Minecraft heavy core item soon to be categorized as a rarer item than enchanted golden apple

Mojang recently released a new Minecraft beta and preview version 1.21.30.21, in which the rarity tier for several items has been changed. The revisions will also be reflected in Java Edition later down the line. One of the most surprising alterations was the demotion of enchanted golden apple from epic to rare, and the new heavy core item placed in the epic rarity.

Here's why these changes in item rarity seem apt.

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Why enchanted golden apple will be demoted to rare tier while heavy core will be categorized as epic in Minecraft

Enchanted golden apples became relatively common with newer updates

Enchanted golden apples used to be the rarest food item to find. In the very beginning, it was craftable with one apple and eight blocks of gold. However, it soon became an uncraftable treasure food item rarely found in mineshafts, dungeons, and other dangerous structures.

When the 1.16 Nether update arrived in 2019, it introduced Bastion Remnants structures. In these structures, an enchanted golden apple had a 5.9% chance of spawning in one of its chests. This became the most common location for the treasure food item.

Fast forward to 2021, Mojang released the 1.19 Wild update with a new Ancient City structure. Although it was one of the spookiest areas in Minecraft, its chests had an 8.4% chance of generating the enchanted golden apple, making it even more common than Bastion Remnants.

Finally, in 2024, the 1.21 Tricky Trials update had ominous trial vault blocks. When unlocked with an ominous trial key, they had a 22.5% chance of rewarding a player with an enchanted golden apple. As of now, trial chambers have the highest chance of offering players enchanted golden apples in Minecraft.

Since the special food item gradually became more common, Mojang decided to demote it from epic to rare tier.

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Why did heavy core get categorized in the epic tier?

Heavy core has a small chance of being inside one of the ominous trial vaults (Image via Mojang Studios)

The heavy core is a new item released with Minecraft 1.21 update. It's one of the two crafting ingredients needed to make the new weapon, Mace.

In the latest 1.21.30.21 beta and preview, this item was placed in the epic rarity, alongside Elytra and dragon head. This was because the heavy core is extremely difficult to obtain.

Players will first need to find a trial chamber and enter it with a bad omen status effect. This effect can be applied after drinking the new ominous bottle dropped by a Pillager raid captain.

Once explorers enter the trial chamber with a bad omen, an ominous trial will begin, through which trial spawners will pose a much more difficult challenge. After defeating these stronger trial chambers, players will receive an ominous trial key with which ominous trial vaults can be opened in the structure.

While these ominous trial vaults have a 22.5% chance of giving players an enchanted golden apple, the block only has a 7.5% chance of giving a heavy core.

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Check out other articles related to heavy core and enchanted golden apple

• How to get and use heavy core block in Minecraft
• Minecraft's rarest and strongest food item became relatively common with new updates
• Minecraft player shares a hidden way to get the new heavy core block