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The winter content update for Minecraft has arrived — and it features the initial fresh armament introduced into the title since the mace made its debut. The spear is now available and it might just alter your gameplay in Minecraft, particularly when you thrive on pandemonium.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mayhem Mounts drop also introduces several new features and enhancements focused on riding animals in the game. That driving concept made the spear the perfect fit for this release, as the development team had already known it was the moment to introduce a fresh combat tool.

"From the outset, we understood that we desired a fresh armament that would provide extended reach, and we wanted it to be mounted combat," noted a lead developer. "We experimented with a number of concepts, but the lance was the one that both handled superbly when we tested our prototypes and also made sense for the use case."

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

"Mounted lance combat] is a primary applications for the spear, and it's incredibly enjoyable," the lead continues. "The spear has a dual attack system: You have the thrust, where you just stab your enemy. But you also have a powerful lance where you lower your spear and deal greater injury [with] the more speed and velocity you have. So [it’s] tailor-made for knightly combat."

Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration

The chaotic fun doesn't have to stop there, though. If you're deep enough into the game that you've visited The End, the developers have an even more ridiculous idea. "If you are quite advanced, [spears are] excellent for strapping on the elytra and flying forth and creating genuine chaos," she teases.

In other words: Jousting in the clouds is now real, and it needs to become an Olympic sport right away.

Another major addition in this fresh content is the Nautilus. This underwater creature, which is modeled after the nautilus shells found in-game for years, can be tamed and ridden for underwater travel. Not only will it transport you through the water quicker than swimming, it'll also preserve your air supply, so there's no need to surface for fresh air.

The rest of the additions are primarily things that are out to get you, as is the nature of Minecraft. As expected, there's also a zombie Nautilus appearing in the water, frequently with a zombie villager on its back. If you succeed in take care of the Drowned, though, you can befriend the undead mount — or the regular one, for that matter — with a spiky fish.

"We've long considered this issue for some time, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it seemed like the perfect moment to also bring in something for the ocean depths," the developer elaborates. "For the Nautilus specifically, we had a number of concepts for underwater mounts that we wanted to experiment with, but the Nautilus design sketches looked striking, 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] give some flavor to what you find underwater."

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Further inclusions include the sun-proof skeletons, biome-specific skeletons that can endure the sun, which means there's no getting away from them if you venture in that biome. Sometimes you'll see them on zombified camels, another new mob. These passive, zombified camels have an notable look that sees their bones protruding. The applies equally to zombie horses, who have a comparable rib-popping design and can sometimes be spawned in the darkness with a lance-wielding zombie on their back.

The remaining updates on the drop's list are minor quality-of-life improvements, including some long-overdue changes to riding horses. Now, you can traverse waterways while mounted on a horse. Furthermore, high-tier barding is now obtainable at the workbench, so you can give your horse the top-tier safeguarding it deserves.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

All told, the last content update of the year is a pretty good one. The spear on its own — and the pandemonium it invites — would have constituted a considerable upgrade. Combine that with the Nautilus, and additional creatures seeking your end, and Minecraft's definitely getting a little more dangerous.

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