Summary
Minecrafthas long housed one particular mechanic that, despite being present for over a decade, has gone largely overlooked in recent updates. However, this piece ofMinecraftminutiae could be the key to advancing combat in a way that satisfies the community at large.
There’s a subtletrend that underliesMinecraftmobs, that being the ‘creature type’ system. This is a system that, at the time of writing, separates mobs into a few broad categories: undead, arthropods, aquatic mobs, and everything else. These categories are mostly exemplified by enchantments, with each of the specific groups above having enchantments tailored to fighting them (Smite, Bane of Arthropods, and Impaling respectively).
Minecraft Should Go Further With Its Creature Type System
While it should be noted thatMinecraftis a sandbox first and foremost, catering to combat as a pillar of design is still important — and expanding creature types would be the perfect way to do this. The current system is a tad inconsistent and almost entirely based on enchantments, many of whichgo unused by manyMinecraftplayersthanks to their specificity. Fortunately, a blueprint for how to make creature types an interesting part of gameplay already exists, and it serves as a good basis for the concept to be expanded. Sorting all mobs into creature types, giving creature types consistent rules, and introducing more ways to take advantage of creature-type knowledge would really improve this mechanic and bring it into the light.
Out of all the game’s mob categories, undead is by far the tightest. Not only is it an incredibly broad category, housing dozens of mobs, it’s also home tosome ofMinecraft’s strongest mobs. The wither and wither skeletons are, naturally, the prime example; the former is valuable to seek out and the latter needs to be slain for that same goal. Both are incredibly tough for the point in progression they’re typically encountered at, making Smite more than a little valuable as an alternative to Sharpness. In addition, all undead take potion effects in reverse (healing from harm potions etc.), creating a cohesive rule that binds the whole genre of mob.
Unfortunately, Bane of Arthropods and Impaling don’t follow in Smite’s footsteps. The biggest reason for this is the mobs they apply to, with both being incredibly niche. Spiders have the highest health out of all mobs vulnerable to Bane of Arthropods, and they still have less health than a zombie. Impaling can be useful when it comes to Elder Guardians, but the category stilllacks the variety ofMinecraft’s undead— not to mention how rare tridents can be on Java. Both enchantments are among the weaker options available to players.
Improving Creature Types
The first step to making this mechanic an advantage forMinecraftwould be making it consistent. Mobs like creepers, piglins, and ghasts have no apparent category, and it would be good to give them one just for the purposes of consistency. Stopping here would be just fine for improving immersion, as it would remove the dissonance of only some mobs having a type. Still, giving each mob type its own mechanics would bea great improvement toMinecraft’s combat. It would allow players with knowledge to strategize accordingly while improving cohesion for new players as they come to recognize patterns.
Underserved creature types could also do with their ownversions ofMinecraft’s wither— a boss that motivates players to specialize. For instance, a giant spider could really do the trick for Bane of Arthropods, so long as it has some deadly abilities and solid loot. On the other hand, the game may also want to bring in measures that temporarily boost a player’s prowess against a certain creature type, such as a specific brand of potion, to avoid a rabbit hole of further niche enchantments.
Minecraft
WHERE TO PLAY
Minecraft is a game made up of blocks, creatures, and community. You can survive the night or build a work of art – the choice is all yours. But if the thought of exploring a vast new world all on your own feels overwhelming, then fear not!Minecraft has no set goal and can be played however you’d like! This is why it’s sometimes called a “sandbox game” – there are lots of things for you to do, and lots of ways that you can play. If you like being creative, then you can use the blocks to build things from your imagination. If you’re feeling brave, you can explore the world and face daring challenges. Blocks can be broken, crafted, placed to reshape the landscape, or used to build fantastical creations.Creatures can be battled or befriended, depending on how you play. The world of Minecraft allows for epic adventures, quiet meditations, and everything in between. You can even share your creations with other players, or play in community worlds!
