Turtle Shell

Turtle Shell
Rarity tier	Common
Armor	2 ()
Armor toughness	0 ()
Durability	JE: 275; BE: 276
Enchantability	9
Knockback resistance	0
Renewable	Yes
Stackable	No

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A turtle shell is a variant of helmet that is crafted from turtle scutes. It is the third-highest tier of helmet, having the same armor points as golden, copper, iron, and chainmail helmets but with higher durability. When equipped, it grants ten seconds of Water Breathing to a player who runs out of air. It is also a brewing ingredient for potions of the Turtle Master.

Obtaining

Crafting

Ingredients	Crafting recipe
Turtle Scute

Usage

Turtle shell effect

While equipped by a player, the turtle shell provides the Water Breathing status effect, allowing the wearer to remain underwater for an additional 10 seconds. The effect immediately recharges after exposure to air. The Water Breathing effect does not activate for other mobs.

Brewing ingredient

Name	Ingredients	Brewing recipe
Potion of the Turtle Master	Turtle Shell + Awkward Potion

Repairing

Combining

Ingredients	Crafting recipe	Description
Damaged Turtle Shell		The durability of the two shells is added together, plus an extra 5% durability.

Ingredients	Grinding recipe	Description
2x Damaged Turtle Shell		The durability of the two shells is added together, plus an extra 5% durability.

Unit repair

Ingredients	Anvil recipe
Damaged Turtle Shell + Turtle Scute	Turtle Shell

A turtle shell can be repaired in an anvil by adding turtle scutes, with each scute restoring 25% the turtle shell's maximum durability, rounded down. Two turtle shells can also be combined in an anvil. Both methods preserve the helmet's enchantments.

Enchantments

Name	Description	Max Level	Method	Weight
Protection^{[note 1]}	Increases overall damage reduction.	IV	Enchanting Table Anvil	10
Projectile Protection^{[note 1]}	Increases damage reduction against projectiles.	IV	Enchanting Table Anvil	5
Blast Protection^{[note 1]}	Increases damage reduction against explosions.	IV	Enchanting Table Anvil	2
Fire Protection^{[note 1]}	Increases damage reduction against fire.	IV	Enchanting Table Anvil	5
Thorns	Deals returning damage to attackers.	III	Enchanting Table Anvil	1
Respiration	Extends breathing time underwater.	III	Enchanting Table Anvil	2
Aqua Affinity	Increases underwater mining speed.	I	Enchanting Table Anvil	2
Unbreaking	Grants a chance to negate durability consumption.	III	Enchanting Table Anvil	5
Mending	Repairs the turtle shell when obtaining experience.	I	Anvil	2
Curse of Vanishing	The turtle shell vanishes on death, not dropping as an item.	I	Anvil	1
Curse of Binding	Removes the ability to de-equip the turtle shell.	I	Anvil	1

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d Protection, Projectile Protection, Blast Protection, and Fire Protection are mutually exclusive.

Armor trimming

It is possible to upgrade turtle shells with trims. This requires a smithing template, a turtle shell, and an ingot or crystal (iron ingot, copper ingot, gold ingot, netherite ingot, emerald, redstone dust, lapis lazuli, amethyst shard, nether quartz, diamond, or resin brick).

These trims have no effect on the gameplay or strength of the armor.

Ingredients	Smithing recipe
Any Armor Trim + Turtle Shell + Any Ingot/Crystal

Sounds

Java Edition:

Sounds
Sound	Closed captions	Source	Description	Identifier	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
	Turtle Shell thunks	Players	When a turtle shell is equipped	`item.armor.equip_turtle`	`subtitles.item.armor.equip_turtle`	1.0	1.0/0.85/1.1	16
	Item breaks	Entity-Dependent	When a helmet's durability is exhausted	`entity.item.break`	`subtitles.entity.item.break`	0.8	0.8-1.2	16

Bedrock Edition:

