Piercing is a Minecraft Java Edition enchantment in the crossbow group, with a maximum level of IV.
minecraft:piercing
Crossbow arrows pass through a number of entities equal to the level, damaging level + 1 targets in a line. Piercing arrows also ignore raised shields and can be picked back up after the shot.
Tip: Piercing arrows fly back into your inventory when you walk over them — even tipped arrows — so a Piercing crossbow barely consumes ammo. It cannot share a crossbow with Multishot.
Piercing does not add any damage; it adds coverage. One arrow can line-hit a row of mobs, and in PvP it punches straight through a blocking shield, which is its biggest selling point. Because arrows stay retrievable after piercing, it is also the ammo-efficient choice. The catch: it is mutually exclusive with Multishot, so you choose between hitting a line of targets or fanning three arrows at once.
Enchanting table (crossbow), 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 IV. An anvil combines two matching levels only up to this maximum — higher levels exist only through commands.
Or give yourself a Crossbow with Piercing IV already applied (Java 1.20.5+ component format):
Piercing applies to the crossbow. Items from the reviewed catalog in this group:
These enchantments cannot be on the same item as Piercing (source: minecraft-data 1.21 registry):
Multishot fires three arrows in a spread for the cost of one; Piercing fires one arrow through a line of targets and shields. They are mutually exclusive. Crowd of weak mobs: Multishot. Shield users and lined-up targets: Piercing.
Power is the bow's damage enchantment and does not exist for crossbows — Piercing adds no damage either. Crossbow damage comes from the weapon itself plus fireworks; enchantments only add utility like Piercing, Multishot, and Quick Charge.
Bedrock Edition: Piercing works the same in Bedrock Edition, including ignoring shields and staying retrievable after piercing targets.
The enchantment ID for Piercing is minecraft:piercing. Java Edition 1.13+ commands such as /enchant use this namespaced form.
Piercing goes up to level IV (level 4). Run /enchant @p minecraft:piercing 4 while holding a valid item to apply the maximum level.
No. Piercing only lets arrows pass through entities and shields. The damage per target stays exactly the same.
Yes. Piercing arrows ignore a raised shield completely and hit the player behind it, which makes Piercing the anti-shield choice in PvP.
Yes. Arrows that pierce through mobs keep flying and can be picked up afterwards — including tipped and spectral arrows — so a Piercing crossbow uses very little ammo.
Piercing for shields, lines of mobs, and ammo efficiency; Multishot for spreading damage across a crowd at close range. You can only have one per crossbow.