Exploration +: A Survival Expansion
This mod aims to expand and overhaul the caves and cliffs updates (1.17 - 1.20). There are now many new uses for copper, amethyst, sculk, goats, and archaeology, as well as many new additions such as enchantments, foods, armors, weapons, etc.
Expansions: Archaeology
Players can now use mud, terracotta, and 3 pottery sherds to craft a Clay Relic. Clay Relics are placeable statuettes, and there are 5 obtainable relics, using the Explorer, Arms Up, Danger, Miner, and Angler pottery sherds. Additionally, players can also use leather and terracotta to craft the Archaeology Table, which acts as a workbench for a the new villager profession: the Archaeologist. Archaeologist villagers have archaeology-based trades, and can even provide the player with armor trims and pottery sherds.
Expansions: Copper & Amethyst
Eight amethyst shards, when placed in a crafting table, now craft an Amethyst Gem. These gems can be used to make the Amethyst Sword, a new weapon. The Amethyst Sword deals 12 damage, but shatters instantly after used. Players can also use copper blocks, tinted glass, and an amethyst gem to craft amethyst lenses, which can then be used to craft the Tinted Copper Goggles. Tinted Copper Goggles, when worn, grant the player with Night Vision, but will also tint the screen in an amethyst color.
Copper, when combined with Rabbits Hide and String, can also be used to craft an Ore Pouch. Ore Pouches can hold up to nine stacks of ores, and make mining expeditions much more convenient.
New Additions: Nautilus
Players can now find the Chambered Nautilus in warm ocean and coral reef biomes. Chambered Nautili drop a Nautilus Shell when killed. Using a nautilus shell in a crafting table along with gilded blackstone, gold blocks, and an emerald can make the Gilded Nautilus Shell. Gilded Nautilus Shells shatter when used, producing a sound that stuns nearby piglins and piglin brutes, allowing players to make a quick escape.
Expansions: Goats
Goats now have a chance of dropping their pelt when killed. Pelt can be used to reinforce a shield and give it extra durability. It can also be used to craft Goatskin Boots.
Goatskin Boots are very durable, and also offer +2 armor points of protection. Players that have Goatskin Boots equipped will also receive the Jump Boost effect.
Expansions: Sculk
Echo Shards can now be used in a Smithing Table to turn Iron Armor into Sculk Armor. Sculk Armor is similar to Netherite Armor, but will turn invisible at night. Sculk armor also offers additional protection during nighttime, however, it cannot be enchanted. While this armor is inherently worse than netherite because of the fact that you can't enchant it, it is good for multiplayer scenarios where you need to sneak around / hide.
New Additions: Weapon Blueprints, Applewood, Structures, Biomes
The Weapon Blueprint is a new item. Players can use weapon blueprints in a Smithing Table along with a material (wood, cobblestone, iron, gold, diamond, or netherite) to craft a sword or axe of that type. Weapon Blueprints can be found in a new structure known as the Sundial. Sundials generate in plains and meadow biomes.
There is also a new biome in this mod, known as the Applewood Grove. Along with the Applewood Grove is a new wood type: applewood. Applewood is slightly paler than oak, and has a more aged look to it.
New Additions: Foodstuffs
Along with this mod comes four new food items - the first one being chocolate. Chocolate can be crafted using cocoa beans, milk, and sugar. After eating chocolate, players will get a powerful, yet incredibly short speed boost.
Squids now drop Raw Calamari, which can be cooked in a furnace.
Players can now also find Green Apples in village chests. A green apple and eight gold blocks can be traded with an archaeologist villager to obtain an Enchanted Golden Apple.
New Items: Golden Feather, Bamboo Flute
Surrounding a feather with gold ingots in a crafting table will now make the Golden Feather. When falling from a high height, players can use the feather to reset their fall damage. Upon use, the feather will freeze the player midair before letting go of them.
The Bamboo Flute can now be crafted using two pieces of bamboo and an iron ingot. When the Bamboo Flute is in the main hand of a player, they can use the Z, X, C, V, B, N, M, and K keys to play notes.
New Enchantments
- Stun. Can be used on axes. When an entity is attacked by a weapon with the Stun enchantment, they will be paralyzed for 2-5 seconds (depends on enchantment level)
- Water Aspect. Can be used on weapons. Water aspect deals extra damage to blazes, endermen, ender dragons, snow golems, and magma cubes.
- Leech. Can be used on weapons. When an entity is attacked by a weapon with the Leech enchantment, there is a small chance (depends on enchantment level) that the attacking player will regenerate their HP.
- Lightfooted. Can be used on boots. Gives a speed boost to the player wearing the boots.
- Ablaze. Can be used on pickaxes (not with fortune). When a pickaxe has the Ablaze enchantment, it will automatically smelt ores.
Additional Tweaks:
- Jack o' lanterns are now crafted using candles instead of torches.
- Right-clicking stripped logs with bonemeal will "unstrip" said wood, converting the block back to normal.
- Using a wither rose on an awkward potion in the brewing stand will craft a potion of decay - this gives players a wither effect. (Bedrock Edition parity fix)
I totally understand what you are saying, I really appreciate when people actually try to make quality mods that fit the vanilla style, and I try to do the same, although I'm not all that great at making texture, so the in-progress mods I have involve a lot of taking vanilla textures, changing them up, and using them as a new texture for a new item/block/mob/etc. I did make a cute snail texture once on my own though.
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I know its not that vanilla but getting to your base AFTER youve done exploring is stupidly difficult if youre in hardcore/keepinventory isnt on. So like a remote control stasis chamber?