Best features and changes in Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.70.23 beta and preview

The Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.70.23 beta and preview was released on February 12, 2025. The experimental build introduces an array of features, such as revamped trader mechanics for the wandering trader, new maps for the cartographer, and more. Additionally, it institutes some much-needed modifications to improve the gameplay experience for players.

This article lists the best features and changes in Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.70.23 beta and preview.

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Best features and changes made in Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.70.23 beta and preview

1) Cartographer and wandering trader rebalance

Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.70.23 beta and preview finally implemented the village trader rebalance (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming/Mojang Studios)

The Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.70.23 beta and preview finally integrates the much-awaited village trader rebalance experimental changes to the cartographer and wandering trader mob, unlocking a host of new trade options.

Cartographers now sell seven maps, each of which points to a new village or structure in a different biome. Additionally, the cartographers from different village types will sell a different range of maps and colored banners.

Meanwhile, the wandering trader now has better prices, more trades, and sells larger amounts of items. The mob will also buy basic supplies from players in exchange for emeralds, allowing them to sell excess stock.

The wandering trader will offer to buy two items from this list:

• Water Bottle
• Water Bucket
• Milk Bucket
• Fermented Spider Eye
• Baked Potato
• Hay Bale

This feature in the Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.70.23 beta and preview makes the wandering trader a great way to earn some emeralds, one of the most important currencies in the game, which can be used with other villager mobs like the cartographer and weaponsmith.

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2) New sheep spawn mechanic

Sheep received new spawning criteria in the Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.70.23 beta and preview (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming/Mojang Studios)

Mojang has improved the features of a host of flora and fauna with the introduction of variants for pigs, cows, and chickens. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the sheep has received a facelift in the Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.70.23 beta and preview.

Sheep now have updated rules for which color of wool they have based on which biome they spawn in. Like the hot and cold variants for mobs like cows and pigs, sheep will also appear with specific shades based on the spawn area.

Temperate biomes (these colors are unchanged from current behavior):

• Common sheep color is white
• Uncommon sheep colors are black, gray, light gray, and brown
• There is a rare chance for a pink Sheep to spawn

Cold biomes:

• Common Sheep color is black
• Uncommon Sheep colors are light gray, light blue, blue, and cyan
• There is a rare chance for a pink Sheep to spawn

Warm biomes:

• Common Sheep color is brown
• Uncommon Sheep colors are gray, yellow, orange, and red
• There is a rare chance for a pink Sheep to spawn

The Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.70.23 beta and preview keeps the current spawning rule in mind, rendering the chances of obtaining the pink sheep as rare as ever. Apart from this, the other visual styles will reflect the temperature of the biome — hot biomes will produce sheep with yellow, orange, or red color, while cold biomes will be the perfect place to obtain light blue, cyan, and other lighter variants.

The temperate biomes, like plains and forests, will spawn uncommon sheep colors, such as black, gray, and light brown — the variants seen commonly in the world currently.

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3) Overhaul to blocks

Many blocks received functional and behavioral changes in the Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.70.23 beta and preview (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming/Mojang Studios)

Many blocks have received changes to their function and behavior as part of the Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.70.23 beta and preview.

The bush block, which was introduced recently, can now be snowlogged. It can also finally be replaced by other blocks. Additionally, it only drops itself when broken with shears or with a tool enchanted with Silk Touch.

The firefly bush can also be snowlogged. However, it has received a major overhaul to its world generation — the update lowers its chances of being attempted to be placed by water and reduces its patch size when placed within 2-5. Additionally, the block now has the same bonemealing properties as the base bush, making it a great way to farm this unique way of introducing fireflies.

Similarly, the leaf litter is now replaceable and can only be placed on blocks that provide full surface support. Meanwhile, the cactus flowers can be placed on farmland blocks.

In a surprise move, enderman can no longer pick up cactus flowers. Meanwhile, the warped and crimson fungi no longer z-fight, while the short and tall dry grass are now randomly offset, like the regular grass variants.

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4) Friends Drawer overhaul

The Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.70.23 beta and preview makes an overhaul to the Friends Drawer (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming/Mojang Studios)

The Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.70.23 beta and preview overhauls the Friends drawer, making it easier for players to access their list of friends. As part of the update, one can now also find the Friends Drawer in Create New World, Edit World, and the gamer profile. This expands the current offering of its availability in the Play Screen, Main Menu, and Game Menu.

The revamped Friends Drawer will be found in the top-right corner of the screen, providing a seamless way for players to connect with their friends and send invites or join their sessions on Minecraft Realms and other servers.

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