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The seasonal game drop for the block-building phenomenon has arrived — and it includes the first new weapon added to the game since the mace made its debut. The spear is finally here and it could very well revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, particularly when you thrive on pandemonium.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mayhem Mounts update also adds several new features and updates centered around riding animals in the game. That focus made the spear the natural choice for this update, as the development team had long felt it was time for a new weapon.

"From the outset, we understood that we wanted a new weapon that would add some more range, and we envisioned it for mounted combat," noted a senior product manager. "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 intended purpose."

If you're curious whether fighting from a saddle means you can charge at your companions on steeds, the answer is a resounding yes. In fact, there's even an offensive action excellently designed for it.

"[Jousting on horses is one of the biggest use cases for the spear, and it's so much fun," the developer continues. "The spear has a pair of offensive moves: You have the jab attack, where you pierce your enemy. But you also have a sprinting strike where you couch your lance and inflict more damage [with] the more pace you have. So [it’s] tailor-made for mounted duels."

Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration

The unruly pleasure isn't limited to there, though. If you're advanced sufficiently into the game that you've visited The End, the developers have an even more ridiculous idea. "If you are very late, [spears are] excellent for equipping the wings and going out and making some real mayhem," she suggests.

In other words: Sky jousting is now real, and it needs to become an Olympic sport immediately.

Another significant inclusion in this latest drop is the underwater mount. This underwater creature, which is inspired by the nautilus shells players have gathered for years, can be domesticated and ridden for submarine exploration. Not only will it carry you through the water quicker than swimming, it'll also maintain your breath meter, so there's no requirement to return to the surface for a breath.

The rest of the additions are largely things that seek your demise, as is the way of Minecraft. Unsurprisingly, there's also a zombie Nautilus appearing in the water, frequently with a Drowned on its back. If you are able to take care of the Drowned, though, you can tame the zombie Nautilus — or the regular one, for that matter — with a spiky fish.

"We've been thinking about this challenge on and off, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it felt like the right time to also unveil something for underwater," the developer explains. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a number of concepts for sea mounts that we wanted to experiment with, but the Nautilus concept art looked compelling, and we have the tie-in to the Nautilus shell that was pre-existing in the game."

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

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Other additions include the sun-proof skeletons, biome-specific undead archers that can withstand the sun, which means there's no refuge from them if you end up in that environment. Sometimes you'll see them on desiccated dromedaries, another new mob. These passive, zombified camels have an notable look that sees their ribs poking out. The same goes for undead steeds, who have a similar rib-popping design and can sometimes be spawned in the darkness with a spear-carrying undead rider on their back.

The final pair of items on the drop's list are minor quality-of-life improvements, including some highly requested changes to equestrian travel. Now, you can ford bodies of water while mounted on a horse. Additionally, netherite horse armor is now craftable at the crafting table, so you can give your horse the best defense it deserves.

A Fittingly Chaotic Finale

In summary, the final game drop of the year is a notable addition. The spear alone — and the potential for chaos — would have seemed like a major improvement. Throw in the Nautilus, and new threats trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a little more dangerous.

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