Understand Golden Helmet
Useful when…
- Wear gold armor near piglins when you have not provoked or attacked them.
- Use Respiration for extended underwater breathing or Aqua Affinity for underwater mining.
- Repair the helmet or use durability enchantments if you expect extended wear.
Armor and piglin behavior
Worn in the head slot, the helmet provides 2 armor points. Piglins do not attack players wearing gold armor unless provoked or attacked. Piglins are attracted to Golden Helmets on the ground, inspect them, and then equip them.
Underwater and protection enchantments
Respiration extends breathing time underwater, and Aqua Affinity increases underwater mining speed. Protection, Projectile Protection, Blast Protection, and Fire Protection are mutually exclusive and can reach level IV. Unbreaking can negate some durability consumption, and Mending repairs the helmet when experience is obtained.
Durability, repair, and trims
Maximum durability is 77. An anvil repair with a gold ingot restores 25% of maximum durability, rounded down (19 points), and preserves enchantments. Anvil combination with another helmet also preserves them; crafting or grindstone combination adds 5% durability. Armor trims change appearance and do not improve protection.
Obtaining
Golden Helmets can be crafted from a gold ingot. The reference also lists them in bastion remnant and ocean ruins loot, in enchanted form in bastion remnants and ruined portals, and as possible equipment worn by mobs. Smelting a helmet yields a gold nugget and consumes the item.
Limitations and tradeoffs
- Provides 2 armor points and has Respiration and Aqua Affinity enchantment options.
- Gold armor affects piglin behavior only while you have not provoked or attacked them.
- Smelting recovers a gold nugget but consumes the helmet.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming piglins remain passive after you provoke or attack them.
- Trying to combine mutually exclusive protection enchantments.
- Expecting trims to add armor protection.
- Smelting an enchanted helmet without accounting for losing the item.