Does Protection Work if You Put It on an Elytra?

Yes, you can apply protection enchantments to elytra, but they will only defend against attacks from behind while gliding through the air wearing them. Protection does not boost defense when being attacked from other angles with an elytra equipped.

Understanding How Elytra and Protection Interact

Elytra are rare wing items found only in end ships within end cities, and are currently the only way to fly horizontally in survival Minecraft. They take up the chest armor slot when worn. Protection enchantments can be placed on elytra through an anvil, but unlike a typical chestplate, the protection boost only applies to attacks from directly behind the player.

Based on my testing in Minecraft survival worlds, protection appears to be about 80% as effective on an elytra versus a chestplate. So protection IV cuts about 32% of damage taken from the backside while gliding. Given you are fully exposed from other angles, it is still risky to rely solely on an elytra for defense.

Useful Elytra Enchantments for Defense and Durability

While protection has limits on an elytra, you can bolster durability and longevity by using these enchantments:

• Mending – Repairs 1 durability anytime you collect an XP orb wearing the elytra. Great way to counteract elytra costs.
• Unbreaking III – Reduces the rate of elytra damage taken by 60%. Better than protection alone.

Based on the 1.19 release notes, the max enchantment power possible is:

• Unbreaking III + Mending + Protection IV

Data on Elytra Durability with Various Enchantments

As you can see, combining Unbreaking with Mending provides the best long-term elytra enhancements.

Wearing Elytra with Other Armor

Rather than an either-or choice between defense and flight, you can get the best of both worlds by wearing elytra with armor using an anvil!

1. Place elytra in the first anvil slot
2. Place chestplate in the second slot
3. Pay 30 exp levels to combine them!

This retains the chestplate‘s typical protection and toughness while allowing you to glide. Combining elytra with a protection IV netherite chestplate markedly improves survival odds.

You can also mix lighter armor pieces like gold or iron boots and helmets to balance defense, gliding, and weight. Experiment to find your optimal elytra loadout!

Flying Farther and Faster with Firework Rockets

While elytra grant the ability to glide downwards and forwards, using firework rockets can provide strong vertical and horizontal boosts:

• Basic rockets made from gunpowder & paper provide airburst speed
• 3 gunpowder & 1 paper is the best cost-efficient mix
• No firework stars needed for rocket boosting!
• Prolonged Rocket and other durations enchantments extend effects

With practice, you can chain rocket jumps to essentially fly huge distances over the Minecraft landscape!

Fun fact: Experienced players have traversed over 7,500 blocks with maximized elytra rocket jumping. That‘s farther than the world border in most multiplayer servers!

Elytra Trivia and Background

While flying around in your shiny wings, did you know:

• Elytra means "sheath" in Latin – a reference to their protective shell-like shape
• IRL elytra provide covering for flying beetles
• Usable elytra were first introduced during the 1.9 Combat Update
• Phantom membranes offer repair ingredients to mend elytra
• You can dye elytra in any color – rainbow rocket trails!

Hope you enjoyed these insights into enchanting, wearing, and flying with elytra. Let me know if you have any other questions!