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Let's talk about Netherite Upgrading!

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Alongside armor trims, we’re also making changes to netherite upgrading. To upgrade your diamond tools and armor to Netherite variants, you will now need a Smithing Template called “Netherite Upgrade”, which can only be found in Bastion Remnant chests. We’re hoping that this change will unify the gear upgrading system with the introduction of armor trims, as well as make exploring Bastion Remnant structures a more integral part of game progression.

We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on this change, so let us know what you think in the comments!


How to test new Minecraft Features: 
https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/article/testing-new-minecraft-features

Latest Changelogs:

You can find all previous changelogs in the Knowledge Base in the "Beta Information and Changelogs" category.

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  • 1
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    Making it do that Piglin brutes had a small chance to drop them on death could be a way of making it more of a guarantee a player would find them without visiting multiple bastions yet without just giving them for free without a challenge

  • 1
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    I think the idea of using another item is great to upgrade from diamond to netherite. I just dont like the idea of duplicating Upgrade Templates, seems cheaty. I like that you have to go to bastions now. Really glad Netherite is a bit harder to get now!

    I also think the idea of the trims is great, and if you dont like it just dont put trims on your armor. I also like the idea of adding some kind of affect to the trims for example Gold trims dont agro the Piglins.

    (idea for redstone trim boots, when walking iver redstone dust itll activate the redstone dust, just a thought while writing this)

    Although it can be changed with resource packs, I feel like the look of the templates is a bit off, I dont know how to better explain it, they just seem awkward. Same applies for all the other templates.

    NETHERITE HORSE ARMOR!!!!

    in summary:
    keep new upgrade system and bastion idea

    dont add item duplication for upgrade templates

    keep templates just maybe different sprite for them

    possibly add effects/passive abilities for trims

    netherite horse armor

  • 0
    Registered User commented
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    Absolutely love this new mechanic as it makes you have adventures you might not normally have chosen to do. Can't wait to see the Hermits set up shops to sell these new templates.

  • 2
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    Bastions are already annoying to find, if they are supposed to become obligatory for player progression they should at least be more common, (maybe adding some more variations that are slightly smaller so that they don't clutter the nether too much)

    Also adding a way to more reliably finding them other than just walking throught the nether for hours while getting frustrated.

    Also if Mojang wants/expects players to find one template and duplicate it they should probably reduce the cost! It would be over a stack of diamonds to upgrade your 4 amour slots, sword, 2 pickaxes (one with silk touch and one with fortune), axe, shovel and hoe

  • 0
    Registered User commented
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    This adds a few issues with large multiplayer servers where if people decide to get netherite armor, eventually new players would no longer be able to get netherite, stopping progression.

    And even in a survival world newer players could have trouble with looting bastions to get armor, and even for more experienced players it now becomes not worth it to get netherite armor when diamond armor is renewable and with mending+unbreaking 3, probably won't break.

    TLDR: For large multiplayer servers, netherite becomes very hard to obtain normally. New players could have trouble with looting bastions because of the stronger mobs. Experienced players might not have a need to get netherite armor anymore, causing this change to not matter.

    TLDR for the TLDR: Inconvenient for both new players, experienced players and servers.

    TLDR For the TLDR for the TLDR: bad change disliked not updating

  • 9
    Registered User commented
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    Make it so that the upgrade template can be found in all nether structures not only the bastion! This should give the players more options, even if bastions are the easiest way to find them

  • 0
    Registered User commented
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    I feel as if there should be another way to get the Netherite Upgrade apart from the Bastions.

    With worlds with an effective world border, or with existing worlds that have had a large area of the nether explored, there is now no way for new players to get these templates... or existing players to make more netherite gear.

    Without some type of alternative, existing worlds and all of multiplayer gets screwed over by this being the only way. While I am unsure of how it would be done... there needs to either be a mob drop or craftable version that allows you to get it. Maybe there could be a trade or barter for it?

  • 1
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    Since netherite gear is getting even harder to obtain I would say making netherite more common would be a great way to offset this. Also make it so one netherite scrap fully heals one piece of armour or tool, instead of having to use an ingot.

