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The seasonal content update for the block-building phenomenon has touched down — and it features the first new weapon introduced into the title since the heavy club made its debut. The spear is now available and it has the potential to revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, especially if you enjoy mayhem.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mounts of Mayhem drop also incorporates a host of fresh elements and enhancements centered around animal mounts in the game. That driving concept made the spear the natural choice for this release, as the development team had long felt it was the moment to introduce a new weapon.

"We knew initially that we aimed for a new weapon that would increase combat distance, and we designed it specifically for fighting from atop a creature," explained a senior product manager. "We prototyped a number of concepts, but the lance was the one that both felt great when we ran our trials and also made sense for the intended purpose."

If you're asking yourself whether fighting from a saddle means you can joust against your allies on horseback, the response is a resounding yes. In fact, there's even an combat move perfectly suited for it.

"[Jousting on horses is a primary functions for the spear, and it's incredibly enjoyable," the developer says. "The spear has a pair of offensive moves: You have the thrust, where you pierce your enemy. But you also have a charge attack where you lower your spear and get greater injury [with] the more pace you have. So [it’s] tailor-made for jousting on horses."

Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration

The wild enjoyment isn't limited to there, though. If you're far enough into the game that you've explored The End, the developers have an truly outlandish idea. "If you are very late, [spears are] perfect for strapping on the wings and taking to the skies and creating genuine chaos," she suggests.

In other words: Aerial lance combat is now possible, and it should be made an competitive event right away.

Another major addition in this new update is the underwater mount. This sea-dwelling mob, which is inspired by the seashells we've all been collecting for years, can be tamed and mounted for deep-sea journeys. Not only will it move you through the water quicker than swimming, it'll also maintain your oxygen levels, so there's no need to come up for air for oxygen.

The remaining new features are mostly things that want to kill you, as is the nature of Minecraft. Naturally, there's also a rotting sea creature spawning in the water, sometimes with a Drowned on its back. If you manage to dispatch the Drowned, though, you can claim the undead mount — or the regular one, for that matter — with a spiky fish.

"We've been thinking about this problem periodically, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it seemed like the perfect moment to also unveil something for the ocean depths," the lead elaborates. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a few different ideas for sea mounts that we wanted to try out, but the Nautilus initial artwork looked striking, and we have the link to the Nautilus shell that was already in the game."

She also notes that there are actually two distinct kinds of undead nautilus: regular and coral-infested undead mount. "[The variants] provide diversity to what you discover underwater."

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Other additions include the Parched, biome-specific undead archers that can survive in the sun, which means there's no refuge from them if you find yourself in that biome. Sometimes you'll see them on camel husks, another fresh creature. These passive, zombified camels have an striking appearance that sees their ribs poking out. The applies equally to undead steeds, who have a similar exposed-rib aesthetic and can sometimes be spawned in the darkness with a lance-wielding undead rider on their back.

The remaining updates on the drop's list are minor quality-of-life improvements, including some long-overdue changes to equestrian travel. Now, you can cross bodies of water while atop a horse. Furthermore, netherite horse armor is now obtainable at the crafting table, so you can provide your steed with the best defense it is worthy of.

A Fittingly Chaotic Finale

All told, the last content update of the year is a notable addition. The spear by itself — and the potential for chaos — would have felt like a significant enhancement. Add in the Nautilus, and more things trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a bit spicier.

The Mayhem Mounts content drop is available for all major editions of Minecraft.