Trident

For the Hidden Depths DLC consumable in Minecraft Dungeons, see MCD:Trident.
Trident
Trident.png: Infobox image for Trident the item in Minecraft

Entity

Trident (item).png: Infobox image for Trident the item in Minecraft

Item

Invicon Trident.png: Inventory sprite for Trident in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Trident When in Main Hand:  9 Attack Damage  1.1 Attack Speed
Rarity tier

Rare

Attack damage

Melee: 9HP♥♥♥♥♥
Ranged: 8HP♥♥♥♥

Attack speed

1.1 (0.909 seconds)

Durability

JE: 250
BE: 251

Enchantability

1

Renewable

Yes

Stackable

No

A trident is a weapon usable both for melee attacks and as a throwable projectile that is not slowed down by water. It is obtained as a rare drop from drowned who wield them, and as rare loot from vaults and some chests in trial chambers.

Obtaining

Generated loot

Item Structure Container Quantity Chance
Java Edition and Bedrock Edition
Trial Chambers Vault and reward chest 1 2.1%

Mob loot

6.25% of naturally-spawned drowned in Java Edition, or 15% of naturally-spawned drowned in Bedrock Edition, spawn with a trident of random durability as their natural weapon. When a drowned with a trident is killed by a player or a tamed wolf, it has a 8.5% chance in Java Edition or a 25% chance in Bedrock Edition of dropping the trident. This chance is increased by 1% with each level of Looting.

Only naturally-spawned drowned can spawn with a trident. Zombies converted to drowned never spawn with tridents. In Java Edition, a trident held by a drowned has a chance to be enchanted. The Loyalty, Impaling, and Channeling enchantments function the same, while Riptide has no effect for the drowned.

In Bedrock Edition, a drowned holding a trident sometimes drops the trident (with full durability) in favor of a nautilus shell when not attacking anything.

Thrown tridents

Tridents thrown onto the ground by a player can be picked up; however, tridents thrown by drowned cannot be picked up, similar to arrows shot by skeletons and other arrow-firing mobs.

Only the owner of a trident thrown in Creative mode or enchanted with Loyalty can pick it up; other players in Creative and players in Survival mode, including its owner, cannot pick up a trident thrown in Creative.

Usage

Drowned

Main article: Drowned

A drowned holding a trident throws tridents at its opponent every 1.5 seconds, dealing 9HP♥♥♥♥♥ damage in Normal difficulty. A drowned can throw unlimited tridents, and these tridents cannot be picked up by the player.

A villager can be turned into a zombie villager if it is killed by a trident thrown by a drowned. The chance of conversion is 0% on Easy difficulty, 50% on Normal, and 100% on Hard.

In Bedrock Edition, a drowned can use the trident's melee attack if its target is within three blocks. The melee attack deals 9HP♥♥♥♥♥ damage.

Melee attack

Pressing attack while holding a trident deals damage to both mobs and players. Tridents deal 9HP♥♥♥♥♥ melee damage and have an attack speed of 1.1 (equating to a cooldown of roughly 0.91 seconds per attack). A successful hit consumes 1 durability from the trident.

Ranged attack

Steve aiming with Trident

Pressing and holding use while holding a trident charges it. When released at full charge, the trident is thrown and deals damage to any entity it hits. It flies on a ballistic trajectory similar to that of an arrow, but at 80% strength. If the trident hits a block, it sticks to the block. If it hits an entity, it bounces off the entity and lands nearby. It is also blocked by shields and can be retrieved once it lands on the ground. Thrown tridents can trigger wooden buttons, wooden pressure plates, and target blocks. A trident can be thrown at a chorus flower or pointed dripstone to break it, which causes the block to be dropped as its respective item.

In Java Edition, tridents only damage one entity before needing to be picked up, while in Bedrock Edition can damage multiple entities as long as it touches a solid block before damaging the next entity.

In Bedrock Edition and Java Edition Combat Test 4, tridents can be shot by dispensers regardless of enchantment.

