Minecraft's Metal and Gem Blocks are Long Overdue to…

After significantly overhauling copper blocks in Minecraft's 1.21 Tricky Trials update, Mojang should follow suit with the game's other metal and gemstone blocks, like iron, gold, and diamond, to maximize their decorative versatility too. When copper was first introduced to Minecraft, it was met with a mixed reception due to its initially limited uses, such as lightning rods and spyglasses, despite becoming one of the game's more abundant ores. However, as part of Mojang's last major update to Minecraft with 1.21's Tricky Trials, the use and variety of copper blocks was expanded to include the likes of copper doors, bulbs, grates, and more.

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By Jack Peachey

Minecraft's Expanded Copper and Tuff Blocks Should Only Be The Beginning

As part of its two-part Caves and Cliffs update, Mojang went above and beyond by introducing or improving a range of Minecraft blocks, features, and mechanics, such as a revamped Overworld generation or new block types like copper and tuff. However, it wouldn't be until the following Tricky Trials update that these block types received a second overhaul with new chiseled blocks, bulbs, grates, and more all combined through Minecraft's new structure, the Trial Chamber. But while these changes helped improve the versatility of blocks like copper, Mojang should consider expanding this new standard to other block types.

This would only require a few small updates for some Minecraft block types, such as introducing chiseled or brick options for stone variants like diorite, andesite, or granite. Beyond these, however, is a larger range of metal and gemstone block types that have now been surpassed by copper and its versatility, especially when the rarity of some block types often makes them highly sought after among players:

Iron
Gold
Emerald
Lapis Lazuli
Diamond
Amethyst
Netherite

It's Time For Minecraft's Metals and Gemstones Catch Up With Copper

With the baseline set by Minecraft's copper in mind, other metal blocks stand out as the most in need of a similar update, given that iron and gold are already used for practical blocks like doors, pressure plates, and more. For example, new block types such as grates, trapdoors, and bulbs could all be expanded to include iron, gold, and netherite, while other decorative blocks such as stairs and slabs could include both metal and gemstone blocks for players to use in their creative builds. Moreover, between their rarity and durability, adding these blocks could ultimately benefit Minecraft's multiplayer with their potential decorative or defensive use in player builds.

Minecraft's Copper Should Be A Starting Point to Balance its Metal and Gemstone Blocks

When comparing how Minecraft currently uses metal and gemstone blocks, while copper's overhaul has helped it become a useful block type, it brings to the light the differences between it and the game's other metal and gemstone blocks. For instance, while iron bulbs might be an interesting new block, iron ingots are already used in lanterns, which are arguably the same except for their redstone functionality. Therefore, capitalizing on Minecraft's new smaller content drops, Mojang could revisit each metal and gemstone block and gradually implement changes to standardize and balance these block types across the board.