Slower Progression.

Simple Progression

Minecraft's progression is incredibly fast. With enough grinding, it's possible to reach full Netherite gear within just a few days. Simple Progression slows the game down by expanding the upgrade system, requiring players to progress through every material tier instead of skipping straight to the best equipment.

Upgrade Every Tier

Inspired by the Netherite Upgrade system, every armor and tool set now requires a smithing upgrade.

The progression path is:

Chainmail → Copper → Iron → Diamond → Netherite

Each tier requires:

A unique Upgrade Template found in structures. A Core crafted from 8 of that material (or found as loot). The previous tier's armor or tool.

For example, iron armor can only be crafted by upgrading copper armor—you can no longer craft iron armor directly.

Chainmail Rework

Chainmail is now craftable using chains, making it the true starting armor set.

To compensate, crafting chains now yields 3 chains instead of 1, making chainmail practical while also benefiting builders.

Upgrade Templates

Each material has its own Upgrade Template that must be discovered before upgrading.

Current template locations include:

Copper: Village houses

Iron: Shipwrecks and Buried Treasure

Gold: Desert and Jungle Temples

Diamond: 50% chance in Mineshaft chests

Netherite: Vanilla Bastions

Almost every template can also be duplicated using its corresponding material, similar to the vanilla Netherite Upgrade Template.

Material Cores

Instead of using raw ingots or gems, upgrades require a Core.

Each Core is crafted from 8 of its material in a shapeless recipe, meaning the ingredients can be arranged in any pattern. Cores can also occasionally be found in loot chests throughout the world.

Gold Sidegrade

Gold is not part of the main progression path.

Instead, gold armor and tools branch off from Copper, allowing players to obtain gold equipment without interrupting normal progression.

Emerald Equipment

Simple Progression also adds a brand-new Emerald Armor and Tool set.

Emerald gear is crafted using its own upgrade path and includes unique abilities:

Wearing any Emerald armor piece grants Hero of the Village. Wearing a full Emerald armor set causes nearby Pillagers to drop their crossbows, making raids a little easier. (This only affects standard Pillagers—not Vindicators.) Features Slower, more rewarding progression Upgrade every armor and tool tier New Upgrade Templates and Material Cores Craftable Chainmail Emerald Armor and Tools with unique abilities Gold as an optional sidegrade Fully compatible with Minecraft 1.21.8 (Copper armor is included as a mod feature)

Whether you want Minecraft's progression to feel longer, more rewarding, or simply more balanced, Simple Progression encourages players to experience every stage of the game instead of rushing straight to Netherite.