7 hidden secrets a beginner should know in Minecraft's 1.19 update

Minecraft's 1.19 update has only been released for a short time, and players are still discovering its nuances. Even for seasoned veterans, there are several aspects of the patch that are not readily apparent.

For beginners, it can be difficult to notice all of Minecraft 1.19's secrets without a little help. Fortunately, the community is welcoming, and many hidden features in The Wild Update have been shared at large. There are a large number of secrets that Mojang has not let players in on directly, and Minecraft beginners can find some of the more notable examples below.

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Minecraft: Beginner-friendly secrets introduced in version 1.19

7) The Warden's Heartbeat

Minecraft 1.19's Warden mob (Image via Mojang)

The Warden is the deadliest mob to arrive in Minecraft in quite some time, and beginners will want to use all of their wits to overcome it. One of the often overlooked aspects of this mob is the souls nesting in its chest.

These souls operate as a heartbeat of sorts, which players can hear when in the Warden's vicinity. As it becomes suspicious or zeroes in on its target, the mighty mob's heartbeat will increase in pace and grow louder. Minecraft players can use this to gauge if the creature is searching for them or has found them and is closing in on the attack.

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6) Sculk Sensor Redstone Signals

Minecraft 1.19's sculk sensor blocks (Image via Mojang)

Found in the deep dark biome, sculk sensor blocks detect vibrations and sounds that can potentially disturb sculk shriekers. However, these blocks are also applicable in redstone machinery. When sculk sensors activate, they emit a redstone pulse.

Interestingly enough, depending on the sound that triggers them, these sensor blocks release signals of different strengths. Walking near the block emits a signal of one, while a projectile landing near it emits a signal of eight. Depending on the player's redstone needs, this makes sculk sensors one of the most variable blocks in the game.

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5) Night Vision and Darkness

Darkness obscures a player's vision (Image via Rajcraft/Youtube)

When sculk shriekers are disturbed in Minecraft, they afflict players with the Darkness status effect. This effect pulses a player's vision between normal vision and total darkness. However, a little known trick can be applied to overcome it.

If players use potions of night vision when the effect activates, the capabilities of Darkness are substantially alleviated. Furthermore, players can enter their settings and use the in-game slider to reduce the efficiency of the status effect even further.

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4) Sculk Shrieker Disturbance Limit

A sculk shrieker block in Minecraft 1.19 (Image via Mojang)

Sculk shriekers emit a terrible sound when disturbed. However, they have a set number of shrieks before they summon a Warden. According to in-game subtitles, sculk shriekers can be disturbed four times before a Warden is summoned to their location.

Players of all experience levels should keep this in mind as they explore the deep dark, as it can be the difference between a continued adventure and being attacked by one of the game's strongest mobs.

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3) Forming Mud into Clay

Pointed dripstone can "dry out" mud blocks (Image via Mojang)

The Wild Update introduced mud blocks in mangrove swamp biomes. However, these blocks can be formed into clay by using a block introduced in the Caves & Cliffs update.

By placing a mud block above a pointed dripstone block, the dripstone will eventually dry out the mud and turn it into a clay block. This is a particular boon for Minecraft: Bedrock Edition players, as this finally provides the ability to build a renewable source of clay blocks that have been impossible before without mods or addons.

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2) Wool, Water, and Sculk Sensors

Waterlogged sculk sensors (Image via u/Nolan_Ninja/Reddit)

Sculk sensors are quite sensitive. However, it is possible to insulate them from detecting vibrations and sounds through two methods. For starters, players can place wool blocks around the sensor, which will prevent it from doing its job. Wool blocks also prevent a sensor from picking up a player's footsteps.

If a sculk sensor is covered in water, it effectively becomes inert and cannot receive any sensory information. This can be incredibly vital when exploring the deep dark in order to avoid upsetting sculk shriekers.

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1) Changes to Nether Spawning

An Enderman in the Nether (Image via u/Billabomb75/Reddit)

In previous game versions, the Nether's spawning mechanics for mobs operated largely like the Overworld. However, this has changed in The Wild Update. Mobs such as piglins, endermen, wither skeletons, and more can appear now as long as the light level is at 11 or below.

This changes the rules of the Overworld substantially, where hostile mobs are only capable of spawning if the light level is zero. This makes the Nether more dangerous for players, but the danger of the Nether is one of its most notable features.