Java Edition unused features

Since the beginning of Minecraft's development, there have been a number of features added to the game that have no actual use in Survival or in Creative. Some of these features are leftover from removed features, or simply placeholders for new features.

This article documents only unused features that are currently in the game. See Java Edition removed features for features previously in the game that are no longer available.

Certain blocks have certain combinations of block states that cannot be encountered in usual Survival gameplay, and instead require using commands, the debug stick, a debug world, or certain glitches, many version-specific. Some may also be able to be created via update suppression methods, or be able to be created in older game versions and updated forward. As these are impossible to encounter, mapmakers may be able to use some of them as blank slates and remodel these using model files for custom blocks as these cannot be encountered in any gameplay. These states are generally fragile.

Giants are an unused mob added in Indev. They appear to be a giant zombie. Giants have no movement AI, therefore they are unable to walk around. They cannot spawn naturally because the game requires the light level to be both greater than 11 and less than 8 and those conditions cannot be met in vanilla. This makes them impossible to spawn via monster spawners.

Giants can be summoned only by using the /summon minecraft:giant command.

In the 18w50a snapshot, the giant has an AI and is able to attack the player. The AI was removed in the 19w03a snapshot.

In the 2020 April Fools' snapshot, the giant is able to naturally spawn on occasion in custom dimensions.

In the 2024 April Fools' snapshot, a retextured giant can spawn in the colloseum, in the Potato dimension. It is a part of the boss fight with mega spud, and has an AI.

A variant of the rabbit that is hostile toward all wolves, foxes, and players. Its fur is pure white with blood-red eyes that are horizontal, compared to a normal rabbit's vertical eyes.

If the killer bunny finds any player within a 16-block radius, it hops quickly toward the player, much faster than a normal rabbit. It moves in a style similar to that of a spider. Once it closes in, it lunges at the player, dealing a fair amount of damage. If the player strikes at the killer bunny, it runs away for a brief moment, then returns to lunging at the player. Killer rabbits are also immune to the Thorns enchantment.

If it cannot find a player, the killer bunny actively seeks out and attacks any wolves as well, including tamed wolves. These wolves, in turn, turn hostile and attack the killer bunny, leading to a vicious fight.

On Peaceful difficulty, the killer bunny does not despawn, despite its hostile nature. It still attacks wolves (both tamed and untamed).

The killer bunny can be spawned only with the /summon minecraft:rabbit ~ ~ ~ {RabbitType:99} command.

An unused illager that was added in Java Edition 1.12. Like other illagers, they attack players, villagers, wandering traders and iron golems within a 12 blocks range. It attacks with its spells, and with its bow.

It has two spells: a spell that blinds its opponent, and a spell that summons duplicates and makes the illusioner invisible.

The illusioner has a face that is just like the face of an evoker, formerly of a vindicator.

Illusioners can be spawned only with the /summon minecraft:illusioner command.

A combination of a minecart and a monster spawner. Cannot be obtained as an item in the inventory, and can be placed only by using the /summon minecraft:spawner_minecart command.

The monster spawner inside the minecart acts the same way as normal monster spawners, and the mob being spawned can be changed with /data modify.

When killed, minecarts with monster spawners drop 1 👁 Image
minecart.

In v0.5.0 alpha, with the addition of paintings to Pocket Edition, four unused 32×32 paintings were present in kz.png that remained unused. They were also added to Java Edition in snapshot 22w16a. They can be summoned by commands (such as /summon minecraft:painting ~ ~ ~ {variant:"water"}) or through a data pack. They can also be found in the Operator Utilities tab in the Creative inventory.

According to Helen Zbihlyj^[1], these paintings were originally added "as part of a Pocket Edition promo map" (no footage found) that was planned to be a part of Pocket Edition promotion at MINECON 2012 or 2013 and have never been used in game. The artist of these paintings remains unknown.

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These are mob states

Various status effects remain unused in the game. They can be obtained only by using /effect or potion NBT data.

Luck increases the chance of high-quality loot. The Luck effect can be obtained from potions of luck, splash potions of luck, lingering potions of luck and arrows of luck; These items require commands to be obtained.

From snapshot 19w13a to 1.14 Pre-Release 1, arrows of luck could be obtained from fletcher villagers when the player had the Hero of the Village status effect.

Bad Luck is the opposite of Luck; it reduces the chances of high-quality loot. Bad Luck cannot be obtained from potions; It can only be obtained via /effect.

Added in Java Edition 1.6.1 snapshot 13w23b. The effect boosted the player's hearts for the duration of the effect. It could be obtained from eating a golden apple. Since snapshot 13w24b, golden apples give the player Absorption instead of Health Boost, but the effect was left in the game.

In Java Edition 1.9 the Health Boost effect's texture was changed to be distinct from Absorption and was again remade in Java Edition 1.14 by Jasper Boerstra (commonly known as Jappa).

Some of these sounds are still usable by running:

• /playsound minecraft:entity.ghast.scream master @a for the "Ghast affectionate scream" sound.^[2]
• /playsound minecraft:entity.player.breath master @a for the "Breath" sound.^[3]
• /playsound minecraft:entity.silverfish.step master @a for the "Silverfish walking" sounds.^[4]
• /playsound minecraft:entity.endermite.step master @a for the "Endermite walking" sounds.^[5]
• /playsound minecraft:entity.zombie.attack_iron_door master @a for the "Zombie attacking iron door" sounds.^[6]
• /playsound minecraft:entity.bat.loop @a for the "Bat loop" sound.^[7]

Curiously, the "affectionate scream" can be heard in the Nether Update Official Trailer at 1:03 – 1:04.

There is code for numerous development tools. They remain unused in the latest version of Java Edition but can be enabled with the help of mods.

Various resources located in the game's assets files that remain unused.

Some extra icons for maps. The white and green arrows are the only ones used normally, though the colored arrows are used for multiplayer in Bedrock Edition.

Skeletons normally wield bows, but if one were to spawn in a skeleton with a sword, the skeleton can use it like a normal weapon.

If a wither skeleton is spawned with a bow, it can use it as intended, except the arrow is always on fire, even without lava or enchantments.

Issues relating to "Unused" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.