Can you put Thorns on boots?

How to add it

The surest way is to combine an enchanted book with the boots on an anvil: Thorns III costs 12 levels on fresh boots.

Plan it in the calculator

What it does on boots

Thorns works on any armor piece, and each piece rolls on its own. At Thorns III that is a 45% chance per hit to damage the attacker. Every time Thorns triggers, it costs 2 extra durability, so Mending matters on Thorns boots. Boots also take Feather Falling and Depth Strider or Frost Walker, so Thorns adds one more book to a busy build.

Step by step

1. First, get Thorns III as an enchanted book. Sources: a librarian villager (11–45 emeralds for a top-level book), an enchanting table (on a plain book) or fishing, chest loot.
2. Then put the boots in the left slot of an anvil and the book in the right slot.
3. Finally, pay the cost shown: 12 levels on fresh boots, plus any prior work penalty the boots already have.
4. If the boots are getting more books, plan the order first so no step costs 40 levels or more.

Why it works

Thorns lists boots among its supported items. That matters because each enchantment's data file lists the items it supports, and the anvil checks that list. The enchanting table never offers Thorns on boots, so it has to come from a book.

It conflicts with nothing else boots can take, so it fits into any boots build.

What it costs on the anvil

First, the base price: on fresh boots, Thorns III costs 12 levels. Java charges the full new level of each book, so upgrading later costs the whole level again. Each anvil use also raises the item's prior work penalty for the next step.

Order matters. Say your boots already have Protection IV, Feather Falling IV, Soul Speed III, Depth Strider III, Unbreaking III and Mending, put on in the cheapest order. That took 4 anvil uses, so adding Thorns last costs 27 levels: 15 for the prior work penalty plus 12 for the book. Planning everything from the start costs 66 levels in total, with no step above 16.

Plan your own version in the calculator or follow the boots enchant order. The prior work penalty calculator shows how the penalty grows.

Where Thorns goes

• Thorns goes on helmet, chestplate, leggings and boots. The enchanting table offers it on the chestplate, while the helmet, leggings and boots need a book.

Commands and creative mode

In creative or with cheats, one command does it: /give @p netherite_boots[enchantments={thorns:3}]. Holding the item, /enchant @s thorns 3 works too. Creative mode also ignores the anvil's 40-level limit. The command generator writes the right syntax for your edition.

Java and Bedrock

As far as the item list goes, the answer is also the same in Java and Bedrock. The anvil differs, though: Java charges the full new level of every book. This page follows Java 26.3.

About Thorns

Thorns damages anything that hits you in melee. Each level gives a 15% chance to deal 1 to 5 damage back to the attacker, but every time it triggers the armor loses 2 extra durability.

Thorns has a max level of III. If you need a book, you can get it from the enchanting table, librarian villagers and enchanted loot from fishing and chests. A librarian sells a Thorns III book for 11 to 45 emeralds. Before you buy, read everything about Thorns, including what each level does.

What else boots can take

Besides Thorns, boots can take Frost Walker, Protection, Blast Protection, Fire Protection, Projectile Protection, Feather Falling, Soul Speed, Depth Strider, Unbreaking and Mending. Then the best boots enchantments page ranks them and gives the max build.

Related questions: Depth Strider and Frost Walker on boots.

Related

• Best boots enchantments
• Thorns
• Depth Strider + Frost Walker on boots