Minecraft 1.18 Wild update The Wild Update

 

The Wild Update

EDIT

This page documents a major update currently being worked on. 

Therefore, not all official feature names or items are mentioned.

The Wild Update is the name of an upcoming major themed update set to release in 2022 as Java Edition 1.19 and Bedrock Edition 1.19.0.^[1] It will add the Deep Dark biome, along with the Warden, Sculk Blocks and the Deep Dark Cities, and make various other biomes more atmospheric and immersive, as well as the addition of several mobs.

Contents

• 1 Notable features
  • 1.1 Blocks
  • 1.2 Items
  • 1.3 Mobs
  • 1.4 World generation
  • 1.5 Non-mob entities
  • 1.6 Effects
  • 1.7 Particles
• 2 Planned changes
  • 2.1 Blocks
  • 2.2 World generation
• 3 Unconfirmed features
  • 3.1 Blocks
  • 3.2 Items
  • 3.3 World generation
  • 3.4 Gameplay
• 4 Trivia
• 5 Gallery
  • 5.1 Concept artwork
• 6 References
• 7 Notes

Notable features

Blocks

 Mangrove Log

• Generated as a part of mangrove trees which are located in swamps.
• Can be crafted into mangrove planks.

 Mangrove Leaves

• Generated in mangrove trees.
• A decorative block.

 Mangrove Propagule (fruit form)^{[unofficial name]}

• Generated in mangrove trees.

 Mangrove Planks

• Crafted from the respective logs.
• Can be used to craft respective slabs, stairs, fences, fence gates, pressure plates, signs, buttons, doors, boats and trapdoors.

 Mangrove Roots^{[unofficial name]}

• A decorative block.
• Can be waterlogged.

 Mangrove Propagule^[2]

• Grows into a mangrove tree.
• Grows underneath mangrove leaves.
• Can be placed both on land and in water.

 Mud

• Found in mangrove swamps.
• Can be created by using a water bottle on a dirt block.
• Can be placed on top of dripstone to dehydrate and form clay.
  • This in turn enables renewable Clay.

 Mud Bricks

• Crafted using mud, sand, and wheat.^[3]
• A decorative block.

This image shows the Sculk Blocks in the Redstone tab in creative mode, implying that the other sculk blocks also have redstone uses.

 Sculk (Block)

• Generates in the mysterious new cave biome where the Warden lives, called the Deep Dark.
• Has an animated texture.
• Drops only experience when broken without Silk Touch.^[4]
• May be used in redstone.^[5]
• Sculk blocks grow underneath a mob corpse around a sculk catalyst.

 Sculk Catalyst^[6]

• Generates in the Deep Dark.
• Made of sculk and a bone-like material.^[7]
• May be used in redstone.^[5]
• Will spread Sculk blocks to wherever a nearby mob dies. The amount it spreads depends on the amount of experience the mob is meant to drop.^[8]
  • This means that even if the mob doesn't drop experience as it wasn't killed by a player, the blocks would still spread based on the amount of experience it normally drops.
•  Blooms when activated.
• Drops only experience when broken without Silk Touch.^[4]
• Emits light.
• Emits soul particles after a mob dies and grows sculk.

 Sculk Vein^[9]

• Generates in the Deep Dark.
• Generates in a layer on top of blocks, similar to snow.
• Can be placed in all directions, like glow lichen.
• Has an animated texture.
• Drops nothing when broken without Silk Touch.^[4]
• Some have parts that are transparent, allowing the player to see the block it is on top of.
• May be used in redstone as seen in this video when they talk about the sculk sensor.^[5]

 Sculk Shrieker

• Generates in the Deep Dark.
• Perhaps made of sculk and a bone-like material.
• Has 2 soul-shaped patterns in the center.
• Has the ability to 'shriek', emitting ring-like/sonic particles.
• Will be activated by the sculk sensor.
• When activated, gives players the Darkness effects.
• If activated too many times, a warden will spawn.

 Frame Block^{[unofficial name]}

• Composes a large open frame at the center of every Deep Dark City generated structure.
• Appears to be composed of deepslate.
• Has some unknown "interesting" purpose.

Items

Spawn Eggs

•  Warden spawn egg.^[10]
• Frog spawn egg.
  • Possibly tadpole spawn egg.
• Allay spawn egg.
• Firefly spawn egg.

