List of Villager Trades and Jobs in Minecraft – All 13 Professions Explained

Villager trades and jobs in Minecraft are one of the most powerful systems in the game. Every employed villager offers a set of trades that refresh twice per day and level up as you trade with them. There are 13 professions, each tied to a specific Job Site Block, and each one can reach up to 5 trade levels: Novice, Apprentice, Journeyman, Expert, and Master. A well-run trading hall can supply unlimited emeralds, Mending books, diamond gear, and rare items without ever mining for them. This guide covers every villager job, its workstation, and the key trades at each level.

• There are 13 villager jobs in Minecraft, plus Unemployed and Nitwit as non-trading statuses.
• Each job is assigned when an unemployed villager claims a Job Site Block.
• Trades lock permanently after your first trade — check before committing.
• Villagers restock trades twice per in-game day by visiting their workstation.
• Curing a Zombie Villager with a Splash Potion of Weakness and a Golden Apple gives permanent price discounts.
• The Librarian is the most valuable job — it is the only source of the Mending enchanted book.

How Do Villager Jobs Work in Minecraft?

Villagers get their job by claiming an unclaimed Job Site Block. An unemployed villager that finds a nearby unclaimed workstation will walk to it and take that profession. Once a villager takes a job, they will return to their workstation each morning to restock their trades.

If you break the workstation, the villager loses their job and becomes unemployed again — but only if you have not yet traded with them. The moment you complete any trade, the villager’s job and trades are permanently locked. You cannot change them afterward. Always check what a villager is offering before making your first trade.

Villagers progress through 5 trade levels by gaining XP each time you trade with them:

• Level 1 – Novice (Stone badge) — starting trades
• Level 2 – Apprentice (Iron badge) — unlocks 2 new trade slots
• Level 3 – Journeyman (Gold badge) — unlocks 2 more trade slots
• Level 4 – Expert (Emerald badge) — unlocks 2 more trade slots
• Level 5 – Master (Diamond badge) — final tier, best trades

Higher levels unlock better trades. A Master Armorer sells enchanted diamond armor. A Master Weaponsmith sells enchanted diamond swords and axes. A Master Librarian sells name tags. Leveling up every villager you trade with regularly is essential for accessing the best items.

For a dedicated guide on the trading tier system, see our Minecraft villager trading tiers guide.

All 13 Villager Jobs – Workstation and Overview

1. Armorer

Job Site Block: Blast Furnace

The Armorer trades in iron, chainmail, and diamond armor. At lower levels they buy iron ingots and sell iron armor. At Expert and Master levels they offer enchanted diamond armor. Armorers are among the most valuable smithing villagers once leveled up. To get them, place a Blast Furnace near an unemployed villager.

• Novice: Buys Coal → sells Iron Helmet, Iron Chestplate
• Apprentice: Buys Iron Ingot → sells Iron Leggings, Iron Boots, Bell
• Journeyman: Buys Lava Bucket or Black Dye → sells Chainmail armor pieces
• Expert: Buys Diamond → sells Enchanted Diamond Leggings, Enchanted Diamond Boots
• Master: Buys Diamond → sells Enchanted Diamond Helmet, Enchanted Diamond Chestplate

2. Butcher

Job Site Block: Smoker

The Butcher buys raw meat from the player in exchange for emeralds and sells cooked food. They are a reliable early source of food and a decent emerald earner if you have livestock farms. At higher levels they buy dried kelp blocks and sweet berries.

• Novice: Buys Raw Chicken or Porkchop → sells Emeralds; sells Rabbit Stew
• Apprentice: Buys Coal → sells Emeralds; sells Cooked Porkchop, Cooked Chicken
• Journeyman: Buys Raw Mutton or Raw Beef → sells Emeralds
• Expert: Buys Dried Kelp Block → sells Emeralds
• Master: Buys Sweet Berries → sells Emeralds; sells Cooked Mutton, Cooked Beef

3. Cartographer

Job Site Block: Cartography Table

The Cartographer sells explorer maps that point directly to rare structures. The Ocean Explorer Map leads to an Ocean Monument. The Woodland Mansion Map leads to a Woodland Mansion — one of the hardest structures to find in the Overworld. These maps cost emeralds and a compass but save hours of exploration time. See our guide on how to find a Woodland Mansion in Minecraft. Cartographers also sell Banner Patterns for decoration.

