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The seasonal game drop for the block-building phenomenon has touched down — and it includes the initial fresh armament added to the game since the mace made its debut. The spear is finally here and it has the potential to alter your gameplay in Minecraft, particularly when you thrive on pandemonium.

An Armament Designed for Chaotic Rides

The Mounts of Mayhem drop also adds several new features and updates related to animal mounts in the game. That central theme made the spear the ideal addition for this update, as the development team had long felt it was the moment to introduce a fresh combat tool.

"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 experimented with a few different ideas, but the lance was the one that both felt great when we ran our trials and also made sense for the use case."

If you're curious whether mounted combat means you can charge at your companions on steeds, the answer is a resounding yes. In fact, there's even an attack perfectly suited for it.

"Mounted lance combat] is a major use cases for the spear, and it's incredibly enjoyable," the lead says. "The spear has a dual attack system: You have the quick stab, where you simply impale your enemy. But you also have a charge attack where you lower your spear and inflict increased harm [with] the more momentum you have. So [it’s] tailor-made for knightly combat."

Sky-High Chaos and Underwater Adventures

The wild enjoyment isn't limited to there, though. If you're far enough into the game that you've visited The End, the developers have an delightfully absurd idea. "If you are in the end-game, [spears are] ideal for strapping on the wings and flying forth and creating genuine chaos," she suggests.

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

Another key feature in this fresh content is the Nautilus. This sea-dwelling mob, which is based on the nautilus shells found in-game for years, can be tamed and ridden for submarine exploration. Not only will it move you through the water more swiftly than swimming, it'll also maintain your air supply, so there's no need to surface for oxygen.

The other inclusions are primarily things that are out to get you, as is the tradition of Minecraft. As expected, there's also a zombie Nautilus appearing in the water, frequently with a Drowned on its back. If you manage to take care of the Drowned, though, you can claim the zombie Nautilus — or the regular one, for that matter — with a spiky fish.

"We've long considered this issue periodically, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it appeared to be the ideal opportunity to also introduce something for aquatic environments," the lead elaborates. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a number of concepts for sea mounts that we wanted to test, but the Nautilus initial artwork looked compelling, and we have the tie-in to the Nautilus shell that was already in the game."

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

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Other additions include the sun-proof skeletons, desert-exclusive undead archers that can survive in the sun, which means there's no refuge from them if you end up in that environment. Sometimes you'll see them on zombified camels, another fresh creature. These passive, zombified camels have an excellent design that sees their bones protruding. The same goes for undead steeds, who have a comparable exposed-rib aesthetic and can sometimes be encountered after dark with a spear-carrying zombie on their back.

The remaining updates on the drop's list are refinements, including some highly requested tweaks to riding horses. Now, you can ford waterways while mounted on a horse. Additionally, netherite horse armor 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 final game drop of the year is a notable addition. The spear alone — and the mayhem it enables — would have felt like a considerable upgrade. Combine that with the Nautilus, and new threats seeking your end, and Minecraft's definitely getting a bit spicier.

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