🔗 Share this article

The winter game drop for Minecraft has arrived — and it brings with it the first new weapon introduced into the title since the heavy club made its debut. The lance is finally here and it has the potential to revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, especially if you thrive on pandemonium.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mayhem Mounts update also adds several new features and enhancements related to riding animals in the game. That driving concept made the spear the natural choice for this update, as the development team had long felt it was the moment to introduce a new weapon.

"We knew initially that we desired a new weapon that would provide extended reach, and we designed it specifically for fighting from atop a creature," noted a lead developer. "We tried out a number of concepts, but the spear was the one that both felt great when we ran our trials and also made sense for the intended purpose."

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

"Mounted lance combat] is one of the biggest applications for the spear, and it's a blast," the developer says. "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 lower your spear and inflict greater injury [with] the more pace you have. So [it’s] tailor-made for jousting on horses."

Sky-High Chaos and Underwater Adventures

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] ideal for equipping the elytra and flying forth and making some real mayhem," she teases.

In other words: Sky jousting is now real, and it should be made an competitive event immediately.

Another significant inclusion in this new update is the Nautilus. This sea-dwelling mob, which is inspired by the seashells players have gathered for years, can be tamed and ridden for deep-sea journeys. Not only will it carry you through the water faster than swimming, it'll also maintain your oxygen levels, so there's no need to surface for a breath.

The other inclusions are largely things that want to kill you, as is the nature of Minecraft. Naturally, there's also a zombie Nautilus spawning in the water, frequently with a Drowned on its back. If you manage to defeat the Drowned, though, you can befriend the undead mount — or the regular one, for that matter — with a puffer fish.

"We've long considered this issue periodically, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it appeared to be the right time to also introduce something for aquatic environments," the lead elaborates. "For the Nautilus specifically, we had a several proposals for underwater mounts that we wanted to experiment with, but the Nautilus design sketches looked impressive, and we have the link to the Nautilus shell that was already in the game."

She also notes that there are actually two different types of undead nautilus: regular and coral-infested undead mount. "[The variants] give some flavor to what you encounter underwater."

Parched Perils & Overdue Enhancements

Additional features include the sun-proof skeletons, desert-exclusive skeletons that can endure the sun, which means there's no escape from them if you find yourself in that region. Sometimes you'll see them on desiccated dromedaries, another new mob. Camel husks have an notable look that sees their skeletal frame exposed. The applies equally to zombie horses, who have a analogous exposed-rib aesthetic and can sometimes be encountered after dark with a spear-carrying undead rider on their back.

The last two things on the drop's list are refinements, including some highly requested adjustments to riding horses. Now, you can traverse rivers and lakes while mounted on a horse. Additionally, netherite horse armor is now obtainable at the workbench, so you can provide your steed with the ultimate protection it is worthy of.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

Overall, the last content update of the year is a solid offering. The spear by itself — and the mayhem it enables — would have seemed like a considerable upgrade. Combine that with the Nautilus, and more things trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a bit spicier.

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