Minecraft's Mayhem Mounts Update Brings Forth a Beautifully Chaotic New Spear to the Game

The winter content update for Minecraft has landed — and it includes the initial fresh armament introduced into the title since the mace made its debut. The spear is finally here and it might just change how you play Minecraft, especially if you thrive on pandemonium.

An Armament Designed for Chaotic Rides

The Mounts of Mayhem drop also incorporates a host of fresh elements and enhancements related to animal mounts in the game. That focus made the spear the natural choice for this release, as the development team had already known it was time for a new weapon.

"We knew initially that we desired a new weapon that would provide extended reach, and we designed it specifically for mounted combat," noted a senior product manager. "We prototyped a number of concepts, but the lance was the one that both played wonderfully when we tested our prototypes and also made sense for the use case."

If you're curious whether mounted combat means you can charge at your allies on steeds, the answer is a definite affirmative. In fact, there's even an attack perfectly suited for it.

"Mounted lance combat] is a primary applications for the spear, and it's so much fun," the developer continues. "The spear has two attacks: You have the quick stab, where you simply impale your enemy. But you also have a powerful lance where you lower your spear and get more damage [with] the more pace you have. So [it’s] tailor-made for mounted duels."

Sky-High Chaos and Underwater Adventures

The chaotic fun can extend beyond there, though. If you're far enough into the game that you've been to The End, the developers have an even more ridiculous idea. "If you are quite advanced, [spears are] perfect for equipping the elytra and taking to the skies and creating genuine chaos," she suggests.

In other words: Jousting in the clouds is now possible, and it deserves to be an competitive event immediately.

Another key feature in this fresh content is the underwater mount. This sea-dwelling mob, which is modeled after the nautilus shells we've all been collecting for years, can be tamed and mounted for submarine exploration. Not only will it move you through the water more swiftly than swimming, it'll also preserve your air supply, so there's no necessity to come up for air for a breath.

The rest of the additions are primarily things that are out to get you, as is the tradition of Minecraft. As expected, there's also a zombie Nautilus spawning in the water, often with a zombie villager on its back. If you succeed in take care of the Drowned, though, you can claim the zombie Nautilus — or the standard version, for that matter — with a blowfish.

"We've been thinking about this problem periodically, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it seemed like the ideal opportunity to also introduce something for aquatic environments," the developer elaborates. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a number of concepts for underwater mounts that we wanted to try out, but the Nautilus concept art looked compelling, and we have the link to the Nautilus shell that was found within the game."

She also points out that there are actually two distinct kinds of undead nautilus: regular and coral-infested undead mount. "[The variants] provide diversity to what you encounter underwater."

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Further inclusions include the Parched, desert-exclusive skeletons that can endure the sun, which means there's no getting away from them if you end up in that biome. Sometimes you'll see them on camel husks, another new mob. Camel husks have an notable look that sees their bones protruding. The applies equally to undead steeds, who have a analogous rib-popping design and can sometimes be spawned in the darkness with a lance-wielding undead rider on their back.

The remaining updates on the drop's list are minor quality-of-life improvements, including some highly requested changes to riding horses. Now, you can traverse rivers and lakes while riding a horse. Furthermore, netherite horse armor is now craftable at the crafting table, so you can give your horse the top-tier safeguarding it is worthy of.

A Fittingly Chaotic Finale

In summary, the final game drop of the year is a solid offering. The spear by itself — and the potential for chaos — would have constituted a considerable upgrade. Add in the Nautilus, and new threats trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a touch more chaotic.

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