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This guide is a simplified overview of all the changes in the Exploration Update (Java Edition 1.11.x releases), which assumes at least some familiarity with the Frostburn Update (Java Edition 1.10.x releases).

Mobs[]

New[]

Name Image Habitat Drops Note
Vindicator Vindicator JE1 BE1
  • Emerald (0–1)
  • 5, plus 1–3 per equipment piece (when killed by a player or tamed wolf)

Spawned Equipment

  • One of the two new illagers
  • Hostile towards players and villagers
  • Separates their arms when aggravated, and holds an iron axe in their main hand.
  • When named Johnny, they attack all nearby mobs except other illagers.
Evoker Evoker Revision 1
  • One of the two new illagers.
  • Hostile towards players and villagers.
  • In battle, they summon vexes and fangs to attack.
    • Raises their arms when casting a spell.
  • Changes any blue colored sheep red within a radius of 16 blocks.
Vex Vex JE1 BE1
  • Only spawn when summoned by an evoker.
  • Can phase through blocks
  • Hostile towards players and villagers
  • Shows red marks when about to attack
  • Holds an iron sword in their main hand
Llama Creamy Llama Revision 1White Llama Revision 1Brown Llama Revision 1Gray Llama Revision 1
  • Attacks by spitting.
    • When hit, they spit at the player, dealing 1♥ damage.
    • If not in a caravan group, they are always aggressive toward wolves.
  • Can be equipped with a carpet for decoration and a chest for storage.
    • Differently colored carpets have different textures when placed on llamas.
    • Amount of storage slots available depends on the strength of the llama.
  • When leashed, up to 10 llamas will be attracted and try to form a caravan.
    • Caravan groups are passive to all mobs.
  • Tamed llamas can be bred with hay bales.

Changed[]

Name Image Changed
Blaze Blaze JE1 BE1
Creeper Creeper
Enderman Enderman
Husk Husk JE1 BE1
Shulker Shulker

Blocks[]

New[]

Name Image Obtaining Tool Required Uses
Observer Observer JE3
Ingredients Crafting recipe
Cobblestone +
Redstone Dust +
Nether Quartz

Pickaxe
  • Outputs a redstone signal when it detects a block update
Shulker Box White Shulker Box Revision 1Orange Shulker Box Revision 1Magenta Shulker Box Revision 1Light Blue Shulker Box Revision 1Yellow Shulker Box Revision 1Lime Shulker Box Revision 1Pink Shulker Box Revision 1Gray Shulker Box Revision 1Light Gray Shulker Box Revision 1Cyan Shulker Box Revision 1Purple Shulker Box Revision 1Blue Shulker Box Revision 1Brown Shulker Box Revision 1Green Shulker Box Revision 1Red Shulker Box Revision 1Black Shulker Box Revision 1
Ingredients Crafting recipe
Shulker Shell +
Chest

Ingredients Crafting recipe
Any Shulker Box +
Matching Dye


Pickaxe
  • Similar to a chest, but keeps its content when broken
    • Cannot be placed inside another shulker box
    • Breaks when pushed by a piston
    • Dispensers will place the shulker box in front of it

Changed[]

Name Image Changed
Bed Red Bed JE1 BE1
  • If the player clicks on the bed, but is not right beside it, it now shows the message: "You may not rest now, the bed is too far away"
    • Previously the player would get no message, but would be unable to sleep
Cauldron Cauldron JE1
End Gateway End Gateway JE2 BE1
  • Now uses a magenta-colored beam when teleporting entities, rather than yellow
Flower Pot Flower Pot JE2
  • The potted plant can now be removed from the pot, by pressing use
Furnace Furnace (S) 14w25a

Items[]

New[]

Name Image Obtaining Uses
Shulker Shell Shulker Shell JE1 BE1
  • Has a 50% chance of being dropped by a shulker upon death
Totem of Undying Totem of Undying JE1 BE1
  • Evokers will always drop one upon death
  • Holding it in either hand will resurrect the player upon taking lethal damage
  • Gives the player the Absorption and Regeneration effects when activated
  • Does not prevent death by /kill or the Void
  • Has an animation when activated, which uses the item's texture and model
Explorer Map Ocean Explorer Map JE1 BE1Woodland Explorer Map JE1 BE1
  • Used to locate ocean monuments and the new woodland mansions
  • Works like a map, but shows the outlines of land and a single structure icon
  • Fills in the map with block colors once the player starts exploring the area shown
  • Ocean explorer maps are slightly blue, while woodland explorer maps are slightly brown
Iron Nugget Iron Nugget JE1 BE1
Ingredients Crafting recipe
Iron Ingot
Ingredients Smelting recipe
Iron Sword or
Any iron tools or
Any iron armor or
Any chainmail armor or
Iron Horse Armor +
Any fuel


