Piercing is an enchantment put on crossbows so that a crossbow arrow can hit an entity and go through that entity you hit any entities behind it. For example if you shoot two pigs with a piercing one crossbow, as long as the arrow is in line to hit both pigs, it will hit both of them and maybe even kill them.
Piercing crossbows can be made by using an anvil to enchant piercing onto your own crossbow, or by enchanting one in an enchanting table. You have a chance of finding piercing crossbows in bastion remnant chest or pillager outpost chests. Pillagers and piglins have a chance to spawn with a piercing crossbow and a chance to drop it upon death.
Uses of Piercing
Piercing Crossbows are a very useful tool for any duel against a mob or player. They are required to complete the Two Birds, One Arrow achievement which requires the player to kill two phantoms in one crossbow shot, and Arbalistic which is one of two hidden advancements that requires a player to kill five mobs in one crossbow shot.
Compatibility
Piercing is a crossbow-only enchantment, meaning it can’t be put on bows or any other weapon. The sword equivalent for piercing is sweeping edge which essentially does the same thing as piercing. Piercing can not be put on a crossbow that has the multishot enchantment and the highest piercing level is four.
Fun Fact
Since a shield is a minecraft entity, a piercing crossbow can go through a shield and hit the player using it. This should surely help you next time you decide to go up against your friend in multiplayer!
If you liked this blogpost, read more about multishot in Minecraft, especially its interplays with piercing.
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