
Minecraft has introduced an update that enhances exploration, especially for survival mode players. Previously, players hesitated to venture far from their bases due to the fear of getting lost and losing valuable items.
The introduction of the compass helped, but it only directed players to their beds and was ineffective in the End or Nether dimensions.
Minecraft's lodestone update
In 2020, Mojang released the Nether Update (1.16) for Minecraft: Java Edition, introducing new mobs, biomes, and items like ancient debris, crying obsidian, soul lanterns, and lodestones. Initially, lodestones were rare, requiring netherite ingots to craft or find in bastion remnants.
Interestingly, to make lodestones more accessible, Mojang updated the crafting recipe and spawning locations in an early January Java snapshot and Bedrock beta/preview.
Lodestones can now be crafted with iron ingots and found in chests near ruined Nether portals in the overworld. Through this change, now more players would be able to use lodestones and explore safely.
How to use lodestones in Minecraft?
Players need a compass to use a lodestone. Clicking on a lodestone while holding a compass turns it into a lodestone compass, which glows like enchanted items and points to the lodestone's location instead of a bed.
This feature works in the End and Nether, making it easier to find important places like primary portals and Nether fortresses.
The new crafting and spawning locations for lodestones, currently in preview modes, would change how players explore Minecraft once fully implemented. By crafting lodestones with iron ingots, players can easily locate far-away sites. For example, placing lodestones in distant biomes helps players and new joiners find important locations without getting lost.