• Novice: Buys Paper → sells Emeralds; sells Empty Map
• Apprentice: Buys Glass Pane → sells Emeralds; sells Ocean Explorer Map
• Journeyman: Buys Compass → sells Emeralds; sells Woodland Explorer Map
• Expert: Buys various items → sells Item Frame, Banner Patterns
• Master: Buys various items → sells Globe Banner Pattern, additional maps

4. Cleric

Job Site Block: Brewing Stand

The Cleric is essential for any player preparing to fight the Ender Dragon. They are the most reliable villager source of Ender Pearls, which you need to find the stronghold and enter the End. They also buy Rotten Flesh — the most common mob drop in the game — for emeralds, making them an excellent early emerald source. At Master level they sell Bottle o’ Enchanting, which drops XP orbs when thrown.

• Novice: Buys Rotten Flesh → sells Emeralds; sells Redstone Dust
• Apprentice: Buys Gold Ingot → sells Emeralds; sells Lapis Lazuli
• Journeyman: Buys Rabbit’s Foot → sells Emeralds; sells Glowstone
• Expert: Buys Scute or Glass Bottle → sells Emeralds; sells Ender Pearl
• Master: Buys Nether Wart → sells Emeralds; sells Bottle o’ Enchanting

Set up a Brewing Stand for the Cleric’s workstation and learn how to brew potions in Minecraft to make full use of the ingredients they sell.

5. Farmer

Job Site Block: Composter

The Farmer buys crops in large quantities and sells food items and seeds. They are one of the best emerald sources in the game because crops like wheat, carrots, potatoes, and pumpkins are easily farmed in bulk. At higher levels, Farmers sell Golden Carrots — one of the best food items in the game — and Glistering Melon Slices.

• Novice: Buys Wheat or Potato → sells Emeralds; sells Bread
• Apprentice: Buys Carrot or Pumpkin → sells Emeralds; sells Pumpkin Pie
• Journeyman: Buys Melon → sells Emeralds; sells Apple
• Expert: Buys Beetroot or Pumpkin → sells Emeralds; sells Cookie, Suspicious Stew
• Master: Sells Golden Carrot, Glistering Melon Slice

Combine a Farmer villager with an automatic crop farm for a nearly endless emerald income. Our guide on building an automatic farm in Minecraft covers crop farming setups that pair directly with Farmer trades.

6. Fisherman

Job Site Block: Barrel

The Fisherman buys fish and string in exchange for emeralds, and sells cooked fish, fishing rods, and at higher levels, an enchanted fishing rod. The enchanted fishing rod at Expert level has Luck of the Sea and Lure enchantments, which speeds up treasure fishing significantly. Fishermen are also a decent source of Boats at Novice level.

• Novice: Buys String or Coal → sells Emeralds; sells Bucket of Cod, Fishing Rod
• Apprentice: Buys Raw Cod → sells Emeralds; sells Cooked Cod
• Journeyman: Buys Raw Salmon → sells Emeralds; sells Campfire
• Expert: Buys Tropical Fish or Pufferfish → sells Emeralds
• Master: Buys Boat → sells Emeralds; sells Enchanted Fishing Rod

7. Fletcher

Job Site Block: Fletching Table

The Fletcher is the best early-game emerald source. At Novice level they buy 32 Sticks for 1 Emerald. Sticks cost nothing — just craft wood planks into sticks. You can fill your inventory with sticks and trade them all away in seconds for a stack of emeralds. At higher levels, Fletchers sell bows, crossbows, and arrows including tipped arrows.

