APEx Main Overview

APEx (pronounced "ape-x" with emphasis on "ape") is a proper equipment expansion mod that adds new ores, gems, metals, tool and weapon types, equipment tiers, recipes, and mobs. This mod adds interesting and powerful choices to early, mid, and end-game gearing in a way that feels true to vanilla Minecraft while still offering a fresh and more engaging experience. There are also a handful of new convenience and QoL items/recipes that help alleviate some resource shortages in the early game. A basic summary of the mod can be found below, and the APEx Wiki outlines all features in greater detail.

Equipment Tiers

Each of the 5 new equipment tiers has associated ores, gems, and metals that can be found underground in the overworld. They are designed not to replace vanilla equipment tiers, but rather to complement them and offer players more choices in how they gear up. Each tier is designed to serve a specific purpose:

Bronze (early-game) is as powerful as Iron and is designed as an Iron substitute to alleviate resource shortages in the early game
Gilded Bronze (mid-game) is an upgraded version of Bronze that is stronger than Iron/Bronze and weaker than Diamond, but is as fast as Gold and is highly useful in the Nether
Cobalt-Steel (end-game) is a powerful tier that prioritizes speed over damage, focusing on agility and mining efficiency
Infused Gemstone (end-game) is a powerful tier that prioritizes enchantability, focusing on damage-over-time and anti-magic
Tungsten-Carbide (end-game) is a powerful tier that prioritizes damage over speed, focusing on high damage and durability

Bows, Crossbows, Battleaxes, and Paxels!

All three end-game tier upgrades also apply to Bows and Crossbows using the same upgrade process as regular equipment items (using a Smithing Table and an Upgrade Template). Additionally, two new tool/weapons exist for Diamond, Netherite, Cobalt-Steel, Infused Gemstone, and Tungsten-Carbide equipment tiers: Battleaxes and Paxels.

Upgraded Bows and Crossbows (new end-game tiers only) deal more damage and apply special effects on hit
New Battleaxes have the same stats as Axes, but can receive weapon enchantments directly from an Enchanting Table and do not take double durability damage when attacking Mobs
New Paxels combine the Axe, Hoe, Pickaxe, and Shovel into one all-purpose item that behaves like any other mining tool

Upgrade Process

Equipment items for the end-game tiers are crafted using the same upgrade process as Netherite equipment - Diamond equipment is upgraded using the corresponding upgrade ingredient and an Upgrade Template. Three new upgrade ingredients and their corresponding templates can be crafted or found in loot chests in the Overworld, Nether, and End. Additionally, a new **Basic Upgrade Template** item has been introduced which is a single-use item that cannot be used directly in a Smithing Table, but can be crafted into a proper Upgrade Template using fewer ingredients than duplicating a template. This basic template is generated much more frequently in loot chests and is designed to make the process of acquiring Upgrade Templates less tedious.

Lastly, two new boss Mobs have been introduced which must be slain in order to craft upgrade ingredients for the new end-game tiers. The Obsidian Golem drops a Molten Core which is required for Cobalt-Steel and Tungsten-Carbide, and the Mysterious Specter drops a Handful of Stardust which is required for Infused Gemstone. But beware: These Mobs are much stronger than typical mobs and will require careful planning to take down.

Recommended Mod Pairings & Modpack Use

As the strength levels of the new end-game equipment tiers are quite high, APEx pairs well with other mods that increase the game's difficulty or increase the strength level of Netherite. Some of my favorites are:

Modpack developers are welcome to use this mod in any modpack. If there are any compatibility issues, please let me know on GitHub.

APEx - A Proper Equipment expansion