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The winter game drop for Minecraft has landed — and it brings with it the initial fresh armament introduced into the title since the mace made its debut. The spear is finally here and it could very well revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, particularly when you enjoy mayhem.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mayhem Mounts drop also adds several new features and enhancements focused on riding animals in the game. That driving concept made the spear the perfect fit for this update, as the creators had long felt it was the moment to introduce a new weapon.

"From the outset, we understood that we wanted a new weapon that would provide extended reach, and we envisioned it for fighting from atop a creature," stated a senior product manager. "We prototyped a number of concepts, but the lance was the one that both handled superbly when we ran our trials and also looked good for the use case."

If you're curious whether mounted combat means you can joust against your allies on steeds, the answer is a resounding yes. In fact, there's even an attack ideally crafted for it.

"Mounted lance combat] is one of the biggest use cases for the spear, and it's so much fun," the developer continues. "The spear has two attacks: You have the thrust, where you pierce your enemy. But you also have a sprinting strike where you couch your lance and get more damage [with] the more pace you have. So [it’s] perfect for jousting on horses."

Sky-High Chaos and Underwater Adventures

The chaotic fun 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] excellent for equipping the wings and taking to the skies and making some real mayhem," she hints.

In other words: Jousting in the clouds is now possible, and it deserves to be an competitive event without delay.

Another key feature in this fresh content is the Nautilus. This sea-dwelling mob, which is inspired by the nautilus shells found in-game for years, can be domesticated and mounted for submarine exploration. Not only will it transport you through the water faster than swimming, it'll also preserve your air supply, so there's no requirement to come up for air for fresh air.

The remaining new features are primarily things that seek your demise, as is the way of Minecraft. Naturally, there's also a zombie Nautilus popping up in the water, frequently with a Drowned on its back. If you are able to defeat the Drowned, though, you can claim 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 felt like the right time to also bring in something for the ocean depths," the lead clarifies. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a few different ideas for sea mounts that we wanted to test, but the Nautilus design sketches looked striking, and we have the link to the Nautilus shell that was found within the game."

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

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Further inclusions include the sun-proof skeletons, desert-exclusive skeletons that can withstand the sun, which means there's no refuge from them if you venture in that region. Sometimes you'll see them on camel husks, another new mob. Camel husks have an notable look that sees their skeletal frame exposed. The same goes for undead steeds, who have a comparable exposed-rib aesthetic and can sometimes be found at night with a lance-wielding undead rider on their back.

The last two things on the drop's list are minor quality-of-life improvements, including some long-overdue tweaks to riding horses. Now, you can ford waterways while riding a horse. Furthermore, netherite horse armor is now craftable at the workbench, so you can give your horse the ultimate protection it deserves.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

All told, the last content update of the year is a notable addition. The spear on its own — and the mayhem it enables — would have felt like a significant enhancement. Throw in the Nautilus, and more things trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a touch more chaotic.

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