Loyalty is a Minecraft Java Edition enchantment in the trident group, with a maximum level of III.
minecraft:loyalty
A thrown trident returns to your hand after impact — faster at higher levels. Without it, every throw means walking over to pick the trident up.
Tip: Loyalty III makes the trident a real ranged weapon. It cannot share a trident with Riptide — throwing vs self-launching.
Loyalty is what makes trident throwing practical: the trident boomerangs back after every hit, and at level III the return is quick enough for sustained ranged combat. If the trident would return while you are in a different dimension or your inventory is full, it hovers until you can catch it. Mutually exclusive with Riptide, because Riptide tridents are never truly thrown.
Enchanting table (trident), 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 III. An anvil combines two matching levels only up to this maximum — higher levels exist only through commands.
Or give yourself a Trident with Loyalty III already applied (Java 1.20.5+ component format):
Loyalty applies to the trident. Items from the reviewed catalog in this group:
These enchantments cannot be on the same item as Loyalty (source: minecraft-data 1.21 registry):
Loyalty throws the trident and brings it back; Riptide never lets go of it and throws you instead. Mutually exclusive — the combat trident runs Loyalty, the travel trident runs Riptide.
Loyalty handles retrieval, Channeling adds storm lightning — different jobs, fully compatible on the same trident.
Bedrock Edition: Loyalty works the same in Bedrock Edition, with the same Riptide conflict.
The enchantment ID for Loyalty is minecraft:loyalty. Java Edition 1.13+ commands such as /enchant use this namespaced form.
Loyalty goes up to level III (level 3). Run /enchant @p minecraft:loyalty 3 while holding a valid item to apply the maximum level.
No. They are mutually exclusive: Loyalty returns a thrown trident, while Riptide replaces throwing with a self-launch.
The trident circles around you until there is a free slot to enter — it will not be lost.
Yes, if you fight with thrown tridents — the faster return at level III makes ranged trident combat practical. If your trident is for Riptide travel, skip it.