Part of what makes the crafting part of Minecraft so engaging is the variety of systems that players can interact with to make or empower their items. From the beginning of the game, players have to make themselves a crafting table to get their most basic tools, and eventually, players' bases will be filled with enchanting tables, anvils, grindstones, and other useful blocks. Major Minecraft updates generally introduce at least one major new crafting recipe or use for one of these blocks, even if it's just the standard crafting table, but not every system gets updates frequently. Minecraft brewing stands have fallen behind lately, for instance.
The last time brewing stands got new potions was in Minecraft Java Edition 1.13, also known as the Update Aquatic. Ever since that patch, players have been able to make Potions of Slow Falling and Potions of the Turtle Master, which are two of the more unique buffs players can get from a potion. The Update Aquatic is a distant memory at this point, however; Minecraft players haven't gotten a new potion recipe in a long time. Minecraft still has a lot of ways to update its potion system, so hopefully Mojang's next update takes another pass at the uses of brewing.
Possible Additions to the Minecraft Brewing System
Many of the effects that players can experience in Minecraft, from Poison to Weakness, can be obtained manually through potions, but brewing doesn't give fans access to the complete list. There are plenty of interesting effects that ought to make their way into Minecraft potions, such as Haste, which makes players mine faster. Minecraft Beacons are currently the only source of Haste, so it'd be great if fans could get a more accessible source of the effect. Luck Potions would be great for players hunting for rare items, and milder Resistance Potions could easily stand alongside Potions of the Turtle Master. Absorption Potions would be a great alternative to healing too.
Aside from adding to Minecraft's list of basic effects, Mojang also has the power to combine effects in future potions. After all, the Potion of the Turtle Master already sets a precedent for it, offering a huge Resistance buff in exchange for temporary Slowness. Mojang ought to explore the potential of multipurpose potions that require more complicated brewing practices. For instance, it could add a potion that applies a huge Strength buff but also adds Mining Fatigue to slow the player's attacks. A more powerful Healing or Speed Potion that applies temporary Weakness could also be useful for players who need to disengage from dangerous situations.
Why Minecraft Brewing Updates Should Happen
Any and all of these possible additions to the list of potion recipes would be worthwhile because they'll inspire new contents elsewhere in the Minecraft world, or vice versa. All of them will likely require entirely new ingredients, which means Mojang has a chance to create new mobs, generated structures, or even dimensions that act as sources for these ingredients. No update to the brewing system has ever stood alone; Potions of Leaping appeared thanks to the addition of rabbits, Potions of Slow Falling came from phantoms as the Minecraft Overworld's first flying hostile mob, and so on. New potions are almost always signs of major positive change elsewhere in the game.
Mojang hasn't signaled that a large-scale brewing update is around the corner, and the mechanic admittedly might not be a priority for the studio right now. It has plenty of other potential content to look into, like Minecraft's postponed archeology system or previously teased desert updates. Still, the beauty of Minecraft's brewing system is that it doesn't have to lead an update to benefit from it. Minecraft's next major update ought to bring at least one new potion to the game, but hopefully Mojang will be a little more ambitious than that.
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