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The winter content update for Minecraft has landed — and it features the first new weapon introduced into the game since the heavy club made its debut. The spear is finally here and it could very well revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, especially if you thrive on pandemonium.

An Armament Designed for Chaotic Rides

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

"From the outset, we understood that we aimed for a new weapon that would add some more range, and we envisioned it for mounted combat," noted a lead developer. "We experimented with a number of concepts, but the spear was the one that both handled superbly when we ran our trials and also made sense for the use case."

If you're curious whether fighting from a saddle means you can joust against your friends on steeds, the response is a definite affirmative. In fact, there's even an offensive action ideally crafted for it.

"[Jousting on horses is a major functions for the spear, and it's so much fun," the developer adds. "The spear has a dual attack system: You have the thrust, where you simply impale your enemy. But you also have a powerful lance where you couch your lance and get greater injury [with] the more momentum you have. So [it’s] ideal for mounted duels."

Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration

The unruly pleasure doesn't have to stop there, though. If you're advanced sufficiently into the game that you've been to 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: Jousting in the clouds is now real, and it needs to become an Olympic sport right away.

Another major addition in this latest drop is the underwater mount. This sea-dwelling mob, which is based on the seashells found in-game for years, can be tamed and mounted for underwater travel. Not only will it transport you through the water quicker than swimming, it'll also maintain your oxygen levels, so there's no necessity to return to the surface for a breath.

The other inclusions are mostly things that want to kill you, as is the tradition of Minecraft. Unsurprisingly, there's also a rotting sea creature spawning in the water, often with a Drowned on its back. If you manage to dispatch the Drowned, though, you can befriend the zombie Nautilus — or the regular one, for that matter — with a puffer fish.

"We've long considered this issue on and off, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it felt like the ideal opportunity to also bring in something for the ocean depths," the developer elaborates. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a number of concepts for sea mounts that we wanted to test, 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 two distinct kinds of zombie Nautilus: regular and coral zombie Nautilus. "[The variants] give some flavor to what you encounter underwater."

Parched Perils & Overdue Enhancements

Other additions include the Parched, desert-exclusive undead archers 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 fresh creature. These passive, zombified camels have an excellent design that sees their skeletal frame exposed. The applies equally to undead steeds, who have a similar exposed-rib aesthetic and can sometimes be encountered after dark with a spear-carrying undead rider on their back.

The final pair of items on the drop's list are smaller gameplay updates, including some much-anticipated changes to riding horses. Now, you can traverse rivers and lakes while riding a horse. Furthermore, netherite horse armor is now craftable at the workbench, so you can give your horse the best defense it is worthy of.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

Overall, the year-end release of the year is a solid offering. The spear by itself — and the potential for chaos — would have seemed like a major improvement. Add in the Nautilus, and additional creatures trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a touch more chaotic.

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