    This would also help stuff like the lodestone become more acessibile

  • 4
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    I honestly wish the netherite upgrade template had a more special manufacturing method and separated from the rest, since well, it's something very different, maybe put a weeping obsidian where the stone is and surround it with black stone with diamond corners be a good idea!

  • 23
    Registered User commented
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    A big issue I am seeing with attempts to balance minecraft in general is too much focus on professional gamers and those with a lot of time to play. This can easily put things well beyond the reach of casual gamers.
    A full set of netherite gear was already quite difficult to obtain for a casual player, and this will just make it worse.
    It also wont significantly impact professional gamers and those with lots of time on their hand, as they can still quickly get it.
    If anything you should be making netherite easier to obtain, or removing it entirely.

  • 1
    Registered User commented
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    If Netherite is now harder to achieve, it should also be more rewarding. The Netherite pickaxe currently only has the advantage of having more durability than the diamond one. I think it should be given the ability to insta-mine deepslate when enchanted with Efficiency V and using a Haste II beacon. This would make upgrading the pickaxe to Netherite something actually useful, apart from having the extra durability. It would make sense for the game, having to collect a resource in the deepest part of a dimension to be able to mine the blocks of the deepest caves of other dimension.

  • 14
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    Personally, I'm not fond of needing the upgrade template to convert diamond armor to Netherite. The only reason we'd need such a mechanic is if there were other materials stronger than diamond that we could upgrade to, in addition to netherite. That, or set it so we can upgrade other armor sets to higher tiers as well, in a progression system of sorts. I'm not saying you should eliminate crafting armor the old way, mind you, so much as I'm suggesting a way to keep your enchantments as you get better and better armor materials. As it stands, though, the upgrade template has no reason to exist, because it makes it even harder for casuals who already don't know the best meta-level debris-gathering strategies to get top-tier armor.

  • 4
    Registered User commented
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    I think being able to upgrade armor from earlier tiers would be a good idea, especially with new armor trims. so you can keep your customizations as you progress

  • 1
    Registered User commented
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    I propose a complete rework on how templates work.

    Instead of being single use, they would have 3 uses. You could refuel 1 use of them using an anvil and 4 diamonds (akin to fixing a tool). They could also be duplicated to trade with other players, for that you would use the template you already have with a. Diamond block surrounded by the biome specific block. That would give you a new template with one single use and leave your old one in the crafting table (in a similar way to how the bucket stays there when you craft a cake)

  • 13
    Registered User commented
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    I dont like the netherite template idea. Since i hate bastions. I never go near them. I would be much more into the idea of you need to get as much netherite ingots to make armor outright. Instead of upgrading diamond you need to make netherite armor as every other armor. So you need much more ancient debris. Maybe Even change the recipe for netherite ingot to 9 ancient debris to make one ingot instead of 4 plus 4 gold. I dont mind making netherite armor to be more difficult to get. But I dont like the idea of only getting the template to make it from a bastion. But that may only be me. And for the duplication of all the trim templates i dont mind. I think its a great use for diamonds in late game. Since they are more or less useless otherwise.

  • 0
    Registered User commented
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    i like what has been done to the smithing table and the change to how netherite is upgraded to. but the netherite upgrade template being made out of netherrack feels way too cheap for what it makes, i think it should be made from a material that's like not too common in the nether. would prefer ancient debris but if that's too expensive then could probably be some form of processed blackstone like polished/bricks or whatnot, obsidian or its crying variant and or possibly at least basalt

    i just don't like how cheep the netherite upgrade template looks, the way it looks should reflect the fact that it makes some of the strongest equipment that is currently in the game

  • 1
    Registered User commented
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    The 'Netherite Upgrade' item texture makes no sense, like what is it specifically and visually? Its some rectangle with a blue arrow on it, how would that realisticly help upgrade armour? It feels more rewarding to pick up something like 'Ancient Debris' or 'Netherite Scrap' because its a believable resource that could exist in the real world. But finding a red rectangle with a blue arrow on it that magically makes your armour turn into netherite makes no sense.

