holding a stick gives you an armor value

early game armor is really getting better now that you can make armor from copper. 

in real life, a stick is the ultimate tool, it can reach, it can help, but it can also keep you safe. 

maybe it takes a special stick to make a weapon, but ANY stick can protect you from animals and such. 

early game minecraft, particularly for speedrunner types or big beginnings on smps, would probably change a lot if holding a stick did for the player what it does for the person irl ,, it gives them a small armor value!