How to Duplicate Every Smithing Template in Minecraft

Smithing Templates changed the endgame progression of Minecraft forever. Introduced in the 1.20 Trails & Tales update, these items turned Netherite gear from a simple crafting task into a resource-heavy prestige project. Because Smithing Templates are consumed upon a single use at a Smithing Table, knowing how to duplicate them is not just a luxury—it is a survival necessity for any player who wants to maintain a full set of high-tier gear or customize their armor with rare trims.

The fundamental mechanic of duplicating a template follows a strict logic: you spend resources to turn one template into two. However, the cost is steep, and the specific material required varies depending on which of the 18 available templates you are trying to clone.

The Core Recipe for Smithing Template Duplication

To duplicate any Smithing Template in Minecraft, you must use a standard Crafting Table. Unlike the process of applying a template to gear—which happens in a Smithing Table—the duplication process is a traditional crafting recipe.

The universal ratio for duplication is 1:7:1. Specifically, you need:

• 1 Smithing Template: This is the original blueprint you want to copy.
• 7 Diamonds: This is the fixed "currency" for the duplication process.
• 1 Specific Material Block: This block acts as the "base" for the new template and changes depending on the template type.

The Crafting Grid Layout

The arrangement in the 3x3 crafting grid must be precise:

1. Top-Middle Slot: Place the Smithing Template here.
2. Center-Middle Slot: Place the specific material block here.
3. Surrounding Slots: Fill the remaining seven empty slots with Diamonds.

The result will always yield two identical Smithing Templates. Effectively, you have used seven diamonds and one block to "gain" one additional template while keeping your original.

Master List of All Smithing Template Duplication Materials

Each template represents a different structure or culture within the Minecraft world. Consequently, the material required to duplicate it reflects its origin. Using the wrong block will result in a failed craft, which can be frustrating when you have your diamonds ready.

Identifying the Material Context

The materials are chosen logically by the developers. For example, the Netherite Upgrade and Rib templates both use Netherrack because they are tied to the Nether's core identity. The Silence and Ward trims, found in the Deep Dark, require Cobbled Deepslate. Understanding this connection helps you remember what to bring to the crafting table without constantly checking a reference guide.

The High Cost of Customization: Diamond Economics

Duplicating templates is arguably the most significant diamond sink in the modern game. Before version 1.20, once a player had a full set of diamond armor and tools, diamonds became somewhat redundant, often piling up in chests. Now, they are the bottleneck for progression.

Calculating the Full Set Cost

If you find a single Netherite Upgrade template in a Bastion, you cannot simply upgrade your whole kit. You need to upgrade your helmet, chestplate, leggings, boots, sword, pickaxe, axe, and shovel. That is eight items in total.

• Original Template: 1
• Duplicates Needed: 7
• Diamond Cost: 7 duplicates x 7 diamonds = 49 Diamonds.

This calculation does not even include the diamonds needed to craft the original gear or the additional 28 diamonds you would need if you also wanted to apply a specific Armor Trim (like Silence) to your four armor pieces. To have a fully upgraded and fully decorated suit of armor, you are looking at a minimum investment of 77 diamonds purely for duplication.

Why Batch Duplication is Safer

In our testing sessions on technical survival servers, we have found that "duplicating on demand" often leads to tragedies. If you carry your only copy of the Silence trim to a Smithing Table and accidentally use it without a backup, you must return to an Ancient City—a high-risk environment—to find another.

The Golden Rule: Never let your inventory count of a rare template drop to one. When you have two, duplicate them until you have three or four. Store the "master copies" in an Ender Chest or a highly secured vault. Only take the "working copies" to your Smithing Table.

Priority Ranking: Which Templates Should You Duplicate First?

Not all templates are created equal. Some are easy to find again, while others have drop rates so low they are considered "trophy items."

1. Netherite Upgrade (Essential)

This is the only functional template. Without it, you cannot reach the highest tier of protection and durability. Because Bastion Remnants are dangerous and the "Treasure" chests are often guarded by Piglin Brutes, duplicating this should be your absolute first priority.

2. Silence Armor Trim (Ultra Rare)

Found in Ancient City chests with a measly 1.2% drop rate, the Silence trim is the rarest in the game. If you are lucky enough to find one, do not even look at a Smithing Table until you have used seven diamonds to clone it. Losing this template is a massive setback that could require dozens of hours of searching to rectify.

3. Spire and Tide (Late Game)

The Spire trim requires traveling thousands of blocks into the End, while the Tide trim requires killing Elder Guardians. These are time-consuming to obtain. Duplicating them saves you the repetitive travel time.

4. Trial Chamber Templates (Bolt and Flow)

Introduced in the 1.21 update, these are found in Vaults. Since Vaults can only be opened once per player, your supply of these templates is limited by the number of Trial Chambers you can find. Duplication is highly recommended if you play on a multiplayer server where structures are picked clean quickly.