Tridents enchanted with Loyalty return to the thrower after hitting an entity‌/hitting and bouncing off an entity then hitting a block‌[1] or directly hitting a block. A Loyalty-enchanted trident fired from a dispenser just sticks to the block it strikes. Higher levels of enchantment result in shorter recovery times. In Java Edition, throwing a trident enchanted with Loyalty into the void destroys it,[2] while in Bedrock Edition it automatically returns to the player. Loyalty-enchanted tridents can take fire damage but still return to the player if thrown in lava. This is especially helpful in the Nether if the player is using the trident instead of a bow. If a trident enchanted with Loyalty attempts to return to a player with no available inventory space, the trident floats near the player until inventory space becomes available.

Tridents take 1 durability damage when thrown, regardless of whether they hit an entity or not. Tridents with 1 durability or less remaining cannot be thrown.[3]

Tridents enchanted with Riptide launch the player a certain distance and do not leave the player's hand when thrown, with the distance increasing for higher enchantment levels. They can be thrown only if the player is standing in water or if it is raining on the block they are standing on. If the player charges it but walks into a nearby dry area, the charge is canceled. If the player throws a Riptide trident and collides with a mob, the mob takes melee damage (including critical damage if the player is falling). In Java Edition tridents enchanted with Riptide take one durability damage upon throwing and lose an additional 1 durability if it collides with an entity on both editions. Each level of Riptide increases the distance traveled by six blocks. The enchantment at level one launches the player nine blocks, fifteen blocks at level two, and twenty-one blocks at level three.

Tridents enchanted with Channeling summon a lightning bolt if there is a thunderstorm, although only upon hitting a mob or player standing in the rain as well as a lightning rod placed in the rain.

Unlike other projectiles, the trident does not slow down when thrown through water or lava.

In Java Edition, the Impaling enchantment affects all aquatic mobs, dealing additional damage. In Bedrock Edition, it affects players and mobs in water or rain.

Unlike arrows, thrown tridents do not despawn.‌ Tridents despawn after 60 seconds if they are not picked up.‌[4]

Enchantment damage

Using Riptide, nearby players or mobs are dealt splash damage within an 8.25×8.25×4.25 cubical area. It stacks with the Impaling enchantment and Strength effect. Critical hits do not increase splash damage, but affect the target.

In Bedrock Edition, thrown tridents can damage the ender dragon while resting on the bedrock fountain. In Java Edition, they act just like arrows — deflected, but burn as if they had Flame.

Damage

Thrown tridents and splashes deal 8HP♥♥♥♥ damage. The damage remains the same regardless of the trident's speed. It has a faster charging speed than a bow or crossbow (barring the Quick Charge enchantment.)

Java Edition

In Java Edition, tridents have an attack speed of 1.1 and take ~0.91 seconds to recover.

Attack ItemSprite trident.png: Sprite image for trident in MinecraftMelee ItemSprite trident.png: Sprite image for trident in MinecraftMelee (critical) ItemSprite trident.png: Sprite image for trident in MinecraftRange
Attack damage 9HP♥♥♥♥♥ 13.5HP♥ × 6.75 8HP♥♥♥♥
Attack Speed 1.1 N/A
Damage/Second (DPS) 9.9 14.3 ?
Durability 250
Lifetime damage inflicted[note 1] 2250HP♥ × 1125 3375HP♥ × 1687.5 2000HP♥ × 1000
  1. The formula to find the total lifetime damage is Durability × Damage per hit = Lifetime damage minimum (e.g., 250 × 9 = 2250). It ignores enchantments, and assumes the trident is at maximum charge

Bedrock Edition

In Bedrock Edition, tridents have no attack cooldown and do the following damage:

Attack ItemSprite trident.png: Sprite image for trident in MinecraftMelee ItemSprite trident.png: Sprite image for trident in MinecraftMelee (critical) ItemSprite trident.png: Sprite image for trident in MinecraftRange
Attack damage 9HP♥♥♥♥♥ 13.5HP♥ × 6.75 8HP♥♥♥♥
Lifetime damage inflicted[note 1] 2259HP♥ × 1129.5 3388HP♥ × 1694 2008HP♥ × 1004
Durability 251
  1. The formula to find the total lifetime damage is Durability × Damage per hit = Lifetime damage minimum. It excludes enchantments and critical hits.