    It should have a picture of armour or a sword on it rather then a blue up arrow. Then that feels more beliavable on how this smithing template help builds something like armour or a sword.

  • 3
    Registered User commented
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    From a single player perspective I find this change very interesting, adding a little extra difficulty to obtain netherite armor is a good change of pace and brings bastions in as a mandatory step to game progression where they could have been skipped completely beforehand unless the player wanted to obtain pigstep.

    This shows the end game is really there and I appreciate that change as a conscious choice instead of "I went mining in the nether for awhile."

    However... Looking at a multiplayer prespective I believe for larger communities this will not be a great change. finding ancient debris on larger servers is very difficult already as areas are cleared out pretty quickly and limited if a world border is set. Adding a unique item to obtain will require players to explore more areas.. or the price of an item between players will be rather expensive if they choose to duplicate the item with diamonds/netherrack. From that perspective it can help bring another item to the in game economy on servers that function through that.

     

    Overall I think the change is good for my playstyle and I guess I need to finally figure out how to fight a piglin brute... oh no!

    The duplication element is very interesting as diamonds have lost a LOT of their value with villager trading giving diamond gear for as little as 1 diamond so bringing those back into progression is welcome to see!

  • 4
    Registered User commented
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    My first thought with this change is what lots of others have said as well. I think if Netherite is going to be harder to get then it needs a buff. I definitely think that the netherite pickaxe should be buffed so that you can insta-mine deepslate with efficiency 5 + haste 2

  • 7
    Registered User commented
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    I really appreciate the intention and ultimate impact of this change, and my only issue is with the duplication and use of these templates. As expensive as they are, it functionally places simply trimming your armor at an identical cost to upgrading it to netherite, in terms of diamond expenditure. This feels mismatched, and makes trimming a piece of gear with netherite identical to creating netherite armor itself in terms of material costs (a template + the piece of gear + 1 netherite ingot). You can trim a piece of diamond armor with netherite OR upgrade it to netherite with the same ingot.

    With something as materially-focused as armor, where's all that material going? Using netherite scrap might make more sense.

    Further, duplicating any template costs 7 diamonds - the same amount as a set of pants. What's going on there? What are these templates made of? They're clearly a stone tablet encrusted with diamond, but that many? For any template? Why is that needed, within the physical context of the item?

    Here's my proposal: Treat these existing templates as "master" templates. They themselves cannot be used in a smithing table, but they can be copied to paper, with these paper blueprints consumed upon use in a smithing table. This would make the individual templates more special and desirable, especially in multiplayer settings, without significantly impacting their usability, and making bulk use easier. It would also allow them to be copied and shared abundantly - or not.

  • 2
    Registered User commented
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    Personally I think most things in this addition were done well. I do have two minor issues, though:
    - I feel like having an "armor template" feels a bit more like modded Minecraft territory. Instead, why not change the item into something along the lines of "Broken Netherite Armor" or "Netherite Armor Mold"? Functionally it would be identical, it would just fit with Minecraft more (at least in my opinion).
    - The recipe to clone the template feels slightly cheap. Maybe instead of Netherrack, it could use a Diamond Block while replacing the surrounding Diamonds with Netherrack? That may not entirely solve the issue, but it is a start.

    Overall, I love this addition. It makes netherite armor feel even more significant.

  • 12
    Registered User commented
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    I almost never get netherite equipment in survival because it doesnt add enough to my maxed diamond armor. So adding another step would make me want to get netherite less.

