Multishot vs Piercing

The difference

Multishot fires three projectiles for the price of one. Piercing lets each arrow go through extra targets, one per level, and the arrows can always be picked up again. A crossbow can't have both.

The two extra Multishot arrows can't be picked up. So Multishot spreads damage, while Piercing saves ammunition. Firework rockets work with Multishot, but Piercing only affects arrows.

Level by level

Multishot has one level, so it costs only 2 levels as a book on a fresh crossbow. Piercing IV costs 4 levels. Both work with Quick Charge, which costs 3 levels at level III.

Which to pick, situation by situation

• Raids. Multishot. Pillagers and vindicators arrive in groups, and three arrows per shot hit several at once.
• Firework crossbow. Multishot. Three firework rockets per shot is the strongest crossbow attack in the game.
• Mob trenches and corridors. Piercing IV. One arrow can hit five mobs standing in a line.
• Saving arrows. Piercing. Every Piercing arrow stays collectable, even after it passes through mobs.
• Phantoms and flying mobs. Multishot. The spread makes fast-moving targets easier to hit.
• PvP. Multishot with fireworks is the popular choice. Piercing helps less against one target.

Max build with each

Here is what a full crossbow costs with each option, books combined in the cheapest order on a fresh crossbow:

Open the Multishot build or the Piercing build in the calculator. The crossbow enchant order walks through every anvil step. The best crossbow enchantments page explains each book in the build.

Which items take each

• Multishot goes on crossbow. The enchanting table can offer it there directly.
• Piercing goes on crossbow. The enchanting table can offer it there directly.

What each one does

Multishot

Multishot makes a crossbow fire three arrows at once for the cost of one. The extra arrows can't be picked up.

• Excellent against groups and with firework rockets.
• It excludes Piercing: choose spread or penetration.

Piercing

Piercing lets crossbow arrows pass through mobs and hit the ones behind. Each level adds one more target.

• Piercing arrows can always be picked up again, even after passing through mobs.
• It excludes Multishot.

Where to get them and what they cost

• Multishot: max level I, from the enchanting table, librarian villagers, ominous vaults (trial chambers) and enchanted loot from fishing and chests. Once you have one, a max book costs 2 levels on a fresh item.
• Piercing: max level IV, from the enchanting table, librarian villagers and enchanted loot from fishing and chests. Once you have one, a max book costs 4 levels on a fresh item.

They are incompatible, so you choose one per item. Both can go on the crossbow. Whichever you pick, combine the books in the cheapest order with the enchantment calculator or follow the crossbow enchant order.

Good to know

Both are normal enchantments, so the enchanting table can offer them. Librarians and loot are the other sources, and ominous vaults can also drop Multishot. Crossbows also take Unbreaking and Mending. Because they can't take Infinity, Mending fits either build with no trade-off.

Piercing has another use. Its arrows pass through mobs instead of stopping, so they keep flying after the first target. That helps when weaker mobs stand in front of the one you want.

A crossbow for each job

Crossbows cost little to craft: three sticks, two string, an iron ingot and a tripwire hook. So many players keep two. A Multishot crossbow loaded with fireworks sits in the hotbar for raids and ghasts. Meanwhile, a Piercing IV crossbow handles trenches, mob farms and long hallways. Both share Quick Charge III, Unbreaking III and Mending, so only one book differs. A loaded crossbow also holds its shot until you fire, which means you can carry both ready at once.

Common mistakes

• Expecting Piercing on fireworks. Piercing does nothing for rockets, so firework crossbows want Multishot.
• Taking Piercing to a raid. Raiders spread out, so a spread of three shots usually hits more of them.
• Skipping Quick Charge. Quick Charge fits with both, and it makes either crossbow much faster to use.

Switching from one to the other

An anvil never swaps Multishot for Piercing. If the book only holds the conflicting enchantment, the anvil has nothing to add. So the only way to switch on the same item is a grindstone. It strips every enchantment except curses, then you enchant the item again from scratch.

Crossbows are cheap to craft. When you want the other one, enchant a second crossbow instead of grinding the first.

Java and Bedrock differences

In Bedrock 26.60, Multishot and Piercing are incompatible. The anvil differs between the editions. Bedrock only charges for the levels a book adds and nothing for a conflicting enchantment it skips. Commands work differently too: Bedrock's /give can't add enchantments, so you hold the item and run /enchant once per enchantment. This page shows the Bedrock 26.60 numbers.

More comparisons

• Sharpness vs Smite
• Sharpness vs Smite vs Bane of Arthropods
• Mending vs Infinity
• Density vs Breach
• Fortune vs Silk Touch
• Fortune vs Looting
• Protection vs Fire Protection
• Protection vs Blast Protection
• Loyalty vs Riptide
• Depth Strider vs Frost Walker