With so many weapons in Minecraft to play with, weapon comparison is a hot topic for discussion. The netherite sword and mace are the best if we talk about melee weapons. But which one is better? Since they are very hard to get, you must know which one to choose. Deciding this means considering many factors such as assisted damage, unassisted damage, compatibility with various enchantments, ease of use, etc. This blog post compares mace versus netherite swords in detail with all their features. This will help you decide which suits your gaming style the best.
A Quick Look at the Mace in Minecraft
The Tricky Trials update in June 2024 introduced the new mace weapon. Its damage mechanic is unique as it works as a one-hit kill weapon. Rather than slaying a mob, you must fall from a height to inflict damage. The higher the fall, the more damage the mace does. The crafting recipe for a mace consists of a heavy core and a breeze rod.
A Quick Look at the Netherite Sword in Minecraft
A netherite sword is the most destructive sword in Minecraft. You can typically get one by upgrading your diamond sword with Netherite. It is the hardest and strongest material in Minecraft at the moment. It is rare to find, but you can use this guide to mine as much netherite as you want.
Netherite Sword and Mace Comparison in Minecraft
You want the weapon to be as destructive as possible, so the first factor we will discuss here is damage. With so many enchantments, extra items, and environmental advantages, it is best to categorize the damage into two categories: assisted and unassisted.
Mace versus Netherite Sword for Unassisted Damage
On purely unassisted ground combat with no extra items or environmental advantages, the netherite sword takes the lead.
Let us take a look at the number of hearts per hit. Remember that each heart is worth two health points; damage per hit equals hearts per hit divided by cooldown time.
Netherite sword does 4 to 4.5 hearts per hit or 12.8 damage per second in the Java edition. Conversely, mace does 2.5 to 3 hearts of damage per hit and 3.6 damage per second. So, at a glance, the netherite sword is the winner.
Mace versus Netherite Sword for Assisted Damage
Let us change the scenario a bit and discuss assisted damage. For mace, you can have wind charges, which launch you and allow you to attack on the way down. With a perfect jump and timely smash attack, a single smash inflicts 21 to 22.5 hearts of damage. Even if you don’t get the most optimal jump, you can still get 13-16 hearts of damage.
Now, imagine yourself in a mountainous terrain. Here, you do not even need a wind charge. With swords, you can not have such external assistance that can outdo maces. So, in assisted ground damage, mace is unarguably the winner.
The Ease of Use in Various Situations
In open, unobstructed spaces, mace is unstoppable. However, mace won’t be effective in confined spaces such as caves or with walls around. On the other hand, a netherite sword is effective irrespective of the environment you use it. Whether in a confined space or even underwater, you can rely on the netherite sword anywhere and anytime.
Enchantment Powers of Mace versus Netherite Sword
Minecraft offers lots of enchantments for various armor and weapons. This makes items more powerful than they already are. Both the mace and netherite swords have a range of different enchantments you can apply in survival mode.
Netherite Sword Enchantments
You can apply sharpness to a netherite sword to increase its base damage. However, it would still be nowhere near the damage capability of a mace. Moreover, you can apply knockback to the netherite sword, which pushes your enemy back with every sweep. Mace already has this feature built-in so you can utilize it without any enchantment.
Furthermore, you can apply sweeping edge enchantment to a netherite sword. This increases damage per every sweeping move and is very useful when fighting hordes of mobs. We are yet to have such an enchantment for mace.
Looting III is another enchantment exclusive to swords. It increases the number of items dropped and the chances of mobs dropping rare items. This makes survival easier and more enjoyable. Both mace and sword have a fire enchantment, which sets the object you hit on fire.
Mace Enchantments
Mace offers lots of enchantments that can make it incredibly deadly. Density enchantment increases the damage of your mace’s smash attack based on the height you’ve fallen before hitting. With the max level density of five, you can have up to 41 hearts of damage per smash. That is just insane!
With breach enchantment, the armor against it becomes less effective, although it is incompatible with density. Mace also enjoys a wind burst enchantment, which launches you into the air after a successful smash. So, you can have repeated smashes like a pro. Just imagine the power you will have combined with burst and density enchantments. However, as already discussed, it is only effective in open spaces.
Which One is the Winner?
Before forming a verdict, let us clarify that mace is an insanely rare and challenging weapon to obtain. You may have a mace after raiding multiple trial chambers if you are lucky enough. Nether is also hard to get but easier than mace. Moreover, the crazy amounts of damage mace offers are not usually required. Most Minecraft mobs you face have 15-20 hearts of health max.
So, the bottom line is that the netherite sword is quick, easy, and safe to use. Mace is incredibly deadly but tricky to use, especially for beginners. You can use it in confined spaces, and you will die if you miss the mace smash attack, or your enemy will get free hits. So, a netherite sword is the better weapon if you want to have one of them. However, it is best to carry both if you can!
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