Minecraft wiki entry for Loot_table, associated text: Loot tables are technical JSON files that are used to dictate what items should generate in various situations, such as what items should be in naturally generated containers, what items should drop when breaking a block or killing a mob, what items can be fished, and more. It does not affect dropped experience, or dropped non-item entities such as slimes from larger slimes or silverfish from infested blocks.