Using Smite Against the Wither in Minecraft

Key Takeaways

Point	Details
The Wither is an	The Wither is an undead mob and takes extra damage from the Smite enchantment.
Smite V adds 12.5	Smite V adds 12.5 damage on top of base weapon damage against undead targets.
Smite outperforms Sharpness V	Smite outperforms Sharpness V against the Wither by about 4 extra damage per hit on a Netherite sword.
Smite can be applied	Smite can be applied to swords and axes via an enchantment table or anvil.
The Wither is immune	The Wither is immune to most status effects but not to Smite's bonus damage.
In Bedrock Edition, the	In Bedrock Edition, the Wither has variable health (up to 600 HP on Hard), making Smite even more valuable.

If you are gearing up to fight the Wither and wondering which enchantment to put on your sword, the answer is straightforward: Smite. The Wither is classified as an undead mob, and Smite deals bonus damage specifically to undead targets. Here is exactly how it works and why it beats Sharpness for this fight.

Why Smite Works Against the Wither

The Wither is an undead boss mob. According to the Minecraft Wiki, "Like other undead mobs, the wither is harmed by the Instant Health effect and healed by the Instant Damage effect as well as affected by weapons with the Smite enchantment."

Like other undead mobs, the wither is harmed by the Instant Health effect and healed by the Instant Damage effect as well as affected by weapons with the Smite enchantment.

This means every rank of Smite adds 2.5 damage (1.25 hearts) to each hit against the Wither. At Smite V, that is an extra 12.5 damage per swing.

Smite Damage Comparison Table

Weapon	Base Damage	Smite V Bonus	Total vs Wither
Netherite Sword	8	+12.5	20.5
Netherite Axe	10	+12.5	22.5
Diamond Sword	7	+12.5	19.5
Diamond Axe	9	+12.5	21.5

For reference, Sharpness V adds only 6.25 damage to any target. Smite V gives you roughly 4 more damage per hit than Sharpness V on a Netherite sword — a meaningful advantage when you are chipping away at a boss with 300 or more health.

Wither Health Across Editions

In Java Edition, the Wither has a flat 300 health (150 hearts) regardless of difficulty.

In Java Edition, the wither's health is 300HP × 150, regardless of difficulty.

In Bedrock Edition, the Wither's health scales with difficulty: 300 on Easy, 450 on Normal, and a whopping 600 on Hard.

In Bedrock Edition, wither's health depends on difficulty: 300HP × 150 on Easy 450HP × 225 on Normal 600HP × 300 on Hard The wither is immune to fire, lava, drowning, and freezing.

Because the Wither has so much health, every extra point of damage from Smite adds up quickly. On Bedrock Hard mode, you are looking at 600 health to burn through, so Smite V is especially valuable.

How to Get Smite on Your Weapon

Smite is a standard enchantment available from enchantment tables, villager trades, and anvils. It cannot be combined with Sharpness or Bane of Arthropods on the same weapon — you have to choose one. For the Wither fight, Smite is the clear winner.

If you have an anvil and some spare books, you can apply Smite V directly. The maximum level is Smite V, which you can get by combining two Smite IV books or finding a villager that sells it.

Other Combat Considerations

The Wither is immune to fire, lava, drowning, freezing, and all status effects except Instant Health and Instant Damage.

It is immune to all other status effects, and cannot be damaged by other undead mobs.

This means you cannot rely on poison, weakness, or fire aspect to help. Your damage comes purely from your weapon and Smite. A critical hit (jump attack) still works, so time your jumps for extra burst damage.

For more on critical hits during boss fights, check out our guide on Critical Hit Mechanics in Minecraft Boss Fights.

Smite vs. Bane of Arthropods

Bane of Arthropods is the other damage-specific enchantment, but it only affects spiders, cave spiders, silverfish, endermites, and bees. It does nothing against the Wither. Stick with Smite.

Final Verdict

Smite is the best damage enchantment for the Wither fight in both Java and Bedrock Editions. Put Smite V on a Netherite sword or axe, bring a shield to block the Wither's skulls, and you will have the highest possible damage output. For more on boss mob mechanics, see our Boss Mobs in Minecraft: A Quick Reference.