Minecraft's Trails and Tales update changed the vibes of the endgame forever. Seriously. Before 1.20, once you had full Netherite, you just looked like every other person on a multiplayer server. You were a walking, dark-grey tank. Now? You’re a walking piece of art. But there’s a massive problem that honestly catches most players off guard: these Smithing Templates are incredibly rare, and if you use your only Silence or Ward trim on a single chestplate, it’s gone. Poof. Forever. Unless you know the trick.
Learning how to duplicate a armor trim isn't just a "pro tip" for the rich; it is a literal survival mechanic for your aesthetics.
Think about the math for a second. If you find one Vex Armor Trim in a Woodland Mansion, you’ve beaten the odds. Those things are rare. But you have four pieces of armor. If you want a matching set, you need four templates. Exploring four different mansions just to get a matching outfit is, frankly, a nightmare. That’s why Mojang gave us a crafting recipe to clone them. It isn't cheap, but compared to trekking 20,000 blocks through a dark forest, it's a bargain.
The Raw Materials You’re Going to Burn
You can't just wish a new template into existence. You need diamonds. Lots of them.
Every single duplication process requires exactly seven diamonds. Why seven? Who knows. It’s a steep price, but it keeps the economy from breaking while making sure you actually value the gear you’re styling. You also need a "building block" that matches the theme of the trim you’re trying to copy.
For most trims, this is pretty intuitive. If you have a Sentry Armor Trim, which you found in a Pillager Outpost, you’re going to need Cobblestone. If it’s a Dune Trim from a Desert Temple, you need Sandstone. It makes sense, right? You’re basically using the material of the structure where the trim originated to "cast" a new mold.
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The Specific Block List
Honestly, forgetting the specific block is the number one reason people think their crafting table is glitched. Here is the breakdown of what you need to keep in your chests:
- Netherrack: Use this for Wayfinder, Raiser, Shaper, and Host trims (the ones from Trail Ruins).
- Cobblestone: This is for the Sentry trim.
- Sandstone: Necessary for Dune trims.
- Terracotta: You'll need this for the Coast trim.
- Mossy Cobblestone: Required for Wild trims found in Jungle Temples.
- Blackstone: This is the big one for Snout trims from Bastions.
- End Stone: Obviously, this is for the Spire trim from End Cities.
- Purpur Block: Actually, wait—let me correct that. Spire uses Purpur. Eye trims from Strongholds use End Stone. It’s easy to flip those in your head mid-craft.
- Deepslate: Specifically Cobbled Deepslate for the Ward and Silence trims found in Ancient Cities.
And don't forget the Netherite Upgrade template. Even though it isn't "pretty," it follows the exact same rules. You need Netherrack for that one too.
The Actual Process of How to Duplicate a Armor Trim
Ready? Open your Crafting Table.
The layout is specific. You put the Armor Trim template in the top-middle slot. You put your specific block (like Sandstone or Blackstone) right in the dead center of the grid. Then, you surround the rest of the empty spaces with those seven diamonds.
It looks like a little diamond "U" shape with a hat on top.
If you do it right, you get two templates back. You haven't really "gained" two; you've consumed one to make two, meaning you now have a net gain of one. It’s a slow process if you’re trying to outfit an entire 20-person realm, but for a solo player, it’s the only way to live.
Why Diamonds Are Suddenly More Valuable Than Gold
For years, diamonds lost their luster. Once you had your pickaxe and your armor, you just threw the rest in a chest and forgot about them. Netherite made diamonds even less important because you were just upgrading existing gear.
But once you start figuring out how to duplicate a armor trim, your diamond stockpile will vanish.
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Let's do the math. A full set of armor (helmet, chest, legs, boots) requires four templates. If you start with one, you need to run the duplication process three times. That is 21 diamonds just for one outfit. If you’re a perfectionist who wants a "backup" set of armor, or a specialized set of gold armor for the Nether, you’re looking at 42 diamonds.
Suddenly, mining at Y-level -59 isn't a chore; it’s a necessity. This is actually a brilliant piece of game design by Mojang. It revitalized the "mine" part of Minecraft.
The Silence Trim Nightmare
We have to talk about the Silence Trim. It’s the rarest drop in the game. It has a 1.2% chance of spawning in an Ancient City chest.
If you find this, do not—and I mean DO NOT—use it immediately.
If you use your only Silence Trim on a chestplate without duplicating it first, you have to go find another Ancient City. Given how terrifying Wardens are and how much work it takes to clear a city, that is a soul-crushing mistake. People have literally quit servers over losing a Silence Trim because they forgot to clone it.
The moment you get back to your base with that blue-tinted template, go straight to your diamond stash. Duplicate it until you have at least five. Keep one in an Ender Chest. Keep one in a secret hole in the ground. Honestly, hide it.
Dealing With the Trial Ruins RNG
Trail Ruins are a bit different. They’re messy. You’re gravel-brushing your way through a buried structure, and the drops for the Wayfinder, Raiser, Shaper, and Host trims are all over the place.
Because these ruins are often small and yield very few templates, the "dupe" method is your best friend here. Interestingly, all four of these trims use Netherrack as their duplication block. It’s a weird choice—you’d think they’d use Brick or Terracotta since the ruins are so colorful—but Netherrack is the catalyst.
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Keep a stack of Netherrack in your backpack when you're out exploring these ruins. It saves you the trip back to the Nether when you realize you’re short on supplies.
Common Mistakes People Make
It’s easy to mess this up. One of the most common errors is trying to use the Smithing Table.
You use the Smithing Table to apply the trim to your gear. You use the Crafting Table to duplicate the trim. If you're standing at a Smithing Table with seven diamonds and a block of Cobblestone, nothing is going to happen.
Another thing: people often mistake the "Upgrade" template for a "Trim." While they look similar, the Netherite Upgrade is strictly functional. However, because it's so rare (only found in Bastions), you should treat it with the same respect as a Silence Trim. Always keep a "seed" template in your vault. Never use your last one.
The Aesthetics of Overkill
Why do we even do this?
Because Minecraft is a sandbox, and looking cool is 90% of the late-game experience. When you walk into a base wearing Netherite trimmed with Redstone (using the Ward pattern), it sends a message. It says you’ve conquered the Deep Dark. It says you have the diamond wealth to maintain that look.
There’s also the "Trim Combo" meta. Some players like to mix and match. Maybe a Vex trim on the helmet but a Tide trim (from Ocean Monuments) on the boots. To pull this off, you need a library of templates.
I’ve seen players build "Template Museums" where they keep one of every trim on an item frame, with a shulker box full of duplication materials underneath. It’s the ultimate endgame flex.
Practical Steps to Get Started
If you’re sitting there with one lonely template and a pile of diamonds, here is your move:
- Identify the source of your trim. If it's from a temple, grab Sandstone. If it's from a fortress, grab Netherrack.
- Clear your crafting grid.
- Place the template in the top-center.
- Place the material block in the exact center.
- Fill all other seven slots with diamonds.
- Take your two templates.
- Repeat until you have enough for your full armor set plus one extra for "seed" storage.
Go check your chests for any forgotten templates you found while exploring. You might be sitting on a fortune of "looks" that you just haven't tapped into yet because you were afraid of losing the original. Now you don't have to be.
Go mine some diamonds. You’re going to need them.