Understand Looting
Useful when…
- Increase maximum quantities for many common mob drops.
- Improve rare-drop and eligible equipment-drop chances during mob farming.
What does Looting improve?
Looting increases the maximum number of items in many common drops by 1 per level. It also raises rare-drop and equipment-drop chances by 1 percentage point per level. Its effect rule for equipment drops adds 1% at level I and another percentage point for each level above I, and applies when the attacker is a player. The enchantment's maximum is level III. It does not improve every drop: for example, it raises the chance of a wither skeleton skull but not the number of skulls, and it does not increase wool from sheep or fish drops from fish mobs.
Which kills count, and what can it be used on?
Looting is supported on swords and spears across the listed wood, stone, copper, iron, gold, diamond, and netherite tiers. In Java Edition, the player needs to hold the Looting item in the main hand when the kill happens; the killing blow need not come from that item. This can cover a projectile kill if the enchanted item is in the main hand when the projectile lands. Sweep-attack kills count. Spear charge attacks performed with a spear in the offhand do not apply Looting.
What does it cost to combine?
Looting reaches level III and has an anvil book multiplier of 2 and item multiplier of 4. Those figures are combination multipliers, not a full experience-price calculation. Higher levels increase the common-drop quantity ceiling and the stated rare- and equipment-drop chances, so prioritize them when repeatedly collecting drops that Looting actually affects.
Which drops are exceptions?
The enchantment does not affect kills by tamed wolves, mobs with no drops, withers, iron golems, cats, or snow golems. In Java Edition it does not increase panda bamboo drops. It also does not increase sheep wool, elder guardian sponges or tide armor trims, evoker totems, or warden sculk catalysts; it does not increase wither skeleton skull quantity. Fire damage from Fire Aspect does not apply Looting to the resulting drops, so do not rely on that damage to obtain its benefit.
Limitations and tradeoffs
- Its returns are limited to drops affected by Looting and kills that meet the main-hand condition.
- The stated 1 percentage point per level is an increment, not a guarantee of a rare drop.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Switching away from the Looting item before a projectile kills its target.
- Expecting Looting to affect a wolf's kill or increase every drop quantity.
- Relying on Fire Aspect fire damage to apply Looting to the resulting drops.