Elytra

A trident with the Riptide enchantment can be used to propel a player wearing elytra, but only in rainy weather, during snowy weather in certain biomes[5] or while the player is in a body of water. A Riptide trident can boost the player to speeds as high as 125 blocks per second,[6] much faster than the 33.5 blocks per second speed achievable using firework rockets.

Impaling damage

In Java Edition, the Impaling enchantment deals extra damage to all aquatic mobs. In Bedrock Edition, it deals extra damage to players and mobs that are in water or rain. In Java Edition Combat Test 3, it has both of these effects.

Trident Damage by Impaling level
Level Increase Melee Ranged
I adds 2.5HP♥ × 1.25 11.5HP♥ × 5.75 10.5HP♥ × 5.25
II adds 5HP♥♥♥ 14HP♥ × 7 13HP♥ × 6.5
III adds 7.5HP♥ × 3.75 16.5HP♥ × 8.25 15.5HP♥ × 7.75
IV adds 10HP♥♥♥♥♥ 19HP♥ × 9.5 18HP♥ × 9
V adds 12.5HP♥ × 6.25 21.5HP♥ × 10.75 20.5HP♥ × 10.25

Repairing

Combining

Ingredients Crafting recipe Description
2× Damaged Trident
Invicon Damaged Trident.png: Inventory sprite for Damaged Trident in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Trident When in Main Hand:  9 Attack Damage  1.1 Attack SpeedInvicon Damaged Trident.png: Inventory sprite for Damaged Trident in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Trident When in Main Hand:  9 Attack Damage  1.1 Attack Speed
Invicon Trident.png: Inventory sprite for Trident in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Trident When in Main Hand:  9 Attack Damage  1.1 Attack Speed
The durability of the two tridents is added together, plus an extra 5% durability.
Ingredients Grinding recipe Description
2× Damaged Trident
Invicon Damaged Trident.png: Inventory sprite for Damaged Trident in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Trident When in Main Hand:  9 Attack Damage  1.1 Attack SpeedInvicon Damaged Trident.png: Inventory sprite for Damaged Trident in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Trident When in Main Hand:  9 Attack Damage  1.1 Attack SpeedInvicon Trident.png: Inventory sprite for Trident in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Trident When in Main Hand:  9 Attack Damage  1.1 Attack Speed
The durability of the two tridents is added together, plus an extra 5% durability.

Unit repair

Ingredients Anvil recipe
Damaged
TridentInvicon Damaged Trident.png: Inventory sprite for Damaged Trident in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Trident When in Main Hand:  9 Attack Damage  1.1 Attack SpeedInvicon Damaged Trident.png: Inventory sprite for Damaged Trident in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Trident When in Main Hand:  9 Attack Damage  1.1 Attack SpeedInvicon Trident.png: Inventory sprite for Trident in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Trident When in Main Hand:  9 Attack Damage  1.1 Attack Speed

A trident can be repaired only by the common procedure of combining with another trident in an anvil. The enchantments of both are preserved, and an extra 5% durability bonus is added.

Enchantments

A trident can receive the following enchantments:

Name Description Max Level Method Weight
Loyalty[note 1] Causes the trident to return after landing. III Enchanting Table
Anvil
5
Channeling[note 1] Releases a bolt of lightning when the thrown trident strikes a mob or lightning rod during a thunderstorm and sets the mob on fire. I Enchanting Table
Anvil
1
Riptide[note 1] Replaces the throw with a charge that hurls the user forward ONLY when wet. Throwing the trident becomes impossible. III Enchanting Table
Anvil
2
Impaling Increases the damage dealt to aquatic mobs‌ or mobs in contact with water or rain‌. V Enchanting Table
Anvil
2
Unbreaking Grants a chance to negate durability consumption. III Enchanting Table
Anvil
5
Mending Repairs the trident when obtaining experience. I Anvil 2
Curse of Vanishing The trident in the player’s possession disappears upon the player’s death and does not drop as an item. I Anvil 1
  1. a b c Loyalty and Channeling are mutually exclusive with Riptide, but Loyalty and Channeling can coexist.

