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The seasonal content update for Minecraft has touched down — and it brings with it the initial fresh armament introduced into the game since the heavy club made its debut. The spear is finally here and it might just revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, especially if you love chaos.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mounts of Mayhem drop also incorporates a host of fresh elements and enhancements related to animal mounts in the game. That central theme made the spear the perfect fit for this release, as the development team had long felt it was time for a fresh combat tool.

"We knew initially that we desired a fresh armament that would add some more range, and we wanted it to be mounted combat," noted a senior product manager. "We prototyped a number of concepts, but the lance was the one that both played wonderfully 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 friends on steeds, the response is a definite affirmative. In fact, there's even an combat move perfectly suited for it.

"[Jousting on horses is a major applications for the spear, and it's so much fun," the lead continues. "The spear has two attacks: You have the quick stab, where you simply impale your enemy. But you also have a powerful lance where you lower your spear and inflict increased harm [with] the more pace you have. So [it’s] tailor-made for mounted duels."

Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration

The wild enjoyment isn't limited to there, though. If you're deep enough into the game that you've been to The End, the developers have an even more ridiculous idea. "If you are very late, [spears are] perfect for strapping on the elytra 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 without delay.

Another key feature in this new update is the Nautilus. This sea-dwelling mob, which is based on the seashells we've all been collecting for years, can be tamed and mounted for submarine exploration. Not only will it carry you through the water quicker than swimming, it'll also conserve your oxygen levels, so there's no necessity to return to the surface for oxygen.

The remaining new features are primarily things that are out to get you, as is the way of Minecraft. Naturally, there's also a undead nautilus spawning in the water, sometimes with a Drowned on its back. If you succeed in dispatch the Drowned, though, you can claim the undead mount — or the regular one, for that matter — with a spiky fish.

"We've pondered this problem periodically, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it seemed like the perfect moment to also bring in something for aquatic environments," the developer explains. "For the Nautilus specifically, we had a few different ideas for aquatic rides that we wanted to try out, but the Nautilus concept art looked striking, and we have the link to the Nautilus shell that was pre-existing in the game."

She also points out that there are actually two distinct kinds of zombie Nautilus: standard and coral-infested undead mount. "[The variants] give some flavor to what you find underwater."

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Additional features include the Parched, biome-specific undead archers that can endure the sun, which means there's no refuge from them if you end up in that region. Sometimes you'll see them on zombified camels, another new mob. These passive, zombified camels have an striking appearance that sees their bones protruding. The same goes for zombie horses, who have a analogous exposed-rib aesthetic and can sometimes be encountered after dark with a lance-wielding zombie on their back.

The remaining updates on the drop's list are refinements, including some highly requested tweaks to equestrian travel. Now, you can cross rivers and lakes while atop a horse. Furthermore, high-tier barding is now craftable at the workbench, so you can provide your steed with the ultimate protection it deserves.

A Fittingly Chaotic Finale

Overall, the final game drop of the year is a solid offering. The spear on its own — and the mayhem it enables — would have felt like a major improvement. Throw in the Nautilus, and additional creatures trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a touch more chaotic.

The Mayhem Mounts update is out now for all major editions of Minecraft.