{"id":22907,"date":"2026-07-07T11:02:57","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T11:02:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/blog\/what-does-smite-do-minecraft\/"},"modified":"2026-07-07T11:02:57","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T11:02:57","slug":"what-does-smite-do-minecraft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/blog\/what-does-smite-do-minecraft\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does Smite Do in Minecraft? (Undead Damage Guide)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Smite is a melee sword enchantment that adds extra damage only<\/strong> against undead mobs like zombies, skeletons, and the Wither, dealing +2.5 damage (1.25 hearts) per level on a fully-charged hit. If your world is full of the undead, no other damage enchantment comes close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below you’ll find the exact Java Edition (26.2) mechanics, which items can carry Smite, how it stacks up against Sharpness, and every way to apply it. For a broader overview, see our All Minecraft Enchantments list<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Smite Works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smite adds flat bonus damage to your melee attacks, but that bonus applies only against undead mobs<\/strong>. Against everything else, Smite does nothing at all. The bonus is added on top of your weapon’s base attack damage, and it only lands on a fully-charged attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Java Edition formula is simple: +2.5 damage (1.25 hearts) per level<\/strong>. That scales cleanly all the way to level V:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smite Level<\/th>Bonus Damage<\/th>Hearts<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
I<\/td>+2.5<\/td>1.25<\/td><\/tr>
II<\/td>+5<\/td>2.5<\/td><\/tr>
III<\/td>+7.5<\/td>3.75<\/td><\/tr>
IV<\/td>+10<\/td>5<\/td><\/tr>
V<\/td>+12.5<\/td>6.25<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Java Edition uses the exact 2.5 \u00d7 level value. (Bedrock Edition rounds the per-hit damage down at odd levels, but on Java the numbers are precise.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which mobs count as undead? All of these take the Smite bonus: the Wither<\/strong> (yes, the boss itself is undead), wither skeletons, skeletons, strays, bogged, zombies, husks, drowned, zombie villagers, zombified piglins, zoglins, phantoms, skeleton horses, and zombie horses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as important is what is not<\/strong> undead, meaning Smite does nothing against them: the Ender Dragon, spiders and other arthropods, creepers, endermen, piglins, hoglins, players, and passive animals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Items Can Get Smite<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In Java Edition, Smite is a primary<\/strong> enchantment for swords, so it can appear directly on the enchanting table for that weapon. It is a secondary<\/strong> enchantment for axes and maces, which means you can only add it to those items using an enchanted book on an anvil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n