5 best features nobody expected in Minecraft 1.21 update

Minecraft 1.21, also known as the Tricky Trials update, is introducing a plethora of new features while improving plenty of existing ones. While many features were directly advertised by Mojang during the 1.21 update's trailers, some were slipped in later on in the development cycle and took fans by surprise. Despite not being confirmed early on, these features have been well-received.

While every player likely prefers something different when it comes to the 1.21 update, some unexpected features have certainly grown on the community over the months following Tricky Trials' confirmation. As the update approaches, it doesn't hurt to take a look at some of the best features introduced to Tricky Trials that many players didn't see coming.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and reflect the opinions of the writer

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5 of the best unexpected features from Minecraft 1.21

1) Reworked Bad Omen/Ominous events

Bad Omen's improvements weren't expected by many Minecraft players (Image via Mojang)

Bad Omen is a Minecraft status effect that has worked effectively the same for years, but that's changing in Tricky Trials. The introduction of ominous bottles now gives players the choice of when they activate Bad Omen. The addition of ominous events provides variety and allows Bad Omen to morph into two different effects depending on a player's location.

In villages, Bad Omen will morph into the raid omen event, triggering the pillager raid. However, when entering a trial chamber, Bad Omen kicks off a trial omen, which transforms the structure's spawners into more dangerous variants. This provides the opportunity to collect ominous keys and open ominous vaults, which contain improved rewards.

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2) The mace

The introduction of the mace in Minecraft 1.21 surprised more than a few players (Image via Mojang)

One would think that the first new melee weapon in Minecraft dating back years would be shown off in the 1.21 update's first announcement trailer, but this wasn't the case. However, the confirmation of the mace has taken fans by storm, as many players have been clamoring for new exotic weapons like the trident for an extensive amount of time.

Throw in the fact that the mace's smash attack is capable of one-hit killing mobs as durable as the Warden (in the right conditions), and the game's latest melee weapon has quickly gone from unexpected to one of the strongest weapons available.

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3) The bogged

The bogged surprised Minecraft fans as a Valentine's Day announcement (Image via Mojang)

New mobs tend to be among the largest focal points of any major Minecraft update. However, early Tricky Trials update trailers focused squarely on the breeze mob, leaving players to assume that more likely weren't coming. However, Mojang raised more than a few eyebrows on Valentine's Day 2024 when they announced the addition of the bogged, a new and particularly toxic skeleton variant.

Found in swamps and spawned by trial spawners, the bogged are pretty similar to standard skeletons but have the ability to fire/drop poison arrows, and they can even be sheared for access to mushrooms.

Suffice it to say that the bogged arriving in the 1.21 update has left fans wanting more mob variants in the future.

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4) 20 new paintings

Minecraft decorators were thrilled with the announcement of 20 new paintings (Image via Mojang)

While plenty of texture packs and mods in Minecraft's history have introduced new paintings or the ability to create custom ones, fans likely weren't expecting Mojang to commission new paintings for vanilla anytime soon. However, that's exactly what Mojang did, introducing 20 new paintings that blend the game's aesthetic with many real-world works of art.

While some players may have preferred the art style of the game's original paintings, the new additions by Sarah Boeving and Kristoffer Zetterstrand have been a point of excitement for fans who love decorating and creating cozy builds.

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5) Four new status effects

Four new status effects in version 1.21 come with accompanying potions and tipped arrows (Image via Mojang)

Though they're admittedly a bit situational, the surprise announcement of four new status effects (complete with potions and tipped arrows applying them) has already been pretty well-received by Minecraft fans. The Oozing, Wind Charged, Weaving, and Infestation effects all have their own unique applications. However, Wind Charged and Oozing have proven to be particularly popular.

This isn't necessarily surprising, as Oozing can be useful for slime farming, while Wind Charged's knockback capabilities are great for crowd control. All in all, while they may not have the highest utility among status effects, these new introductions should continue to lead to plenty of experimentation.