Sounds

Java Edition:
Thrown tridents use the Friendly Creatures sound category for entity-dependent sound events.

Sounds
SoundSubtitlesSourceDescriptionResource locationTranslation keyVolumePitchAttenuation
distance
​Trident stabsFriendly MobsWhen a trident hits a mobitem.trident.hitsubtitles.item.trident.hit1.01.016
​Trident vibratesFriendly MobsWhen a trident hits the grounditem.trident.hit_groundsubtitles.item.trident.hit_ground0.91211-4316
​Trident clangsPlayersWhen a player throws a tridentitem.trident.throwsubtitles.item.trident.throw1.01.016
​Trident thunder cracksFriendly MobsWhen a Channeling trident hits a mobitem.trident.thundersubtitles.item.trident.thunder5.01.016
​Trident thunder cracksWeatherWhen a trident with Channeling strikes a lightning roditem.trident.thundersubtitles.item.trident.thunder5.01.016
​Trident zoomsPlayersWhen a Riptide I trident is useditem.trident.riptide_1subtitles.item.trident.riptide1.01.016
​Trident zoomsPlayersWhen a Riptide II trident is useditem.trident.riptide_2subtitles.item.trident.riptide1.01.016
​Trident zoomsPlayersWhen a Riptide III or higher trident is useditem.trident.riptide_3subtitles.item.trident.riptide1.01.016
​Trident returnsFriendly MobsWhen a trident starts returning [sound 1]item.trident.returnsubtitles.item.trident.return8.0varies [sound 2]16
​Drowned throws TridentHostile MobsWhen a drowned throws a tridententity.drowned.shootsubtitles.entity.drowned.shoot1.056-1.2516
​Item breaksPlayersWhen a trident's durability is exhaustedentity.item.breaksubtitles.entity.item.break0.80.8-1.216
  1. The first sound is only played 19 of the time, while the others are played 49 of the time
  2. 1.0 for return1, 1.0/0.8/1.2/1.2 for return2, and 1.0/0.8/0.8/1.2 for return3

Bedrock Edition:

Sounds
SoundSourceDescriptionResource locationVolumePitch
PlayersWhen a trident hits a mobitem.trident.hit1.01.0
PlayersWhen a trident hits the grounditem.trident.hit_ground0.91.0
PlayersWhen a player throws a tridentitem.trident.throw1.01.0
PlayersWhen a trident with Channeling strikes a mob[sound 1]item.trident.thunder1.0[sound 2]1.0
PlayersWhen a Riptide I trident is useditem.trident.riptide_11.01.0
PlayersWhen a Riptide II trident is useditem.trident.riptide_21.01.0
PlayersWhen a Riptide III trident is useditem.trident.riptide_31.01.0
PlayersWhen a trident starts returning[sound 3]item.trident.return8.0varies [sound 4]
Hostile Creatures‌
Hostile Mobs​
When a drowned shoots a tridentmob.drowned.shoot1.00.8-1.2
  1. MCPE-173931 — Tridents don't make channeling sounds when striking a lightning rod
  2. MCPE-178265 — Trident thunder sound definition schema error
  3. The first sound is only played 19 of the time, while the others are played 49 of the time
  4. 1.0 for return1, 1.0/0.8/1.2/1.2 for return2, and 1.0/0.8/0.8/1.2 for return3

Data values

ID

Java Edition:

NameIdentifierFormTranslation key
ItemSprite trident.png: Sprite image for trident in Minecraft TridenttridentItemitem.minecraft.trident
NameIdentifierEntity tagsTranslation key
EntitySprite trident.png: Sprite image for trident in Minecraft Tridenttridentimpact_projectilesentity.minecraft.trident

Bedrock Edition:

NameIdentifierNumeric ID FormTranslation key
ItemSprite trident.png: Sprite image for trident in Minecraft Tridenttrident546Itemitem.trident.name
NameIdentifierNumeric ID Translation key
EntitySprite trident.png: Sprite image for trident in Minecraft Tridentthrown_trident73entity.thrown_trident.name

Entity data

Tridents have entity data associated with them that contain various properties of the entity.

