There was a lot to take in during the Minecraft Live event that took place today. The team at Mojang has been putting a lot of work into the Caves and Cliffs update. So much information came out about the upcoming 1.17 update that they even had to split up the presentation into two parts. However, one of the things that they teased the entire time was one of the new mobs coming to Minecraft, the Axolotl, which is surely going to change water combat forever.

Since the Update Aquatic, players have been enticed to take to the seas to explore the mysteries hidden in the deep. However, the drowned were also added to the game with that update, a hostile mob that seems to generate endlessly, making exploration difficult. Strong armor and weapons can help you fight off the drowned long enough to do what you need to do, or—failing that—dolphin speed can help you escape. The biggest enemy you'll face in waters, though, is the boss mob The Guardian.

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These mobs guard underwater temples that contain gold and sponge blocks. They are also the only source of Prismarine—an essential element in crafting sea lanterns. The problem with fighting the Guardians (and some of the drowned) is that they have a ranged attack. Unless you have a repaired trident—which isn't easy to get—you'll need to get up close and personal to fight. That is, you'll need to do that until 1.17 is released at which point, you can raise an army of axolotls to help you conquer the oceans.

These mobs can be found in the new Lush Caves, where they are content to just live their lives in their subterranean homes. However, if you scoop them up in a bucket, they become tamed (there might be another step, but we don't know right now) and will follow you loyally as you swim in around in the oceans. Real-life axolotls are often confused with mudpuppies and waterdogs but are unrelated. That being said, the Minecraft axolotls don't help the confusion, as these digital animals act much as wolves do on dry land.

You can create small armies of axolotls who will then attack hostile mobs around you. Unlike wolves, though, axolotls will play dead to regenerate health and are even rumored to have the ability to heal you (though we don't know how). Obviously, having packs of axolotls acting as your personal bodyguards is going to completely change the way that you approach the ocean temples that the Guardians live in them. No longer will you have to find and repair tridents or try your luck with close-quarters combat. Now, an army can be raised with a quick trip to a cave and a few buckets. No other items are necessary.

Even if another step is added in order to tame the axolotl, the mere fact that they act the way they do will change water expeditions forever. They should be relatively plentiful and easy to catch. On top of that, they live exactly where you'll find the iron you need to craft the buckets to catch them in. Just like that, you've got your own aquatic army. Time will tell what happens with axolotls, but for now, the possibilities the axolotls bring is very exciting.

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