Minecraft Armor Trims: how to find and apply Smithing Templates

Minecraft Armor Trims are a new item that let you customize your armor, adding a bit of individual flair to your gear
Minecraft Armor Trims: how to find and apply Smithing Templates
Minecraft Armor Trims: how to find and apply Smithing Templates /

Minecraft armor is a vital part of the game if you’re playing in survival, but it often isn’t the prettiest to look at. The style has become iconic, but it’s always a bummer when you have to cover your custom skin with grey Netherite in order to be strong. Finally, something has come along to help alleviate this problem and customize the look of your armor without the use of Minecraft mods: Armor Trims.

These new items can add different patterns to your armor using other resources you’ve gathered. They don’t affect anything from a gameplay perspective, but they let you add some individual flair to your gear. The process of finding and applying them is a little complicated though, so we’ll explain how to get your hands on them, and what you should do with them.

Minecraft Armor Trims: where to find Smithing Templates

Minecraft every Smithing Template
Smithing Templates can be found at all the major structures in Minecraft

There are two types of templates in the game, one for Armor Trims, and another for making Netherite Armor. The Netherite Armor one can be found in Bastion remnants in The Nether – they can spawn randomly in chests, but you’re guaranteed to find two in every treasure room.

As for Armor Trims, you can currently find 11 at different locations, all of which hold a different pattern:

  • Sentry Armor Trim – Pillager outpost
  • Dune Armor Trim – Desert pyramid
  • Coast Armor Trim – Shipwreck
  • Wild Armor Trim – Jungle temple
  • Tide Armor Trim – Ocean monument (dropped by Elder Guardian)
  • Ward Armor Trim – Ancient city
  • Vex Armor Trim – Woodland mansion
  • Rib Armor Trim – Nether fortress
  • Snout Armor Trim – Bastion remnant
  • Eye Armor Trim – Stronghold
  • Spire Armor Trim – End city

Minecraft Armor Trims: how to copy Smithing Templates

Minecraft duplicating a Smithing Template
It costs diamonds, but you can infinitely duplicate your Smithing Templates

Once you have a template, don’t just use it straight away. With a few extra materials, you can duplicate Smithing Templates, meaning you never have to go hunting for them again. In order to do so, you will need:

  • 7 Diamonds
  • The template you wish to copy
  • 1 block of the material the template is made from.

Place the block in the middle of the crafting grid, the template being copied in the slot directly above it, and then fill every remaining slot with diamonds. This will give you two of the template you used in the recipe.

While it costs a fair few diamonds, if you’re at the point where you’re making Netherite armor, chances are you’ll have what you need stashed in a chest somewhere.

Minecraft Armor Trims: how to use Smithing Templates

Minecraft crafting trimmer armor in a Smithing Table
Armor Trims make Minecraft armor much more interesting to look at

Now you can finally start applying the trims to your armor. If you haven’t already got a Smithing Table, make one by crafting two iron ingots with a 2x2 square of wooden planks.

Now open the Smithing table and you’ll see three slots next to each other. In the leftmost slot place the template you want, then the armor piece you want to apply it to, and then the material you want to use. The material will determine what color the trim comes out as, you can currently use the following materials:

  • Iron
  • Copper
  • Gold
  • Lapis
  • Emerald
  • Diamond
  • Netherite
  • Redstone
  • Amethyst
  • Quartz

The smithing table will show you a preview of what it will look like, and if you’re happy with it you can grab the new armor out of the rightmost slot, consuming everything used.


Published
Ryan Woodrow
RYAN WOODROW

Ryan Woodrow is Guides Editor for GLHF based in London, England. He has a particular love for JRPGs and the stories they tell. His all-time favorite JRPGs are the Xenoblade Chronicles games because of the highly emotive and philosophy-driven stories that hold great meaning. Other JRPGs he loves in the genre are Persona 5 Royal, Octopath Traveler, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Nier Automata, and Pokémon. He also regularly dives deep into the indie scene trying to find hidden gems and innovative ideas. Some of his favorite indie games include FTL: Faster Than Light, Thomas Was Alone, Moonlighter, Phantom Abyss, and Towerfall Ascension. More of his favorite games are Minecraft, Super Mario Odyssey, Stardew Valley, Skyrim, and XCOM 2. He has a first-class degree in Games Studies from Staffordshire University and has written for several sites such as USA Today's ForTheWin, Game Rant, The Sun, and KeenGamer. Email: ryan.woodrow@glhf.gg