Updated 25 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
Sword in Minecraft: Tiers, Damage and Uses
A sword is the main melee weapon. It swings faster than an axe, breaks cobwebs and bamboo quickly, and on Java it does a sweep attack that hits mobs around your target. A netherite sword deals 8 damage on Java and 9 on Bedrock.
What is a sword used for?
- Fighting mobs and players
- Sweep attacks on groups of mobs (Java only, with the attack bar about 85% charged)
- Breaking cobwebs fast, and bamboo instantly
- Breaking boats and minecarts in one hit (stone or better, Java)
How do the sword tiers compare?
| Tier | Damage (Java) | Damage (Bedrock) | Uses (Java) | Uses (Bedrock) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood | 4 | 5 | 59 | 60 |
| Gold | 4 | 5 | 32 | 33 |
| Stone | 5 | 6 | 131 | 132 |
| Copper | 5 | 6 | 190 | 191 |
| Iron | 6 | 7 | 250 | 251 |
| Diamond | 7 | 8 | 1561 | 1562 |
| Netherite | 8 | 9 | 2031 | 2032 |
Swords attack 1.6 times per second on Java and lose 1 durability per hit. Breaking a block that is not instant costs 2 durability. Good enchantments are Sharpness, Looting, Sweeping Edge (Java), Fire Aspect, Unbreaking and Mending.
How do you craft one?
Craft it with 2 units of the tier's material stacked above 1 stick. Wood uses planks, stone uses cobblestone, cobbled deepslate or blackstone, and copper, iron, gold and diamond use ingots or gems. Every tool comes in seven tiers. Higher tiers last longer and work faster, and gold is the odd one out: very fast and easy to enchant, but it breaks after 32 uses on Java (33 on Bedrock). Netherite tools are not crafted; you upgrade diamond ones at a smithing table with a netherite ingot and an upgrade template. Repair any tool in an anvil with its tier's material, where each unit restores 25% of its durability, or combine two damaged tools of the same kind. Mending repairs them with experience.
Related pages
See all tool tiers and sword enchantments.
Does ArtemisPvP have its own gear?
Frequently asked questions
How much damage does a diamond sword do?
7 on Java and 8 on Bedrock.
What is the best sword?
Netherite: it lasts 2,031 uses on Java and mines faster than every tier except gold.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.