Snow Golem

A Snow Golem (previously known as a Snowman) is an upcoming mob which was first mentioned by Notch on September 21st, 2011 to appear in Beta 1.9 According to the tweets by Notch. The Snow Golem is the game's first "utility mob", defined by Notch as any player created mob. You will be able to craft Snow Golems, using Pumpkins and Snow Blocks. Snow Golems will throw snowballs at enemy mobs and will melt in warmer biomes but they will not melt when lava is near them, unless they fall in it. As Snow Golems move, they leave a trail of snow on the ground (but not in deserts nor in the nether). Once killed, the Snow Golem will drop multiple Snowballs.

Behavior
Snow Golems will not attack their creator. However, they will throw snowballs at hostile mobs, provoking them. This gives them an almost suicidal nature, because snowballs do no damage, but they attract enemies which can kill it or the player.

Crafting
To make a snow golem, The player has to place two vertically stacked Snow Blocks in the real world, and place a Pumpkin on top of it. They cannot be made in the crafting table

Snow Golems are only created by the player placing a Pumpkin on top of the two Snow Blocks. If a Piston pushes a Snow Block under another Snow Block and Pumpkin, a Snow Golem will not be created. Nor will one be created if the player places a Pumpkin, knocks out the blocks beneath it, and replaces them with Snow Blocks. Thus, it is possible to create statues of 2 Snow Blocks and one Pumpkin without creating Snow Golems.

Farming
Because Snow Golems create a constant blanket of snow on the ground as they move, it should be possible to farm it. However, due to the provoking nature against hostile mobs, the player may want to make sure they are in an enclosed space.

Furthermore, Snow Golems can be used to lure hostile mobs into mob traps. This could create a better flow of incoming items, as you won't have to wait for said mobs to wander in.

Videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPzQbxytVA8 A video of a Snow Golem fighting a zombie.

Trivia

 * As of the 1.9 pre-release, Snow Golems can be built in the Nether.


 * Notch originally planned to call this mob Snowmen. However, very soon after revealing the name, he came upon the Reddit user "Cuttleman's" entry stating he would call them Snow Golems. He immediately decided to change their title to this.
 * Just Four Snow Golems muster enough power to continuously push a Zombie back.
 * On Reddit Notch referred to them as Utility Mobs.
 * Snow Golems cannot be created by moving snow with pistons, the blocks must be placed by the player
 * In the Beta 1.9 pre-release Snow Golems do not melt in the Nether.
 * Using fences and lava an effective mob defense system can be made. You can fence in a number of snowmen and put a 2 wide, 2 deep lava pit around them, and, as they don't melt, they will throw snowballs at oncoming mobs. The aggressive mobs will then fall into the lava pit.
 * Snow Golems don't appear to take fall damage.
 * Snow Golems simply wear the Pumpkin on their head. Their texture suggests the original head is still beneath.
 * If a Snow Golem is lit on fire, it will speed up and run for a water source.
 * The bottom of a Snow Golem acts as a block which the player and other mobs (Including Snow Golems) can jump on and off of.
 * The Snow Golems snow trails do not appear in mushroom biomes.