Bucket of Tadpole

• Obtained by using a water bucket on a tadpole, similar to fish.
• Can be used to carry around and empty out tadpoles, also similarly to fish.

Mobs

 Allay

• Voted to be in the update during Minecraft Live 2021.
• Can find dropped blocks or items for a player.
  • Picks up dropped items in loaded chunks and will be able to carry up to a stack at a time,^[11] and cannot duplicate items^[12] or take items out of chests.^[13] It will drop the items that it collects when in range of a note block.

 Frog

• Comes in three variants: default, tropical, and snowy.
  • Variants depend on the temperature of the biome.
• Likes to jump on lily pads and big dripleaves.
• Each variant is planned to have a unique use for players, currently unknown.
• Grows from a tadpole.

 Firefly

• Glows in the dark.
• Are eaten by frogs.
• Are currently only two pixels big, making them the smallest mob in the game.

 Tadpole

• Grow up into frogs.
• Can be held in buckets.
• Frog type dependent on which temperature a tadpole grows in. This mob has 3 variants, tropical, temperate, and tundra.

A picture of the Warden and Iron Golem standing side by side

 Warden

• Will spawn in the new Deep Dark biome, including within Deep Dark Cities.
• The first fully blind mob (bats, despite relying almost exclusively on echolocation, still have basic eyesight).
  • Has a sense of smell. It will detect a player if they get too close, regardless if they made any vibrations.
  • Has a sense of vibration. When sensing movement, it moves toward the source of the movement.
    • It follows and attacks players, mobs, and other entities that make vibrations.^{[note 1]}
      • It does not attack other Wardens.
    • When attacked, it path finds toward the player.
    • Seems to follow the same rules as the Sculk Sensor when detecting noise.
      • When it detects a vibration, the growths on its head rattle and light up, similar to the sculk sensor.
    • If any projectile (e.g. egg, snowball, arrow) lands near the Warden, the mob inspects the location where the projectile landed, due to the projectile creating movement and noise. This feature can be used in order to cause a distraction.
    • Does not detect players that are sneaking.
    • When aggravated for long enough, the warden follows the player continuously, regardless of any other distractions.
  • Because of this, it can detect players that are invisible.^[14]
• Will burn in direct daylight. ^[15]
• It is the only mob that spawns in Deep Dark.^[16]
• A mob designed to be extremely difficult, intended to be avoided and fled from.^[17]
  • Has a way to counter the strategy of building up 3 blocks to avoid attacks.^[18]
  • Incredibly strong, doing 32 × 16 damage, bringing players wearing full netherite armor from full health to 7 health points.
  • Currently has 500 × 250 health points.^[19]
  • At least as fast as the player's walking speed.
  • Seems to have knockback resistance.
• The warden's chest has a glowing core that appears to brighten and dim in tandem with the Darkness effect.
  • The core creates a low throbbing sound as it pulses. The sound and animation seem to speed up rapidly when the warden notices a player.
• Is about 3.5 blocks tall, making it one of the tallest mobs in the game, exceeding the iron golem and enderman in height and width (the same).^{[note 2][20]}
• Can be summoned by Sculk Shriekers; a Warden will rise out of the ground nearby if too many are activated.

World generation

Swamp

• Completely overhauled.
• Will contain mangrove trees.
• Contains mud.
• Can spawn frogs.
• Can spawn fireflies while nighttime.

Mangrove Swamp

• New biome variant of a Swamp.
• Will contain mangrove trees, and are the only trees that can generate there.
• Contains mud as ground.

Mangrove Trees

• New type of tree.
• Made of Mangrove Logs.
• Generated roots composed of Mangrove Root Blocks.
• Has propagules hanging from leaves.
• Found in swamps.

