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The seasonal content update for Minecraft has touched down — and it includes the first new weapon introduced into the game since the heavy club made its debut. The spear is now available and it has the potential to revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, particularly when you thrive on pandemonium.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mounts of Mayhem update also incorporates a host of fresh elements and enhancements related to animal mounts in the game. That driving concept made the spear the perfect fit for this release, as the creators had long felt it was time for a fresh combat tool.

"We knew initially that we wanted a new weapon that would increase combat distance, and we envisioned it for mounted combat," stated a lead developer. "We tried out 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 asking yourself whether mounted combat means you can joust against your companions on horseback, the response is a definite affirmative. 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 so much fun," the lead adds. "The spear has a pair of offensive moves: You have the quick stab, where you pierce your enemy. But you also have a sprinting strike where you lower your spear and deal increased harm [with] the more pace you have. So [it’s] perfect for jousting on horses."

Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration

The chaotic fun isn't limited to there, though. If you're deep enough into the game that you've been to The End, the developers have an delightfully absurd idea. "If you are in the end-game, [spears are] ideal for equipping the elytra and going out and unleashing absolute pandemonium," she suggests.

In other words: Aerial lance combat is now a reality, and it should be made an competitive event right away.

Another key feature in this new update 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 deep-sea journeys. Not only will it carry you through the water faster than swimming, it'll also maintain your breath meter, so there's no necessity to come up for air for oxygen.

The other inclusions are primarily things that are out to get you, as is the way of Minecraft. As expected, there's also a zombie Nautilus spawning in the water, often with a Drowned on its back. If you manage to dispatch the Drowned, though, you can tame the undead mount — or the standard version, for that matter — with a spiky fish.

"We've been thinking about this issue periodically, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it seemed like the ideal opportunity to also unveil something for the ocean depths," the lead clarifies. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a few different ideas for aquatic rides that we wanted to experiment with, but the Nautilus concept art looked striking, and we have the connection to the Nautilus shell that was found within the game."

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

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Other additions include the sun-proof skeletons, desert-exclusive undead archers 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 fresh creature. Camel husks have an excellent design that sees their skeletal frame exposed. The applies equally to undead steeds, who have a analogous exposed-rib aesthetic and can sometimes be spawned in the darkness with a spear-carrying undead rider on their back.

The final pair of items on the drop's list are refinements, including some highly requested changes to riding horses. Now, you can traverse bodies of water while riding a horse. Also, netherite horse armor is now available at the workbench, so you can provide your steed with the ultimate protection it is worthy of.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

All told, the last content update of the year is a solid offering. The spear by itself — and the potential for chaos — would have felt like a significant enhancement. Add in the Nautilus, and new threats trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a bit spicier.

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