Java Edition:

Main article: Entity format
  • [NBT Compound / JSON Object] Entity data
    • Tags common to all arrows see Template:Nbt inherit/arrow/template
    • Tags common to all entities see Template:Nbt inherit/entity/template
    • Tags common to all projectiles see Template:Nbt inherit/projectile/template
    • [Boolean] DealtDamage: 1 or 0 (true/false) - If true, the trident has already damaged an entity or been stuck in the ground for more than 4 ticks, in which case subsequent collisions with entities deal no damage and Loyalty tridents begin to return to the player.
    • [NBT Compound / JSON Object] item: The tag representing the item that is given when the entity is picked up.
      • A single item stack see Template:Nbt inherit/itemnoslot/template

Bedrock Edition:

See Bedrock Edition level format/Entity format.

Achievements

IconAchievementIn-game descriptionActual requirements (if different)Gamerscore earnedTrophy type (PS)
PS4Other

Advancements

IconAdvancementIn-game descriptionActual requirements (if different)
A Throwaway JokeThrow a Trident at something.
Note: Throwing away your only weapon is not a good idea.
Hit a mob with a thrown .
BullseyeHit the bullseye of a Target block from at least 30 meters awayBe at least 30 blocks away horizontally when the center of a target is shot with a projectile by the player.
Not Today, Thank YouDeflect a projectile with a ShieldBlock any projectile with a shield.
Sniper DuelKill a Skeleton from at least 50 meters awayReceive kill credit for a skeleton that is at least 50 blocks away horizontally and is killed by a projectile.
Very Very FrighteningStrike a Villager with lightningHit a villager with lightning created by a with the Channeling enchantment, turning it into a witch.

