Sword vs Axe in Minecraft: Which one is better?

There are two primary weapons in Minecraft: a sword and an axe. There are projectile weapons, like bows and crossbows, and every item technically has attack damage (even a diamond hoe).

However, the sword and the axe are the two best and most common weapons that crafters will use. Axes are often overlooked as a weapon because they're technically not a "weapon."

They are used to break wooden blocks with ease. Each weapon and tool has a primary use, like mining stone blocks for a pickaxe, and axes are used for wooden blocks.

Despite that, they're an effective weapon, too. It begs the question, though: which one is better? Here's what to consider when comparing the two.

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Minecraft weapons: Is a sword better than an axe?

Ultimately, it comes down to preference, but there are pros and cons for each one. When it comes to pure attack damage, nothing beats a sword, though an axe is a close second.

Here's how a sword deals damage per rarity in Minecraft Java Edition:

• Wood- 4
• Gold- 4
• Stone- 5
• Iron- 6
• Diamond- 7
• Netherite- 8

Bedrock swords have one extra damage at each level.

For comparison, the axe numbers are lower in the Bedrock Edition:

• Wood- 4
• Gold- 4
• Stone- 5
• Iron- 6
• Diamond- 7
• Netherite- 8

Using an axe in the Java Edition is much more complex. It has similar damage totals, ranging from seven with wooden to 10 for Netherite. However, they have a longer cooldown than swords and take longer to swing.

Additionally, axes have a 25% chance of temporarily disabling a shield if hit. The disability lasts for five seconds.

In terms of versatility, however, axes reign supreme. Most weapons and tools do not have multiple legitimate uses. All items have some attack damage, but they're genuinely not meant to be used that way.

Pickaxes are for mining stone and other Minecraft resources and nothing else. Shovels make paths and dig dirt, sand, and gravel, but nothing else. Swords deal attack damage but almost nothing else.

However, axes effectively break wood and can deal significant attack damage. Using it as a weapon does diminish its durability a lot faster, but it is at least viable, whereas using a shovel to mine stone is not.

In terms of crafting, one of these items is slightly easier to come by. Swords require two resources and one stick for the handle. For example, a diamond sword needs two diamonds and one stick.

Axe vs. sword (Image via Amino Apps)

Axes require a little more. For the handle, they require two sticks, and for the blade, they require three resources (perhaps diamonds).

The two Minecraft items are also similar in the world of enchanting, but swords have the edge here as well.

Both swords and axes can have Fortune, Smite, Looting, Bane of Arthropods, and Sharpness, as well as the other universal enchantments like Mending or Unbreaking.

However, swords can also have Fire Aspect and Knockback, which set them apart and arguably make them more useful. They're both good items in Minecraft, but swords probably have the slight edge.