• Novice: Buys Sticks or Flint → sells Emeralds; sells Arrows
• Apprentice: Buys Flint or String → sells Emeralds; sells Bow
• Journeyman: Buys Feather or Tripwire Hook → sells Emeralds; sells Crossbow
• Expert: Buys Emeralds → sells Enchanted Bow; buys Fern
• Master: Sells Enchanted Crossbow; sells Tipped Arrows

Fletchers are the number one starter villager for any trading hall. Set one up as early as possible and use cheap stick trades to build your emerald stockpile fast.

8. Leatherworker

Job Site Block: Cauldron

The Leatherworker buys leather and sells leather armor in a variety of dyed colors. Their most useful trade is the Saddle at Master level — one of the few ways to get a Saddle without finding one in a chest. If you do not want to explore dungeons or Nether Fortresses, a Master Leatherworker is the easiest Saddle source in the game. See our guide on how to get a Saddle in Minecraft.

• Novice: Buys Leather → sells Emeralds; sells Leather Pants, Leather Tunic
• Apprentice: Buys Flint → sells Emeralds; sells Leather Cap, Leather Boots
• Journeyman: Buys Rabbit Hide → sells Emeralds; sells Leather Horse Armor
• Expert: Buys Scute → sells Emeralds; sells Leather Tunic (dyed)
• Master: Sells Saddle; sells Leather Helmet (dyed)

9. Librarian

Job Site Block: Lectern

The Librarian is the most valuable villager in the game. They sell Enchanted Books at every trade level, and the selection is randomized per villager. With enough Librarians and the trade reroll method (break and replace the Lectern before trading), you can get any enchantment in the game including Mending — the most sought-after enchantment in Minecraft. A Mending Librarian with zombie cure discounts can sell Mending books for as little as 1 Emerald. At Master level, Librarians also sell Name Tags.

• Novice: Buys Paper → sells Emeralds; sells Enchanted Book (random)
• Apprentice: Buys Books → sells Emeralds; sells Enchanted Book (random), Bookshelf
• Journeyman: Buys Ink Sac → sells Emeralds; sells Enchanted Book (random), Lantern
• Expert: Buys Book and Quill → sells Emeralds; sells Enchanted Book (random), Glass
• Master: Sells Name Tag; sells Enchanted Book (random)

To reroll a Librarian’s trades, break the Lectern and place it back before making any trade. The villager re-randomizes their offers. Repeat until you get the enchanted book you want. Once you trade even once, the trades lock permanently. Use your enchanting table alongside Librarian trades for the best gear setup in the game.

10. Mason (Stone Mason on Bedrock)

Job Site Block: Stonecutter

The Mason buys stone, andesite, diorite, and granite, and sells decorative stone variants like Terracotta, Glazed Terracotta, Quartz, and Dripstone blocks. They are the best source of Glazed Terracotta colors and Quartz blocks from a villager. Good for builders who need large amounts of decorative stone variants without mining. See our full list of Terracotta block variants for the colors available.

• Novice: Buys Clay Ball → sells Emeralds; sells Brick
• Apprentice: Buys Stone → sells Emeralds; sells Chiseled Stone Bricks
• Journeyman: Buys Granite, Andesite, or Diorite → sells Emeralds; sells Polished stone variants
• Expert: Buys Nether Quartz → sells Emeralds; sells Terracotta, Glazed Terracotta
• Master: Sells Quartz Pillar, Colored Terracotta

11. Shepherd

Job Site Block: Loom

The Shepherd buys wool in any color and sells dyed wool, beds, paintings, and banners. They are the easiest way to get every bed color in the game and can convert your raw wool from sheep farms into emeralds. Shepherds also sell Shears at Novice level, which is useful early in a new world before you have the iron to craft your own.

• Novice: Buys White Wool → sells Emeralds; sells Shears
• Apprentice: Buys any colored Wool → sells Emeralds; sells Colored Wool
• Journeyman: Buys any colored Wool → sells Emeralds; sells Beds (all colors)
• Expert: Buys any colored Wool → sells Emeralds; sells Banners
• Master: Sells Paintings

12. Toolsmith

Job Site Block: Smithing Table

The Toolsmith sells iron and diamond tools. At Expert and Master levels they offer enchanted diamond pickaxes, axes, and shovels. Combined with zombie cure discounts, a Toolsmith can sell a fully enchanted diamond pickaxe for 1 Emerald. They also buy key items like coal and flint early on.

