You finally found it. After three hours of dodging Piglins in a Bastion Remnant or getting lost in the claustrophobic hallways of a Stronghold, you have a Smithing Template in your inventory. But here is the kicker: you need sixteen of them to deck out your full gear set. If you think you're going back into those ruins to find fifteen more, you're dreaming. Most players realize pretty quickly that the smithing template crafting recipe is the only way to keep their sanity, even if it costs a fortune in gems.
Minecraft changed forever with the Trails & Tales update. Before that, upgrading to Netherite was cheap. It was easy. You just tossed an ingot and a tool into a table and—boom—purple glow. Now, Mojang has decided we need to work for it. They introduced these templates to slow down the endgame progression, and honestly, it works. It makes Netherite feel like a trophy again, not just a standard uniform. But the math behind duplicating these things is brutal.
The Brutal Math of the Smithing Template Crafting Recipe
To clone a template, you need three specific things. First, the template itself. Second, seven diamonds. Yes, seven. Every single time you want to hit "craft," you are burning nearly a third of a stack of diamonds. Third, you need a specific block that "matches" the theme of the template. For a Netherite Upgrade, that’s Netherrack. For a Sentry Armor Trim, it’s Cobblestone. For something fancy like the Tide trim, you're looking at Prismarine.
It’s a simple grid setup. You put the template in the top-middle slot. The matching block goes right in the center. Then, you surround the rest of the crafting table with those seven diamonds. It looks like a little "U" shape of sparkling blue rocks with a bit of dirt or stone in the middle.
Is it expensive? Absolutely.
If you want a full set of Netherite—helmet, chestplate, leggings, boots, sword, pickaxe, axe, and shovel—you are looking at 56 diamonds just to duplicate the upgrade templates. That doesn't even count the diamonds you used to make the gear in the first place. You basically have to become a full-time industrial miner just to look cool.
Why Different Templates Need Different Blocks
Mojang didn't just pick random blocks for the smithing template crafting recipe. They tried to match the lore of where you find them. It makes sense, kinda. If you’re duplicating a Wayfinder trim found in Trail Ruins, you use Terracotta. It feels thematic.
- Netherite Upgrade: Needs Netherrack. Easy to find, thank goodness.
- Vex Trim: Requires Cobblestone. Found in Woodland Mansions.
- Ward Trim: Requires Cobbled Deepslate. This one is from Ancient Cities, so the dark stone fits.
- Silence Trim: Also Cobbled Deepslate. This is the rarest trim in the game, with a measly 1.25% spawn rate. If you find this, do not lose it.
- Tide Trim: Needs Prismarine. You get this by killing Elder Guardians.
- Rib Trim: Needs Netherrack. Found in Nether Fortresses.
- Bolt or Flow Trims: These are the Trial Chamber ones. You'll need Copper Blocks or Breeze Rods depending on the specific recipe version you're looking at in the latest snapshots.
Honestly, the block isn't the problem. It’s the diamonds. It’s always the diamonds. You can have chests full of Netherrack, but the moment you start crafting these, your diamond hoard evaporates.
The Armor Trim Dilemma
Armor trims are purely aesthetic. They do nothing for your stats. You don't get more protection, you don't run faster, and you definitely don't scare off Creepers. So, why spend seven diamonds on a smithing template crafting recipe just to put a little wavy line on your boots?
Because Minecraft is a sandbox game, and looking better than your friends is the unofficial win condition.
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When you’re on a multiplayer server, walking around in plain Netherite is "mid" now. You want that Silence trim in gold. Or maybe the Snout trim in Redstone. But because the Silence trim is so hard to find, people treat the templates like actual currency. On some technical servers, a single Silence template is worth more than a stack of enchanted golden apples.
If you find a rare trim, you never use the original. Ever. You put that original in a literal safe—an Ender Chest—and you only ever use the duplicates. But to make those duplicates, you need the recipe. It’s a cycle of luxury spending that keeps the diamond economy from inflating too much.
Common Mistakes When Crafting
I’ve seen people lose hours of progress because they didn't realize how the crafting grid works. You can't just throw things in randomly. The template must be in the top-middle. If you put it anywhere else, the table stays empty.
Another thing? Don't confuse the Smithing Table with the Crafting Table. You use the Crafting Table to duplicate the template (the recipe we're talking about). You use the Smithing Table to actually apply that template to your armor.
- Duplication: Crafting Table (7 Diamonds + 1 Block + 1 Template = 2 Templates).
- Application: Smithing Table (1 Template + 1 Armor Piece + 1 Material = Trimmed Armor).
If you accidentally use your last template on a piece of armor without duplicating it first, you’re back to square one. You'll have to go find another one in the wild. For something like the Spire trim in the End Cities, that’s a long walk and a lot of Shulker bullets to face just because you forgot to buy "diamond insurance."
Is the Cost Too High?
There’s a lot of debate in the community about whether seven diamonds is too steep. Some players think it’s great because it gives diamonds a purpose again. In older versions, once you had a full set of gear and a Mending book, diamonds were basically useless. You’d end up with stacks of them sitting in a chest.
Now? They have value.
But for casual players, it’s a wall. If you only play an hour a week, you might never see a full set of trimmed Netherite. It’s a prestige system. It separates the "I live in this cave" players from the "I just built a dirt hut" players.
Strategy for Diamond Farming
If you’re serious about using the smithing template crafting recipe multiple times, stop mining at Y-level 11. That’s old school. Ever since the Caves & Cliffs update, you need to go deep. I'm talking Y-minus-58.
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Bring a Fortune III pickaxe. Don't even think about mining those ores without it. You need the multiplier. If you find a vein of four diamonds, Fortune III can turn that into eight or even more. That’s enough for one template duplication right there.
Also, look for massive "vein" clusters in underwater caves. Night vision potions help a ton here. You can spot the light blue glow against the dark Deepslate much easier through the water.
Hidden Details You Might Miss
Did you know the "Eye" trim has a different block requirement than the "Vex" trim even though they both feel "magical"? The Eye trim, found in Strongholds, requires End Stone. This means you actually have to go to the End, kill the dragon (or bridge out like a madman), and grab some rock before you can even clone it.
And then there's the "Wild" trim from Jungle Temples. That one uses Mossy Cobblestone. It’s those little details that make the recipes feel grounded in the world’s geography.
The Future of Smithing
With every update, Mojang seems to add more of these. The Trial Chambers brought even more variety. It’s clear that the smithing template crafting recipe is here to stay. It’s their way of making sure we don't finish the game too fast.
Is it a grind? Yeah.
Is it worth it? When you're standing at the center of your base with glowing, trimmed armor that says "I spent 100 diamonds on this outfit," it feels pretty good.
Actionable Next Steps for Template Crafting:
- Check your coordinates: Head to Y-58 with a Fortune III pickaxe to gather the 7-diamond entry fee.
- Identify your block: Ensure you have the specific regional block (Netherrack, Deepslate, etc.) before opening the crafting table.
- Duplicate before using: Never use your last template on a piece of gear; always keep one in an Ender Chest as a "master copy" for future duplication.
- Prioritize the Upgrade: Focus your first batch of diamonds on the Netherite Upgrade template, as this provides actual gameplay benefits rather than just visual flair.
- Save your scraps: Keep a dedicated chest for "Template Materials" like Terracotta and Prismarine so you aren't hunting for them when you finally find a rare trim.