Wood to Stone Recipe
Nope, can't throw me away this time! You're gonna have to get some rare leather if you're thinking about it!
Smelt Flesh Into Leather
Ok, maybe this sort of makes Leather not "rare"... but I mean, it's so BORING to get it the intended way!
More Accessible Leather Armor
A majority of the leather has been replaced with wooden planks, so you should be able to obtain this armor much early on!
Tweaked Chain Recipe
Instead of nuggets you need 2 copper ingots to make a single chain... This does serve a gameplay purpose!
Craftable Chainmail!
At the additional price of a copper block, you can make your own chainmail... which upon further research has near identical stats to Iron Armor (if only slightly weaker)
Costlier Iron?
You need a stone tool to even make an iron tool... and you gotta pay your 5 copper tax too!
Somewhat of a slight discount?
Due to iron being just SLIGHTLY tougher, you don't really need much iron. However you DO need access to an Amethyst Geode to upgrade your chainmail.
Progression Locked Diamond Tools
You'll have to brave the dangerous Nether Dimension if you want to get a hold of diamond tools!
Pricier Diamond Gear
Diamond makes you near invincible, so it's only fair to make cost a block... and a trip to a rather risky fortress...
Costlier Shields
You need to pay your tax of two copper blocks if you want to get this tool!
Nether Discounts: Stone Tools
Leather and Stone are both rare and dangerous to obtain in the Nether. Not wanting to make it a grind, I've decided to keep the vanilla crafting recipes for tools... just make sure you got Blackstone on you
Nether Discounts: Chainmail
The only way to get Iron in the Nether is through either: a small chance at some measly nuggets or the often risky structures. For now, just use quartz to convert your leather armor into chainmail!