• Novice: Buys Coal → sells Emeralds; sells Stone Axe, Stone Pickaxe
• Apprentice: Buys Iron Ingot → sells Emeralds; sells Bell, Iron Axe
• Journeyman: Buys Flint → sells Emeralds; sells Iron Shovel, Iron Pickaxe
• Expert: Buys Diamond → sells Emeralds; sells Enchanted Diamond Axe, Enchanted Diamond Shovel
• Master: Buys Diamond → sells Enchanted Diamond Pickaxe, Enchanted Diamond Hoe

A Toolsmith is invaluable for getting a Silk Touch or Fortune III pickaxe without relying purely on the enchanting table. Pair with a good enchanting setup for the best tool progression.

13. Weaponsmith

Job Site Block: Grindstone

The Weaponsmith sells iron and diamond swords and axes. At Expert and Master levels they sell enchanted diamond swords and enchanted diamond axes. A Master Weaponsmith with zombie cure discounts can sell a Sharpness V diamond sword for just 1 Emerald. Their workstation, the Grindstone, also lets you remove enchantments from gear. Learn how to make a Grindstone in Minecraft to both set up this villager and use it yourself.

• Novice: Buys Coal → sells Emeralds; sells Iron Axe
• Apprentice: Buys Iron Ingot → sells Emeralds; sells Bell, Iron Sword
• Journeyman: Buys Flint → sells Emeralds; sells Enchanted Iron Sword
• Expert: Buys Diamond → sells Emeralds; sells Enchanted Diamond Axe
• Master: Buys Diamond → sells Enchanted Diamond Sword

What Are Unemployed Villagers and Nitwits?

Two villager types do not trade at all.

Unemployed Villagers are villagers who have not yet claimed a Job Site Block. They wear plain robes with no badge. Place any workstation near them and they will walk over and claim it, gaining the corresponding job. If you have not traded with them yet, you can change their job by breaking their workstation and replacing a different one.

Nitwits wear green robes. They cannot take any job, cannot trade, and will never claim a workstation no matter how many you place near them. They are completely non-functional for trading. There is no way to convert a Nitwit into a working villager. They can still breed, which can produce babies that grow into either workers or more Nitwits.

How to Get Permanent Discounts – Zombie Villager Curing

The most powerful mechanic in the villager trading system is curing a Zombie Villager. When you cure one, the recovered villager gives you a permanent personal discount on all their trades. After curing, expensive trades like Mending books or diamond armor can drop to as low as 1 Emerald.

Here is how to do it:

• Step 1: Set your game to Hard difficulty. On Hard, a zombie that attacks a villager has a 100% chance to convert it into a Zombie Villager instead of killing it. On lower difficulties the zombie may just kill the villager outright.
• Step 2: Let a zombie attack the villager you want to cure. The villager turns into a Zombie Villager — a hostile zombie with the villager’s clothing texture.
• Step 3: Throw a Splash Potion of Weakness at the Zombie Villager. This applies the Weakness effect for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
• Step 4: While the Zombie Villager has the Weakness effect, right-click it with a Golden Apple. The curing process begins — the Zombie Villager shakes and emits red particles for about 3–5 minutes.
• Step 5: The Zombie Villager converts back into a regular villager with all their original trades intact but at permanently reduced prices.

One successful cure gives the full permanent discount. Repeat cures on the same villager do not stack the permanent discount further — they only add a temporary bonus that fades over time. One cure per villager is all you need for the lasting price reduction. You can brew a Splash Potion of Weakness at a Brewing Stand with a Water Bottle and a Fermented Spider Eye.

