Minecraft has 18 armor trims in current Java and Bedrock releases. They are cosmetic patterns applied to helmets, chestplates, leggings, and boots at a Smithing Table; they do not increase protection, durability, or any other armor statistic. The separate Netherite Upgrade Smithing Template is not an armor trim.
Here is the complete list, including each trim’s structure, acquisition method, duplication material, and the mistakes most likely to waste a rare template.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Every Minecraft armor trim and its location
| Armor trim | Where to find it | How to obtain it |
|---|---|---|
| Sentry | Pillager Outpost | Loot outpost chests. |
| Dune | Desert Pyramid | Loot the pyramid’s chests. |
| Coast | Shipwreck | Loot shipwreck chests. A shipwreck can generate with zero to three chests. |
| Wild | Jungle Temple | Loot jungle temple chests. |
| Tide | Ocean Monument | Kill an Elder Guardian for a chance to receive the template. Looting does not increase this chance. |
| Ward | Ancient City | Loot Ancient City chests. |
| Silence | Ancient City | Loot Ancient City chests. Its listed chest-loot chance is 1.2%, making it the rarest trim. |
| Vex | Woodland Mansion | Loot mansion chests containing random loot. |
| Rib | Nether Fortress | Loot Nether Fortress chests. |
| Snout | Bastion Remnant | Loot bastion chests. |
| Eye | Stronghold | Loot stronghold chests, including altar and library chests. |
| Spire | End City | Loot End City chests; End City ships are also a source. |
| Wayfinder | Trail Ruins | Brush suspicious gravel with a Brush. |
| Raiser | Trail Ruins | Brush suspicious gravel with a Brush. |
| Shaper | Trail Ruins | Brush suspicious gravel with a Brush. |
| Host | Trail Ruins | Brush suspicious gravel with a Brush. |
| Flow | Trial Chambers | Open an Ominous Vault with an Ominous Trial Key. Its listed chance is 22.5%. |
| Bolt | Trial Chambers | Open a normal Vault with a Trial Key. |
Armor trims were introduced in Java Edition 1.20. The Flow and Bolt trims arrived with the 1.21 Tricky Trials content update alongside Trial Chambers. See the official armor-trim announcement and the official 1.21 Bedrock changelog.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesHow to apply an armor trim
You need three items and one workstation:
- One armor-trim Smithing Template.
- One compatible armor piece: a helmet, chestplate, leggings, or boots.
- One trim-material item.
- A Smithing Table.
Open the Smithing Table and place the items in this order:
#1 Best Overall
- MINECRAFT TOY FOR KIDS – LEGO Minecraft Zombie Dungeon (21587) building toy for boys and girls ages 8 years old and up
- 5 LEGO FIGURES – Builders can cast a Wastelands Wanderer minifigure, a slime and 3 zombies (including one with enchanted leggings and gold sword and one with diamond helmet) in their pretend play adventure stories
- GAMING-INSPIRED FUNCTIONS – Set in the Minecraft desert biome, this zombie dungeon features a rotating, zombie-spawning chamber and a sliding piece that triggers a rockfall
- INSPIRE CREATIVE STORYTELLING – The Wastelands Wanderer, equipped with a diamond pickaxe, mace and netherite armor, takes on a slime and 3 zombies in the desert biome dungeon
- ACCESSORIES FOR PRETEND PLAY – Features netherite armor, a mace, diamond pickaxe, gold sword, diamond helmet, crafting table, torch and a chest containing bread, bone and rotten flesh
- Put the Smithing Template in the left slot.
- Put the armor in the center slot.
- Put the trim material in the right slot.
- Take the finished armor from the result slot.
The template controls the pattern, while the material controls the trim’s color. Available materials are iron, copper, gold, lapis lazuli, emerald, diamond, netherite, redstone, amethyst, and quartz. The trim is visual only, so the material does not make the armor stronger or change its durability.
Armor trims are consumed when used. Applying a different trim later overwrites the existing trim; two patterns cannot be stacked on one armor piece, and a trim cannot be removed without replacing it.
