Minecraft Villager Trades (1.21): Complete Guide to Professions, Prices, Restocks & Discounts

TL;DR

• Emeralds are the currency. Every trade involves emeralds in or out.
• 5 trading levels: Novice → Apprentice → Journeyman → Expert → Master. Leveling up unlocks up to two new trade slots per level and better offers.
• Restocks: Villagers restock by working at their job‑site block, typically up to twice per in‑game day. Each trade has a fixed stock; when it runs out, it disables until restock.
• Discounts: Reputation, Hero of the Village, and curing a zombie villager reduce prices (curing adds a permanent discount for that villager).
• Locking & rerolling: Do one trade to lock a villager’s offers. To reroll, break/replace the workstation before any trade is made.
• 13 professions + 2 jobless types (Unemployed, Nitwit). Job‑site blocks decide professions and trade pools.
• Wandering Trader trades are separate and rotate; he doesn’t level up.
• Bedrock note: Villagers must be properly linked to a bed to restock.

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How Villager Trading Works

Opening the trading interface. Press Use on an adult villager (or Wandering Trader) to open the trading menu. Offers appear in trade slots; each slot shows the price, stock, and the villager’s level badge. Minecraft server hosting villager trading is a simple trading system built around emeralds. You use a clean trading interface with visible trade slots, and each slot is drawn from that profession’s trading pool.At the Novice level you usually see two random trades. Your initial trade locks the offers, and more than two trades unlock as the villager levels up. You’ll also notice villager trading prices next to each offer, which rise or fall based on demand.

Levels & experience. Villagers start at Novice and earn XP when you trade with them. On level‑up they unlock new offers (the exact number depends on profession/edition, but up to two per level is typical). The level badge in the UI confirms progress.

Stocks & restocks. Each offer has a limited quantity per cycle. After a set number of trades (varies by item), that slot greys out. Villagers restock by working at their workstation during work hours up to two times per day.

Prices & demand. Prices rise if you repeatedly buy the same thing and fall again after restock or if you vary what you purchase. A small reputation bonus with the village further improves prices.

Locking trades. The first successful trade “locks” the villager: they keep their profession and base offers. Before you trade, you can still reroll by removing and placing the job site block again to generate a new set.

Edition quirks.

• Java Edition: Restock logic is tied to work time + workstation access.
• Bedrock Edition: Proper bed linking affects restocks; if a villager can’t pathfind to their bed or station, they may not level up or restock.

Villager Professions & Job‑Site Blocks (What They Buy/Sell)

There are 13 unique professions; claiming a job site block determines the trade pool. Two additional villager types Unemployed and Nitwit do not trade. Professions are determined by claiming an unclaimed job‑site block.

Nitwits cannot gain a profession and do not trade. Unemployed villagers will start trading once they claim a job site block.

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Farmer Villagers (farmer trade pool)

Farmer villagers belong to the farmer trade pool and are easy to spot they’re the ones wearing straw hats next to a Composter. Typical buys include crops; sells include bread and golden carrots.

Weaponsmith Villager Trades

The weaponsmith villager trades progress from basic gear to enchanted swords and axes at higher levels, making them a reliable path to mid‑ and late‑game damage items.

Stone Mason Villager Profession

The stone mason villager profession (called Mason on Java) buys clay and sells stone and brick variants; at master level Stone Mason you unlock bulk decorative blocks for large builds.

Trading Levels & Unlocks

• Villagers won’t level up if they can’t access their workstation.
• Removing the job block strips profession if no trade has been completed; once you make a trade, the villager keeps the profession even if the block is removed.

Restocks, Prices & Discounts

Restock cadence. Villagers attempt to restock during work hours if they can reach their workstation; most can restock up to twice per day. If a trade is out of stock, wait for the next restock cycle.

Price fluctuations. Repeatedly buying the same offer makes prices climb. Mixing trades or waiting after restock makes them drop again.

Discount sources.

• Curing a Zombie Villager → permanent personal discount with that villager.
• Hero of the Village (earned after a successful raid defense) → temporary discount across the village.
• Good reputation (helping villagers, avoiding negative actions) → small passive discount.

