What can you do as a free member?

Member benefits illustration

Create your free account today and unlock all our premium features and tools to enhance your gaming experience.

Member benefits illustration

Create your free account today and save articles to your watchlist and get notified when they're updated with new information.

Member benefits illustration

Create your free account today and save your favorite games for quick access later, synced across all your devices.

Member benefits illustration

By creating a Game8 account and logging in, you'll receive instant notifications when someone replies to your posts.

Comment rating feature illustration

By creating a Game8 account and logging in, you can make use of convenient features in the comments section, such as rating and sorting comments.

Premium archive feature illustration

By creating a Game8 account and logging in, you can access Premium articles that are exclusively available to members.

Site Interface

Guest
Free Member
Article Watchlist
Game Bookmarks
Cross-device Sync
Light/Dark Theme Toggle
User Profiles
Direct Feedback
Comment Rating

Game Tools

Guest
Free Member
Interactive Map Access
Interactive Map Pins
Interactive Map Comments
Interactive Map Pins Cross-Device
Check List
Event Choice Checker
Deck Builder Cross-Device
Message Board Notification
Message Board Cross-Device
Build Planner
Stat Calculator
Diagnostic Tool
Weapon/Armor Wishlist

Want more information?Learn more

Minecraft

How to Get the Piercing Enchantment

Add to Watchlist

Piercing is an Enchantment in Minecraft. Read on to learn more about Piercing, what gear you can equip it with, how to get it, and how to use it.

Piercing Overview

Piercing Basic Information

Piercing
Effect Allows the arrows from the Crossbow to pierce through mobs
Max Level IV
Type Enchantment

Piercing Compatible Gear

Compatible Gear
Crossbow Icon Crossbow

How to Get Piercing

Obtain using Enchanting Tables

The most common way to obtain Piercing is through an Enchanting Table. You'll need XP and Lapis Lazuli to enchant an item.

Use Bookshelves to increase enchantment levels

Placing bookshelves around the Enchanting Table will increase the possible enchantment levels of an item. There must be one block of air between a bookshelf and the Enchanting Table for this to work.

Obtain by Fishing

Fishing - Minecraft
Head out into open water and use your Fishing Rod to catch items with Piercing enchantments. The Luck of the Sea enchant will increase your chances of catching enchanted items.

Loot from Chests

You'll find Piercing in Treasure Chests in structures and dungeons around the world. Make sure you're properly equipped with armor and weapons since these areas will be infested with Mobs.

Trade with Villagers

You'll be able to trade items with villagers to obtain Piercing. Librarians will be your best bet since you can trade Emeralds for enchantments even at Novice levels.

You'll have to level up other Villager types to obtain their enchanted stock.

How to Use Piercing

Pierce through Several Mobs with One Arrow

Piercing - Minecraft Enchantment

Piercing Enchantment Level Number of Pierceable Enemies
I 2
II 3
III 4
IV 5

Piercing lets Crossbow shots pass through multiple targets. Arrows used with Piercing will pass through Shields even when they're equipped, and can be retrieved even after hitting an enemy.

This is great for facing large mobs of enemies since you can mow them down more quickly to avoid getting overwhelmed. Line your foes up to make efficient use of this enchantment.

Cannot Be Combined with Multishot

You cannot use Piercing and Multishot enchantments at the same time.

Related Guides

Minecraft Enchantments

Enchanting Guide: List of All Enchantments

List of All Enchantments

Aqua Affinity Bane of Arthropods
Blast Protection Channeling
Curse of Binding Curse of Vanishing
Depth Strider Efficiency
Feather Falling Fire Aspect
Fire Protection Flame
Fortune Frost Walker
Impaling Infinity
Knockback Looting
Loyalty Luck of the Sea
Lure Mending
Multishot Piercing
Power Projectile Protection
Protection Punch
Quick Charge Respiration
Riptide Sharpness
Silk Touch Smite
Soul Speed Sweeping Edge
Swift Sneak Thorns
Unbreaking

Author

    Please participate in our site
    improvement survey
    12/2025
    Would you assist in
    improving Game8's site?
    ×
    This survey will take about 1 minute.
    Your answers will help us to improve our website.
    We are listening to our users' valuable opinions and discussing how to act on them.
    The information collected through this survey will be used for the purpose of improving our services. In addition, the information will only be disclosed a part of a statistic in a format that will not allow identification of personal information.
    Begin Survey

    All rights reserved

    Guide Index