Understanding the Mace's Density Enchantment in Minecraft

Key Takeaways

Point	Details
Density increases smash attack	Density increases smash attack damage by 0.5 HP per block fallen per enchantment level.
The mace's base smash damage uses a tiered formula	4 HP per block (first 3 blocks), 2 HP per block (next 5), then 1 HP per block.
Density is incompatible with	Density is incompatible with Breach, Smite, and Bane of Arthropods.
Density enchantments can be	Density enchantments can be found in ominous vaults, which have an increased chance of dropping mace enchantments since snapshot 24w18a.
The mace has an	The mace has an attack speed of 0.5 (the slowest in the game) and a base damage of 6 HP on a normal attack.

The Density enchantment is exclusive to the mace and directly boosts the weapon's signature smash attack. If you've ever wondered how much extra damage Density adds or how it stacks with fall distance, here's the breakdown for Minecraft Java Edition 1.21.

How Density Boosts Smash Attack Damage

A mace performs a smash attack when you fall at least 1.5 blocks and hit an entity mid-air. The base damage comes from two parts: the mace's normal hit (6 HP) plus bonus damage based on how far you fell. Density adds even more bonus damage on top of that.

Reduced the damage per block per level of Density from 1HP to 0.5HP × 0.25 (a quarter heart).

Each level of Density adds 0.5 HP (a quarter heart) per block fallen. So at Density I, if you fall 10 blocks, you get an extra 5 HP of smash damage. At Density V, that same 10-block fall adds 25 HP.

The Mace's Base Smash Damage Formula

The mace's smash damage without any enchantments follows a tiered formula adjusted in snapshot 24w18a:

Increased the mace smash attack's damage for shorter falls, and decreased the damage for longer falls: The first 3 blocks fallen increase the damage by 4HP per block. The next 5 blocks fallen increase the damage by 2HP per block. Each block fallen after that increases the damage by 1HP.

• First 3 blocks fallen: 4 HP per block
• Next 5 blocks (blocks 4–8): 2 HP per block
• Every block after 8: 1 HP per block

So a 10-block fall without Density deals: (3×4) + (5×2) + (2×1) = 12 + 10 + 2 = 24 bonus HP, plus the 6 HP base hit, for a total of 30 HP.

With Density V, you'd add another 0.5 × 5 × 10 = 25 HP, making the total 55 HP — enough to one-shot most mobs in the game.

Density vs. Other Mace Enchantments

Density is incompatible with Breach, Smite, and Bane of Arthropods.

Enchantments Breach and Density are now incompatible.

Since the mace already ignores some armor on smash attacks, Density is generally the better choice for general-purpose PvE because it scales infinitely with fall height. Breach is better if you're fighting heavily armored players in PvP, but you cannot have both. For more on fighting undead bosses, see our guide on using Smite against the Wither.

Where to Find Density Enchantments

You can obtain Density from ominous vaults found in trial chambers. These vaults require an ominous trial key to open.

Ominous vaults Increased the chance of obtaining mace enchantments.

Snapshots leading up to 1.21 increased the chance of obtaining mace enchantments from ominous vaults, making it easier to find Density once you've cleared a few trial chambers.

Important Mechanics to Remember

• Smash attacks nullify fall damage if you land the hit before touching the ground.
• The Slow Falling effect prevents smash attacks entirely.
• Descending with an elytra counts as falling for smash attacks, but you must unequip the elytra before attacking in Java Edition.
• The mace has an attack speed of 0.5, the slowest in the game, so time your swings carefully.

Attack speed has been drastically reduced from 1.6 to 0.5, the lowest attack speed in the game.

How to Use Density Effectively

For maximum Density damage, you want as much vertical distance as possible. Build a drop shaft above a trial chamber spawner, or use a wind charge to launch yourself upward before slamming down. Since Density has no cap on fall distance, the sky — or build height — is literally the limit.

If you're fighting the Wither or other boss mobs, remember that the mace's smash attack works on any entity, including bosses. A well-placed smash with a high-level Density mace can deal devastating damage, though you'll want to practice the timing in a safe environment first. For more on boss encounters, check out our boss mobs quick reference.