Compatibility
Minecraft: Java Edition
Platforms
Supported environments
Tags
Creators
Details
1.21 VERSION AVAILABLE NOW!!
Overview
Better Tools and Armor is a mod which adds more tools and armor to Minecraft, all with unique effects which enhance gameplay.
This is not just another overpowered toolpack mod. It is an overhaul of Minecraft's equipment progression system which encourages exploration and player choice.
BT+A also adds a myriad of new Building Blocks, Enchantments and Potion effects, as well as Quality of Life features such as new recipes for Vanilla items!
Important Information:
- The latest version of the mod is for Minecraft NeoForge 1.21.1 only!
- Curios API and Just Enough Items are Highly Recommended for use with this mod. Certain features will become unavailable without these mods installed.
- The 1.20.1 version is no longer receiving new feature updates. There will be a bug fix patch coming soon, but that's it.
Features
As of v13.1, Better Tools and Armor adds:
- Over 500 new Items
- Over 120 new Blocks
- 6 new Ores
- 25 new Tools and Armor Sets, most of these having useful effects.
- 15 standalone Armor pieces with special abilities.
- 20 Charms with passive buffs, equippable using the Curios API (if mod is installed)
- 85 new Advancements
- 13 new Potions, including 5 new Potion Effects
- 9 new Enchantments
- A new Bow, with 16 different upgrades
- A new type of Ranged Weapon: Magic Staffs - there are 5 of them!
- A new Tool Type: Daggers - there are over 30 of them!
- A new Villager Profession: The Jeweller
New Ores
Overworld Ores:
- Mixed Ore - Common below y=40. Drops a random resource when mined.
- Ruby - Uncommon between y=-32 and y=32.
- Sapphire - Generates above y=100 in large veins.
- Topaz - Spawns from y=0 to y=75 in Desert biomes.
Ruby, Sapphire and Topaz gear
- Ruby Tools - Very fast attack and mining speeds with much better durability than Gold.
- Sapphire Weapons - Can freeze opponents in a giant Ice block, allowing them to be shattered for extra damage.
- Sapphire Tools - Enchanted with Silk Touch by default.
- Topaz Weapons - Attacks can cause electric chains which damage other nearby mobs.
- Topaz Tools - Increased loot drops from blocks mined.
Other new ores:
- Nether Diamond - Spawns in Basalt Deltas in the Nether, inside Blackstone.
- Ender Titanium - Spawns rarely inside End Islands, at y=30 or below.
Nether Diamond and Ender Titanium gear
- Nether Diamond Weapons - Sets enemies on fire.
- Nether Diamond Tools - Smelts raw ore drops, or allows plants to drop Charcoal.
- Nether Diamond Armor - Gives Fire Resistance and shortens burning time, when on fire.
- Ender Titanium Smithing Template - Found in End City loot chests. Can be used to upgrade Netherite items into the most powerful gear in the mod!
- Ender Titanium Tools - End-related special effects, e.g. increased damage in the End.
- Ender Titanium Armor - Each piece has an End-related effect, and when a full set is worn, it can save you when falling into the void!
Crystallite
Crystallite is the largest feature in Better Tools and Armor, found underground in large clusters, similar to Amethyst Geodes. Crystallite Gems can be used to craft new equipment which is more powerful than Netherite!
Every piece of Crystallite gear can be upgraded with an Elemental Crystal to gain a special ability. There are 16 different upgrades for every piece of equipment!
Each upgrade is part of a set which has a theme based on the material it is crafted with. Some upgrades make gear more powerful, while others extend its utility. The choice is yours!
Crystallite Upgrade Highlights
- Magnetic Pickaxe - Block drops are teleported straight to you
- A pickaxe which mines all ores in a vein.
- Tools with increased reach distance
- Armor which increases movement speed or Max HP
- Cave Climber Leggings - Allows climbing up any solid block
- Swarm Sword - Consecutive hits deal more damage
- And many more!
Crystallite Upgrades are done using a Smithing Table, so you can change between any upgrade at any time, while keeping all enchantments. Upgrading uses the Crystallite Upgrade Smithing Template, which is obtained by trading with the new Jeweller Villager. This guy also sells Crystallite Charms, which provide passive buffs when equipped via Curios API.
Crystallite can also be crafted into a more powerful Bow, which can be upgraded in the same way!
Crystallite Bow Highlights
- Amethyst Upgrade - Arrows which home in on nearby mobs
- Ruby Upgrade - Faster fire rate
- Sculk Upgrade - Arrows which pierce through all targets
- Nether Diamond Upgrade - Explosive arrows!
Daggers
Every tool set, including the vanilla ones, now contains a Dagger.
Daggers are short swords which deal less damage and have less durability, but they attack much faster and are easier to craft.
Other than that, they have the exact same capabilities as the equivalent Sword in their toolset.
Wooden Armor
Stripping logs using an Axe now drops Bark, which can be used to craft Wooden Armor. This serves as a great early-game alternative to Leather Armor.
Bark can also be used to turn stripped logs back into regular logs, saving you from all those annoying times you've accidentally stripped a log which is part of your house!
