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Netherite armor is hands down the best armor in Minecraft, but getting your hands on a single piece, let alone the whole set, is a long and arduous process. Gathering Netherite itself is a chore on its own; then you need Netherite Upgrade Smithing Templates, and thatโs not even considering the Diamond armor youโll have to craft. With that said, itโs definitely worth it, especially if youโre planning to take on the Ender Dragon in Minecraft.
Where To Find Netherite in Minecraft
[Updated July 10, 2024 – Rewrote instructions to reflect the changes made to crafting Netherite armor.]

Letโs start with the easiest part of the process: finding Netherite. Well, technically, you make Netherite; it isnโt found in deposits like Diamond and Iron. Instead, you mine Ancient Debris found in the Nether, which means youโll need access to a Nether Portal.
Thereโs another catch, though: Ancient Debris can only be mined with a Diamond Pickaxe (or Netherite). Youโll want to look between Y-levels 8 and 24, but Y-level 15 is a sweet spot for Ancient Debris. Youโre looking for brown-colored blocks that resemble Cobblestone. Donโt be afraid to poke around bastion remnants, too. The chests there may contain Netherite Ingots!

As to how much youโll need, a single Ancient Debris makes a single Netherite Scrap, and four are needed to make a Netherite Ingot. To make a full set of Netherite armor in Minecraft, you need four ingots, so 16 Ancient Debris altogether.
Once you have all the Ancient Debris you need, smelt it in a furnace. While youโre at it, smelt some Gold Ingots, too. You need four Gold Ingots for every single Netherite Ingot. Place the four Gold Ingots and four Netherite Scraps in a crafting table (in any order) and youโve got yourself a Netherite Ingot!
How To Get a Netherite Upgrade Smithing Template

Another key resource to crafting Netherite armor in Minecraft is Netherite Upgrade Smithing Templates. Unlike Ancient Debris, these canโt be mined but are found only in bastion remnants. Keep an eye out for treasure rooms because those will have them, too!
As annoying and frustrating as it is, you only need one, even if youโre making an entire set. This is because you can duplicate the one you find. Place a single Netherrack in the center of your crafting table, then place the Smithing Template at the top center square, then surround it with Diamond.
You can do this until you have four Netherite Upgrade Smithing Templates, but I recommend making an extra one. That way, you can craft Netherite weapons in the future.
How To Craft Netherite Armor in Minecraft

Now that youโve got your Netherite Upgrade Smithing Templates and Netherite Ingots, thereโs just one more thing you need: a Diamond-variant of the armor you want. For example, if you want to craft a Netherite Helmet, you need a Diamond Helmet.
Using a smithing table, place the Netherite Upgrade Smithing Template, Netherite Ingot, and a piece of Diamond armor, and now youโve got yourself a piece of Netherite armor!