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What’s new in Minecraft 1.21?

What’s new in Minecraft 1.21?

Minecraft
5 min read

Let's take a quick look at all the changes in Minecraft 1.21, aptly named "Tricky Trials". This update contains many new challenges, focusing on enhancing your experience in adventure, combat, and some much-anticipated automation. Let's unpack what this means for you!

Fresh Features

Minecraft 1.21 brings a some features that have been long-standing favorites in the modded community to vanilla gameplay. Auto-crafting, new mobs, innovative weapons, and the procedurally generated vaults are just the tip of the iceberg. As a modded player, I love the things that modded minecraft brings to the game including ways to automate crafting and farming. And this update finally brings some new things to Vanilla in this area! I always start a new vanilla world when there's a new update, and I've really been looking forward to this one!

New Blocks

  • Copper Variants: Introducing Chiseled Copper, Copper Bulb (think a toggling Redstone lamp), Copper Grate, Copper Trap Door, and Copper Door. Don't forget the waxed versions to keep them shiny and bright as new! You'll definitely want to wax the Copper Bulb as it gets dimmer as it oxidizes. How cool is that?
  • Tuff Stuff: We've got Stairs, Slabs, and Walls made of Tuff, along with polished and chiseled variants. Builders, rejoice!

Trial Chambers

This update isn't just about materials; it's about experiences. From a cartographer villager, you can snag a Trial Explorer Map leading you to a Trial Chamber. These new structures, built from the aforementioned blocks, house the challenging Trial Spawners. Dare to face them to earn a Trial Key! We'll get into these things in a bit more detail below.

Meet the New Mobs

  • Bogged: A skeleton variant that's slower but packs a punch with poison arrows. Watch out for them in swamps and Trial Chambers.
  • Breeze: These airy creatures shoot wind charges and drop Breeze Rods—essential for crafting some new items!

New Items

  • Wind Charge: A new dynamic in combat and mobility. Not only does it damage, when it hits, it triggers redstone. Throw it while jumping to boost your leap!
  • Pottery Sherds and Banner Patterns: Embrace the winds with themed decorative items.
  • Vaults and Armor Trims: Unlock unique items with Ominous Keys or style your armor with new trims for that personalized touch.
  • Vaults - use your vault keys to unlock

The Ominous Additions

  • Ominous Bottles: Engage with the new Raid Omen effect from illager captains or unlock the potential of Ominous Vaults for superior rewards.
  • Ominous Vaults: Vaults that drop even better stuff
  • The Heavy Core: A key ingredient for crafting the formidable mace with enchantments like Density, Breach, and Wind Burst.

Auto-Crafting: A Game Changer

The long-awaited auto-crafting feature, simply named the 'Crafter,' is here! This is a game-changer for those of us who love to set up crafting automation.

New Potions

The update introduces four new potions, each with unique effects that open up novel ways to farm resources:

  • Wind Charging Potion: When a mob has a wind effect, they cause a gust when they die.
  • Oozing Potion: Every mob defeated while under this effect drops slime. Imagine the possibilities for creating efficient slime farms without needing to find a slime chunk!
  • Weaving Potion: This potion causes cobwebs to spawn when a mob with this effect dies, perfect for farms that require slowing down mobs or collecting string.
  • Infested Potion: Release silverfish when a mob with this effect dies. Not only does this add a new layer of defense, but it’s also great for XP farms, and when combined these other effects, you can get some AFK farming going.

The Mace

One of the most thrilling introductions in Minecraft 1.21 is the Mace, a weapon that redefines high-risk, high-reward combat strategies. The Mace has a new damage mechanism where the damage output increases with the height from which you attack. However, this comes with a caveat: you also take fall damage, making tactical positioning and precise timing crucial in harnessing its full potential. Can you say Feather Falling?

Enchantments Tailored for the Bold

  • Density: This enchantment increases the Mace's damage, turning it into an even more formidable weapon against heavily armored foes.
  • Breach: Reduces the effectiveness of an opponent's armor, allowing the Mace to bypass defenses and deal significant damage.
  • Wind Burst: Adds a unique twist by propelling you upwards when you strike, perfect for initiating or escaping combat and increasing damage by hitting again on the way down!

New Sounds and Sights

Minecraft 1.21 isn't just about tactile gameplay changes; it also enriches the auditory and visual experience:

  • Music Discs and Tracks: Get ready for new music discs like 'Creator' and 'Precipice,' accompanied by a fresh music box variant. The update also introduces a new panorama that reflects the "Tricky Trials" theme, immersing players even deeper into the game’s atmosphere.
  • New Paintings and Ambient Sounds: Decorate your space with a series of new paintings that capture the adventurous spirit of this update. Also, enjoy enhanced ambient cave sounds that make exploring underground more thrilling than ever.

I'm thinking this update is a great one. This update is set to revitalize minecraft, bringing a slice of modded gameplay joy to the vanilla environment.

As always, it will take some time for mod developers to adapt, but the potential for future modpacks is immense. Stay tuned as we continue to explore and adapt to this ever-changing game.