Minecraft:Boss Update

The Boss Update is the name of the update for Minecraft:Pocket Edition, Minecraft:Windows 10 Edition, Minecraft:Gear VR Edition, and Minecraft:New Nintendo 3DS Edition that focused on adding bosses to the game, aside from the Minecraft:ender dragon.

On Pocket Edition, Windows 10 Edition, and Gear VR Edition, it released as alpha version v0.16.0 on October 21, 2016 for all platforms<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20161022094949/https://www.mojang.com/2016/10/add-ons-realms-uploads-sponges-pocket-win-10-updated-to-016/</ref> aside from iOS, which released a few days later on October 25, 2016.<ref>Template:Tweet</ref> On New Nintendo 3DS Edition, it released as version 1.3.12 on January 30/31, 2018.

The official name for the update, the Boss Update, was revealed on August 29, 2016 in a blog post on the Mojang website.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20160901030941/http://www.mojang.com/2016/08/sneak-peek-boss-update-is-coming-to-pocket-and-windows-10/</ref>

Notable features

New Minecraft:blocks

• File:Beacon JE4 BE1.png Minecraft:Beacon
  • Crafted using a Minecraft:Nether star surrounded by five Minecraft:glass and three Minecraft:obsidian.
  • Requires a pyramid structure composed of either iron, gold, diamond, or emerald.
    • The more tier to the pyramid, the more status effects become available.
  • When placed on top of the pyramid structure, it shoots out a beam of light.
  • Entering its GUI shows a list of status effect depending on how many pyramid tiers are available, and will activate those effects upon inserting either an Minecraft:iron ingot, Minecraft:gold ingot, Minecraft:diamond, or Minecraft:emerald.
• File:Wet Sponge JE1 BE1.png Minecraft:Wet Sponge
  • Obtained after using a Minecraft:sponge in an area of water.
  • Can be smelted to become a regular sponge again.
• New prismarine blocks, which can all be found in Minecraft:ocean monuments:
  • File:Prismarine JE1 BE1.png Minecraft:Prismarine
    • Can be crafted using four Minecraft:prismarine shards.
  • File:Prismarine Bricks JE1 BE1.png Minecraft:Prismarine Bricks
    • Can be crafted using nine Minecraft:prismarine shards.
  • File:Dark Prismarine JE1 BE1.png Minecraft:Dark Prismarine
    • Can be crafted using an ink sac surrounded by eight Minecraft:prismarine shards.
  • File:Sea Lantern JE1 BE1.png Minecraft:Sea Lantern
    • Can be crafted using four Minecraft:prismarine shards and five Minecraft:prismarine crystals in a + formation.

New Minecraft:items

• File:Nether Star JE2 BE1.png Minecraft:Nether Star
  • Obtained as a drop from Minecraft:withers.
  • Used to craft a Minecraft:beacon.
• File:Prismarine Crystals JE1 BE1.png Minecraft:Prismarine Crystals
  • Obtained as drops from Minecraft:guardians and Minecraft:elder guardians.
  • Used to craft Minecraft:sea lanterns.
• File:Prismarine Shard JE1 BE1.png Minecraft:Prismarine Shard
  • Obtained as drops from Minecraft:guardians and Minecraft:elder guardians.
  • Used to craft prismarine blocks.
• New Minecraft:potion:
  • Template:Animate Minecraft:Potion of Decay
    • Only available through Minecraft:commands or through the Minecraft:Creative mode inventory.
• New Minecraft:tipped arrow:
  • File:Arrow of Decay BE1.png Minecraft:Arrow of Decay
• Minecraft:Spawn eggs:
  • File:Elder Guardian Spawn Egg JE1 BE1.png Elder Guardian Spawn Egg
  • File:Guardian Spawn Egg JE1 BE1.png Guardian Spawn Egg

New Minecraft:mobs

• File:Guardian Revision 1.png Minecraft:Guardian
  • Spawns in Minecraft:ocean monuments.
  • Attacks players and Minecraft:squid with a beam that charges gradually.
  • Players that try to attack it while its spikes are deployed causes them to receive Minecraft:Thorns-like damage.
  • Drops Minecraft:prismarine shards, Minecraft:prismarine crystals, and Minecraft:raw fish when killed.
• File:Elder Guardian Revision 1.png Minecraft:Elder Guardian
  • Three spawn in Minecraft:ocean monuments.
  • When in close proximity to a ocean monument, an elder guardian inflicts the player Minecraft:Mining Fatigue III for 5 minutes.
  • Has similar attacks and mechanics to regular guardians, but with greater health and more powerful attacks.
  • Drops Minecraft:wet sponge, Minecraft:raw fish, and Minecraft:prismarine crystals when killed.
• File:Wither JE1 BE1.png Minecraft:Wither
  • A new boss mob summoned by placing four Minecraft:soul sand in a short T-shape, and three Minecraft:wither skeleton skulls on top of it.
  • Upon summoning, the wither slowly charges up and is invincible. After a few seconds, the area around the wither explodes and it starts attacking players and non-undead mobs.
  • Its heads can fire wither skulls that explode upon impact.
    • When hit, players and mobs are inflicted with the Wither status effect.
  • It can also break most nearby blocks.
  • Any kills made by the wither regenerates its health.
  • At half-health, the wither will put up a shield to reflect any projectiles, meaning close combat is required to finish it off.
    • Additionally, it will create an explosion and summon 3 to 4 Minecraft:wither skeletons on higher difficulties.
  • Drops a Minecraft:Nether star when killed.

New structures

• File:Ocean Monument.png Minecraft:Ocean monument
  • Found in Minecraft:ocean biomes.
  • Will spawn with Minecraft:guardians and three Minecraft:elder guardians.
  • Prismarine blocks, Minecraft:sponges, and eight Minecraft:gold blocks can be found here.

Other additions

• Various new option settings.
• Minecraft:Add-ons, which are user-created resource packs and behavior packs that can reshape the functionality of the game.

Notable changes

• Added sounds for various items, blocks, and mobs.

Further revisions

• Alpha v0.16.1 fixed some bugs and crashes from Alpha v0.16.0.
• Alpha v0.16.2 fixed some bugs from Alpha v0.16.1, and also added the Cartoon texture pack.

Gallery

• Image for the Boss Update released by Mojang
  Image for the Boss Update released by Mojang