How to Sustain Your Duplication: Advanced Diamond Farming

Since duplication is a "Diamond Sink," you need a reliable way to farm diamonds. There are two primary schools of thought: the "Miner's Path" and the "Trader's Path."

The Miner’s Path: Branch Mining at Y -59

Following the 1.18 world generation changes, diamonds are most abundant at the very bottom of the world.

• Optimal Level: Y -58 or Y -59.
• Method: Use a "2x1" branch mining technique with at least 3 blocks between tunnels.
• Essential Tool: A Pickaxe with Fortune III. This is non-negotiable. Fortune III can turn a single diamond ore into four diamonds. Without it, the cost of duplicating templates will feel unsustainable.

The Trader’s Path: Villager Economics

While you cannot buy diamonds directly from villagers, you can buy Diamond Armor and Tools from Armorers, Toolsmiths, and Weaponsmiths for emeralds.

• The Strategy: Instead of spending your mined diamonds on crafting new gear, use your emeralds to buy the gear. This leaves your mined diamonds free to be used exclusively for Smithing Template duplication.
• Emerald Farming: Set up a Fletcher villager and trade sticks, or a Farmer villager with an automated pumpkin/melon farm.

Common Pitfalls and Troubleshooting

Even veteran players occasionally struggle with the duplication interface. Here are the most common reasons your recipe might not be working:

The "Smithing Table" Confusion

A very common mistake is trying to put the 7 diamonds and the template into a Smithing Table. The Smithing Table interface only has three slots (Template, Item, Material). It is physically impossible to perform a duplication there. You must use the Crafting Table.

Variant Block Errors

Some templates are picky about the version of the block used.

• Dune Trim: Requires standard Sandstone. Using Red Sandstone will not work.
• Wild Trim: Requires Mossy Cobblestone. Standard cobblestone or moss blocks will fail.
• Flow Trim: Requires a Breeze Rod, which is an item drop, not a block. This is a unique exception in the duplication list.

Version Incompatibility

If you are playing on a version older than 1.20, Smithing Templates do not exist. If you are on a server that has updated from an older version, templates will only generate in newly explored chunks. If you visit a Bastion you already looted in 2022, you will not find a Netherite Upgrade template there.

Strategic Storage of Templates

Given that a single "Silence" or "Ward" template represents hours of gameplay, your storage solution should reflect its value.

1. The Ender Chest Method: Always keep at least one "Master Copy" of every template in your Ender Chest. This ensures that even if you die in lava or a creeper blows up your storage room, you don't lose the ability to recreate your rare trims.
2. Naming for Clarity: Use an Anvil to rename your master copies. Naming a template "MASTER - DO NOT USE" adds an extra layer of psychological protection against accidental consumption.
3. The Shulker Box Kit: Create a "Smithing Kit" shulker box containing a Crafting Table, a stack of Diamonds, and the various base blocks (Netherrack, Deepslate, etc.). This allows you to duplicate templates on the fly while you are out exploring.

Conclusion

Duplicating Smithing Templates is the bridge between finding a rare item and actually being able to use it. While the cost of seven diamonds per copy may seem exorbitant at first, it is a balanced mechanic that keeps the endgame of Minecraft challenging and rewarding. By following the 1:7:1 recipe and prioritizing rare finds like the Netherite Upgrade and Silence trim, you can ensure that your gear remains at the pinnacle of both performance and style.

Always remember the golden rule: duplicate before you use. The diamonds spent on a backup are far cheaper than the time spent hunting for a second "Silence" trim in the dark.

FAQ

Can I duplicate templates without diamonds?

No. In vanilla survival Minecraft, there is no official recipe to duplicate a Smithing Template that does not involve 7 diamonds. Any method claiming otherwise usually involves exploits, glitches, or mods.

Is it cheaper to find new templates or duplicate them?

For common templates like Coast (Shipwrecks) or Sentry (Pillager Outposts), it is often cheaper to just go find another one if you live near those structures. However, for Netherite Upgrades and Ancient City trims, duplicating is always more efficient than the risk and time of finding a new structure.

Do I get the original template back after duplication?

The recipe consumes the original template but produces two in the output slot. So you haven't "lost" it; you have essentially split it into two.

Can I use a template multiple times in the Smithing Table?

No. Each time you click the "result" item in a Smithing Table, the template in the first slot is permanently destroyed.

What is the most expensive template to maintain?

The Flow trim from Trial Chambers is arguably the most "annoying" to duplicate because it requires Breeze Rods, which require fighting Breeze mobs. While not as rare as Silence, the material requirement is more active than just picking up a piece of Netherrack.