Updated 23 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
Anvils: Repairing, Combining and Too Expensive
An anvil repairs, renames and combines items and enchanted books for experience levels. Every time an item goes through an anvil its next use costs more, and once an operation would cost 40 levels or more the anvil refuses with "Too Expensive!".
What can you do with an anvil?
- Combine two items of the same type, or an item and an enchanted book, to merge enchantments.
- Repair an item with its material or with another damaged copy.
- Rename items.
Duplicate enchantments keep the higher level, and two of the same level become the next level up. Conflicting enchantments are dropped from the item you sacrifice.
Why does the anvil say Too Expensive?
In Survival and Adventure an anvil only allows operations costing 39 levels or less. Above that it shows "Too Expensive!" whatever your level. The main cause is the prior work penalty: every time an item is worked in an anvil, its next operation costs more. Combine books with each other first and put them on the item in as few steps as possible to keep costs down.
Can an anvil hurt you?
Yes. A falling anvil deals 2 HP for every block it falls after the first, up to 40 HP, and can get damaged when it lands. It also wears out: each repair, enchant or rename has a 12% chance to degrade it from anvil to chipped anvil to damaged anvil, and degrading a damaged anvil destroys it.
Anvil tips
- Enchant at the table first, then add books, so the item carries fewer anvil steps.
- Plan the order: every extra anvil step on the same item raises its cost.
- Elytra are repaired at an anvil with phantom membranes, 25% each.
How does enchanting work on ArtemisPvP?
Frequently asked questions
When does an anvil say Too Expensive?
When an operation would cost 40 levels or more in Survival.
How much damage does a falling anvil do?
2 HP per block fallen after the first, up to 40 HP.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.