Java Edition 15w42a

15w42a is the thirty-third snapshot released for Java Edition 1.9.

Blocks

 * Frosted Ice
 * Created when using "Frost Walker" enchantment.
 * Cannot be obtained in inventory, neither with silk touch, pick block nor with commands. (Can only be placed using, etc.)
 * Despawn after a few seconds.
 * Despawning takes place in four breaking stages (blockstates: ). Still decay with randomTickSpeed set to 0, but a higher number will make them decay faster.
 * Despawns faster with a higher light level (doesn't despawn at night).

Command format

 * NBT tags
 * Brewing stands
 * (byte): Stores how much fuel is remaining in a brewing stand.
 * e.g..

Gameplay

 * Enchanting
 * "Treasure" enchantments.
 * Can only be obtained from chest loot, fishing, or trading for enchanted books.
 * New "treasure" enchantment: Frost Walker.
 * Turns water into frosted ice.
 * Different tiers:
 * Level I creates a circle of frosted ice around the player with a radius of 2 blocks.
 * Each additional level adds 1 to that radius.
 * Works while riding mobs
 * Will not turn water into frosted ice if an entity is in that spot.
 * Works as long as the player is within one block above a solid block.
 * Flowing water will also turn into frosted ice, making one bucket of water enough to make an infinite water source.
 * Cannot be combined with Depth Strider enchantment.
 * New "treasure" enchantment: Mending.
 * Any experience collected while holding the item repairs it instead of going to the experience bar.
 * Mainhand, offhand, and armor slots all count as held.
 * If multiple held items have the enchantment, one will be chosen at random for each XP orb collected.
 * Repairs at a rate of 2 durability per XP.
 * If the amount of repair needed is less than the value of the XP orb, the extra XP will go to the experience bar.
 * Shields cannot be enchanted with mending using or a survival anvil.
 * Mending enchantment does affect the shield when using creative anvil or NBT commands.

General

 * Splashes
 * Added the following splashes:
 * "Falling with style!"
 * "There's no stopping the Trollmaso"
 * "Throw yourself at the ground and miss"

Blocks

 * Brewing stand
 * Requires blaze powder to be able to use.
 * One piece of blaze powder allows for 30 ingredients to be brewed in the brewing stand (tag: ).
 * To be exact, it removes 1 from fuel (1 blaze powder = 30 fuel) every time the player puts an ingredient in (if the player takes it out and puts it back in, it takes another fuel).
 * Can be automated by putting a hopper feeding in the side of the block like water bottles.

Items

 * Elytra
 * Nerfed - the player is no longer able to go higher than where they started.
 * New sneaking animation.
 * The player can now fit through one block high gaps while gliding.
 * Horizontal collisions now deal damage, new death message: "Player experienced kinetic energy".

Non-mob entities

 * Boats
 * Now slightly faster than sprinting.
 * This makes them similar in speed to the old boats, though with less momentum.
 * Players can now items and  immediately after they stop rowing.
 * All types of boats are now craftable.
 * Due to, the dark oak boat cannot be crafted.

Gameplay

 * Anvil repairing
 * Renaming an item does not increase the repair cost for a future repair/rename any more.


 * Enchanting
 * Enchantments with max 1 level will no longer display the level, e.g. "Infinity" rather than "Infinity I".
 * When multiple pieces of Thorns armor are worn, one will now be chosen at random instead of always using the "bottommost" piece.

General

 * Players
 * When crouching, players are 1.65 blocks tall (versus 1.8 blocks normally).
 * When flying with elytra, players are now only 0.6 blocks tall.
 * When laying in bed, players are as tall as a 0.2 blocks cube.


 * Splashes
 * Changed "0% sugar" to "1% sugar".
 * Removed "SOPA means LOSER in Swedish!".

Video
Video made by slicedlime:

Trivia

 * 15w42a was previously removed from the launcher for some time, but was added back in September 2018.