How To Make Netherite Armor Without a Smithing Template

Netherite armor is the strongest protective gear you can craft in Minecraft. It surpasses Diamond armor in durability, damage reduction, and even offers knockback resistance. However, the process of obtaining it has changed over the years, and many players wonder whether a smithing template is truly necessary. This guide breaks down everything you need to know about upgrading to Netherite armor, including how to do it without a smithing template depending on your game version.

Understanding the Smithing Table Update in Minecraft 1.20

The Trails & Tales update (Minecraft 1.20) introduced a significant change to how players upgrade Diamond gear into Netherite gear. Before this update, all you needed was a smithing table, your Diamond armor piece, and a Netherite ingot. Starting in 1.20, Mojang added the requirement of a Netherite Upgrade smithing template to the process.

This means the answer to whether you can make Netherite armor without a smithing template depends entirely on which version of Minecraft you are playing. If you are on version 1.19 or earlier, no template is required. If you are on 1.20 or later, you must have one.

Making Netherite Armor on Pre-1.20 Versions (No Template Needed)

If you are playing on Minecraft Java Edition 1.16 through 1.19, or Bedrock Edition before the 1.20 update, the process is straightforward and does not involve any smithing template. Here is how it works:

  1. Craft a full set of Diamond armor using seven diamonds on a crafting table. You will need a Diamond Helmet, Chestplate, Leggings, and Boots.
  2. Obtain Netherite Ingots by mining Ancient Debris in the Nether. Ancient Debris spawns most commonly between Y-levels 8 and 22. Once mined, smelt Ancient Debris in a furnace to get Netherite Scraps. Combine four Netherite Scraps with four Gold Ingots on a crafting table to create one Netherite Ingot.
  3. Place the smithing table down and open its interface.
  4. Insert your Diamond armor piece in the left slot and the Netherite Ingot in the right slot.
  5. Retrieve your Netherite armor from the output slot. It retains all enchantments from the original Diamond piece.

This simple three-component process made Netherite armor upgrades accessible without needing to locate any special template items.

Making Netherite Armor on Minecraft 1.20 and Later (Template Required)

In the 1.20