The 23W31A Snapshot Wandering Trader Update: A Potential Change for Minecraft’s Superflat World Challenge?

Mojang has been making changes to the beloved (or not so loved) wandering trader. An experimental update to this character in the 23W31A Snapshot now makes it possible to trade items with the trader in exchange for emeralds. Not only does this make the wandering trader more useful in standard Minecraft survival worlds, it also alters the game play of certain Vanilla Minecraft challenges. These include restrictive maps, like the One Chunk World and Superflat No Structures World.

“Wandering Trader Menu” Minecraft, 2023. Author’s Screenshot

A More Challenging Way to Play Vanilla Minecraft, Or, I Did it All for a Tree?

When players really want to amp up the grind of Minecraft, they will usually create or download a challenge map. One of the easiest challenge maps to create, but not necessarily to play, is the Superflat No Structures world.

The ‘endgame’ of the Superflat No Structures world is a little different from that of a more traditional Minecraft world, or even a Superflat world with structures turned on. Rather than getting to the stronghold and entering The End to defeat the Dragon, players grind, wait, and grind some more, to get…a tree.

It’s a challenging process that can take dozens of hours, but those who love grindy games where they work hard for the rewards thrive in these kinds of maps.

The Basic Process of Creating a Superflat No Structures World with the 23W31A Snapshot

Creating a Superflat No Structures World to test this wandering trader update is a straightforward process. If you try it out, note that you’ll have to Rebalance Villager Trades as part of the experimental update. This will nerf your villager trades per changes in the 23W31A Snapshot.

Downloading the 23W31A Snapshot.

1. Players start by opening up the Minecraft Launcher and clicking the “Installation” tab at the top of the screen. Click the “New Installation” button on the next screen.
2. Open the drop-down list under “Version.”
3. “Select the 23W31A Snapshot.” Players can also select any of the subsequent snapshots for the same update, plus additional updates.
4. Click “Create” button at the bottom right of the screen.

“New Version Installation Menu” Minecraft, 2023. Author’s Screenshot

Opening the 23W31A Snapshot.

1. Open up the Minecraft Launcher and click on the drop-down menu to the left of the green “Play” button.
2. Select the “<unnamed installation> 23W31A” Snapshot in this menu.
3. Click the “Play” button to open Minecraft. Wait for it to load.
4. Press the “Single Player” button.

Creating the Superflat No Structures World.

1. Press the gray “Create New World” button.
2. In the World Creation menu, click on the “World” tab.
3. Select “Superflat” in the World Type menu.
4. Uncheck the gray button to “Turn Off Structures.”
5. Click the gray button to “Turn On Bonus Chest.”
6. Click on the “Game” tab.
7. Click the gray “Experiments” button.
8. Click the gray button to the right of “Villager Trade Rebalance” to switch on the wandering trader update.
9. Click “Done” to return to the “Game” tab.
10. Name your world in the text box at the top of the screen.
11. Make sure your game mode is set to: Survival.
12. Press the gray “Create New World” button at the bottom of the screen.

Playing the Superflat World No Structures Challenge

In a classic Superflat Worlds with No Structures, players must convert zombie villagers by curing them with golden apples. It’s possible to trade with the cured villagers for emeralds. Then, the player can trade those emeralds with the wandering trader for a tree and other items later in the game.

“Wandering Trader” Minecraft, 2023. Author’s Screenshot

With the changes to the wandering trader in Snapshot 23W31A, the game play changes. Players can start grinding for an item that the trader buys in exchange for emeralds right away. Instead of following the much more involved path of building a mob farm, collecting iron and water, collecting copper, collecting gold, converting villagers, and trading with the villagers.

The changes to the wandering trader will probably put the focus of a Superflat No Structures world more on building cities and landscapes from a very simple base world. So, it might appeal more to builders and adventurers than in the past.

What are the Changes to the Wandering Trader?

Starting with the 23W31A Snapshot, the wandering trader will have a chance to buy items from the player in exchange for emeralds.

What are the potential trades the wandering trader offers?

Java Team, Mojang, “Wandering Trader Items List” https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/article/minecraft-snapshot-23w31a

This new version of the wandering trader means some changes to overall gameplay, but the Superflat world with no structures will still be a grind. It just won’t be as involved as with previous versions of the game.