Obtaining netherite gear in Minecraft will get tougher in the 1.20 update

Minecraft update 1.20 is scheduled to be released by the end of Spring 2023, but players are already getting a taste of the upcoming content. Thanks to Mojang's Java snapshots and Bedrock Preview Program, players can try out plenty of gameplay changes and enjoy new blocks, mobs, and items.

However, not every change is going to be one that's expected by the wider Minecraft community. For example, one only needs to look at the recent Java 23w04a snapshot, which overhauled the way smithing table blocks worked. While this was all well and good, the introduction of smithing template items also inadvertently made netherite armor more difficult to craft.

While the change isn't massive by Minecraft standards, it's worth noting before the 1.20 update is released.

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Why is Netherite Gear Tougher to Craft in Minecraft 1.20?

Smithing templates have complicated the process of crafting netherite gear in Minecraft (Image via ECKOSOLDIER/YouTube)

Before the most recent snapshot, players who wished to acquire netherite gear required a few materials. Precisely, they needed diamond gear and a netherite ingot, which could be looted in the Nether or created by smelting ancient debris into netherite scrap and then combining the scraps with gold ingots. The ingot and diamond gear could then be combined at a smithing table block to acquire netherite gear.

The arrival of smithing templates, as seen in Minecraft 1.20 via previews like snapshot 23w04a, has altered this upgrade recipe. Now, in addition to having diamond gear and a netherite ingot, players will also need a netherite upgrade smithing template. These items are found as loot in bastion remnant structures in the Nether, and they have a 3.2% appearance rate in most of the loot chests within the structure in Java Edition. However, these items have a 100% chance of appearing in a treasure room loot chest.

Fortunately, players only need to find one upgrade template in Minecraft 1.20 to upgrade a complete set of netherite gear, at least in theory. Players can clone their template by combining the template, seven diamonds, and a netherrack block in a crafting table. This can be repeated as often as players have diamonds, netherrack, and at least one remaining template.

In a recent official post by Mojang explaining the snapshot of 23w04a's changelog, the developers remarked that this change to netherite was implemented for a few reasons. Primary among them was the idea that the change would make players use their diamond armor for longer on average while also making netherite armor feel like more of an accomplishment when it is crafted. This certainly makes some sense on paper, as after the 1.16 Nether Update, players will tend to upgrade to netherite armor as soon as they can once they acquire netherite ingots.

The additional need to acquire a smithing template slows down the overall progression in Survival Mode to craft netherite armor. While some players may not be thrilled with this change, it appears that Mojang will proceed with the change for update 1.20 when it releases this Spring.