How to make netherite armor in Minecraft 1.20

Wondering how to make netherite armor in Minecraft 1.20? The long-anticipated release of Mojang Studio’s Minecraft Trails and Tales update is finally here. But turning diamond tools, weapons and armour into netherite in 1.20 no longer works the same way that it used to.

In this guide, we’ll cover how to make netherite armor and tools in Minecraft 1.20, explaining the changes that the update brings to the system. Once you’re set up with this change though, be sure to explore some of the brand new features, like the Minecraft sniffer and the Minecraft camel, two great new mobs that have come to the game.

How to make netherite gear in 1.20

To make netherite armor in Minecraft 1.20, you’ll need to combine your gear with a netherite smithing template at a smithing table. This extra step is the linchpin to making netherite gear in Minecraft now, pushing players to explore and interact with their worlds in new ways.

Much the same as previously, you’ll first want to smelt ancient debris, and then make a netherite ingot. The recipe for this is four netherite scrap with four gold ingots combined in a staggered line in a crafting table.

The new step, though, is to collect a netherite upgrade smithing template. Much like the new armor trim smithing templates for helmets, chest pieces, legs and boots, these are uncraftable items you’ll have to go out and find.

Where to find netherite upgrade smithing templates

Much like Minecraft armor trims, you’ll be able to find netherite upgrade templates in naturally spawning structures. The netherite upgrade templates can be found exclusively in the Nether, inside Bastion Remnant structures. They will have a set percentage chance to spawn inside any chest in these structures that you open. They aren’t exceedingly rare, so chances are you’ll be able to find at least one in the decaying strongholds of the Piglins.

Once you’ve found a netherite upgrade smithing template, place it into a smithing table alongside your chosen piece of diamond armor or gear and your netherite ingot. You’ll be placing it into the far left slot, with the gear in the middle, and your ingot in the right slot where redstone, copper, emerald, quartz, or so on would be placed if you were changing the colour of your armor trim. It will then transform the gear into netherite grade.

That covers how to make netherite armor in Minecraft 1.20. This new system is the same for the Bedrock and Java editions. Remember that you’ll need to have at least diamond gear in order to upgrade to netherite. Be sure you know the best methods for how to find diamonds in Minecraft to save yourself some time.