Sounds
Sound	Closed captions ^[upcoming]	Source	Description	Identifier	Translation key ^[upcoming]	Volume	Pitch
	?	Players	When a turtle shell is equipped	`armor.equip_leather`	?	1.0	1.0
	?	Players	When a helmet's durability is exhausted	`random.break`	?	1.0	0.9

Data values

ID

Java Edition:

Name	Identifier	Form	Item tags	Translation key
Turtle Shell	`turtle_helmet`	Item	`head_armor`	`item.minecraft.turtle_helmet`

Bedrock Edition:

Name	Identifier	Numeric ID	Form	Translation key
Turtle Shell	`turtle_helmet`	`573`	Item	`item.turtle_helmet.name`

Advancements

Icon	Advancement	In-game description	Actual requirements (if different)
	A Furious Cocktail	Have every potion effect applied at the same time	Have all of these 17 status effects applied to the player at the same time: Fire Resistance Infested Invisibility Jump Boost Night Vision Oozing Poison Regeneration Resistance Slow Falling Slowness Speed Strength Water Breathing Weakness Weaving Wind Charged The source of the effects is irrelevant for the purposes of this advancement. Other status effects may be applied to the player, but are ignored for this advancement.
	How Did We Get Here?	Have every effect applied at the same time	Have all of these 34 status effects applied to the player at the same time: Absorption Bad Omen Blindness Breath of the Nautilus Conduit Power Darkness Dolphin's Grace Fire Resistance Glowing Haste Hero of the Village Hunger Infested Invisibility Jump Boost Levitation Mining Fatigue Nausea Night Vision Oozing Poison Raid Omen Regeneration Resistance Slow Falling Slowness Speed Strength Trial Omen Water Breathing Weakness Weaving Wind Charged Wither The source of the effects is irrelevant for the purposes of this advancement. Other status effects may be applied to the player, but are ignored for this advancement. See also: Tutorial:Advancement guide/Nether tab § How Did We Get Here? This is a hidden advancement, meaning that it can be viewed by the player only after completing it, regardless of if its child advancement(s), if any, have been completed.

History

Java Edition

Java Edition
1.13	18w07a	Added turtle shells.
1.16	20w07a	Turtle shells, when used by piglins and zombified piglins, result in a missing texture when being displayed.^[1]
1.16	Pre-release 3	Turtle shells used by piglins and zombified piglins now use the same model as other entities, fixing the aforementioned bug.
1.19.4 Experiment Update 1.20	23w04a	Turtle shells can now be trimmed using a smithing table.

Bedrock Edition

Bedrock Edition
1.5.0			beta 1.5.0.4				Added turtle shells.
1.19.80 Experiment Next Major Update			Preview 1.19.80.21				Turtle shells can now be trimmed using a smithing table.

Legacy Console Edition

Legacy Console Edition
Xbox 360	Xbox One	PS3	PS4	PS Vita	Wii U	Switch
TU69		1.76	1.76	1.76	Patch 38		Added turtle shells.

Issues

Issues relating to "Turtle Shell" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.

Trivia

The turtle shell is the only helmet that is not a part of a complete set.
Defense point values exist in the code for all other pieces of a theoretical "turtle" armor set. These are: 6 () for chestplates, 5 () for leggings, and 2 () for boots, which is identical to a full set of iron.

Gallery

Renders

Enchanted appearance when worn
Enchanted appearance in inventory

Mojang screenshots

Zuri wearing a turtle shell

In other media

Makena wearing a turtle shell
A turtle shell as seen in A Minecraft Movie

References

↑ "[MC-172110] Texture of turtle shells is missing when worn by a piglin or zombified piglin - Jira" – Mojira, February 14, 2020. Resolved as "Fixed".

External links

"Taking Inventory: Turtle Shell" by Duncan Geere – Minecraft.net, October 26, 2018.

[exc-1] Protection, Projectile Protection, Blast Protection, and Fire Protection are mutually exclusive.

[2] "[MC-172110] Texture of turtle shells is missing when worn by a piglin or zombified piglin - Jira" – Mojira, February 14, 2020. Resolved as "Fixed".

[note 1]