Understand Density
Useful when…
- Building around mace smash attacks
- Increasing the damage gained from falling before a mace hit
Effect and scaling
Density adds 0.5 damage points per block fallen per level to smash-attack damage. The added damage per fallen block is 0.5 at level I, rising by 0.5 each level to 2.5 at level V. In plain terms, multiply the blocks fallen by the level's added damage per block to understand this enchantment's contribution to a smash attack; the supplied rule does not describe a bonus to ordinary mace hits.
Equipment and investment
Density applies only to the mace and has five levels. Its payoff is tied to falling distance before a smash, so prioritize it when your approach to combat can produce those attacks. A mace used mainly for regular hits will not make full use of this effect.
Incompatibilities
Density is incompatible with Breach, Smite, and Bane of Arthropods. It is also listed as incompatible with Sharpness and Impaling, though those latter pairings are not available on the relevant weapon types in Survival. Decide between Density and the other mace damage enchantments according to whether smash damage or their different target interactions matter to your use.
Limitations and tradeoffs
- Its added damage depends on falling distance and a mace smash attack.
- It competes with other mace damage enchantments.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Counting Density's per-block bonus on ordinary mace attacks.
- Ignoring the fall-distance condition when estimating its contribution.
- Expecting to combine it normally with Breach, Smite, or Bane of Arthropods.