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Minecraft has an infinite sandbox world, in which players can do or build almost anything while exploring the infinite world. The game also provides the player with a plethora of items that can be crafted and used for different purposes like building, decoration, sustenance and entertainment.
While a plethora of items in the game can be acquired easily, some are rarer than others, and require upgraded tools or other pre-requisite items to obtain. Some even need special enchantments to obtain.
Shards in Minecraft 1.18: Everything players need to know
Shards in Minecraft can refer to two items: Prismarine shards and Amethyst shards. Both items are uncommon and can be acquired through extensive exploration and mining. While both the items are used for a small amount of crafting recipes, the resultant items are quite fascinating.
1) Prismarine shards
Prismarine shards are greenish-blue items that are very uncommon. They can only be obtained from a Glow Squid, which is a passive mob, and two other powerful and hostile mobs, namely the Elder Guardian and the Guardian, found in and around Ocean Monuments.
Prismarine shards were added to Minecraft back in September 2014, along with the Bountiful Update (Minecraft 1.8).
Uses of Prismarine Shards
While prismarine shards cannot be crafted and can only be obtained, they are frequently used to craft different types of Prismarine blocks, such as Dark Prismarine and Prismarine bricks, as well as Sea Lanterns.
Prismarine blocks, in turn, are required to make Conduits, an important item for underwater exploration in Minecraft.
Conduits: A very special item crafted using Prismarine blocks
Conduits are unique blocks that are somewhat tricky to craft due to the nature of the ingredients required to craft them. This includes prismarine shards and a Heart of the Sea.
When activated, a conduit offers an effect called “Conduit power” in the area surrounding it. Every player in the area are subjected to certain buffs as a result. These include restoration of oxygen and nightvision, as well as a significant boost to mining speed.
2) Amethyst shards
Amethyst shards are crystals that can only be picked up using a pickaxe enchanted with the Silk Touch enchantment when an Amethyst cluster is mined. Amethyst clusters are found in one of the newest additions to Minecraft: Amethyst Geodes.
Amethyst Geodes are elusive underground structures that were introduced to the game in Minecraft 1.17.
Uses of Amethyst Shards
Amethyst shards are used as a crafting ingredient for three items within Minecraft. These include a block of Amethyst, the extremely effective Spyglass, and a variant of glass called Tinted Glass.
Both amethyst shards and prismarine shards are bright, colorful and beautiful items that, once obtained, can be put to good use in Minecraft. After all, crystals of any sort are not items that most players will avoid obtaining.