Zombie Villager,
Wither Skeleton,
Skeleton Horse,
Zombie Horse,
Donkey, Mule,
Elder Guardian,
Husk, Stray,
Polar Bear,
Llama,
Vindicator,
Evoker and Vex
Spawn Eggs
Zombie Villager Spawn Egg JE1 BE1Wither Skeleton Spawn Egg JE1 BE1Skeleton Horse Spawn Egg JE1 BE1Zombie Horse Spawn Egg JE1 BE2Donkey Spawn Egg JE1 BE1Mule Spawn Egg JE1 BE1Elder Guardian Spawn Egg JE1 BE1Husk Spawn Egg JE1 BE2Stray Spawn Egg JE1 BE2Polar Bear Spawn Egg JE1 BE1Llama Spawn Egg JE1 BE1Vindicator Spawn Egg JE1 BE1Evoker Spawn Egg JE1 BE1Vex Spawn Egg JE1 BE1
  • Obtained from the creative inventory.
  • Can be used to spawn the respective mob.

Changed[]

Name Image Changed
Map Map
  • Now shows the land properly when used in the End
Shield Shield JE1

Non-mob entities[]

New[]

Name Image Creation Drops Note
Evocation fangs Evoker Fangs Revision 1
  • Only spawn when summoned by an evoker
  • Always deals 6♥♥♥ damage, ignoring armor
  • Naturally spawned fangs do not harm illagers

Changed[]

Name Image Changed
Fireworks Firework Rocket JE1 BE1
  • While flying using elytra, using a firework will give the player a boost for a certain amount of time. This will emit particles when in use.
    • Fireworks stay at the players location until they disappear or explode.
    • Longer flight duration on the rocket will make the boost last longer. You can increase the flight duration of a firework by crafting it with gunpowder in the other slots.
    • Fireworks with an explosion will deal damage at the end of their flight.
  • Firework explosions now hurt surrounding mobs and players.
    • The damage radius of the explosion is about 2-3 blocks and is the same for any shape (large ball, creeper, burst, etc.) and the damage decreases with the distance to the explosion.
    • The damage amount at close range is about 5♥♥♥ without armor on, and with full diamond armor, it equates to about 1♥.
    • Death message is "[player] went off with a bang".

Structures[]

New[]

Name Image Generates Chests Mobs Description
Woodland Mansion Woodland Mansion JE1 BE1
  • The structure contains various chests in the different rooms

Gameplay[]

Changed[]

Name Changed
Chat
  • Messages can now be 256 characters long instead of 100.
  • Some warnings now appear above the hotbar instead in the chat, like "Press [key] to dismount" had.
    • "You can only sleep at night"
    • "You may not rest now, there are monsters nearby"
    • "This bed is occupied"
    • "Height limit for building is 256 blocks"
    • "Unable to open. Loot not generated yet."
    • "You may not rest now, the bed is too far away"
Shields
  • Now block 100%, as opposed to 66.6%, of the damage dealt in melee combat.
    • Zombies without any weapons will not deal any damage to the player, nor damage the shield's durability.
    • Creeper explosions deal 0 damage to the player.
    • Wither skeletons will not inflict the wither effect when hit by them.
    • Burning zombies will not set the player on fire.
    • Mobs with axes will now disable the shield if they attack a blocking player.
Attack indicator
  • When in crosshair mode, the weapon is fully cooled, and a mob or entity is in range of attack, the attack indicator will be visible and will include a small plus sign (+) underneath the crosshair.

Enchantments[]

New[]

Enchantment Max Level Applicable Items Notes
Curse of Binding I
  • One of the two new 'curse' enchantments, which have negative effects
  • Curse of Binding will bind armor items to you, making you unable to drop it or take it off
    • The item only drops when the player dies
  • Cursed tools, armor and books can be found as loot in some generated structures
Curse of Vanishing I
Sweeping Edge III

Changed[]

Name Changed
Mending and Infinity
  • Are no longer compatible with each other on bows when trying to apply them with an anvil or when using the /enchant command.
Anvils

Anvils will no longer apply enchanted books to items, if the result has no effect

    • This can occur if all enchantments on the book are incompatible with existing enchantments on the item.
    • This can also occur if the enchanted book has no enchantments.
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