Deep Dark

• New biome at the "deepest depths of the world".
• Originally planned for 1.17, then moved to 1.18, and was then postponed to 1.19 due to increased scope.
• May not contain any water or lava aquifers.^[21]
• May be the rarest cave biome.^[22]
• Will tend to generate under continental/mountainous areas.^[23]
• Generates exclusively within the deepslate layer between Y=-1 and Y=-64.^[24]
• Contains the new Deep Dark City generated structure.
• Wardens can spawn there through the activation of Sculk Shriekers.
• Contains all Sculk-related blocks.
• With the exception of spawners, no mobs other than Wardens can spawn there, similar to mushroom fields.^[16]

Deep Dark City^{[unofficial name]}

• New structure that generates within the Deep Dark.
• Includes all of the Deep Dark features within it.
• Made of deepslate and its variants, basalt blocks and its variants, planks, and wool.^[25]
• Contains soul sand, soul fire and soul lanterns.
• Contains candles and skeleton skulls.
• Contains chests with unique loot.^[26]
• Contains the unknown frame block.
• Has different levels and open spaces.

Non-mob entities

An image of two variants of the Boat with Chest shown during Minecraft Live 2021

 Boat with Chest

• Similar to a Minecart with Chest but with boat instead of minecart.
• Unlike the functionality of a Minecart with Chest, a player (but only one) can still ride in the boat when the chest is present.
• Different wood variants.

Effects

 Darkness

• A status effect triggered by the Sculk Shrieker block, causing the player's camera to dim in brightness, thus limiting vision.

Particles

•  Sculk catalysts will emit a new particle, resembling the existing soul particle, but blue, when triggered:
  • 
•  Sculk shrieker will emit a new particle, resembling a ring or smoke signal, when activated.

Planned changes

Blocks

Clay

• More efficient way to regenerate clay by placing mud over a dripstone block with a stalactite dripstone growing under. The dripstone will dry it out, producing a clay block.

Sculk Sensor

• Now are able to activate Sculk Shriekers.
• Now are able to communicate with warden.
• Now are able to detect sneaking players who step on top of it.
• Will now generate in the Deep Dark biome.

World generation

Biomes

• Updating various overworld biomes, such as Birch Forests, to make them more diverse, unique and add more immersion to biomes in general.

Unconfirmed features

Blocks

Lotus flower in the swamp concept art.

Lotus Flower^{[unofficial name][27]}

• Can be seen in the concept art of the swamps, there are lotus flowers on lily pads.
• Concept art includes rhizomes underneath the lilypads, a feature not currently in the game. This may only be an artistic expression, rather than a new feature.

Cattails^{[unofficial name]}

• Can be seen in the concept art of the swamps.

Shelf fungi in the birch forest concept art.

Shelf Fungi^{[unofficial name]}

• Can be seen in the concept art of tall birch forests.

Pappus Plant^{[unofficial name]}

• Can be seen in the concept art of tall birch forests. It is a tall stem with white pappus on the end.
• Pappus is a type of wind-dispersal mechanism for plants and flowers.

Violets shown in the Oct 10th, 2021 Minecraft Mob Vote Introduction, and in the Birch Tree concept art.

Violets^{[unofficial name]}

• Can be seen in the concept art of tall birch forests.
• The small flowers occupy block wide areas.
• Come in four colors: Pink, Purple, White, and Light Blue.
• May have been discreetly hinted at in the introduction video for the Minecraft Live Mob Vote, shown on October 10th, 2021. Tiny Jens and Tiny Agnus walk into a Flower Biome and all flowers are in-game flowers save for the ones at the base of the Birch Tree.

Moss-Covered Birch Log^{[unofficial name]}

• Can be seen in the concept art of tall birch forests. (Alex is stepping on said block).

Hollow Birch Log^{[unofficial name]}

• Can be seen in the concept art of tall birch forests.

 Sculk Jaw

• Generates in the Deep Dark biome.
• Has a different top texture than the Sculk Block and Sculk Catalyst.^[28]
•  Has state with unknown name.
• Will likely not make it into the final release.^[29]

Items

 Bundle

• Originally announced at Minecraft Live 2020, it was originally going to be added in 1.17. When the Caves & Cliffs update was split into two parts, however, it was pushed to 1.18, but it was postponed again.^[30] It may come in 1.19, but has not been announced.

 Goat Horn

• They were introduced in Bedrock beta 1.16.200.52 and didn't make into 1.17. Recently it was stated that they won't come in 1.18.^[31] It may come in 1.19, but has not been announced.

World generation

A fallen birch tree in the birch forest concept art.

Fallen Trees^[32]

• Can be seen in the concept art of the birch forest.
• Already exists in Bedrock Edition.

