What Was Last Resort?
In the ever-evolving landscape of Minecraft modifications, few concepts have been as daringly unconventional as the add-on known as What Was Last Resort?. Designed specifically for the Cobblemon mod, this package introduced a survival mechanic that blurred the lines between creature collection and desperate sustenance. While currently marked as deprecated and no longer recommended for active use in modern setups, it remains a fascinating artifact for players interested in the history of modded Minecraft. This catalog entry details the functionality, technical requirements, and unique gameplay scenarios that defined this controversial addition to the Sinnoh-inspired experience.
Conceptual Origins and Gameplay Philosophy
The core inspiration behind What Was Last Resort? draws directly from obscure folklore within the Pokemon universe, specifically tales originating from the Canalave City library. These stories describe fishermen who would harvest resources from sea creatures, honor their sacrifice, and return the skeletal remains to the water, allowing the entity to regenerate. The mod developers translated this eerie myth into a tangible gameplay loop, challenging players to reconsider the moral implications of survival when starvation looms.
Rather than relying on traditional farming or hunting, this add-on encouraged players to view their Pokemon companions as potential sources of emergency rations. By leveraging existing lore about regeneration and biological secretion found in various Pokedex entries, the mod created a system where shearing specific Pokemon yielded unique culinary ingredients. It was not intended as a standard quality-of-life improvement but rather as a role-playing tool for hardcore survivalists willing to make difficult choices in the wild.
The Shearing Mechanic Explained
Functionally, the add-on operated by extending the utility of shears, a standard Minecraft tool. When a player approached compatible Pokemon species within the Cobblemon ecosystem, they could interact with them to harvest specific body parts or substances. This action immediately altered the visual model of the creature. For instance, crab-like Pokemon would lose their claws, grass-type entities would be stripped of their foliage, and others would appear visibly diminished, reflecting the "culinary apocalypse" aesthetic described by the creators.
The resulting items were not generic food but specialized ingredients tied to the specific species harvested. This created a direct link between the creature's biology and its utility as food, adding a layer of strategic depth to inventory management. If you found yourself trapped in a deep cave system with dwindling hunger bars, knowing which nearby Pokemon could provide a meal became a critical survival skill. To experience this mechanic, users needed to download What Was Last Resort? alongside its mandatory predecessor, the Cobblemon Shearems base mod.
Comprehensive List of Compatible Species
The scope of What Was Last Resort? expanded significantly between its initial release and version 1.1. The add-on did not support every creature in the game, focusing instead on a curated list of sixteen original candidates, later nearly doubled with additional regional forms and new species. Understanding which Pokemon were affected is crucial for anyone attempting to recreate this experience in a legacy world.
Original Roster
- Slowpoke: The primary subject, yielding tail-based ingredients.
- Paras: Harvested for mushroom-related components.
- Farfetch'd: Provided leek or vegetable matter.
- Chansey and Blissey: Offered egg-based sustenance.
- Tropius: Source of fruit clusters.
- Clauncher and Clawitzer: Yielded claw meat.
- Crawdaunt: Another crustacean option for protein.
- Morelull: Provided fungal materials.
- Nakli, Clof, and Veluza: Regional variants offering unique drops.
- Gimmighoul and Gholdengo: Included in the initial supernatural category.
Version 1.1 Expansions
The subsequent update broadened the horizon of harvestable targets, introducing regional diversity and evolutionary lines previously untouched. This update included:
- Fidough and Dachsbun: Adding dough-based ingredients.
- Maractus and Petilil: Including both Unova and Hisuian forms for varied plant matter.
- Phantump and Cottonee line: Expanding the ghost and grass options with Whimsicott.
- Sableye: A dark-type addition.
- Grotle: Providing substantial plant resources.
- Galarian Slowpoke and Farfetch'd: Regional twists on classic targets.
- Roaming Gimmighoul: A rare mobile target.
- Oshawott line: Featuring Unova and Hisuian forms like Dewott and Samurott.
Technical Specifications and Compatibility
For those asking how to install this specific add-on, it is vital to understand its rigid technical constraints. What Was Last Resort? for Minecraft was built exclusively for Cobblemon version 1.6. It functions strictly as a combination of a datapack and a resource pack, meaning it does not utilize heavy jar files typical of core mods. However, this architecture imposes significant limitations on compatibility.
The add-on requires the Fabric loader. There is zero support for Forge, and attempts to run it on unsupported loaders or newer versions of Cobblemon will result in immediate crashes or silent failures. The developer explicitly stated that bugs arising from version mismatches would not be addressed, as the project is no longer under active development. Furthermore, because the added items are defined via datapack logic rather than hardcoded Java classes, interacting with them through other mods that expect standard item behaviors may lead to unpredictable results.
Licensing and Usage Rights
The project is protected under the CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0 license. This legal framework permits sharing the work only if credit is given to the original author, but it strictly prohibits any commercial use, derivative works, or modifications. Users cannot alter the sprites, change the recipes, or redistribute modified versions without explicit personal permission. This ensures the integrity of the original vision remains intact, even in its deprecated state.
Current Status and Legacy
The label "DEPRECATED" serves as a clear warning: the developer has ceased all updates and advises against using this add-on in contemporary playthroughs. The primary reasons include the rapid iteration of the main Cobblemon mod, which often breaks datapack structures, and a shift in design philosophy away from such grim survival mechanics. Despite this, the mod retains a cult following among historians of the modding scene and content creators looking for unique storytelling angles.
While manual installation involves navigating complex folder structures for datapacks and resource packs, some users opt for streamlined launchers that simplify mod management. These tools can help assemble legacy environments where older dependencies like Cobblemon 1.6 are still accessible, reducing the technical friction of reviving abandoned projects. However, users must remain vigilant about stability issues inherent in running outdated software stacks.
Final Verdict
What Was Last Resort? stands as a bold experiment in transforming niche lore into interactive mechanics. It challenged players to confront the darker side of survival in a world usually defined by friendship and bonding. While superior, more polished alternatives exist for current versions of Minecraft, this add-on offers a distinct flavor of gameplay that cannot be found elsewhere. For those willing to navigate the technical hurdles of Fabric and legacy versions, it provides a memorable, albeit morbid, chapter in the history of Pokemon-themed modification. Just remember the legend of Canalave: if you take from the creature, acknowledge the sacrifice before you dine.