Java Edition 20w46a

20w46a is the second snapshot for Java Edition 1.17, released on November 11, 2020, which adds powder snow among other changes.

Blocks

 * Powder snow
 * Entities that walk into it will sink in it.
 * Can be picked up and placed with a bucket.
 * Leather boots can be worn to prevent entities from sinking into powder snow blocks.
 * Players can still crouch to descend with leather boots. Wearing leather boots also allows powder snow to be "climbed", like water or scaffolding.
 * Entities in powder snow will slowly freeze.
 * Once frozen, damage will be slowly dealt to the entity.
 * Wearing leather armor is intended to slow the freeze effect, and a full set of leather armor is intended to stop the freeze effect. However, this feature was not implemented properly and does not work.

Items

 * Powder snow bucket
 * Using a bucket on powder snow will create a powder snow bucket.
 * Powder snow buckets can be used to place powder snow.
 * Powder snow buckets can also be filled from cauldrons filled with powder snow.

Command format

 * Modifies the inventory of a block or item.
 * Modifies the inventory of a block or item.


 * Item modifiers
 * Reuse functions syntax of a loot table to describe item modification in command.
 * The function part of loot tables can now be defined as separate data pack resource in directory
 * Such files can contain a single function (i.e single JSON object) or an array of functions.

Gameplay

 * Loot tables
 * Checks range of value.
 * Modifies enchantments on item.
 * Returns scaled scoreboard value.
 * Modifies enchantments on item.
 * Returns scaled scoreboard value.
 * Returns scaled scoreboard value.

General

 * Tags
 * Added new block tag.
 * Contains snow and powder snow.
 * Blocks in this tag will create snow stepping noises while the player walks in them.
 * Added new entity tag.
 * Contains rabbits, endermites, and silverfish.
 * Entities in this tag can walk on top of powder snow.

Blocks

 * Banners
 * The unused "base" pattern has been renamed to the "field" pattern and given proper translation strings (its ID is still "base").


 * Cauldrons
 * Can now be filled with powder snow during snowfall.
 * Using a bucket on a cauldron filled with powder snow will empty the cauldron and create a powder snow bucket.
 * Can also be filled with powder snow by a powder snow bucket on it.
 * Both filling and emptying can also be done with a dispenser.


 * Copper Block
 * Crafting recipe has been changed to require only 4 copper ingots.
 * Putting a copper block in a crafting table also results in 4 copper ingots.


 * Dispenser
 * Can now fill cauldrons with powder snow using a powder snow bucket.


 * Lapis Lazuli Block
 * Renamed to "Block of Lapis Lazuli".


 * Structure block
 * Default mode of structure blocks is now "Load". "Data" is now hidden by default.
 * "Data" can be accessed by clicking the mode button while holding the key.

Items

 * Bundle
 * The texture of bundles has been changed.
 * Now has a GUI when hovering over it.
 * Shows contained items in its GUI's inventory slots when hovering over it.


 * Lightning Rod
 * The range of attracting lightning has been doubled.


 * Pufferfish
 * The strength of the poison effect has been decreased from IV to II.


 * Spyglass
 * The scope texture is now a glass square with a copper border.

World generation

 * Biomes
 * Biome-specific sky colors now blend more smoothly.

Command format

 * Removed command.
 * Replaced with.
 * Replaced with.

Gameplay

 * Death messages
 * Added death messages for freezing:
 * " froze to death".
 * " was frozen to death by "


 * Loot tables
 * Loot tables can now access scoreboard values by UUID.
 * Loot table values inside random number generators can now be nested.

General

 * Data packs
 * Data pack version is now changed to 7.


 * Menu screen
 * Buttons tied to a set of values can now be scrolled through.
 * Clicking on a menu button changes it to the previous value.
 * The debug mode can now be accessed by clicking instead of  on the world type button.


 * Tags
 * Changed the block tag to include powder snow cauldrons.


 * Textures
 * Cut Copper
 * Some colors were made slightly darker.
 * Lightning Rod
 * The whole texture was made slightly darker.
 * Calcite
 * Texture reworked with the same general layout and color scheme.
 * Block of Amethyst
 * Has more bright areas.
 * Budding Amethyst
 * Has more bright areas.
 * Tinted Glass
 * Removed the largest "glare" line.
 * Candle
 * Items now depict two candles of different sizes standing upright side-by-side.
 * Copper Ingot
 * Textured reworked to be more intensely bright and dark.
 * Amethyst Shard
 * The darker pixels are now a bit more dark.
 * Bundle
 * Is now a more vibrant, orangey brown.
 * Spyglass
 * Updated zoom-in overlay.


 * Translation strings
 * The "World Type" string no longer contains a colon (":"). The colon is still visible in game, however.
 * Changed "Use VSync" to "VSync".
 * Removed the unused string for enabling VBOs, "Use VBOs".
 * Added strings, "Mode", "Type", "Triggering", and "Track output". These are read out by the narrator for buttons in the command block UI.

Video
Video made by slicedlime: