Minecraft's Nether update arrives today!!
With it comes a whole heap of new content in the Nether.
Let's go over everything we know about the upcoming update 1.16.0.
Java Edition players are eagerly awaiting the next update, which promises to make the Nether more playable than ever before.
So, what will we get when it finally arrives?
1.16.0 now live
Mojang has confirmed that the update has now arrived for Java Edition players.
Minecraft Java Tech Lead u/sliced_lime confirmed its release on Reddit along with extensive patch notes.
How to get the update
To ensure you start playing with the new update is pretty simple.
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Make sure your Minecraft Launcher is set to the "Latest Release" installation to automatically update to the new 1.16.0 version.
Minecraft Java Edition Update 1.16.0
Update 1.16.0 will bring huge playability to the Nether.
No longer will it just be a place to get blaze rods and wither skulls.
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New biomes are coming, along with more mobs, ores, items, and tools.
Let's take a look...
New Nether mobs
We all know about zombie pigmen, but the Nether mob world is expanding!
Piglins will be the most common of the new mobs. They are more hostile than zombie pigmen and will attack you, but you can deter their wrath by wearing gold armour!
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Their love of gold means that if you are in a suit of gold you can even barter with them.
OOOOO: There's plenty to look at in the new Nether
Hoglins are huge beasts and immediately hostile towards you. However, they can be very useful. They are a food source in the Nether, dropping pork when killed.
If you want to keep them at arm's length or make them a little more docile, you'll need some of the new items available in the updated Nether biomes...
Nether biomes
There are two new forests entering the Nether. The Warped Forests are the safest part of the Nether as Hoglins flee from Warped Fungi. Crimson Forests attract Hoglins though, so be ready for a fight if you stumble into them.
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The third new biome is the Soulsand Valley. Here you will find a lot of skeletons and fossilised remains.
Netherite
Welcome to your new best friend.
The main reason to go exploring in the new Nether is Netherite. This high-level ore is even stronger than diamond but is a bit complicated to get.
First, you'll need to find ancient debris. Like diamond these spawn in the lower levels of the Nether. We're talking Y11-16. They are very rare though.
INVINCIBLE: Or as close to it as possible
Once you get them, you'll have to smelt them to make Netherite Scraps. Four of those, plus four gold ingots, will make just ONE Netherite ingot... ouch.
Thankfully, Netherite tools and armour are superior and more durable than their diamond counterparts.
New blocks
The Nether update is introducing a ton of new blocks that can be used in a million different ways.
- Target blocks: hit with an arrow to send out a redstone signal.
- Crimson Stems and Warped Stems: wood-like materials.
- Basalt blocks: similar to pillars and can be placed in any direction.
- Crimson Nylium and Warped Nylium: ground surface blocks. Nylium can be spread by using bone meal on Netherrack.
- Nether Sprouts, Crimson Roots and Warped Roots: vegetation blocks.
- Crimson Fungi and Warped Fungi: can be grown using bone meal.
- Weeping Vines: vines grow from the bottom of the block.
- Shroomlights: a source of natural light.
- Soul Soil: when fire touches this soil the flames turn blue.
- Warped Warts: decorative blocks.
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You can use these blocks to refresh your base, or create a whole new Nether fortress for yourself.
When will the Nether update come to Bedrock Edition?
Bedrock Edition no longer lags behind the Java Edition like it did. Currently on v1.14.6, Bedrock players will see 1.15, a bug-fix & parity update, rolled into the Nether update and should get 1.16 when Java players do.
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