How to Reroll Villager Trades

If a villager is offering trades you do not want — especially a Librarian with the wrong enchanted book — you can reroll their trades before making your first trade. Here is how:

• Break the villager’s Job Site Block while they are not sleeping.
• The villager becomes unemployed and their trade offers reset.
• Place the same Job Site Block back down near them.
• The villager reclaims it and generates a new random set of trades.
• Check the trades again. Repeat until you get the trades you want.

This only works if you have never traded with that villager. The moment you make even one trade, all trades are locked forever regardless of the workstation.

For Librarians specifically, keep breaking and replacing the Lectern until you see Mending, Silk Touch, Fortune III, or whichever enchantment you are targeting. This can take many attempts for rarer enchantments but it is the most reliable way to get exactly what you need. Use a Crafter block setup to auto-craft Lecterns for faster rerolling at scale.

How to Breed Villagers for More Trades

To grow your trading operation, you need more villagers. Villagers breed automatically when certain conditions are met. They need:

• At least 2 adult villagers willing to breed
• An unclaimed bed for the baby villager to sleep in
• Enough food — throw bread, carrots, potatoes, or beetroot to them directly

A Farmer villager will automatically collect and distribute food to other villagers, which can trigger breeding passively. Place a Farmer next to a crop farm and they will handle food distribution on their own. See our full guide on how to breed villagers in Minecraft for a complete setup walkthrough.

What Is the Wandering Trader?

The Wandering Trader is a special non-village merchant that spawns randomly in the world every few days. They are not one of the 13 professions and cannot be given a workstation. They sell unique items not typically available through regular villager trades, including rare plant saplings, corals, dyes, and biome-exclusive items. Their prices are fixed and they do not accept discounts. They disappear after about 2–3 in-game days and their Trader Llamas drop their leads when they leave. You cannot breed, cure, or permanently keep a Wandering Trader.

Best Villagers to Set Up First

If you are building your first trading hall and need to prioritize, here is the recommended order:

• Fletcher first — buys sticks for emeralds at Novice level. Fastest way to build emerald income from nothing.
• Cleric second — buys Rotten Flesh. You will accumulate huge amounts of Rotten Flesh from farming mobs. Converts it directly to emeralds. Also sells Ender Pearls for your End run.
• Librarian third — reroll until you get Mending. Once you have a Mending book, your tools and armor become permanent.
• Armorer, Toolsmith, Weaponsmith — cure with zombie method and get full enchanted diamond gear for 1 Emerald each.
• Farmer — pair with a crop farm for passive emerald generation running in the background.

Build Iron Golems near your trading hall to protect your villagers from zombies at night. See our guide on how to build an Iron Golem farm in Minecraft — this also gives you iron ingots to sell to Armorers and Toolsmiths for even more emeralds.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Villager Trading

• Always trade with a villager to level them up before curing. Curing a Novice Librarian is less immediately useful than curing a Master Librarian with all five enchanted book trade slots unlocked.
• Separate each villager’s workstation clearly so they always reclaim the right one when restocking. Villagers that cannot reach their workstation will not restock trades.
• Give each villager their own bed. A villager that cannot sleep will not restock. Build your trading hall with one bed per villager.
• Use the Hero of the Village effect (earned by defeating a Pillager Raid) for a temporary 30–55% discount on all trades stacked on top of your permanent cure discounts.
• Cartographers now also sell Trial Chamber Explorer Maps in 2026, making it easier to locate Trial Chambers without random exploration.
• Transport villagers using Boats on land — place a boat, walk the villager into it, then ride the boat to your trading hall location. This is the most reliable method for moving villagers long distances.
• Check our guide on Minecraft wood block variants if you are building a large trading hall — knowing your wood types helps you pick the right aesthetic for a professional-looking hall.
• Set up a Minecraft Realm to run your trading hall with friends and share the emerald economy across players.

Villager trading is one of the deepest mechanics in Minecraft. Once you have a Fletcher generating emeralds from sticks, a cured Librarian selling Mending for 1 Emerald, and three cured smiths handing out diamond gear for almost nothing, the game’s resource economy transforms completely. Start small, cure early, and build from there. Visit the official Minecraft website for the latest update notes, or download the game on Android via Google Play and on Xbox.