Progression Tree
Better Tools and Armor changes the progression tree of Minecraft significantly:
Effect Armor
Effect Armor are a set of standalone armor pieces which grant a potion effect when worn. There are 11 different kinds, and each one can be upgraded with Iron and Diamond to increase the effect duration and level.
An Energy Vial (equipped via Curios API) is used to power the armor, and to toggle effects on/off. Learn more in the Knowledge Base
Effect Armor (in order shown)
- Golden Carrot Hat - Night Vision
- Hearty Shirt - Absorption
- Magma Chestplate - Strength
- Ruby Leggings - Haste
- Crystal Leggings - Swift Swim
- Gilded Blackstone Leggings - Fire Resistance
- Sugar Boots - Speed
- Rabbit Boots - Jump Boost
- Phantom Boots - Slow Falling
- Glass Armor - Invisibility (Armor with invisible texture)
Magic Staffs
Magic Staffs are a new kind of ranged weapon, crafted using Crystallite. They shoot projectiles with various magic effects, and they can be enchanted to become more powerful.
Magic Staffs (left to right)
- Fire Staff - Sets enemies on fire for a while. When enchanted, causes an explosion.
- Ice Staff - Freezes enemies for a while. When enchanted, projectiles have an area of effect.
- Lightning Staff - Summons lightning on the target.
- Warden Staff - Shoots a powerful sonic boom which travels through walls.
- Guardian Staff - Damages all mobs within a radius of the user.
Enchantments
Many new enchantments are added, for all kinds of equipment.
Enchantments List
- Smelting Touch (Pickaxes) - Smelts ore drops
- Experienced (Sword, 3 levels) - Increases XP drops from mobs
- Curse of Karma (Sword) - When you hit mobs, your sword hits back
- Freeze Shot (Bows, 3 levels) - Arrows can freeze the opponent
- Thunder Shot (Bows, 3 levels) - Arrows can strike the opponent with lightning
- Life Aura (Chestplates) - Makes your attacks stronger when at full HP
- Desperation (Chestplates) - Makes your attacks stronger when at low HP
- Swift Cast (Magic Staffs, 3 levels) - Decreases cooldown time between shots
- Ensorcellation (Magic Staffs, 3 levels) - Amplifies the effects of staff projectiles
Potions
Better Tools and Armor adds a variety of potions, including some new and upgraded Potion Effects.
Potions (left to right)
- Luck - This vanilla effect finally has a use! Having the Luck effect gives a chance for Ore drops to double.
- Decay - Now you can harness the Wither effect by brewing this potion using the Wither Rose!
- Karma - Having this effect acts kind of like the Thorns enchantment. When mobs attack you, they will also take damage.
- Double Jump - Allows you to jump again in mid-air!
- Swift Swim - Increases swimming speed, without the need for Dolphin's Grace.
- Criticality - Increases damage dealt by critical hits.
- Ore Vision - Shows particles on nearby ores, highlighting them in the darkness.
Some new potions give one-off effects, rather than a long-lasting potion effect. These are known as Utility Potions and they can be found in various loot chests in vanilla structures, such as Mob Spawners.
Utility Potions (left to right)
- Potion of Experience - Instantly gives 1 XP level.
- Potion of Ascension - Teleports you up to the next solid floor.
- Potion of Descension - Teleports you down to the next ceiling.
- Recall Potion - Teleports you to your spawn
- Potion of Lost Souls - Teleports you to your last death location.
- Mystic Potion - Brewing ingredient for other Utility Potions. Gives a random potion effect when consumed.
Building Blocks
Better Tools and Armor adds a variety of metal building blocks, coming in 20 different colours. These all come with Slab, Stair, Wall and Trapdoor variants. They are great for making trains with the Create Mod!
Finding out More
Some highlights of Better Tools and Armor have been shown on this page, and in the Images Tab on CurseForge, but this barely scratches the surface of what's available!
For more information in-game, I highly recommend installing Just Enough Items. This allows recipes to be viewed for every item and block in the mod. It also allows you to view Information screens about certain items, giving more details about how they work. Here is an example, accessed by pressing [R] while hovering on the new Bark item.
Need Help?
For any information about BT+A which is not covered in-game, please refer to the Knowledge Base - this 76-page Google Doc contains detailed information about every feature in the mod. Of course, if you are still stuck, you can always leave a comment and I will reply!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D9QeXDJwbP624e433IQZ1Bo4KJmBZImnvJVf0wcGmL8/edit?usp=sharing
(Not currently updated for 1.21 - This is coming soon)
Using the Mod
Feel free to use Better Tools and Armor in any modpacks you create! I would highly appreciate it if your modpack uses Minecraft version 1.21.1, to keep up-to-date with the latest releases of BT+A! This mod is made using MCreator.
I am always open to feedback and suggestions. Please drop your thoughts in the comments and I will read them! Found any bugs? Please let me know in the comments, or by creating an Issue on the mod's GitHub page. You can also view the source code here, but please don't re-release the mod without crediting me or linking back to this page!
Planned Updates
- Port to newer versions of Minecraft (26.1 and beyond)
- Wind Charge magic staff
Not Planned
Please do not ask for any of these, as I don't have time to develop them:
- Any more feature updates for 1.20
- Any more versions for 1.16, 1.18 and 1.19
- Backport to 1.15 and below
- Fabric Port