Java Edition:Repair Cost
To do: Expand Repair Cost 1 Linear and Named No Repair Cost paragraphs
From 12w41a when anvils were first introduced until 1.21 (present), renaming an item would give it a repair cost. This allowed all items that don't have durability to gain a repair cost and therefore not stack with other of the same kind. There have been many changes to the way the repair cost NBT data works allowing for different available numbers throughout them.
Repair Cost 2 Linear
In 12w41a and 12w42a to 1.4. In 12w41b anvils did not work at all, temporarily discontinuing items with any repair cost, including tools.
Repair Cost 2
From 1.4.1 to 1.7.10 any renamed item would have a repair cost of 2.
Repair Cost 1 Linear
From 14w02a to 14w03b.
Repair Cost 3
Up to 1.8.3[test] renaming any item in anvil with nothing caused it to have a repair cost of 3.
Repair Cost 1 Exponential
Every time any item was renamed it'd add some repair cost. The maximum repair cost is 2,147,483,647 obtainable from 14w04a (1.8 snapshot) - 15w41b (1.9 snapshot) by constantly renaming an item.
Repair Cost 0
From 15w42a (1.9 snapshot) to 1.21 (present) it's possible to create items with RepairCost:0.[1] From 15w42a (1.9 snapshot)[test] to sometime between 1.12.2 and 18w09a (1.13 snapshot)[test] the player needed to remove the entire name but from [test] to 1.21 (present) they needed to make the name only spaces.
From [test] to 23w32a using a grindstone also adds RepairCost:0.[2]
Repair Cost 1 Enchanted Book
This is a special case since it is only possible using specific methods. Under normal circumstances, since this book only has one enchantment, it couldn't get repair cost 1 via combination in an anvil, and since it has no durability, it can't be repaired. The first method works from 1.4.6[test] to 1.10.2[test]. To create you must put the desired book in the first slot of an anvil and an incompatible book in the second slot of the anvil. This will cause a glitch that will cause the second enchantment not to actually apply to the book but still increase its repair cost. A similar method is still possible, and it requires adding a blank enchanted book to the desired book via anvil. This will also not apply any additional enchantments to the book, but increase the repair cost.
No Repair Cost and Invalid Enchantments
To do: What enchantments/enchantment combinations require repair cost normally in 18w07c?
Due to bug,[3] from 18w06a (1.13 snapshot) to 18w07c, /enchant could be used with cheats disabled. Some enchantment combinations that require the usage of an anvil, and the application of a repair cost, can be acquired without gaining said repair cost due to the command not applying it. Enchantments may also be applied to gear that would normally cost more than 39 levels to apply, which is impossible elsewise due to the limitations of the anvil.
Named No Repair Cost
Throughout all of Minecraft's history renaming an item must add a Repair Cost. There have been several methods to get named items without this repair cost or remove the repair cost.[4]
April Fools' Villager
In the 15w14a April Fools' snapshot (Love & Hugs Update), villagers could trade papers with the name "Thanks for your donation". This named paper did not have any repair cost and because of that won't stack with any other paper given that name in an anvil.
Placed Minecarts
Placed minecarts are several varieties of minecarts obtainable from 16w03a to 1.10.2 simply by breaking and replacing minecarts. The types of minecarts placed would drop different types of names (listed below).[5] All are unique except for Minecart with Chest & Minecart with Hopper that are both "container.minecart". The Minecart with Chest & Minecart with Hopper change throughout the versions as well. The minecarts with something inside them will still drop that block with the minecart. These are still possible through the placed renamed item method below
- Minecart -> entity.MinecartRideable.name
- Minecart with Chest
- -> container.minecart (16w03a - 1.9)
- -> Chest minecart (1.9.1 pre1)
- -> Minecart with Chest (1.9.1 pre2 - 1.10.2)
- Minecart with Furnace -> entity.MinecartFurnace.name (16w03a - 1.10.2)
- Minecart with Spawner -> entity.MinecartSpawner.name ( 16w03a - 1.10.2)
- Minecart with Hopper
- -> container.minecart (16w03a - 1.9)
- -> Hopper minecart (1.9.1 pre1)
- -> Minecart with Hopper (1.9.1 pre2 - 1.10.2)
- Minecart with TNT -> entity.MinecartTNT.name
Placed Renamed Items
From 16w35a (1.11 snapshot) to 1.21 (present) placing certain renamed items then breaking them will keep their name. In all cases, the mined block loses it's repair cost though.[6] The names of these items can be anything (including Nameless Item) unlike the other methods that only have a single name. The following items can have their repair cost removed using this method:
- Barrel
- Chest
- Furnace
- Blast Furnace
- Smoker
- Every Color Banner
- Every Color/Uncolored Shulker Box
- Enchanting Table
- Dispenser
- Dropper
- Brewing Stand
- Hopper
- Every Minecart Variant
- Trapped Chest
April Fools' Crossbow
During the April Fool's snapshot 3D Shareware v1.34, crossbows could be found in the various scattered barrels. These crossbows would always be named "BFC9000", and have no repair cost.
Enchanted Book Grindstone
From 1.14.1 Pre-Release 1 to 1.14.1 putting an enchanted book in a grindstone would remove the enchantment creating a normal book but unintentionally would keep the name "Enchanted Book".[7] These books would not keep the repair cost that comes from renaming an item though. The books name was also actually a translatable string so if the language is changed the enchanted book's name will change as well.
Long Name
Normally Obtainable
Ominous banners (including block.minecraft.illager_banner) have names when obtained but have no repair cost. It is impossible to rename another banner to the Ominous Banner's name because of the different text color. The other normally obtainable renamed items are explorer maps. These come in the variants for woodland mansions, ocean monuments, and buried treasure. They are renamed "Woodland Explorer Map", "Ocean Explorer Map", and "Buried Treasure Map" respectively.
Unenchanted with Repair Cost
Removal of Combat Test Enchantmens
In 24w09a, the chopping and cleaving enchantments from the Combat Test updates were removed from the data of axes, but the axe will still have a repair cost due to it being enchanted before. So by obtaining chopping/cleaving and then removing it, you can get this discontinued item. This also works with their respective enchanted books.[test].
Other
23w13a_or_b Votes
The April Fools' snapshot 23w13a_or_b introduced several methods to obtain normally unobtainable features, including repair cost on any item.
- The
nbt_craftingvote, when applied, allows the player to craft items with NBT data already applied, including repair cost on any item.
The nbt_crafting vote will allow the player to craft items that already have NBT data, these are created with tag items, with the final item being the compound tag item. The compound tag, if created correctly, will have NBT data applied to it when crafted, though not all NBT data is able to be seen on an item. Once the correct compound tag item has been created, it is able to be replaced using any of the item replacement votes which will preserve NBT.