Java Edition:NBT Removal
NBT Removal refers to a group of methods that delete all NBT stored on an item. The discontinued application of these methods is removing the NBT on an item that usually always has NBT, allowing usually unobtainable items to be created. There exists 11 of these discontinued no NBT items.
There have been three methods for NBT removal. The minecart with chest method works from Beta 1.9 Prerelease 3 to 1.2.3 but the only NBT that existed during this version range was for enchantments. The donkey/mule method works shortly from 13w19a to 13w21a (1.6.1 snapshots). Finally, the enchanting table method works for the longest version range from 12w24a to 1.15.2 but requires the item to be stacked.
Methods
Minecart with Chest Method
From Beta 1.9 Prerelease 3 to 1.2.3, any item would lose NBT when dropped from a broken minecart with chest. The only use of NBT in these versions was enchantments, so it can only be used to remove all enchantments from items, no discontinued uses.
Donkey/Mule Method
In snapshots 13w19a and 13w21a (1.6.1 snapshots), when a donkey or mule was killed, all NBT tags were removed from items stored in the animal's chest.[1]
Enchanting Table Method
In versions 12w24a to 1.15.2, it was possible to shift-click a stacked item with NBT into an enchanting table to remove the NBT data.[2] However, some of the items that can have their NBT data removed cannot be stacked, which means that in order to execute this method, the player must overstack them.
Generic Item Block Conversion
In the 2022 April Fools snapshot 22w13oneBlockAtATime, every item can be placed onto the ground. Items that do not have a block form are converted to generic_item_block, and have all of their NBT data removed. This can be done with two methods.
- Storing an item inside of a donkey/mule, putting it into your offhand, and then switching it to your main hand will convert it to a generic_item_block.
- Storing an item inside of a container (except a shulker box) before updating to the snapshot and breaking it will drop them onto the ground and convert them to a generic_item_block.
Downgrading Method
Downgrading items before 24w09a (1.20.5 snapshot) to versions where understacked items existed will not only convert them to negative item stacks but will also delete all NBT from the items.[3]
List of Discontinued Items
The table of available discontinued items using this method is below. The table includes the first version where the item can be obtained. All the end versions are 1.15.2 with the end of the enchanting table method except for the no NBT spawn egg which ends in 17w46a since this was the last version the item existed. The table also includes whether the donkey/mule & enchanting table methods work to obtain them.
| Discontinued Item | Start Version | Donkey/Mule Method | Enchanting Table Method | oBAAT Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No NBT Written Book | 12w24a | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| No NBT Enchanted Book | 12w49a | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| No Flight Duration Firework Rocket | 12w49a | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| No NBT Firework Star | 12w49a | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| No NBT Spawn Egg | 15w33a | No | Yes | No |
| Uncraftable Potion | 16w38a | No | Yes | Yes |
| Splash Uncraftable Potion | 16w38a | No | Yes | Yes |
| Lingering Uncraftable Potion | 16w38a | No | Yes | Yes |
| Uncraftable Tipped Arrow | 16w38a | No | Yes | Yes |
| No NBT Filled Map | 17w47a | No | Yes | Yes |
| No NBT Bee Nest | 19w34a | No | Yes | No |
Other Uses
NBT is used for a wide variety of items and so NBT removal has many other non-discontinued uses. A list of some other uses is below:
- Any item can have all enchantments stripped (including curses)
- Any item that is renamed will lose its name
- Any item with a repair cost from an anvil will lose its repair cost
- Any item can have its potion tag erased
- Any equipment will have its durability reset after 17w47a (1.13 snapshot)
- Banners and shields will have all their patterns removed
- Shulker boxes with items inside become empty
See also
- Any NBT on Any Item
- Any Enchantment on Any Item
- Any Potion Tag on Any Item
- Curse of Vanishing on Any Item
- mcw:NBT format