🔗 Share this article

The winter game drop for Minecraft has arrived — and it brings with it the initial fresh armament introduced into the title since the heavy club made its debut. The lance is finally here and it could very well revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, especially if you enjoy mayhem.

An Armament Designed for Chaotic Rides

The Mayhem Mounts update also introduces a host of fresh elements and updates centered around animal mounts in the game. That driving concept made the spear the natural choice for this update, as the creators had long felt it was time for a new weapon.

"We knew initially that we wanted a fresh armament that would add some more range, and we wanted it to be mounted combat," noted a lead developer. "We experimented with a few different ideas, but the lance was the one that both played wonderfully when we ran our trials and also made sense for the use case."

If you're wondering whether mounted combat means you can charge at your allies on horseback, the response is a resounding yes. In fact, there's even an offensive action ideally crafted for it.

"Mounted lance combat] is a primary use cases for the spear, and it's so much fun," the developer says. "The spear has a dual attack system: You have the thrust, where you pierce your enemy. But you also have a charge attack where you couch your lance and get more damage [with] the more pace you have. So [it’s] perfect for mounted duels."

Sky-High Chaos and Underwater Adventures

The wild enjoyment doesn't have to stop there, though. If you're deep enough 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 strapping on the elytra and going out and making some real mayhem," she hints.

In other words: Jousting in the clouds is now a reality, and it deserves to be an Olympic sport without delay.

Another significant inclusion 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 submarine exploration. Not only will it transport you through the water quicker than swimming, it'll also preserve your breath meter, so there's no need to return to the surface for a breath.

The remaining new features are largely 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 defeat the Drowned, though, you can befriend the zombie Nautilus — or the standard version, for that matter — with a puffer fish.

"We've been thinking about this challenge on and off, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it appeared to be the perfect moment to also introduce something for underwater," the lead explains. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a several proposals for sea mounts that we wanted to experiment with, but the Nautilus initial artwork looked impressive, and we have the connection to the Nautilus shell that was already in the game."

She also adds that there are actually two different types of undead nautilus: standard and coral zombie Nautilus. "[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 undead archers that can survive in the sun, which means there's no getting away from them if you end up in that environment. Sometimes you'll see them on camel husks, another new mob. Camel husks have an excellent design that sees their skeletal frame exposed. The applies equally to undead steeds, who have a similar rib-popping design and can sometimes be spawned in the darkness with a spear-carrying undead rider on their back.

The last two things on the drop's list are minor quality-of-life improvements, including some highly requested adjustments to equestrian travel. Now, you can cross waterways while riding a horse. Additionally, netherite horse armor is now available at the crafting table, so you can provide your steed with the ultimate protection it is worthy of.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

Overall, the year-end release of the year is a pretty good one. The spear by itself — and the potential for chaos — would have felt like a significant enhancement. Combine that with the Nautilus, and new threats trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a little more dangerous.

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