  • 2
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    It seems like a good idea to me that it is somewhat difficult to achieve, but I think that the change between a diamond armor and a netherite armor should be improved more since it is not as significant as it was from iron to diamond, this would make having a netherite armor is more difficult but at the same time it would help you more and it would be more rewarding.
  • 10
    Registered User commented
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    I think this is a solid change for singleplayer, but could very easily lead to toxic or just overly difficult situations in a multiplayer server. Since Bastions are a rather spread out structure in the nether, on servers with a larger player count, it would be really easy for a small group of players to be able to relatively easily take all of the Netherite Upgrades from all nearby bastions, discouraging players from playing at their own pace since it means when they choose to get netherite, they'll have to look for Bastions that could be thousands or even tens of thousands of blocks from spawn just to achieve netherite gear, which is more of an obnoxious time commitment than an actual difficulty. This creates room for toxicity, since players could easily horde these items and therefore almost monopolize the highest tier of tools and armor in the game, especially in servers with smaller world borders. 

    Essentially, this would be the equivalent of players prior to this update being able to take all of the Ancient Debris within a thousand blocks of spawn in the amount of time it would take them to loot of a few bastions. They're instantly able to block off new or slower-paced players from getting to this tier in the game without travelling super far out in the nether. I think for multiplayer, this could hinder a lot of players' experiences and discourage them from playing at their own pace. 

  • 1
    Registered User commented
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    I see this as a great change as it makes netherite a more significant feat. Moreover, it creates an incentive for players to mine diamonds which is something that was missing previously as every diamond tool and armor piece are available through trading with villagers. Giving diamonds a new important use as well as increasing the challenge required to obtain netherite, is by all means an excellent change. I look forward to seeing updates like this which make the game more challenging and create new incentives to explore the world.

  • 4
    Registered User commented
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    I am a big fan of the new Netherite upgrade mechanics.

    One of my complaints about the bastion in general was that other than the pigstep disc, they didn't really give loot that enhanced gameplay relative to their challenge. This change forces you to complete a bastion in order to progress to the final armor stage, which elevates the structure.

    My one concern is that the increase in difficulty does not relate to the increase in benefits from netherite armor, which in my mind, now needs either a resistance buff or a durability buff to be worth the higher difficulty.

  • 1
    Registered User commented
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    I don't mind this new upgrade path, as you could practically have "endgame" tier armor in an hour before. 

    However, I do agree that maybe we need to see netherite buffed a little since now you have to spend more effort to obtain armor that's only a pinch above diamond in terms of durability. 

    A new use for diamonds is a bonus too. Usually I end up with several double chests full of them by the time I'm into the more creative projects section of my playthrough.

  • 16
    Registered User commented
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    I don't like the idea of being required to loot repetitive bastions to upgrade gear. I don't dislike bastions, I love them in fact but I know I will grow to dislike them if I am forced to go to them instead of progressing however I feel at a particular time or in a particular playthrough.

    Maybe it would not be so bad if the poor loot in Nether Fortresses had them as well. Give a reason to loot those beyond blaze rods.

    But overall, I never had a issue with how netherite is obtained now. You know how it goes, Don't fix what isn't broken and all that.

  • 6
    Registered User commented
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    I think is a good change, but is so hard to find the netherite upgrade, I think the solution of this proble is increment the probability of find a netherite upgade in bastions r and include the upgrade in nether fortless.

  • 13
    Registered User commented
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    A lot of the content in the Nether for critical items is renewable. Wither Skulls, Piglin bartering, Blaze spawners, plants, etc.

    To need a template for 8 pieces of tools and armor (plus the auxiliary tools or backups we all make, like silk touch tools or boots with special enchants) is a bit much.

    People say "what do we do with all these diamonds?" Well now youre going to be using them on 10 or more templates (not including the ones you need for the gear itself). I dont really mine for diamonds after I get my gear. With the new trims, it might be worth mining to make the *required* copies, but at this point your mining solely to progress the bread and butter of the game: your gear. And its mostly cosmetic!

    Villager trading is going to be even more ubiquitous because of this. I dont want to extend the time I need to gather diamonds. I seek good gear for mining blocks and location specific items/materials, not the other way around. Besides diamonds, you also need to grind for ancient debris (and gold). Many layers to this change, and it mostly feels like artificially inflating the mid game.

    Either buff Netherite gear or nerf template copying requirements. I personally would prefer obtaining ONE template and permanently learning the recipe myself. Losing gear is bad enough, grinding THAT much to replace it all is too much.