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The winter game drop for the block-building phenomenon has arrived — and it features the initial fresh armament added to the title since the heavy club made its debut. The spear is finally here and it could very well revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, especially if you thrive on pandemonium.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mounts of Mayhem update also introduces several new features and enhancements focused on animal mounts in the game. That central theme made the spear the natural choice for this release, as the development team had already known it was the moment to introduce a new weapon.

"From the outset, we understood that we aimed for a new weapon that would add some more range, and we envisioned it for mounted combat," noted a lead developer. "We prototyped a few different ideas, but the lance was the one that both felt great when we ran our trials and also looked good for the use case."

If you're asking yourself whether mounted combat means you can tilt at your allies on horseback, the response is a definite affirmative. In fact, there's even an combat move perfectly suited for it.

"[Jousting on horses is one of the biggest use cases for the spear, and it's incredibly enjoyable," the developer continues. "The spear has a pair of offensive moves: You have the jab attack, where you just stab your enemy. But you also have a sprinting strike where you couch your lance and deal increased harm [with] the more pace you have. So [it’s] ideal for knightly combat."

Sky-High Chaos and Underwater Adventures

The unruly pleasure can extend beyond there, though. If you're far enough into the game that you've been to The End, the developers have an truly outlandish idea. "If you are quite advanced, [spears are] perfect for strapping on the wings and taking to the skies and making some real mayhem," she hints.

In other words: Aerial lance combat is now a reality, and it needs to become an Olympic sport right away.

Another key feature in this new update is the Nautilus. This sea-dwelling mob, which is based on the nautilus shells found in-game for years, can be domesticated and ridden 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 requirement to come up for air for a breath.

The rest of the additions are largely things that are out to get you, as is the tradition of Minecraft. Unsurprisingly, there's also a undead nautilus appearing in the water, sometimes with a Drowned on its back. If you manage to dispatch the Drowned, though, you can claim the zombie Nautilus — or the regular one, for that matter — with a blowfish.

"We've long considered this problem on and off, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it felt like the ideal opportunity to also bring in something for aquatic environments," the lead explains. "For the Nautilus specifically, we had a number of concepts for underwater mounts that we wanted to try out, but the Nautilus concept art looked compelling, and we have the link to the Nautilus shell that was found within the game."

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

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Other additions include the Parched, biome-specific skeletons that can survive in the sun, which means there's no escape from them if you end up in that region. Sometimes you'll see them on zombified camels, another new mob. Camel husks have an striking appearance that sees their bones protruding. The same goes for zombie horses, who have a similar exposed-rib aesthetic and can sometimes be encountered after dark with a lance-wielding undead rider on their back.

The last two things on the drop's list are smaller gameplay updates, including some highly requested adjustments to riding horses. Now, you can cross bodies of water while atop a horse. Also, high-tier barding is now obtainable at the workbench, so you can provide your steed with the top-tier safeguarding it deserves.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

In summary, the year-end release of the year is a solid offering. The spear by itself — and the pandemonium it invites — would have constituted a considerable upgrade. Throw in the Nautilus, and more things seeking your end, and Minecraft's definitely getting a little more dangerous.

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