10 best items to use in Minecraft PvP

Minecraft PvP is some of the most intense fun a player can have in the sandbox game, but there is plenty of practice and strategy involved to be effective. This includes tactics and planning but also knowing the right items to bring into battle. Regardless of how fans engage in player-vs-player combat, the right items in one's inventory can turn the tide of a fight rather quickly.

Granted, the effectiveness of each item in Minecraft PvP still comes down to its user. However, one of the best ways to learn the ins and outs of a given item is to use it as often as possible during player-vs-player combat.

If Minecraft players are searching for must-have items in PvP battles, there are quite a few worth noting.

Note: This list is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer

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What are the best Minecraft items to use in player vs player modes?

1) Enchanted Golden Apples

When it comes to the most beneficial food source in Minecraft PvP combat, Enchanted Golden Apples are the favorite. It doesn't matter if players are battling hostile mobs or other players, the benefits of this snack are too good to pass up. Though they don't provide the best hunger restoration/saturation, their enchantments set them apart.

Consuming an Enchanted Golden Apple bestows two minutes of Absorption IV, 20 seconds of Regeneration II in Java Edition, 30 seconds of Regeneration V in Bedrock Edition, and five full minutes of both Resistance and Fire Resistance status effects.

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2) Ender Pearls

Although they aren't available in all Minecraft PvP locales, ender pearls are incredibly helpful for movement on the battlefield. Players know well that these little items can be thrown to a location, allowing for instant teleportation to wherever the pearl lands.

Sure, Minecraft players have to be careful where they throw their pearls to avoid fall damage. However, flinging an ender pearl masterfully can help players get behind their opponents or take them by surprise.

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3) Totems of Undying

Try as Minecraft players might, their opponent(s) sometimes get the best of them in PvP, and they end up dying. Wouldn't it be nice if players got another shot to get revenge? Fortunately, thanks to the Totem of Undying, this is a possibility, though players will need to be careful after the totem is used.

The totem, when held by a player upon death, prevents a player's death and restores them to a half-heart of health. All status effects are removed from the player, and they receive five seconds of Absorption II, 40 seconds of Regeneration II on Bedrock, 45 seconds of Regeneration II on Java, and 40 seconds of Fire Resistance I.

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4) Sword

Minecraft players won't get far in PvP without a weapon, and the sword is the staple of player vs player combat. A high-quality diamond or netherite sword can inflict plenty of damage, and players who learn to utilize the weapon's sweep attack will find even more success.

When it comes to enchantments for swords, it's tough to beat the likes of Sharpness, Fire Aspect, and Unbreaking for this melee weapon.

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5) Axe

Swords may be the default melee weapon in Minecraft PvP, but they're by no means the only option. As a matter of fact, depending on what an opponent has equipped, an axe may be a more suitable option. This is partially due to the fact that axes can strike shields and render them unusable for a brief period.

The good news is that axes can be slightly easier to master compared to a sword since they have no additional attacks to practice. Unfortunately, although axes still benefit from enchantments like Sharpness and Unbreaking, they can't have Flame Aspect applied to them like swords.

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6) Shield

Although weapons are certainly part of protection in Minecraft PvP, they're only a fraction of a full loadout. If players are entering PvP combat, having a shield in the off-hand slot is incredibly helpful. These useful pieces of equipment can protect players from weapon strikes, projectiles like arrows, and even explosions to a degree.

Granted, players will have to be careful when using a shield against an axe-wielding opponent. Since axes can temporarily inflict shield stun, players need to pick and choose when they want to shrug off a strike to avoid losing their shield use for a short duration.

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7) Armor

No Minecraft player's survival kit in PvP is complete without some quality armor, particularly of the diamond or netherite variety. However, this is only the beginning, as players should absolutely outfit their armor with the right enchantments, and there are more than a few to choose from.

For PvP purposes, players will want to prioritize the Protection enchantment first and foremost. After that, options like Unbreaking can also be incredibly helpful for avoiding any broken armor in the middle of a fight.

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8) Crossbow

Although the bow has its place in Minecraft PvP, the crossbow tends to be a bit more favorable. It possesses no draw time to fire and can also shoot firework rockets to inflict AOE explosive damage. Enchantments like Multishot also help the crossbow to fire multiple arrows in a dispersed pattern for multi-target engagements.

Sadly, the crossbow has a pretty long reload time. Fortunately, the Quick Charge enchantment can help Minecraft players load more arrows quickly and keep firing at will.

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9) Splash Potions

Having potions to help a player with healing and positive status effects is one thing, but splash potions can cause serious problems for PvP foes in Minecraft. Splash potions inflict their brewed status effect in a small area, allowing players to both hit multiple enemies with negative effects as well as help teammates with a positive boon.

For enemies, Minecraft players can stock up on Splash Potions of Poison, Decay, Slowness, Weakness, and Harming. Meanwhile, Splash Potions of Strength, Healing, Regeneration, and Invisibility are great for powering up fellow PvPers on the same side.

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10) Water/Lava Buckets

Few things stop an encroaching player dead in their tracks like the sudden appearance of water or lava. By keeping a bucket of both handy, PvPers can perform various tricks and employ strategies to stave off enemies or even trick or trap them into taking massive amounts of damage.

Water buckets can help slow enemies down upon approach, save a player from a deadly fall via the MLG Trick, and interrupt enemy attack animations in some cases. Meanwhile, lava can be used to force enemies to change position, burn down wooden fortifications, or flat-out burn opponents to death if they don't avoid the flow in time.