave of zombies greets you. Every swing feels a little too weak. That is exactly the problem Smite solves. So, what
does smite do in minecraft? It is a weapon enchantment that adds bonus melee damage, but only against undead mobs like zombies and skeletons. No tricks, no area damage, just harder hits on the rotting and the bony.
In this guide you will learn which mobs count as undead, how much extra damage each Smite level really gives, and when Smite beats Sharpness. By the end, you will know exactly when to build a Smite weapon and when to skip it.
What Is the Smite Enchantment?
Smite is a damage enchantment for melee weapons. Each level adds bonus damage that only triggers when you hit a mob the game classifies as undead. It has five levels, Smite I through Smite V. Smite V is the highest level you can get in normal survival play.
You can put Smite on swords and axes. In Bedrock Edition, axes accept it right at the enchanting table. In Java Edition, axes and the mace receive it through an enchanted book on an anvil. To get the book, roll at a table with 15 bookshelves, trade with librarian villagers, fish it up, or loot dungeon chests.
One important rule: Smite cannot share a weapon with Sharpness or Bane of Arthropods. The game blocks that combination, so pick one damage enchantment per weapon.
Which Mobs Does Smite Affect?
Smite only boosts damage against undead mobs, and the list is wider than most players think.
| Mob family | Mobs that take Smite bonus damage |
|---|---|
| Zombies | Zombie, zombie villager, husk, camel husk, drowned, zombie nautilus, zombified piglin |
| Skeletons | Skeleton, stray, bogged, wither skeleton, parched, skeleton horse, zombie horse |
| Flying and special | Phantom, zoglin |
| Boss | The Wither |
Notice who is missing. Creepers, spiders, endermen, piglins, and the Ender Dragon are not undead, so Smite adds nothing against them. Against anything not on the list, your Smite weapon hits like a plain weapon of the same material.
How Much Extra Damage Does Smite Deal?
Each Smite level adds 2.5 damage (1.25 hearts) per hit against undead in Java Edition, double the per-level bonus of Sharpness. Bedrock uses the same value but rounds down to whole numbers.
| Smite level | Bonus damage (Java) | Bonus damage (Bedrock) |
|---|---|---|
| Smite I | +2.5 | +2 |
| Smite II | +5.0 | +5 |
| Smite III | +7.5 | +7 |
| Smite IV | +10.0 | +10 |
| Smite V | +12.5 | +12 |
In practice, a diamond sword has 7 base damage. With Smite V it deals 19.5 damage per hit to undead mobs in Java. A normal zombie has 20 health, so two hits finish it. Land a critical hit by jumping and striking on the way down, and the total jumps to 29.25, which one-shots the zombie.
Want the full picture? Check out our guide to the best Minecraft enchantments.
What Does Smite Do in Minecraft? Smite vs Sharpness vs Bane of Arthropods
These three enchantments are rivals because they all boost damage and cannot be combined on one weapon.
| Smite | Sharpness | Bane of Arthropods | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Works against | Undead mobs only | Every mob and players | Arthropods only (spiders, cave spiders, silverfish, bees, endermites) |
| Bonus at level V (Java) | +12.5 | +3 | +12.5 |
| Bonus at level V (Bedrock) | +12 | +6 | +6 (rounded) |
| Max level | V | V | V |
| Best use case | Wither fights, Nether fortresses, zombie and skeleton farms | Your main everyday weapon | Spider-heavy areas like mineshafts |
| Extra effect | None | None | Slows arthropods (Java) |
Against undead, Smite V hits more than four times harder than Sharpness V in Java. But Sharpness works on everything, so most players put Sharpness on their main sword and keep Smite as a specialist weapon.
Tips and Tricks
Build a dedicated Smite weapon for the Wither.
The Wither is undead with 300 health. A netherite weapon with Smite V burns through it far faster than Sharpness. Keep a golden apple handy.
Farm wither skeleton skulls faster.
Wither skeletons are undead and live in Nether fortresses. Smite V plus Looting III is the classic skull-farming combo.
Pair it with friendly enchantments.
Smite works with Looting, Fire Aspect, Knockback, Unbreaking, and Mending. On Java, Sweeping Edge spreads your Smite damage to nearby undead during crowded fights.
Use it on spawner farms.
A zombie or skeleton spawner farm kills faster with a Smite weapon. Learn how to build a Minecraft XP farm.
Mind your critical hits.
Critical hits multiply the total damage including the Smite bonus. A jumping crit with a Smite V diamond sword deals over 29 damage to undead, which one-shots most of them.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Putting Smite on your only weapon. Smite does nothing against creepers, spiders, endermen, or the Ender Dragon. Keep a Sharpness main weapon for those.
Trying to combine it with Sharpness. The anvil refuses to merge Smite with Sharpness, Bane of Arthropods, Density, Breach, Cleaving, or Impaling. Decide which damage enchantment each weapon gets before you spend your levels.
Wasting it on the Ender Dragon. The dragon is not undead, so Smite adds zero bonus damage there. Bring Sharpness for the End fight instead.
Settling for Smite I. Smite I adds only 2.5 damage. Save your levels and combine books up to Smite IV or V instead. Librarian villagers sell the books you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Thoughts
So what does smite do in minecraft in one sentence? It turns any sword or axe into an undead-shredding machine, adding up to 12.5 bonus damage at Smite V. Zombies, skeletons, wither skeletons, and even the Wither boss all fall faster under it.
Keep Smite on a dedicated weapon for undead-heavy fights, put Sharpness on your daily driver, and you will be ready for anything the night throws at you. Want to go deeper? Check out our other Minecraft guides on enchanting, boss fights, and farm builds. And if you play on Android, grab the latest Minecraft APK to take these strategies on the go.
