GUIDE · 1.21 · TRIAL CHAMBERS
How to Make a Mace
To make a mace in Minecraft, you need a heavy core and a breeze rod. Both come from trial chambers. Here’s how to get each part, how to craft the mace, and the best enchantments for smash attacks.
Free guide for Java and Bedrock, written for Minecraft 1.21 and newer.
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About This Guide
The mace arrived in Minecraft 1.21 (Tricky Trials). It’s a heavy weapon that deals more damage the farther you fall before you hit, so a mace combined with a wind charge or an elytra can one-shot most mobs. It’s also one of the rarest items to make, because the heavy core only comes from ominous vaults.
Mace Recipe
| Ingredient | Amount | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy core | 1 | Ominous vaults in trial chambers |
| Breeze rod | 1 | Dropped by breezes in trial chambers |
Place the heavy core in the center of the crafting table and the breeze rod directly below it.
Step 1: Find a Trial Chamber
Trial chambers sit deep underground in Java and Bedrock 1.21+. Paste your seed into the trial chamber finder to get the closest one, then dig a staircase down.
Step 2: Get a Breeze Rod
Breezes spawn from trial spawners inside trial chambers. They jump around and shoot wind charges. Kill one with a sword or bow, and it drops 1 to 2 breeze rods. Bring a shield.
Step 3: Get an Ominous Trial Key
- Get the Bad Omen effect: drink an ominous bottle (dropped by raid captains and found in some vaults).
- Walk into the trial chamber. Bad Omen turns into Trial Omen, and the trial spawners turn ominous with tougher waves.
- Beat the ominous trial to get an ominous trial key.
Step 4: Open an Ominous Vault
Use the ominous trial key on an ominous vault. The heavy core is a rare reward, so you may need several keys. Each ominous vault can be opened once per player.
Step 5: Craft the Mace
Put the heavy core in the middle slot and the breeze rod below it.
Best Mace Enchantments
| Enchantment | What it does |
|---|---|
| Density | More smash damage per block fallen |
| Breach | Ignores part of the target’s armor |
| Wind Burst | Launches you up after a smash, for chain attacks |
| Smite or Bane of Arthropods | Extra damage to undead or arthropods (instead of Density or Breach) |
| Unbreaking and Mending | Keeps the mace alive |
Density, Breach, Smite, and Bane of Arthropods can’t be combined, so pick one: Density for big smash hits, Breach for armored targets.
How the Smash Attack Works
Fall more than 1.5 blocks and hit a target to perform a smash attack. Damage grows with every block you fell, and you don’t take fall damage when you land the hit. Wind charges are the easiest way to launch yourself up for a smash.
Related Minecraft Tools
Free tools that help with this guide:
- Minecraft Seed Map: the full map with every biome and structure
- Trial Chamber Finder: Trial chambers by seed
- Pillager Outpost Finder: Outposts near spawn by seed
Frequently Asked Questions
How rare is the heavy core?
Very rare. It’s a low-chance reward from ominous vaults, so expect to open several.
Can I repair a mace?
Yes, with breeze rods in an anvil, or with Mending.
Is the mace in Bedrock?
Yes, Java and Bedrock 1.21+ both have it.
Can I find a mace in a chest?
No. The heavy core is the only way, so you have to craft it.
Final Thoughts
Making a mace takes one breeze rod and one hard-earned heavy core. Find a trial chamber, collect ominous trial keys, and keep opening ominous vaults until the core drops.
