This article contains content about features that are not yet released.
These features are not currently in Minecraft, but may have been announced by Mojang Studios to possibly appear in a future update, or may be available only in a snapshot or beta.
1.17, the first release of the Caves and Cliffs update,[1] is an upcoming major update for Minecraft: Java Edition and Bedrock Edition themed around revamping caves, mountains, and cliffs. It was announced during Minecraft Live 2020 on October 3, 2020, and will likely be released in Summer or Spring of 2021.
Spawn in mountains. They can jump up to 5 blocks high (if not standing on Honey) and can occasionally headbutt players or mobs, dealing a knockback effect.
When they ram a block, they will drop a Goat Horn (but will only ever drop 2 total) that has a (most likely) placeholder PillagerRaid horn sound when right click is held down.
Spawns in the deep dark. It is blind, and can only spot players if they make vibrations.
It is very powerful. As seen on MineCon, it can most likely one-shot every type of armor except for Netherite armor and Diamond armor (both have the same protection)[2].
Will have either no drops, or likely just a trophy drop[3].
Noise Caves - New caves that can generate using a new system They come in two variants:
Cheese caves. These often form caverns of various sizes.
Spaghetti caves. Long squiggly tunnels, sometimes wide.
Aquifers - an area with local water level, independent of sea level. Aquifers are used during world generation to generate bodies of water inside noise caves.
Mesh Caves - New caves with lots of thin corridors.
freezeDamage - whether entities take damage from freezing inside of Powder Snow.
playersSleepingPercentage - controls what percentage of players must sleep to skip the night. When set to 0, a single player can sleep to skip the night. Set to 100 by default, meaning that night cannot be skipped.
When an open Shulker is hit by a shulker bullet, it has a chance to create another shulker.
Freezing - a type of damage that only takes place when the player is in Powder Snow.
Archaeology - a game mechanic where the player can find items and blocks in gravel and dirt by using the brush. Possible items that can be excavated include diamond blocks, emerald blocks, and ceramic shards of any color.
Deep dark flash - while in the deep dark, the screen occasionally darkens, limiting the player's visibility
Wireless redstone - A feature of the new sculk sensor blocks.
Vibrations - a feature that occurs when sound is made near the new Sculk Sensor blocks and Wardens. Vibrations have an animation that shows visible blue sound waves.
The sculk trap could likely be a trap from its name such as a sinking trap like powdered snow.
Changes[]
Clocks and compasses have new textures
Blackstone, Polished Blackstone Bricks, and Cracked Polished Blackstone Bricks have had some minor touch ups
Skeletons that freeze in Powder Snow become Strays
Abandoned Mineshafts now adapt to larger caves, and generate wooden support beams under and chains above them when needed.
Coal, Iron, Emerald, Lapis, Redstone, and Gold Ores now have new textures and Iron, Gold, Lapis, Diamond, and Redstone has Deepslate variants.
Snapshots[]
As of February 17, 2021, there are eleven snapshots: 20w45a,[5] 20w46a,[6] 20w48a,[7] 20w49a,[8] 20w51a,[9] 21w03a,[10] 21w05a,[11] 21w05b, 21w06a,[12], 21w07a, 21w08a,[13] and 21w08b.
Trivia[]
This update is the first to add a new ore to the overworld since Java Edition 1.3.1 snapshot 12w21a in 2012, Legacy Console Edition TU14 in 2014, and PE Alpha 0.9.0 in 2014 when emerald ore was added.
This update is the first to add a real world metal into the game since Java Edition Classic 0.0.14a in 2009 and TU1 in 2012, which brought iron and gold, and PE Alpha 0.3.0 in 2012, which brought iron.
This update adds wireless redstone into the game.
This is the first update to add new biomes to caves.
This update brought one of the only minerals that can be used in crafting that does not have an Ore, the other being 1.16
From 20w45a to 21w05a, "Waxed Lightly Weathered Cut Copper Stairs" is the longest item name in the game, with 41 characters.
