Java Edition 17w16a

17w16a is the sixth snapshot released for Java Edition 1.12.

Blocks

 * Note blocks
 * When placed on top of a bone block, wool, clay, packed ice or gold blocks, the noteblock produces no sound when altered or activated (this is to make place for new noteblock sounds coming up).
 * Added sound events (when using ) for the following:

Mobs

 * Version exclusive: Illusioners


 * New illager.
 * Affects players with for 20 seconds then shoots with a bow.
 * Summons duplicates of itself.
 * All duplicates will show shooting animation, but only the real one can be hit and shoots the arrow
 * Does not currently have a spawn egg, so can only be summoned with
 * Targets both the player and villagers

Command format

 * Selectors
 * Targets the executing entity, e.g:
 * Targets the executing entity, e.g:

General



 * Version exclusive: Tutorial hints
 * Displayed in the top right
 * Will display only in Survival mode, and only upon starting a new world for the first time
 * Saved per player, stored in options.txt
 * Name:
 * List of criteria:,  ,  ,  ,  , and


 * Controls
 * Version exclusive: Added keybinding options for Creative toolbar saving


 * JSON format
 * Added 'group' to recipe json format, to clump similar recipes together
 * Added new 'keybind' text component, to refer to the player's keybindings

Blocks

 * Hardened clay
 * Renamed to terracotta.


 * Glazed terracotta
 * Will no longer "stick" to slime blocks if attached to the side, top or bottom, but not if attached to the front or back.


 * Shulker boxes
 * Colors changed in accordance with the changes to other block colors.
 * This causes the 'default' (purple) shulker boxes to be a vibrant purple that mismatches all other purpur items and blocks (reverted in 17w17a).


 * Command blocks
 * Now executes all of the commands in a chain before scheduling them for the next tick.
 * It is now possible to stop/modify the operation of a chain via commands and get results instantly (as opposed to getting them in a 1 tick delay).

Items

 * Fishing rods
 * Version exclusive: Added sounds for reeling in the fishing bobber.

Mobs



 * Shulkers
 * Colors changed in accordance with the changes to other block colors.
 * This causes the 'default' (purple) shulkers to be a vibrant purple that mismatches all other purpur items and blocks (reverted in 17w17a).

General

 * Narrator
 * Now displays a message whenever the Narrator isn't available.


 * Controls
 * Version exclusive: Pressing will now hide all toast messages.


 * NBT format
 * Improved NBT parsing in commands.
 * Keys can now (optionally) be quoted, e.g:
 * Unquoted string values are now stricter; they can no longer contain spaces or special symbols, e.g:
 * Indices, which were previously optional in lists, are no longer allowed, e.g:
 * Empty keys and values are no longer allowed.
 * Improved error messaging; now points to where exactly the error occurred.

Video
Video made by slicedlime:

Trivia

 * Unlike most of the first-of-the-week snapshots, this was released on a Thursday instead of Wednesday, similar to the snapshots before 14w26a.
 * 17w16a was previously removed from the launcher for some time, but was added back in September 2018.