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The winter game drop for Minecraft has landed — and it includes the initial fresh armament added to the game since the heavy club made its debut. The javelin is finally here and it might just alter your gameplay in Minecraft, particularly when you love chaos.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mayhem Mounts update also introduces several new features and enhancements related to animal mounts in the game. That central theme made the spear the perfect fit 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 fresh armament that would provide extended reach, and we designed it specifically for mounted combat," noted a senior product manager. "We tried out a number of concepts, but the spear was the one that both played wonderfully when we tested our prototypes and also made sense for the intended purpose."

If you're asking yourself whether fighting from a saddle means you can tilt at your companions on steeds, the response is a definite affirmative. In fact, there's even an offensive action excellently designed for it.

"Mounted lance combat] is a primary use cases for the spear, and it's incredibly enjoyable," the developer continues. "The spear has two attacks: You have the thrust, where you pierce 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] tailor-made for knightly combat."

Sky-High Chaos and Underwater Adventures

The unruly pleasure 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 in the end-game, [spears are] excellent for equipping the elytra and going out and unleashing absolute pandemonium," she hints.

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

Another significant inclusion in this fresh content is the Nautilus. This aquatic being, which is based on the nautilus shells players have gathered for years, can be domesticated and ridden for deep-sea journeys. Not only will it transport you through the water more swiftly than swimming, it'll also conserve your breath meter, so there's no need to surface for a breath.

The other inclusions are mostly things that want to kill you, as is the way of Minecraft. As expected, there's also a zombie Nautilus popping up in the water, frequently with a zombie villager on its back. If you manage to take care of the Drowned, though, you can tame the zombie Nautilus — or the standard version, for that matter — with a blowfish.

"We've been thinking about this issue on and off, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it seemed like the right time to also introduce something for underwater," the developer explains. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a few different ideas for aquatic rides that we wanted to try out, but the Nautilus design sketches looked compelling, 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 zombie Nautilus: standard and coral-infested undead mount. "[The variants] provide diversity to what you find underwater."

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Further inclusions include the sun-proof skeletons, biome-specific skeletons that can survive in the sun, which means there's no refuge from them if you end up in that environment. Sometimes you'll see them on desiccated dromedaries, another new mob. Camel husks have an excellent design that sees their bones protruding. The same goes for zombie horses, who have a analogous exposed-rib aesthetic and can sometimes be found at night with a spear-carrying undead rider on their back.

The final pair of items on the drop's list are smaller gameplay updates, including some much-anticipated adjustments to equestrian travel. Now, you can ford waterways while riding a horse. Furthermore, netherite horse armor is now craftable at the workbench, so you can give your horse the ultimate protection it deserves.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

Overall, the last content update of the year is a pretty good one. The spear alone — and the pandemonium it invites — would have seemed like a major improvement. Add in the Nautilus, and additional creatures seeking your end, and Minecraft's definitely getting a bit spicier.

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