Despite releasing well over a decade ago, Minecraft is still one of the most popular gaming franchises out there, with players being able to get their hands on its endless creative fun on just about any console or device out there. And as can be expected from any popular franchise, there are bound to be spinoffs, and Minecraft is about to get one more spinoff. Set to release in 2023, Minecraft Legends is a unique take on the action-strategy genre, where players take direct control of the action while also commanding their mob forces in battle.
Over the last few months, fans have gotten to see quite a bit from Minecraft Legends, with even an entire gameplay showcase being revealed back in October 2022. During the showcase, fans got their first real look at how Minecraft Legends will play, and how it's integrating mainline Minecraft's core features in a unique and fun way. Rather than act as enemies, Minecraft Legends' mobs act as the player's army, and their main source of attack against the Piglin forces. But while Zombies, Creepers, and Skeletons all have their roles already set out, Pillagers are yet to be confirmed.
How Pillagers Should Work in Minecraft Legends
Eagle-eyed fans have already spotted a total of 18 friendly mobs in Minecraft Legends' various gameplay reveals, each with its own unique purpose in the game. Zombies will take up the vast majority of the player's army. Costing very few resources, Zombies act as the player's foot soldiers, being able to attack and overwhelm enemy Piglins with their sheer numbers, though their lack of armor does make them a weak target. Skeletons will act as the base ranged unit for the player's army, digging in further back and firing volleys of arrows toward the enemy. These mobs are even more brittle than the Zombies, encouraging players to keep them as far back as possible to avoid casualties.
Creepers are another popular Minecraft mob heading over to Minecraft Legends. As fans should expect, the Creeper's sole purpose is to explode and take as many Piglins down with it as possible. Creepers will be perfect for thinning down large hordes of enemies and pushing groups aside to make way for the player's charging army. Creepers can also be used to destroy towers and buildings, which seems like a major part of Minecraft Legends' general gameplay loop.
A variety of Golems from vanilla Minecraft also make their way over to Minecraft Legends. The Mossy Golem is one of the player's most important support units, being able to heal allies with the water that it shoots from its hands, as well as slowing enemies down with the same beam. The Plank Golem is another ranged mob, shooting much faster than Skeletons but having reduced movement speed. The Cobblestone Golems are bulldozers, being able to smash through Piglin armies and structures with ease with their melee attacks. The Grindstone Golem is the perfect choice for swarms of enemies, with it being able to push back foes.
All this is to say that a lot of gameplay roles have already been taken, which leaves Minecraft's Pillagers in an awkward spot. At the time of writing, Pillagers have not been confirmed for Minecraft Legends, but with them being an iconic mob it'd be a shame to see them not included at all. Though it might feel a bit redundant, Mojang could add Pillagers as another ranged mob type, perhaps being a stronger alternative to Skeletons. However, a more unique and exciting approach would be to add Pillagers as a different enemy type. While players will mostly be facing off against Piglins, it might be fun to see Pillagers act as raiders in the open world, trying to ambush the player in the wild and steal their resources. Alternatively, the Pillagers' outposts could be used as a way for the player to find better loot.
Minecraft Legends releases in 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
