Minecraft 1.18 update to bring huge changes to elytra

Flying with an elytra is arguably one of the best modes of transportation in Minecraft. They are fast and reliable.

Obtaining them is hard, but it is worth the effort because they are incredibly useful and can last pretty much forever when equipped with Unbreaking and Mending enchantments.

In the latest 1.18 experimental snapshot, some new changes have been made to elytras. Here's everything that has been revealed so far.

Elytras in Minecraft 1.18 Caves & Cliffs Update Part 2

Changes made to elytras

Experimental Snapshot 7 is now out with some really interesting tweaks to Elytras! What do you think of the changes? How did it feel playing around with them?https://t.co/EKUN3x2t9M
— Ulraf (@_Ulraf_) September 8, 2021

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Elytras in Minecraft will no longer take durability damage due to gliding. This means that players can glide from tall cliffs or any position in general, and their elytra will retain its durability points. .

However, it will lose some durability when the player uses fireworks to boost their speed. Because of this change, players can use their elytra for longer without enchanting it with Unbreaking or Mending enchantments. Some Minecraft players are unaware that phantom membranes can be used to restore some of the durability points of elytra.

Another change that has been made is, when a player flies with an elytra and uses rockets to increase their speed, the gained momentum will be a lot less than previous Minecraft versions. However, the gliding speed is unaffected.

The reasons behind these changes

After trying out the Elytra changes, I think that this nerf is actually a significant buff. This puts the Elytra even further ahead of other transportation methods than it already is.
— cubfan135 (@cubfan135) September 8, 2021

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The developers of Minecraft have stated the following reasons for making elytras slower with fireworks:

Elytras were extraordinarily superior to other modes of transportation, such as horses or boats, in the game. Therefore, the change was necessary to balance the elytra's power in the game.
Many online Minecraft servers get laggy when players fly too fast with an elytra and rockets, and this could get even worse with the new world height and terrain generation.
With the slow boost speed, players will get to enjoy the new mountain biomes and terrain generation changes a lot more.