Birch Tree Branch^[33]

• Can be seen in the concept art of the birch forest.
• Tall birch tree with a singular birch log acting as a branch to hold a beehive.

Gameplay

Archaeology

• Originally announced at Minecraft Live 2020, it was originally going to be added in 1.17. When the Caves & Cliffs update was split into two parts, however, it was pushed past both releases. It may come in 1.19, but has not been announced.

Trivia

• The warden was originally known as the "stalker" early during development. That iteration also had white flesh with holes in it, to the point where it was deemed too gory by the developers and had to be tuned down.^[34]
  • Brandon Pearce also mentioned that this is one of various "wildly different" iterations that he's going to preview once the warden is released to the public.
• This was the first update to add a 2-dimensional mob, the firefly.
• This is the first update that features a losing biome vote candidate (as well as the first update to feature any losing vote candidate).
• The tropical frog is based on the grey foam-nest tree frog.^[35]
• While this update introduces mud as a block, mud has existed in the franchise as a liquid in Minecraft Earth. Whether a liquid form of mud (and possibly the muddy pig) will be introduced has not been stated.

Gallery

• 

  The Wild Update logo

 
• 

  Tropical frog

 
• 

  Tundra frog

 
• 

  Temperate frog

 
• 

  Tadpoles

 
• 

  Fireflies

 
• 

  Mud brick house

 
• 

  Mangrove swamp

 
• 

  Mangrove tree

 
• 

  Warden emerging from the ground of the Deep Dark

 
• 

  Deep dark city

 
• 

  Mangrove tree trunk

 
• 

  Mangrove propagule planted underwater

 
• 

  Block of mud

 
• 

  Wall of mud bricks

 
• 

  Frog catching fireflies

Concept artwork

Some concept arts in this gallery were originally made for the Caves & Cliffs update.

• 

  Warden early sketches

 
• 

  Warden final concept

 
• 

  Axolotl and warden

 
• 

  Concept art for the axolotl, goat, and warden.

 
• 

  Deep dark. Featuring Deep dark city.

 
• 

  Mangrove tree and different designs of mangrove roots.

 
• 

  Mangrove swamp. Featuring mangrove trees, fireflies, and boat with chest.

 
• 

  Mangrove swamp during the night. Featuring mangrove trees and fireflies.

 
• 

  New birch forest.

 
• 

  Mangrove swamp and new birch forest biome during a sunset.

