Enchantment Order Calculator: How It Works

This calculator works out the total enchantment cost for an item in Minecraft, using the standard anvil formula. You enter the item’s previous repair cost (the number of prior anvil uses) and the enchantment cost of the new enchantment, and it returns the final experience level cost you’ll pay at the anvil. It also shows the resulting repair cost that will be stored on the item, which affects all future anvil uses.

Formula

The anvil cost formula in Minecraft is:

Total cost = (Previous repair cost × 2) + Enchantment cost

Where:

• Previous repair cost – the number of levels already paid for prior anvil work on that item (shown as “Repair Costâ€� in the item’s tooltip).
• Enchantment cost – the base cost of the enchantment being applied, which depends on the enchantment type and level (e.g., Sharpness V costs 5 levels on a sword).
• Total cost – the experience levels you pay at the anvil, in levels (not points).

The new repair cost stored on the item after the operation is exactly the same as the total cost you paid. This stored value is what gets doubled the next time you use the anvil on that item.

Worked Example

Using the default values: previous repair cost = 0, enchantment cost = 5.

1. Double the previous repair cost: 0 × 2 = 0.
2. Add the enchantment cost: 0 + 5 = 5.
3. Total anvil cost = 5 levels.
4. New repair cost stored on the item = 5 levels.

So applying a 5-level enchantment to a fresh item costs 5 levels, and the item now carries a repair cost of 5. The next anvil use on that item will start by doubling that 5 to 10.

How the Anvil Cost Builds Up

Every time you use an anvil on an item, two things happen: you pay a cost, and the item’s repair cost increases. The increase is equal to the total cost you just paid. This means the cost grows exponentially with repeated uses.

For example:

• First use (fresh item, cost 5): pay 5, new repair cost = 5.
• Second use (repair cost 5, cost 5): pay 10 + 5 = 15, new repair cost = 15.
• Third use (repair cost 15, cost 5): pay 30 + 5 = 35, new repair cost = 35.

After just three uses, the cost has jumped from 5 to 35 levels. This is why players often say “the anvil is a trap� – it quickly becomes cheaper to craft a new item or use a grindstone to reset the repair cost (which removes all non-curse enchantments).

How to Choose an Enchantment Order

The order in which you combine books and items matters a lot, because the repair cost doubles each time. The general rule is: apply the most expensive enchantments first, when the repair cost is still low, and combine books together before applying them to the item.

For a typical sword with Sharpness V, Looting III, and Unbreaking III:

1. Combine Sharpness V (cost 5) and Looting III (cost 3) in an anvil: pay 5 + 3 = 8, the combined book now has repair cost 8.
2. Combine that book with Unbreaking III (cost 3): pay 8×2 + 3 = 19, the book now has repair cost 19.
3. Apply the combined book to the sword (fresh sword, cost 19): pay 0×2 + 19 = 19.

Total: 8 + 19 + 19 = 46 levels. If you instead applied each book directly to the sword, the cost would be much higher because the sword’s repair cost would double each time.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions

• Forgetting the doubling: The previous repair cost is doubled, not just added. A repair cost of 10 means the next use starts at 20, not 10.
• Mixing up levels and points: The anvil costs levels, not experience points. One level can require many points, especially at high levels.
• Thinking the grindstone is free: A grindstone removes all enchantments (except curses) and resets the repair cost to 0, but you lose the enchantments. It’s only worth it if you’re about to discard the item anyway.
• Assuming the order doesn’t matter: It matters enormously. Applying a cheap book first then an expensive one costs more than the reverse, because the cheap book’s cost gets doubled when you apply the expensive one.
• Ignoring the “Too Expensiveâ€� limit: If the total cost exceeds 39 levels, the anvil refuses to work and shows “Too Expensive!â€�. This is a hard cap, so you must plan your order to stay under it.

Limits of the Formula

This formula covers the base anvil cost for enchantments. It does not include:

• Renaming: Renaming an item costs 1 level plus the repair cost doubling, but it also resets the repair cost to 0 (in Java Edition). This can be used strategically to “resetâ€� the cost, but the formula here assumes no rename.
• Repairing with materials: Repairing a tool with its material (e.g., iron ingot for an iron pickaxe) costs 2 levels per material used, plus the repair cost doubling. This is separate from enchantment costs.
• Combining two enchanted items: If you combine two items that both have enchantments, the cost is the sum of the enchantment costs plus the repair cost doubling, but the formula becomes more complex because you must compare enchantments on both items.
• Bedrock Edition differences: The exact costs and the “Too Expensiveâ€� cap differ slightly between Java and Bedrock editions. This calculator follows the Java Edition formula.

For a full anvil planner that includes renaming, repairs, and multiple books, you’d need a more advanced tool that tracks each enchantment individually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the anvil cost keep going up so fast?

Because the previous repair cost is doubled each time. If you pay 10 levels, the item’s repair cost becomes 10, and the next use starts at 20. This exponential growth is intentional to encourage players to use new items or grindstones instead of endlessly repairing one item.

Can I reset the repair cost without losing enchantments?

In Java Edition, renaming an item in an anvil resets its repair cost to 0, but the rename itself costs 1 level plus the current repair cost doubling. This is a one-time reset – after the rename, the repair cost starts from 0 again. In Bedrock Edition, renaming does not reset the repair cost.

What is the “Too Expensive� limit?

In Java Edition, if the total anvil cost would exceed 39 levels, the anvil refuses the operation and displays “Too Expensive!�. This is a hard cap; you cannot bypass it by having more experience. In Bedrock Edition, the cap is higher (around 39-40 levels, but the exact value varies by version).

How do I combine four books onto one item cheaply?

The cheapest way is to combine books pairwise first, then combine the resulting books, and finally apply to the item. For example, combine book A with B, book C with D, then combine the two combined books, then apply to the item. This minimizes the number of times the item’s repair cost doubles.

Does the order of enchantments on a single book matter?

No. When you combine two books, the cost is the sum of their individual enchantment costs plus the doubling of the first book’s repair cost. The order of the enchantments on the resulting book doesn’t affect the cost. What matters is the order in which you combine books and apply them to the item.

Why does my sword say “Repair Cost: 15� in the tooltip?

That number is the previous repair cost, which is used in the anvil formula. It increases by the total cost you paid each time you use the anvil on that item. It’s not a penalty – it’s just the stored value that determines future costs.

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in prev | Previous repair cost | levels | 0 | 0
in ench | Enchantment cost | levels | 5 | 0
out total | Total anvil cost | levels | (prev * 2) + ench | 0
out new_repair | New repair cost | levels | (prev * 2) + ench | 0