The mace, introduced in the Minecraft 1.21 Tricky Trials update, brought a brutal, gravity-fueled twist to melee warfare. Fast-forward to the 1.22 Mounts of Mayhem update, and the spear emerged as a swift, reach-oriented contender, shaking up the meta once again.
In this article, Gurugamer is going to settle the debate: Which is the more powerful weapon, Spear or Mace?
A Quick Primer on the Contenders
The mace is a slow, deliberate beast designed for players who love building height advantages. Crafted from a breeze rod and heavy core, it's all about that signature "smash attack", a falling blow that scales damage with your drop height, potentially one-shotting even netherite-clad foes. It's the weapon for ambush artists and vertical tacticians.
Enter the spear, a nimble polearm forged from sticks and ingots, emphasizing mobility and distance. With jab and charge attacks, it's built for fluid, horde-clearing combat, especially when paired with mounts or elytra for boosted dashes. Think of it as Minecraft's answer to a Swiss Army knife in a sword fight: versatile, but does it hit hard enough?
Head-to-Head Stats: The Numbers Don't Lie
To compare apples to... well, spiked clubs, let's look at the netherite variants, as they're the endgame benchmarks. Both weapons shine (or falter) in their base forms, but enchantments and mechanics elevate them. Here's a side-by-side breakdown:
| Feature | Spear (Netherite) | Mace (Netherite) | Edge Goes To... |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Damage | 5 hearts (10 HP), no critical hits | 6 hearts (12 HP), up to 5.4 DPS with crits | Mace (raw power) |
| Attack Speed | 0.87 attacks/sec (4.35 DPS) | 0.6 attacks/sec | Spear (speed) |
| Range | 4.5 blocks | 3 blocks | Spear (keep your distance) |
| Durability | High (exact: 2,500 uses) | Moderate (1,312 uses) | Spear (longevity) |
| Crafting Cost | Simple: Sticks + ingots | Rare: Breeze rod + heavy core | Spear (accessibility) |
The spear's faster swings and extended reach make it a DPS machine in prolonged scraps, while the mace's heftier hits reward precise timing.
What about enchantments?
Raw stats only tell half the story. Enchantments and unique abilities are where these weapons flex their personalities.
- Spear Enchantments: Sharpness, Smite, Bane of Arthropods for damage boosts, plus the game-changer Lunge. This lets you dash forward for massive damage (over 40 HP with elytra fireworks), but it guzzles hunger. Jab attacks add knockback for crowd control, and charge builds speed for horde-sweeping devastation. Downside? No critical hits, ever.
- Mace Enchantments: Breach shreds armor (Breach IV laughs at Protection IV), and Density amps fall damage scaling. Pair with Strength II, and a 9-block drop can vaporize a fully armored player. The smash attack's AoE splash is perfect for mob farms gone wrong, and it negates your own fall damage. Hello, parkour builds.
In PvP, the mace's anti-armor kit gives it an edge against geared opponents, while the spear's lunge enables hit-and-run tactics. For PvE, the spear's versatility shines against swarms, but the mace one-shots bosses like the Warden if you can drop from height.
When to Wield What
No weapon is "best" in a vacuum; context is king. Here's how they stack up in key scenarios:
- Early/Mid-Game (Pre-Elytra): The mace rules. Use wind charges or ender pearls for quick height gains to land consistent one-shots. Spears are easy to craft for horse-mounted raids, but their charge needs momentum you might not have yet. Community consensus? Mace for bursty, opportunistic kills before endgame flight.
- Late-Game (Post-Elytra): Spear pulls ahead. Elytra + fireworks supercharge lunges for uncapped damage, turning you into a homing missile. The mace's fall scaling is solid, but elytra opens aerial ambushes that favor the spear's reach and speed.
- PvP Arenas: Mace for armored duels (Breach OP), spear for open fields (range + knockback). TikTok creators argue the mace's enchantments and fall immunity tip it for defensive plays, but speed demons swear by spear jabs.
- Mob Farming/Hordes: Spear's knockback and multi-hit potential clears packs effortlessly. Mace? Save it for the big boys.
Recent nerfs, like spears losing mainhand Breach, have evened the field slightly, but both need buffs to base attacks for broader appeal.
The Verdict
All things considered, the spear emerges as the stronger overall weapon. Its superior range, speed, durability, and elytra synergy make it a reliable pick for most adventures, from dungeon dives to endgame raids. The mace isn't obsolete; it's a niche powerhouse for gravity gamers and anti-armor specialists, but its slower pace and rarity hold it back.
Ultimately, craft both. Minecraft's beauty is in the experimentation: Drop from a cliff with a mace for that god-like thrill, or spear-charge through a zombie siege like a medieval superhero.