History

Java Edition
November 18, 2017A trident was shown killing a zombie in a clip presented at MineCon Earth.
1.1318w07a Invicon Trident Revision 1.png: Sprite image for Trident Revision 1 in Minecraft Added tridents, which are currently unobtainable in Survival.
18w10a Tridents now have a new texture in the inventory.
18w11aAdded drowned mobs, which can spawn with a trident, allowing tridents to now become obtainable in Survival.
18w14aIf the player is not in water and it is not raining, the player can no longer throw tridents enchanted with Riptide, but they can still deal melee damage.
18w20aLike with swords, tridents no longer can break blocks when held in Creative mode.[7]
1.13.118w30aLoyalty tridents no longer have a rope while returning.[8]
1.1418w43aThrown tridents can now break chorus flowers.
1.1519w39a Tridents that are enchanted now show the enchantment glint.[9]
Trident items use a 3D model again. When dropped, it rotates off center[10] (like with beds at the time).
19w42aTrident items now use the 2D sprite again.[11]
19w45aThrown enchanted tridents have the enchantment glint applied to them.[12]
1.1720w48aThrown tridents can now break pointed dripstone.
1.20.2
Experiment
Villager Trade Rebalance
23w31aTrident-exclusive enchantments are no longer obtainable from villager trading.
1.20.5
Experiment
Update 1.21
24w13aTridents are now obtainable from reward containers and vaults found inside trial chambers.
1.21pre2The rarity of tridents has been changed from "Common" to "Epic".
1.21.224w33aThe rarity of tridents has once again changed, from "Epic" to "Rare".
Drowned with tridents can now use the Loyalty, Impaling and Channeling enchantments.
24w34aThrown tridents now bounce if hit the world border.
Java Edition Combat Tests
1.14.3The attack speed of tridents has been increased to 2.
The base damage of tridents has been decreased from 9HP♥♥♥♥♥ to 7HP♥♥♥♥.
The attack reach of tridents has been increased to 4 blocks.
2The damage of tridents has been increased to 8HP♥♥♥♥.
4Tridents can now be shot from dispensers.
Tridents with Loyalty that fall into the void now return to their owner upon breaking in the void.
Tridents with Impaling now deal enchantment damage to all mobs that are in water or rain.
5The damage of tridents has been decreased to 7HP♥♥♥♥ again.
Bedrock Edition
1.2.13
Experiment
Experimental Gameplay
beta 1.2.13.8 Added tridents.
Tridents are currently a part of Experimental Gameplay.
1.4.0beta 1.2.14.2Tridents have been fully implemented.
beta 1.2.20.1A new animation has been added for tridents with Riptide when they are thrown.
1.5.0beta 1.5.0.0Tridents can now be enchanted with Mending and Unbreaking.
beta 1.5.0.7Tridents no longer break blocks in Creative Mode.
1.7.0beta 1.7.0.2Tridents with Loyalty that fall into the void now return to their owner upon breaking in the void.
1.10.0beta 1.10.0.3Thrown tridents can now break chorus flowers.
1.16.0beta 1.15.0.51Drowned can no longer have a trident when converted.
Drowned that are not holding a trident are no longer able to drop one.
1.16.220
Experiment
Caves and Cliffs
beta 1.16.220.50Tridents are now able to break pointed dripstone.
1.16.220beta 1.16.220.51Drowned now hold their tridents correctly when targeting a player.
1.21.0
Experiment
Update 1.21
Preview 1.21.0.20Tridents are now obtainable from reward containers and vaults found inside trial chambers.
1.21.20Preview 1.21.10.22The rarity of tridents has been changed from "Common" to "Epic".
1.21.30Preview 1.21.30.21The rarity of tridents has once again changed, from "Epic" to "Rare".
Legacy Console Edition
Xbox 360Xbox OnePS3PS4PS VitaWii USwitch
TU69 1.761.761.76Patch 38 Added tridents.
?????Tridents with Loyalty that fall into the void now return to their owner upon breaking in the void.
Minecraft Education
1.4.0 Added tridents.

Data History

Java Edition
1.20.323w43aRenamed the trident entity's NBT tag [NBT Compound / JSON Object] Trident to [NBT Compound / JSON Object] item.

Issues

Issues relating to "Trident" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.

Trivia

  • If a player throws a Loyalty-enchanted trident and the player's inventory subsequently fills, the trident hovers around or through the player's skin until an inventory slot opens, which it fills immediately. Multiple tridents can be 'queued' to re-enter the player's inventory in this manner.
  • In Java Edition, if a trident is enchanted with sword enchantments (for example, via an anvil in Creative mode or through commands), the effects of most enchantments are applied even when the trident is thrown. The only exception is Fire Aspect, which is applied exclusively on melee attacks.[13]
  • Thrown tridents pass through nether portal blocks without being transported to the Nether or the Overworld.
  • Using a trident enchanted with Riptide while riding an entity cancels the charge and does nothing.
  • The sounds of tridents were recorded by Samuel Åberg from metal rulers.[14]
  • A drowned with trident which later drops its trident as an item, enchanted with Loyalty I, shows a trident-returning animation, while still wielding earlier.

Gallery

Renders

Item

Held

Screenshots

In other media

References

  1. MCPE-51726 — resolved as "Won't Fix".
  2. MC-125755 — resolved as "Works As Intended".
  3. MC-163946 — Tridents with one durability remaining can be thrown — resolved as "Fixed".
  4. MC-125817
  5. MC-128169
  6. MC-147173 — Using riptide tridents while elytra flying can boost the player to excessive speeds
  7. MC-126300
  8. MC-136136
  9. MC-125360
  10. MC-161886
  11. MC-161872
  12. MC-161976
  13. MC-166282 — Trident with Fire Aspect enchantment puts entities on fire only when used as a melee weapon — resolved as "Invalid".
  14. "Growth & Evolution - Part 3: 15 Years of Minecraft" – Minecraft on YouTube

External links

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