Minecraft's Mounts of Mayhem Update Brings Forth a Stunningly Wild Fresh Weapon to the Game

The winter game drop for Minecraft has touched down — and it brings with it the initial fresh armament added to the game since the mace made its debut. The lance is finally here and it might just revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, especially if you enjoy mayhem.

An Armament Designed for Chaotic Rides

The Mounts of Mayhem update also incorporates a host of fresh elements and updates centered around animal mounts in the game. That focus made the spear the perfect fit for this release, as the development team had already known it was the moment to introduce a new weapon.

"From the outset, we understood that we wanted a fresh armament that would add some more range, and we designed it specifically for mounted combat," noted a senior product manager. "We prototyped a number of concepts, but the spear was the one that both handled superbly when we ran our trials and also made sense for the use case."

If you're wondering whether fighting from a saddle means you can tilt at your friends on steeds, the answer is a resounding yes. In fact, there's even an offensive action ideally crafted for it.

"[Jousting on horses is a primary functions for the spear, and it's a blast," the lead says. "The spear has a dual attack system: You have the quick stab, where you simply impale your enemy. But you also have a charge attack where you couch your lance and deal greater injury [with] the more speed and velocity you have. So [it’s] perfect for jousting on horses."

Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration

The wild enjoyment 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 delightfully absurd idea. "If you are very late, [spears are] excellent for strapping on the elytra and flying forth and making some real mayhem," she teases.

In other words: Aerial lance combat is now possible, and it needs to become an Olympic sport immediately.

Another major addition in this latest drop is the underwater mount. This sea-dwelling mob, which is based on 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 preserve your breath meter, so there's no need to return to the surface for oxygen.

The rest of the additions are mostly things that want to kill you, as is the tradition of Minecraft. Naturally, there's also a undead nautilus popping up in the water, sometimes with a Drowned on its back. If you are able to dispatch 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 periodically, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it appeared to be the right time to also bring in something for underwater," the lead elaborates. "For the Nautilus specifically, we had a several proposals for aquatic rides 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 a pair of variants of zombie Nautilus: regular and coral zombie Nautilus. "[The variants] give some flavor to what you find underwater."

Parched Perils & Overdue Enhancements

Further inclusions include the sun-proof skeletons, desert-exclusive undead archers that can survive in the sun, which means there's no refuge from them if you end up in that biome. Sometimes you'll see them on desiccated dromedaries, another fresh creature. Camel husks have an notable look that sees their ribs poking out. The same goes for zombie horses, who have a comparable 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 long-overdue tweaks to equestrian travel. Now, you can traverse waterways while atop a horse. Also, high-tier barding is now craftable at the crafting table, so you can provide your steed with the best defense it deserves.

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 seemed like a considerable upgrade. Add in the Nautilus, and additional creatures trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a touch more chaotic.

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