References

1. ↑ https://youtube.com/watch?v=1yrrUU1o5qI
2. ↑ https://youtube.com/watch?v=or1DfXdqu3U&t=821
3. ↑ "You can actually play in the mud without being told off! You’ll find mud blocks in swamp biomes, but why not make your own, just add water to dirt! Mud has other uses too; let it drip dry to make clay, or add sand and wheat into the mix to craft clay bricks!" – @Minecraft on Twitter, October 16, 2021
4. ↑ ^{Jump up to:a b c} https://youtube.com/watch?v=or1DfXdqu3U&t=318
5. ↑ ^{Jump up to:a b c} "Caves, Cliffs & Other Updates: How We Make Minecraft - Episode 5" – Minecraft on YouTube, November 27, 2020
6. ↑ "New skulk textures and UI file for "darkness effect"" – @NetherNinja on Twitter, August 25, 2021
7. ↑ "That is actually a bone-like material, not End Stone :)" – @kingbdogz on Twitter, November 13, 2020
8. ↑ "My day: experimenting with Axolotls and Sculk Catalysts... for reasons. How's your day going?" – @kingbdogz on Twitter, August 4, 2021
9. ↑ "This is really cool, but won't be necessary because Sculk Veins (on the edge of growths) can be placed in all directions like Glow Lichen. That means you can find veins on top of anything, including Grimstone Bricks, which is a better approach than a specific block type." – @kingbdogz on Twitter, February 18, 2021
10. ↑ "Feeling kinda short myself..." – @kingbdogz on Twitter, October 6, 2020
11. ↑ https://reddit.com/r/Minecraft/comments/q81usv/comment/hgmfpl6
12. ↑ "Allays are not item duplicators, they pick up items nearby on the floor that are the same item it has been given. So you could give it a dirt block, then it will find dirt blocks that are dropped, collect them, then return and drop them to you or a note block you've set up." – @kingbdogz on Twitter, October 12, 2021
13. ↑ "They cannot get items from chests either. Only dropped items. You could feasibly use this for item sorting if you make a cool contraption :D" – @kingbdogz on Twitter, October 12, 2021
14. ↑ "Wardens will still be able to detect entities that are invisible :)" – @kingbdogz on Twitter, October 26, 2020
15. ↑ "3. Nope, but in the current design it will burn in sunlight." – @kingbdogz on Twitter, May 21, 2021
16. ↑ ^{Jump up to:a b} "1) Deep Dark is the name for now, but like anything names can change. I like it though. 2) Deep Dark is one of the only Overworld biomes where only one type of enemy can spawn: Wardens. So no Zombies, Creepers, etc. 3) That is a mystery for you players to reveal in-game." – @kingbdogz on Twitter, June 17, 2021
17. ↑ "I'd actually consider it something entirely new. The Warden is a force of nature, not a boss. When a tornado is barreling toward you, you don't try to kill it - you run away! The Warden is exactly the same." – @kingbdogz on Twitter, October 3, 2020
18. ↑ "It absolutely has some tricks up its sleeves to counter that particular strategy :)" – @kingbdogz on Twitter, October 26, 2020
19. ↑ "In the current build Wardens have 500 health. Wonder if that's too little" – @kingbdogz on Twitter, October 17, 2021
20. ↑ "Looking kinda short there, Iron Golem." – @kingbdogz on Twitter, October 6, 2020
21. ↑ "We're aiming to have no aquifers/lava in the Deep Dark" – @kingbdogz on Twitter, September 2, 2021
22. ↑ "It will likely be the most rare biome out of the 3, but not impossible to find either. And when you find it, it should be a big area." – @kingbdogz on Twitter, September 2, 2021
23. ↑ "Getting the Deep Dark biome distribution right has been tricky. Generally we're looking to get it deep underneath very continental/mountainous areas, and it will stretch all the way to -64. Looking forward to see how it feels." – @kingbdogz on Twitter, September 2, 2021
24. ↑ "Also, to clarify, the Deep Dark won't take up all of below y 0. Other biomes like Lush Caves and Dripstone Caves will be able to generate there too, it's just that Deep Dark can only be found below y 0. Grimstone is its natural stone ;)" – @kingbdogz on Twitter, February 17, 2021
25. ↑ https://youtube.com/watch?v=or1DfXdqu3U&t=184s
26. ↑ "The point is to have special loot in the chests. We don't want players encouraged to kill the Warden." – @kingbdogz on Twitter, February 16, 2021
27. ↑ https://youtube.com/watch?v=or1DfXdqu3U&t=725s
28. ↑ "While not related, Sculk name was inspired by Jeb's process with naming the Shulkers - he liked the word "Lurker", but changed it around a bit to feel new. Sculk is one letter changed of Skulk, meaning "keep out of sight, typically with a sinister or cowardly motive"" – @kingbdogz on Twitter, October 13, 2020
29. ↑ "Sculk Trap (which is actually called Sculk Jaw) is unlikely to make it into the game, wasn't very happy with its design. Sculk Shrieker is a completely different block" – @kingbdogz on Twitter, August 29, 2021
30. ↑ https://clips.twitch.tv/AffluentEncouragingOryxPeteZaroll-cd8pIapkfD4PRHxO
31. ↑ https://clips.twitch.tv/AffluentEncouragingOryxPeteZaroll-cd8pIapkfD4PRHxO
32. ↑ "Minecraft Live 2021: A Look at The Wild Update" – October 16, 2021 on YouTube
33. ↑ "Minecraft Live 2021: A Look at The Wild Update" – October 16, 2021 on YouTube
34. ↑ "146 - From Modding to Mojang with Kingbdogz // The Spawn Chunks: A Minecraft Podcast" – The Spawn Chunks on YouTube, June 21, 2021
35. ↑ https://youtube.com/watch?v=w6zLprHHZOk&t=2h8m30s

Notes

1. ↑ The Warden does not attack non-mob entities but it does follow the vibrations that they make. It is unknown whether it does attack mobs (apart from the player) or not.
2. ↑ Height of the Warden is based from the image found on Twitter.