Bane of Arthropods is a Minecraft Java Edition enchantment in the weapon group, with a maximum level of V.
minecraft:bane_of_arthropods
Adds 2.5 damage per level against arthropods — spiders, cave spiders, silverfish, endermites, and bees — and briefly applies Slowness IV on hit.
Tip: Bane V one-shots spiders and cave spiders — useful for spider farms and mineshaft clearing. Against everything else it adds zero damage.
Bane of Arthropods is the narrowest damage specialist: its bonus only applies to spiders, cave spiders, silverfish, endermites, and bees. The Slowness IV rider on hit is a nice touch against cave spider swarms. Since spiders are rarely the threat and Sharpness covers everything, most players treat Bane as a spider-farm novelty rather than a main-sword pick.
Enchanting table (sword), Librarian villager trades, structure chest loot, and fishing treasure. Apply to axes with a book on an anvil.
Hold a valid item in your main hand, then run (Java Edition 1.13+; the level is optional and defaults to 1):
This example applies the maximum level V. An anvil combines two matching levels only up to this maximum — higher levels exist only through commands.
Bane of Arthropods applies to swords, spears, axes, the mace. Items from the reviewed catalog in this group:
These enchantments cannot be on the same item as Bane of Arthropods (source: minecraft-data 1.21 registry):
Smite is the same +2.5-per-level formula against the much larger undead family (zombies, skeletons, the wither). Between the two specialists, Smite is useful far more often.
Sharpness V adds +3 against everything; Bane V adds +12.5 against five arthropod mobs. Unless you are building a spider farm sword, Sharpness wins.
Bedrock Edition: Bane of Arthropods works the same in Bedrock Edition, including the Slowness effect on hit.
The enchantment ID for Bane of Arthropods is minecraft:bane_of_arthropods. Java Edition 1.13+ commands such as /enchant use this namespaced form. On Java 1.12.2 and earlier the numerical ID was 18.
Bane of Arthropods goes up to level V (level 5). Run /enchant @p minecraft:bane_of_arthropods 5 while holding a valid item to apply the maximum level.
Spiders, cave spiders, silverfish, endermites, and bees. Everything else — including creepers — is unaffected.
Only for dedicated spider or cave-spider farms. Smite (undead) covers far more dangerous mobs, and Sharpness covers everything.
Yes. Hits apply a brief Slowness IV effect to arthropods, which helps against cave spider swarms in mineshafts.