10 cool datapacks to download for Minecraft 1.19 update

A new volcano biome from the Terralith datapack (Image via planetminecraft.com)
A new volcano biome from the Terralith datapack (Image via planetminecraft.com)

Minecraft is famous for its moddability, with the community making thousands of mods ranging from small quality of life changes to complete biome and game overhauls, such as RLCraft.

Server owners and single players who want to spice up their gameplay use datapacks to get the world of their dreams. Though they are similar to mods, they only affect the world they are placed into, rather than all worlds.

However, there are a few datapacks that everyone should try out at least once. This article lists 10 such innovations that will upgrade everyone's gameplay for the better.

Note: This article reflects the author's opinion.


10 amazing datapacks to try out in Minecraft 1.19

10) Spawner Craft

A dungeon, one of the only places spawners generate in vanilla Minecraft (Image via Minecraft)
A dungeon, one of the only places spawners generate in vanilla Minecraft (Image via Minecraft)

This datapack seems minor on the surface, especially when compared to some of the other offerings on this list. It simply adds the ability to do two things, both related to crafting.

The first is the ability to craft spawners, which default to pig spawners. In the base game, there is no way to collect spawners. Additionally, they are destroyed when broken, even with silk touch.

Second, the datapack adds the ability to craft the numerous spawn eggs available in-game. The base game (survival) does not have the option to get them. These eggs can be used on a crafted spawner to change what it contains. The datapack increases the potential types of spawners, as most mobs do not have spawners in vanilla.


9) Minecraft Manhunt But You Have No Friends

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This datapack is an adaptation of Dream’s popular manhunt videos, in which his friends attempt hunt him while he searches for and kills the Ender Dragon.

This datapack adds the option of activating an AI-controlled enemy that has one goal: kill the player before the latter defeats the Dragon. Thus, single players can experience the thrill of a manhunt situation without the hassle of setting up a server and account for a bot.


8) Enchantment+

The Enchantment+ title image (Image via planetminecraft)
The Enchantment+ title image (Image via planetminecraft)

This datapack aims to enhance and overhaul the vanilla enchanting system in many ways. The first way is by adding the ability to have Level X enchantments, past the normal cap.

Players can also use ore and other valuable items to enchant items directly, rather than having to pay for the enchantments in experience. This is also a good way to avoid having to run back to an enderman farm for the eighth time in a single Minecraft day.

There are also over 20 custom enchantments in the game, ranging from things like autosmelting broken ores and blocks to increasing a player’s maximum health value. Players can also disenchant their items, placing the removed enchantments onto books to reuse on other items if needed.


7) New in Town: The Settler’s Experience

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The datapack is multi-stage and story-driven. In this, players establish, build, and defend modular settlements from the invading forces of the Nether before eventually taking the fight to the Nether itself. It even has the option of building a personal Nether fortress.

No, this datapack was not made in response to the announcement of Minecraft: Legends. The datapack is over two years old, which means Mojang has some explaining to do.

In all seriousness though, New in Town: The Settler’s Experience adds a lot of wonderful new gameplay elements to the game.


6) Dungeon Now Loading

The title image for Dungeon Now Loading (Image via planetminecraft.com)
The title image for Dungeon Now Loading (Image via planetminecraft.com)

Dungeon Now Loading is a structure-oriented datapack that aims to add over 10 vanilla-like random structures with unique bosses to Minecraft. It provides a new advancement system to help with progression, new items, and a revamped health system.

The structures add a giant beehive called the Hivenest, with deep oases that can be found hidden underneath vast deserts, and railway stations taken hostage by pillager barbarians. The bosses range from giant bees, ghosts, clerics, and even a new illusioner that can damage the player.

This datapack is great for players looking for a challenge while also retaining everything that makes the base game unique.


5) Drowned Cities

An underwater city found in the Drowned Cities datapack (Image via planetminecraft.com)
An underwater city found in the Drowned Cities datapack (Image via planetminecraft.com)

Instead of the dinky little shacks that the vanilla game considers underwater ruins, this datapack adds sprawling submerged cities to Minecraft that players can explore if they want to brave the dangers of the sea.

These large cities have revamped loot, including the following:

  • Emeralds
  • Enchanted books
  • Leather
  • Iron
  • Gold
  • Bottles of enchanting
  • Name tags
  • Coral
  • Oxidized copper
  • Fish
  • Kelp
  • Prismarine
  • Sponges

This datapack is incredible for players who think that even the revamped vanilla ocean is not enough and are looking for more reasons to delve into the unforgiving blue.


4) True Survival

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This datapack aims to enhance the game’s survival aspects while not detracting from the more creative features found within it, as well as fill in some gaps left by Mojang.

There are more than 100 features in True Survival, so it would be impossible to list them all. Though the developer has listed it all in a YouTube video, some of the more interesting features will be detailed as follows:.

  1. Players can throw logs onto a campfire to heal three hearts over 15 seconds, making Minecraft campfires very similar to the ones found in Terraria.
  2. Zombies will drain hunger when they hit the player, though this can be avoided by wearing chainmail armor, which is now craftable using chains.
  3. Players can turn pillagers back into regular villagers by using a splash potion of weakness and naming them with a name tag.
  4. Most hostile mobs drop emeralds, with the rate depending on the rarity of the mob, how easily it can be farmed, and the game’s difficulty.

This is an amazing datapack for those wanting to experience Minecraft in a whole new way. It acts as a middle ground between normal and hardcore modes, being harder than the former and more forgiving than the latter.


3) Nullscape

The Nullscape title image (Image via planetminecraft.com)
The Nullscape title image (Image via planetminecraft.com)

The Nullscape datapack aims to totally revamp the End dimension while not straying too far from the identity it is supposed to have: a desolate wasteland of total nothingness, where one mistake means falling forever.

The dimension’s height limit increases to 384 with the datapack. New biomes such as shattered islands, floating valleys, and crystallized peaks will be scattered throughout End, adding a new and fresh flavor to a dimension that really only exists in vanilla for Enderman farms and getting an elytra.


2) Incendium

The Incendium title image (Image via planetminecraft.com)
The Incendium title image (Image via planetminecraft.com)

Incendium does for the Nether what Nullscape does for the End. This datapack does not aim to replace the changes made in 1.16, but rather enhance and add to them.

There are eight new biomes, along with ten new structures, with even more planned for the future. One of these new structures is Piglin Castle, which represents just how impressive piglin culture was before its decline.

The datapack also increases the difficulty of the Nether while also making it more rewarding to explore, especially in the late-game, which is a nice change as most players only return to the realm after defeating the Ender Dragon to set up a Nether hub, and do very little exploration of the dimension itself.


1) Terralith

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Terralith aims to revamp the overworld, adding a whopping 85 new biomes to vanilla Minecraft while overhauling and improving the already existing biomes. The overhaul is not just limited to the surface, with multiple new cave biomes and caves made of entirely new stone types.

There are realistic biomes such as the Highlands and Yellowstone, but also fantasy-based ones such as Skylands and Mirage Isles. The exploration potential alone should keep even the most hardcore player occupied for hours.

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