🔗 Share this article

The winter content update for the block-building phenomenon has arrived — and it brings with it the initial fresh armament introduced into the game since the heavy club made its debut. The javelin is finally here and it has the potential to change how you play Minecraft, especially if you love chaos.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mounts of Mayhem drop also introduces several new features and updates centered around riding animals in the game. That focus made the spear the natural choice for this update, as the creators had long felt it was the moment to introduce a new weapon.

"From the outset, we understood that we aimed for a new weapon that would provide extended reach, and we wanted it to be 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 tested our prototypes and also was visually fitting for the use case."

If you're asking yourself whether fighting from a saddle means you can tilt at your allies on steeds, the answer is a resounding yes. In fact, there's even an combat move ideally crafted for it.

"Mounted lance combat] is one of the biggest use cases for the spear, and it's a blast," the lead continues. "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 more damage [with] the more pace you have. So [it’s] ideal for knightly combat."

Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration

The wild enjoyment can extend beyond there, though. If you're deep enough into the game that you've explored The End, the developers have an truly outlandish idea. "If you are quite advanced, [spears are] perfect for equipping the elytra 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 competitive event right away.

Another significant inclusion in this latest drop is the Nautilus. This aquatic being, which is inspired by the seashells players have gathered for years, can be domesticated and mounted for underwater travel. Not only will it carry you through the water more swiftly than swimming, it'll also conserve your breath meter, so there's no requirement to surface for fresh air.

The rest of the additions are largely things that seek your demise, as is the way of Minecraft. Naturally, there's also a rotting sea creature appearing in the water, sometimes with a zombie villager on its back. If you succeed in dispatch the Drowned, though, you can tame the undead mount — or the regular one, for that matter — with a spiky fish.

"We've been thinking about this problem on and off, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it felt like the ideal opportunity to also unveil something for the ocean depths," the lead explains. "For the Nautilus specifically, we had a number of concepts for aquatic rides that we wanted to test, but the Nautilus initial artwork looked impressive, and we have the link to the Nautilus shell that was already in the game."

She also points out that there are actually a pair of variants of undead nautilus: regular and coral-infested undead mount. "[The variants] add variety 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 refuge from them if you venture in that environment. Sometimes you'll see them on camel husks, another new mob. Camel husks have an striking appearance that sees their bones protruding. The applies equally to zombie horses, who have a similar rib-popping design and can sometimes be found at night with a lance-wielding undead rider on their back.

The final pair of items on the drop's list are minor quality-of-life improvements, including some long-overdue adjustments to equestrian travel. Now, you can cross rivers and lakes while atop a horse. Furthermore, high-tier barding is now available at the crafting table, so you can give your horse the top-tier safeguarding it deserves.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

In summary, the final game drop of the year is a solid offering. The spear alone — and the pandemonium it invites — would have constituted a major improvement. Throw in the Nautilus, and additional creatures trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a touch more chaotic.

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