Minecraft: Too Expensive error on Anvil
Minecraft, being an incredibly adaptive and in-depth crafting game, has certain limitations and restrictions on crafting methods and tools. One of these limitations, the “Too expensive” display, shows up on the Anvil which is one of the most important crafting and enchanting tool in the game and is responsible for the majority of all weapon and equipment upgrades in the game.
Essentially, the anvil is used to repair weapons, armor, and tools without stripping the equipment of its vital enchantments, and can also damage enemies and players if they walk beneath it while it is falling. All of its basic functions, which always cost experience levels and even material in some cases, are outlined as such:
- Renaming – the anvil can give any item an individual name If the player desires
- Repairing – tier items can be repaired by the anvil using units of their material, such as fixing an iron sword which needs iron ingots for repairs
- Combining – its highly useful in combining two different weapons or tools to produce a singular item that has better durability than both items previously had combined and even combines the enchantments on them accordingly
- Enchanting – combine any tool, equipment or weapon with enchantment books to add that enchantment onto the item
In survival mode, there are set restrictions on the anvil and its operations. Meaning, renaming or combining weapons can only work if the operation does not cost more than 39 experience levels in one go. If the job requires 40 levels or higher, the anvil screen displays the message “Too Expensive” and fails to carry out the operation.
This can be a problem when you have a weapon you have maxed out and heavily enchanted and you can’t get it repaired on the anvil because the cost comes to more than 40 in one go. The anvil also has prior work penalty which means if you’ve already done work on an item you’ve put on the anvil for whatever reason, the cost of doing something else to it is greater now.
This entire system of cost on weapons seems unfair at first but considering the developers didn’t want to create an incredibly easy game, seems to be in tune with a proper survival mechanic. The limitations on repair and enchantments are there for the player to think over and result in players enhancing their crafting knowledge and enchanting techniques.
For example, if you combine multiple enchantment books before applying them onto the tool the cost of enchantment on the anvil goes down significantly. So, utilizing workarounds and crafty techniques to ensure your weapons and armor stay in pristine condition is what a good player should be doing. With the right method, you can get anything out of your items without having to worry about repair and costs.