Many players desire more variety in armor and tools, without them being stronger than iron. Materials like lapis lazuli, redstone, sulfur, and emerald could fill this gap and offer new options without disrupting the game's balance.
Lapis armor could be slightly inferior to iron. It would have somewhat less protection and durability, but would be easier or faster to craft if you've gathered a lot of lapis. The tools could have decent speed but wear out faster than iron tools. This would make lapis a good interim solution if you don't yet have enough iron.
Redstone equipment could focus on speed. Redstone tools could mine faster than iron but be significantly less durable. The armor itself would be rather weak, perhaps comparable to or slightly weaker than chainmail. This would make redstone good for quick work but not for extended use.
Sulfur equipment could have very low durability but solid stats while in use. Sulfur armor could be roughly on par with leather to chainmail, but would wear out quickly. Tools could be very fast, but they break after a short time. This makes them a short-term, inexpensive option.
Emerald equipment, despite its rarity, would be deliberately limited to ensure it's not superior to iron. It might be roughly on par with iron, but with slightly less durability or minimal protection. Emerald tools could be sturdy, but not faster than iron. This would make them more of an alternative use for emeralds, without altering the game's balance.
Overall, these materials would primarily create more choices without changing the existing progression. Iron remains the central standard, while the new sets offer situational alternatives depending on the player's available resources.
