Minecraft Update Adds New Armor Feature

Minecraft players got another new feature to try out this week with armor trims now in testing to give players a way to upgrade their appearances when they're outfitted with a suit of armor. The feature doesn't change the performance of the armor itself with all protective gear still behaving the same way even if it's been trimmed, but it's a unique cosmetic feature that players will soon be able to take advantage of in full after it spends its time on the test servers.

Mojang previewed the armor trim feature this week by showing off some of the different armor trims and what they look like as well as how the whole thing works. The armor trims consist of different patterns and dyes to customize armor sets once you have the required materials.

"Armor trims are patterns for your armor that allow you to personalize your armor, add flair, and show off your Overworld travels! They come in 11 different patterns that you can dye in 10 different colors. To trim your armor, you need to hunt down a smithing template – a new required ingredient for making upgrades at the smithing table," Mojang said. "These can be found all over the worlds of Minecraft, so get ready for some inter-dimensional adventures if you want a complete set! Some of the armor trims reflect the place where you found the template, for example bastions contain a piglin-inspired trim. Craft your trims on the smithing table, and then dye them using gems and ingots like diamonds, copper, and netherite!"

Introducing armor trims, a NEW 1.20 feature available to try in today's snapshot!

Customize the look of your armor: Find smithing template items throughout the world and take them to a smithing table. Mix and match materials to create your own special look! pic.twitter.com/UA9ODxbqrX

— Minecraft (@Minecraft) January 24, 2023

Can players achieve something like this with any number of mods that are already out there? Sure, but this new feature will also be available in the Bedrock versions of the game, so those who have that version on consoles and can't mod things like those on PC can will eventually be able to take advantage of this feature, too. For the time being, it's only available in the Java version of the game and is being tested in the latest Snapshot. Mojang's post about the topic said it's "working hard to get them into Bedrock betas and previews as soon as possible."