Minecraft Dungeons is built around flexibility, and your Weapons, Armor, and Enchantments will shape your character. Learn how to make a build that best suits your playstyle for the early part of the game.

Melee Build for Early Game

Best Weapon for Melee Build

Glaive

Although not available until the Soggy Swamp Mission, making it a bit inaccessible for early game builds, the Glaive cannot go unmentioned. Compared to the low-reach weapons available early game, the Glaive is one the first melee weapons available with a truly wide berth.

To avoid weathering substantial damage in a Melee Build, keeping your distance is key – this is what makes the Glaive such a useful weapon for making quick work of enemies without getting within their reach.

Glaive Stats, Effects and Location

Best Armor for Melee Build

Scale Mail

Scale Mail is one of the earliest obtainable armors in the game, but it's worth its weight – the 35% damage reduction and 30% boost to melee damage make it a great start for a Melee Build. As Melee Builds inevitably have to accept taking a certain amount of damage, a defensive armor like Scale Mail is the best choice.

Scale Mail Stats, Effects and Location

Best Enchantments for Melee Build

Weakening

One of the more dangerous aspects of a Melee Build is getting swarmed by enemies attacking you simultaneously, which can lead to sudden bursts of damage. Weakening can temper the oncoming blows, with the advantage of affecting all surrounding enemies. Unlike other Enchantments which only have a chance of coming into effect, Weakening stands out for its reliable debuffing.

Is Weakening Worth It? | Weakening Effects by Tier

Potion Barrier

In a sea Enchantments have helpful but minor effects that are hard to notice, Potion Barrier has a certain thrill in its use. After using your Healing Potion, you're able to rush into the fray in a near-invulnerable state for a few seconds. If used well, it can allow you to charge into a sea of enemies and slash them to death before they knew what hit them – just be careful of when it's about to run out!

Is Potion Barrier Worth It? | Potion Barrier Effects by Tier

Best Artifacts for Melee Build

Wind Horn

When enemies get a little too close for comfort, you might have trouble taking them out just by slicing and dicing. Use the Wind Horn to give yourself some breathing room, and if you've got the Glaive or another long-reach weapon, get the enemies back to easy slicing territory.

Wind Horn Stats, Effects and Location

Shock Powder

The Shock Powder will stun multiple enemies in your vicinity, and doesn't have the disadvantage of leaving you stuck there attacking the stunned enemy as with the Fishing Rod. This gives you both a chance to escape if you get in over your head, and a chance to come in swinging and defeat a swarm of enemies.

Shock Powder Stats, Effects and Location

Ranged Build for Early Game

Best Weapon for Ranged Build

Longbow

The trusty Longbow is as powerful today as it was when it led the English to victory in the Battle of Agincourt. It can use Strong Charged Attacks to deal damage beyond its listed damage rating, allowing you to make each arrow count even more. Stand at a distance and let your arrows fly, and you'll have plenty of time to charge your shots.

Longbow Stats, Effects and Location

Best Armor for Ranged Build

Hunter's Armor

Everything about this armor spells Ranged Build, even down to its name. From an extra 10 arrows with every bundle you find, to a whopping 30% boost to ranged damage, you're going to be sticking to your Hunter's Armor well past its due date.

Hunter's Armor Stats, Effects and Location

Best Enchantments for Ranged Build

Infinity

What can we say? More arrows means more firing. Although this Enchantment won't seize any clutch victories by itself, its humble effect will keep you blasting away level after level.

Is Infinity Worth It? | Infinity Effects by Tier

Piercing

Piercing helps your arrows better take down approaching mobs, with a single arrow able to pierce multiple enemies in a single bound. Fly, arrow, fly!

Is Piercing Worth It? | Piercing Effects by Tier

Best Artifacts for Ranged Build

Fireworks Arrow

It may be the first Artifact given to the player, but what a choice for first Artifact it is. The Fireworks Arrow does big damage to a huge area and can take out most weak enemies in a single blow, while leaving stronger enemies with only a melee attack or two worth of health remaining.

Wave of enemies running toward you? Fireworks Arrow. Threatening enemy you haven't encountered before approaching? Fireworks Arrow. Need we say more?

Fireworks Arrow Stats, Effects and Location

Flaming Quiver

For a Ranged Build centered around firing arrows, you'll have a hard time if you don't have... arrows. The Flaming Quiver provides 7 free arrows each time you use it, and their Burning effect deals damage to enemies even after they're hit.

It's not available until the Pumpkin Pastures Mission, so target that level first if you're hoping to nab this Artifact.

Flaming Quiver Stats, Effects and Location

Related Links

Starting Out with Minecraft Dungeons

• Beginner's Guide to Minecraft Dungeons
• Best Builds for Early Game
• Best Weapons for Early Game
• Best Armor for Early Game
• Best Enchantments for Early Game
• Best Artifacts for Early Game
• How to Find Secrets
• What to Spend Emeralds On
• How to Fight: Battle Strategy Guide

Completing the Game

• How Long is the Game?
• How to Unlock All Secret Levels
• How to Find the Creepy Crypt
• How to Find the Soggy Cave
• How to Find the Arch Haven
• How to Find the Lower Temple
• How to Find the Underhalls
• Getting into the Obsidian Pinnacle Secret Room
• All Camp Secrets
• Best Builds
• Best Weapons
• Best Armors
• Best Enchantments
• Enchantments Tier List
• How to Farm Emeralds (Money)
• How to Farm EXP
• Best Artifacts
• Best Weapons Tier List
• Best Armor Tier List
• Best Artifacts Tier List

Guides for Advanced Players

• Apocalypse Mode Guide
• All Gear Drops and Artifact Drops
• How to Farm Unique Gear
• How to Get All Unique Weapons
• How to Get All Unique Armor
• All Obsidian Chest Locations
• How to AFK Farm

All Tips & Strategy Guides