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The seasonal game drop for the block-building phenomenon has arrived — and it features the initial fresh armament added to the title since the mace made its debut. The spear is now available and it could very well revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, particularly when you love chaos.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mayhem Mounts drop also introduces a host of fresh elements and updates centered around animal mounts in the game. That driving concept made the spear the perfect fit for this update, as the creators had already known it was time for a fresh combat tool.

"From the outset, we understood that we wanted a fresh armament that would provide extended reach, and we wanted it to be mounted combat," stated a senior product manager. "We tried out a few different ideas, but the lance was the one that both felt great when we tested our prototypes and also was visually fitting for the use case."

If you're asking yourself whether mounted combat means you can charge at your allies on steeds, the answer is a definite affirmative. In fact, there's even an offensive action excellently designed for it.

"Mounted lance combat] is one of the biggest functions for the spear, and it's incredibly enjoyable," the developer says. "The spear has a dual attack system: You have the quick stab, where you simply impale your enemy. But you also have a sprinting strike where you lower your spear and inflict greater injury [with] the more momentum you have. So [it’s] ideal for jousting on horses."

Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration

The unruly pleasure can extend beyond there, though. If you're advanced sufficiently into the game that you've visited The End, the developers have an truly outlandish idea. "If you are quite advanced, [spears are] perfect for equipping the elytra and going out and unleashing absolute pandemonium," she teases.

In other words: Sky jousting is now a reality, and it needs to become an competitive event right away.

Another key feature in this new update is the Nautilus. This underwater creature, which is inspired by the seashells found in-game for years, can be tamed and mounted for submarine exploration. Not only will it carry you through the water more swiftly than swimming, it'll also conserve your air supply, so there's no necessity to come up for air for oxygen.

The remaining new features are primarily things that are out to get you, as is the nature of Minecraft. Naturally, there's also a rotting sea creature appearing in the water, often with a Drowned on its back. If you manage to take care of the Drowned, though, you can tame the undead mount — or the standard version, for that matter — with a spiky fish.

"We've long considered this problem periodically, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it seemed like the perfect moment to also unveil something for aquatic environments," the lead explains. "For the Nautilus specifically, we had a number of concepts for aquatic rides that we wanted to try out, but the Nautilus initial artwork looked impressive, and we have the connection to the Nautilus shell that was already in the game."

She also points out that there are actually a pair of variants of zombie Nautilus: regular and coral-infested undead mount. "[The variants] add variety to what you find underwater."

Parched Perils & Overdue Enhancements

Further inclusions include the sun-proof skeletons, biome-specific skeletons that can survive in the sun, which means there's no getting away from them if you end up in that region. Sometimes you'll see them on camel husks, another new mob. These passive, zombified camels have an notable look that sees their ribs poking out. The applies equally to zombie horses, who have a analogous exposed-rib aesthetic and can sometimes be encountered after dark with a lance-wielding undead rider on their back.

The final pair of items on the drop's list are smaller gameplay updates, including some highly requested tweaks to equestrian travel. Now, you can ford bodies of water while atop a horse. Furthermore, netherite horse armor is now craftable at the workbench, so you can provide your steed with the ultimate protection it deserves.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

Overall, the final game drop of the year is a pretty good one. The spear on its own — and the mayhem it enables — would have constituted a considerable upgrade. Combine that with the Nautilus, and additional creatures trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a bit spicier.

The Mayhem Mounts content drop is out now for Java and Bedrock editions of Minecraft.