Minecraft 1.20.2 update patch notes: Mob attack changes, diamond ore changes, and more

Minecraft 1.20.2 was released for Java Edition on September 21, 2023, after multiple pre-releases and a slew of experimental snapshots. It brings with it significant social and gameplay changes that substantially alter the post-Trails & Tales landscape. Since this is the case, it isn't a bad idea for players to get acquainted with the most important implementations.

Among the notable additions and tweaks include a new reporting system for Minecraft player skins/usernames, altered mob attack ranges, improvement to networking functions, and fixes for the vibrational behaviors for sculk-based blocks.

These changes are also just the beginning, so now is a good time to examine Minecraft 1.20.2's most crucial implementations for Java Edition.

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Most impactful developments made in Minecraft Java 1.20.2

Sponge blocks received their own sound effects in Minecraft 1.20.2 (Image via Wattles/YouTube)

Although plenty of the new adjustments made in Minecraft 1.20.2 will be part of the vanilla game going forward, some remain Experimental Features that can be toggled on or off to suit your preferences. Chief among them is the divisive villager trading rebalancings that see players putting in additional effort to acquire high-quality items and gear.

Minecraft 1.20.2 is currently available on Java Edition, but Bedrock Edition is likely to receive many of the same additions in the immediate future. However, further implementations may be made to bring parity improvements between Java and Bedrock. Nonetheless, it's best to focus on the revisions made in Java 1.20.2 first and foremost.

New features and changes in Minecraft 1.20.2

• Player-based reporting has undergone revisions. Fans can now report the usernames and skins of other players that they deem offensive, which will then be reviewed by a dedicated team at Mojang. Players found to be in violation of the EULA or the community guidelines will be required to change their username or skin accordingly.
• Diamond ore now generates more often in the deepslate layers of the game world, giving players more reason to mine deeply into the earth to find the precious gemstone.
• Curing a zombie villager will now only provide its trading price discount once.
• Sponge and wet sponge blocks now have their own set of custom sound effects.
• Barrier blocks can now be waterlogged within Creative Mode.
• The position of entities riding on other entities has been adjusted.
• The attack range of mobs has been fundamentally altered. Previously, only a mob's horizontal width was used to determine reach, but this is now tied to the mob's bounding box in all horizontal directions. This means that players will be safe from mob attacks if they are directly above or below them, riding horses will protect players from shorter mobs, and ravagers won't be able to strike through thick walls. Some mob farm builds may require adjustments to ensure their safety.
• Network optimization has been improved. The game world will now appear to the player faster after connecting to a server, and Minecraft players with lower connection quality will no longer time out when connecting and can interact with blocks before all chunks are loaded.
• Vibrations sent by blocks/entities will no longer be lost or fail to be received by sculk-based blocks when they are on the periphery of the game's simulation distance.
• Chorus flowers no longer function as a support for blocks when they are standing or hanging.
• Icons for generated structures have been updated for better clarity on explorer maps.
• The last 50 commands that Minecraft players enter into their chat console will now be remembered across game sessions.
• The /random command has been introduced to randomize values and sequences for other commands and parameters.

Experimental Features

• When Experimental Features are enabled, the villager trade rebalancing will be applied to librarians, armorers, cartographers, and The Wandering Trader. Once active, villager trades are divided depending on a villager's home biome, with the highest-quality transactions requiring the villager to reach the master profession level.
• In addition to biomes where villages naturally generate, players will have to breed swamp and jungle villagers to acquire certain items in trades.
• Cartographers now offer more explorer maps to provide information on nearby biomes and generated structures.
• The Wandering Trader has lower prices and offers more useful items regularly. The trader has more item quantities in its stock and will also purchase some items/blocks from players.
• Some enchanted books will now appear more often in the loot chests of ancient cities, mineshafts, pillager outposts, desert pyramids, and jungle temples.

Minecraft 1.20.2 is now live on PC for Java Edition, so you can simply open your game launcher and select it to enjoy all of the changes and additions it brings. With just a few clicks, you can dive into the latest version of the sandbox title and enjoy all of the new adjustments it brings.