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The winter game drop for Minecraft has landed — and it features the initial fresh armament added to the title since the mace made its debut. The spear is finally here and it could very well change how you play Minecraft, particularly when you enjoy mayhem.

An Armament Designed for Chaotic Rides

The Mounts of Mayhem update also introduces several new features and enhancements centered around animal mounts in the game. That central theme made the spear the ideal addition for this release, as the development team had already known it was the moment to introduce a fresh combat tool.

"We knew initially that we aimed for a fresh armament that would increase combat distance, and we envisioned it for fighting from atop a creature," explained a lead developer. "We prototyped a few different ideas, but the lance was the one that both played wonderfully when we tested our prototypes and also was visually fitting for the intended purpose."

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

"Mounted lance combat] is one of the biggest functions for the spear, and it's a blast," the lead continues. "The spear has two attacks: You have the thrust, where you pierce your enemy. But you also have a powerful lance where you couch your lance and get more damage [with] the more pace you have. So [it’s] tailor-made for jousting on horses."

Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration

The chaotic fun isn't limited to 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 in the end-game, [spears are] ideal for equipping the elytra and taking to the skies and unleashing absolute pandemonium," she suggests.

In other words: Sky jousting is now a reality, and it needs to become an competitive event without delay.

Another significant inclusion in this new update is the underwater mount. This aquatic being, which is based on the seashells we've all been collecting for years, can be tamed and ridden for submarine exploration. Not only will it move you through the water quicker than swimming, it'll also preserve your breath meter, so there's no requirement to return to the surface for a breath.

The rest of the additions are mostly things that want to kill you, as is the nature of Minecraft. Unsurprisingly, there's also a zombie Nautilus appearing in the water, often with a Drowned on its back. If you manage to dispatch the Drowned, though, you can tame 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 introduce something for the ocean depths," the lead elaborates. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a several proposals for sea mounts that we wanted to experiment with, but the Nautilus initial artwork looked compelling, and we have the tie-in to the Nautilus shell that was found within the game."

She also adds that there are actually two different types of undead nautilus: standard and coral zombie Nautilus. "[The variants] add variety to what you find underwater."

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Further inclusions include the Parched, desert-exclusive undead archers that can endure the sun, which means there's no refuge from them if you find yourself in that region. Sometimes you'll see them on camel husks, another fresh creature. These passive, zombified camels have an striking appearance that sees their skeletal frame exposed. The same goes for zombie horses, who have a comparable exposed-rib aesthetic and can sometimes be found at night with a spear-carrying zombie on their back.

The final pair of items on the drop's list are smaller gameplay updates, including some highly requested changes to equestrian travel. Now, you can traverse rivers and lakes while atop a horse. Additionally, high-tier barding is now obtainable at the workbench, so you can give your horse the top-tier safeguarding it is worthy of.

A Fittingly Chaotic Finale

In summary, the final game drop of the year is a solid offering. The spear on its own — and the pandemonium it invites — would have felt like a considerable upgrade. Combine that with the Nautilus, and additional creatures seeking your end, and Minecraft's definitely getting a touch more chaotic.

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