Librarian Trading (Books & “Mending”)

Librarians are the go‑to for enchanted book trades including high‑value options like Mending, Unbreaking, Efficiency, etc. You can:

• Reroll trades by breaking/placing the Lectern until you see a book you want, then lock it with one trade.
• With experimental Villager Trade Rebalance enabled (varies by version), librarians’ book pools may shift and biome can matter; high‑value books often appear at Master. Always check your world settings and version.

Wandering Trader Trades

The Wandering Trader has his own rotating pool. He doesn’t level up and can’t be “locked,” but he’s great for saplings, dyes, decorative blocks, and biome‑exclusive plants early on. His two llamas are cosmetic; you trade directly with the trader.

Building a Villager Trading Hall (for Efficiency)

A trading hall makes prices predictable and restocks reliable. Basic blueprint:

1. Cells & pathfinding. Place each villager in a 1×1 or 1×2 cell with clear access to their job site block and (for Bedrock) a bed.
2. Work shift control. Keep stations reachable during day; fence off zombies to avoid panic.
3. Lock desired trades. Before any relocation, trade once to secure offers.
4. Discount engine. Add curing rooms to convert zombie villagers and provide permanent discounts.
5. Storage & routing. Hoppers/chests for crops (farmer), sticks/flint (fletcher) make emerald farming hands‑off.
6. Signage. Label cells (Armorer, Librarian Mending, etc.) for quick access.

Optimizing Villager Trading (Quick Wins)

• Farmable → Emerald loops. Turn renewable items (crops, paper, sticks, flint) into emeralds for a stable economy.
• Early game: Farmer (crop sales) + Fletcher (sticks/flint → arrow trade) get you tools/food fast.
• Mid game: Toolsmith/Weaponsmith for diamond gear; Cleric for ender pearls/redstone.
• Late game: Librarians for enchanted books; Armorer for diamond armor.
• Price control: Cure, build reputation, and don’t spam the same slot; rotate purchases to keep trading prices low.
• While trading, rotate offers to keep prices low.

Common Issues & Fixes

• Villager won’t trade / level up → Ensure clear path to workstation (and bed on Bedrock).
• “Out of stock” persists → Wait for work hours; check that the villager actually worked their station.
• Unemployed villager refuses to take a job → The job site block may already be claimed; remove others nearby or isolate the villager with a single station.
• Nitwit problem → Nitwits cannot take a profession. Replace with a new villager.
• Changed/unstable offers → You traded before getting the right offer. Reroll before the first trade by breaking/placing the station.
• Zombie attack broke trading → Cure the villager with Splash Potion of Weakness + Golden Apple to restore and gain a discount.

Villager Professions & Example Trade Themes (Quick Reference)

Use this for planning a hall. These are themes, not exhaustive lists exact items and prices vary with edition and version.

• Farmer trade pool: crops in, food out (bread, pumpkin pie, golden carrots).
• Fletcher: sticks/flint in; arrows, bows, crossbows out.
• Librarian trading: paper/books in; enchanted book trades, bookshelves, name tag out.
• Cleric: rotten flesh in; redstone, lapis, ender pearls out.
• Armorer/Toolsmith/Weaponsmith: ores/fuel in; iron → diamond gear out at higher levels.
• Mason: clay in; stone/brick variants out.
• Shepherd: wool in; colored wool/carpets/banners out.
• Butcher/Fisherman/Leatherworker/Cartographer: food gear, fish gear, leather gear/saddle, maps/compasses respectively.

FAQ

How many villager professions are there?

13 unique professions plus Unemployed and Nitwit (no trades).

How often do villagers restock?

They can restock up to two times per in‑game day if they can reach their workstation (and bed on Bedrock).

What’s the fastest way to get emeralds?

Build crop farms (Farmer trades), stick/flint farms (Fletcher), or paper (Cartographer/Librarian). Convert farmables into emeralds first, then buy the gear you want.

How do I get a Mending book?

Use a Librarian. Reroll a Lectern until you see Mending, then lock the trade by buying once. In worlds with the Villager Trade Rebalance experiment, high‑value books may be tied to specific biomes at Master level check your version.

Can villagers lose their profession?

If they haven’t traded yet, removing the job site block can unassign the job. Once you complete a trade, the profession is locked.

Do prices always go up?

Prices rise with repeated demand and fall after restock or if you buy different items. Curing and Hero of the Village apply additional discounts.