Rank #2
- BUILD THE DREADED CREEPER – Young explorers, ages 10 and up, build a large poseable version of the iconic Minecraft mob
- MINECRAFT ACTION FIGURE – Kids construct every detail of the Creeper, from its 4 poseable legs to its detachable head
- HIDDEN SURPRISE INSIDE – Builders can remove the Creeper's head to reveal a compartment that hides a first-version Creeper minifigure and TNT element
- POSEABLE ROOM DECOR – After building, kids can put their creation on display in the bedroom or playroom
- GIFT IDEA FOR KIDS – Makes a wonderful birthday or any-time gift idea for boys and girls
How to duplicate an armor-trim template
Because templates are consumed, duplicate a rare template before using it on multiple pieces. In a Crafting Table, combine:
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
- One copy of the Smithing Template
- Seven diamonds
- The template’s required base material
This produces two copies of the template. The required duplication materials are:
Rank #3
- DEFEND THE CHICKEN FARM – LEGO Minecraft Chicken Farm (21585) building toy for boys and girls ages 7 years old and up features a chicken-shaped coop with movable wings, opening gate and fun gaming-inspired details
- 4 MINECRAFT TOY FIGURES – Includes a Chicken Fan minifigure, plus a baby zombie (who likes to ride the chicken), fox, cold chicken and a baby chicken
- GAMING-INSPIRED FUNCTIONS – The giant chicken-shaped coop lays eggs at the rear and dispenses seed from its mouth into a container, which tilts forward when the chickens need food
- CREATIVE STORYTELLING POSSIBILITIES – Young players can help the Chicken Fan care for the chickens while fending off a fox trying to eat the cold chicken and a baby zombie trying to hitch a ride
- ACCESSORIES FOR PRETEND PLAY – Features torches, hay, a smoker stove, 2 eggs, 2 lots of seeds, a chicken leg, feather and an axe
| Template | Duplication material |
|---|---|
| Sentry, Vex, Coast | Cobblestone |
| Wild | Mossy Cobblestone |
| Dune | Sandstone |
| Wayfinder, Raiser, Shaper, Host | Terracotta |
| Ward, Silence | Cobbled Deepslate |
| Tide | Prismarine |
| Snout | Blackstone |
| Rib | Netherrack |
| Eye | End Stone |
| Spire | Purpur Block |
| Flow | Breeze Rod |
| Bolt | Block of Copper |
On Bedrock Edition, Tide can also be duplicated with Prismarine Bricks or Dark Prismarine; Dune can use Smooth Sandstone, Cut Sandstone, or Chiseled Sandstone; and Spire can use a Purpur Pillar.
Important exceptions and common mistakes
- Tide is not found in monument chests. It comes from an Elder Guardian drop. Killing other monument mobs does not provide it.
- Flow requires an Ominous Vault. A regular Vault gives Bolt instead. You need an Ominous Trial Key for Flow and a Trial Key for Bolt.
- Trail Ruins templates are hidden in suspicious gravel. Search with a Brush rather than relying on ordinary chests.
- Ancient Cities contain both Ward and Silence. Silence is not located in a separate structure.
- Armor trims cannot be bought from villagers. The templates must be found through their listed structures or activities.
- Only four standard armor slots are compatible. Items such as shields, elytra, horse armor, and weapons cannot receive armor trims.
Do not rely on a single universal percentage for Bolt. A current reference gives conflicting figures—6.3% in one summary and 5.4% in its detailed Trial Chambers section—so the reliable information is its source and requirement: Bolt comes from normal Vaults opened with Trial Keys.
Rank #4
- ADVENTURE AWAITS – The Warden Encounter for boys and girls takes kids on an exciting cave exploration where they'll come face-to face with a dreaded Warden
- BUILD THE GAME – This Minecraft building toy includes a Silent Ranger minifigure, a Minecraft chicken and a buildable and poseable Minecraft Warden
- INTERACTIVE FEATURES & ACCESSORIES – Kids use the exploding TNT and falling rock functions, mine diamonds in the cave, restore health with potions and carrots, and pose the warden's head, arms, and legs
- PRETEND PLAY POSSIBILITIES – Packed with familiar details from the Minecraft game, this LEGO set sparks imagination by placing young gamers right in the center of the action
- MINECRAFT GIFT FOR KIDS – This LEGO video game toy makes a great birthday, holiday or any-day gift for boys and girls ages 7 and up
Fastest way to plan a complete collection
- Start with structures near your base: shipwrecks, desert pyramids, pillager outposts, jungle temples, and Trail Ruins.
- Prepare for dangerous expeditions to Ancient Cities, Bastion Remnants, Nether Fortresses, End Cities, Woodland Mansions, Strongholds, and Ocean Monuments.
- For Trial Chambers, keep normal Trial Keys separate from Ominous Trial Keys so you know which trim each Vault can provide.
- Duplicate every template before applying it, especially Silence, Tide, and the Trial Chambers trims.
- Choose the armor material and trim color after you have secured spare templates; the cosmetic pattern and color are independent choices.
For the complete structure-to-template mapping, compare the current armor-trim location reference with Mojang’s original Smithing Template documentation.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- MINECRAFT BUILDING TOY – Kids can take a wild ride with the LEGO Minecraft Chicken Jockey (21582) building set for boys and girls ages 9 years old and up, a fun creative experience with familiar mobs for gaming inspired play
- 3 LEGO MINECRAFT FIGURES – Bring virtual adventures to life with 3 large scale characters built from LEGO bricks: a baby zombie with a jointed head, arms and legs, a chicken with movable wings and legs, and a baby chicken
- PLAY AND DISPLAY – Young fans can enjoy hours of pretend play before creating a dynamic piece of video game decor that's perfect for a desk, shelf or nightstand in their bedroom
- BUILDABLE CHICKEN JOCKEY – Kids can recreate one of the game’s most iconic features by setting the baby zombie on the chicken to assemble the mischievous chicken jockey
- GIFT IDEAS FOR GAMERS – This versatile gaming toy makes a great birthday, holiday or any time gift idea for boys and girls ages 9 years old and up
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
