Combat Update
Combat Update reworked combat and expanded the End beyond the dragon fight. It released for Java Edition 1.9 on February 29, 2016.
Combat and Equipment
Attack Timing and the Offhand
Melee attacks gained a cooldown, rewarding properly timed strikes rather than rapid clicking. Weapons had different attack speeds, making equipment choice part of the combat rhythm.
The Offhand slot allowed players to carry a second item, and 
Shields supplied an active defense against many attacks. Tipped Arrows carried status effects, while Lingering Potions left effect clouds after impact.
World Generation
Outer End Islands
The End expanded beyond its central island. After the dragon fight, gateways provided access to outer islands with Chorus Plants, End Cities, and End Ships.
End Cities and Elytra
Elytra
End Cities introduced Purpur architecture and new loot. End Ships contained Elytra, allowing players to glide through the world. The update also added ways to revisit and respawn the Ender Dragon encounter.
Mobs
Shulkers guarded End Cities, firing projectiles that apply Levitation and make the city’s vertical spaces hazardous.- Skeleton Horse traps created mounted hostile encounters in the Overworld.
- The dragon fight was revised alongside the expanded End.
Blocks and Items
Purpur Blocks, End Stone Bricks, End Rods, and Chorus-related blocks broadened the End’s building set. 
Beetroot supplied another crop and a new Soup recipe.
Later Developments
Shulkers arrived in this update, but Shulker Boxes followed in the Exploration Update. Keeping those releases separate helps distinguish the original End City reward from the later portable-storage system.
Gallery
Official Artwork
