Knockback is a Minecraft Java Edition enchantment in the melee weapon group, with a maximum level of II.
minecraft:knockback
Adds +2.586 blocks of horizontal knockback per level to melee hits (base melee knockback is 1.552 blocks, so Knockback II reaches about 6.7 blocks), and bumps vertical knockback from 0.8125 to 1 block at any level. Actual travel varies: sprint-knockback stacks with it, knockback resistance reduces it, shields block it in Java, and post-hit damage immunity cancels it.
Tip: Knockback II is crowd control against creepers and charging mobs — but it also pushes targets out of your own combo range.
Knockback is defense, not offense. It buys space against creepers, vindicators and rushing players, and level II can punt mobs off ledges or into hazards. The tradeoff: knocked-back targets leave your reach, so follow-up hits get harder and melee grinding slows down. Many PvP players skip it for exactly that reason — giving an opponent distance can give them an escape.
Formula: +2.586 blocks of horizontal knockback per level on top of the 1.552-block base melee knockback — Knockback I reaches about 4.14 blocks, Knockback II about 6.72. Vertical knockback rises from 0.8125 to 1 block at any level. Figures are the wiki-measured values; real travel varies with the factors below.
Cap: What changes the result: sprint-knockback attacks stack with the enchantment; the target's knockback resistance reduces it; a raised shield negates it in Java (not Bedrock); post-hit damage immunity (0.5 s i-frames) normally cancels it — except that in Java, a Knockback sword or spear still knocks back an invulnerable target when the follow-up hit deals more damage than the previous one; and sweep attacks apply the enchantment's extra knockback only to the primary target — secondary mobs in the arc get just the base sweep push (MC-271653).
Not covered:
Beyond the maximum: Survival caps at level II. Command levels above II work but have diminishing returns against players (not against mobs) — the classic knockback 1000 stick mostly matters for mob launches. Try an over-level command in the Enchanted Gear Generator →
Three different ways to push things — they stack, not conflict.
| Effect | Applies to | Max level | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knockback | Melee (swords, spears since 1.21.11) | II | +2.586 blocks per level; no conflict with Sharpness or other sword enchants |
| Punch | Bow arrows | II | The bow equivalent; about +3 blocks per level on arrow impact |
| Sprint-knockback attack | Any melee weapon while sprinting | — | Free knockback burst on the first hit of a sprint; stacks with Knockback, resets when you stop sprinting |
Enchanting table, Librarian villager trades, structure chest loot, and fishing treasure.
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 II. An anvil combines two matching levels only up to this maximum — higher levels exist only through commands.
Knockback applies to swords, spears. Items from the reviewed catalog in this group:
Punch is the same idea for bows: about +3 blocks of arrow knockback per level, max level II — measured separately from melee Knockback's +2.586. Both are utility picks, not damage.
Sharpness adds damage on every hit; Knockback adds zero damage, only distance. For pure kill speed Sharpness always wins. Knockback is a survival utility choice — and the two stack fine on the same sword.
Bedrock Edition: Knockback works the same in Bedrock Edition, with the same maximum level of II.
The enchantment ID for Knockback is minecraft:knockback. Java Edition 1.13+ commands such as /enchant use this namespaced form. On Java 1.12.2 and earlier the numerical ID was 19.
Knockback goes up to level II (level 2). Run /enchant @p minecraft:knockback 2 while holding a valid item to apply the maximum level.
No. Knockback only increases how far the target is thrown. If you want damage, pair it with Sharpness — they are fully compatible.
Situationally great. It is excellent for keeping creepers at bay, defending against rushes, and knocking mobs off cliffs. It is annoying when farming, because every hit pushes the mob out of reach of your next swing. Many players keep it off their main sword and on a secondary one.
Knockback is for melee (swords, and spears since 1.21.11), Punch is the bow version for arrows. Both add +2.586 blocks of knockback per level and both cap at level II.
Not in survival — the maximum is level II. Higher levels only exist via commands, such as the famous knockback 1000 stick.