How to Get Breach in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Breach is a mace-only enchantment, up to IV. Each level subtracts 15 percentage points from the target's armor damage reduction, with a floor of zero: IV subtracts 60 points, not 60% of the original reduction. Protection enchantments and Resistance still apply. Breach conflicts with Density, Smite and Bane of Arthropods.

What you need

Mace (heavy core + breeze rod)
Enchanting table + bookshelves, or anvil + Breach book
XP levels
An armored friend to test on (consensually)

Step by step

Get a mace. Breach only enchants maces: craft one from a heavy core (ominous vault) and a breeze rod (breezes in trial chambers).
Enchant at the table. Maces can roll Breach there, but the highest levels are rare top-end rolls - plan to combine books on an anvil for Breach IV.
Or find the book. Librarian trades, fishing treasure and ominous vaults all carry Breach books.
Subtract percentage points, not a percentage of the original value. If armor would reduce a hit by 50%, Breach I lowers that to 35%; Breach IV lowers it to zero. The armor component cannot become negative.
Know what it does NOT pierce. Breach ignores only raw armor. Protection enchantments on that armor and the Resistance effect still apply at full strength - a Protection IV opponent is far less vulnerable than a plain netherite one.
Use it where armor matters. Breach shines in PvP and against armored mobs, and it also pierces the natural armor points some mobs have, like a shulker's. Against unarmored targets it does nothing, which is why most players keep it as a second mace next to Density.

Java vs Bedrock

In both editions, Breach subtracts 15 percentage points of armor damage reduction per level, with a floor of zero. Protection enchantments and Resistance are separate defenses and are not bypassed by Breach.

Versions: Describes the current Java and Bedrock releases. See the edition note for differences.

Frequently asked questions

Breach or Density for PvP?

Breach helps when armor reduces the hit, including ground attacks where Density adds no fall bonus. Density adds damage to smashes, so the better option depends on fall height and the target's defenses. They cannot coexist on one mace.

Does Breach work on the warden?

No. The Warden has no armor points, so Breach provides no armor-piercing benefit. Density can add smash damage, but the Warden is not undead, so Smite is not a useful bonus against it either.

Does Breach ignore Protection IV?

No - Breach only reduces the damage reduction from armor points and toughness. Protection enchantments and the Resistance effect apply at full strength on top of whatever armor remains.