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The winter content update for the block-building phenomenon has landed — and it includes the initial fresh armament added to the title since the heavy club made its debut. The lance is now available 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 update also introduces several new features and enhancements centered around animal mounts in the game. That focus made the spear the perfect fit for this update, as the creators had long felt it was time for a new weapon.

"From the outset, we understood that we wanted a fresh armament that would increase combat distance, and we designed it specifically for fighting from atop a creature," stated a lead developer. "We prototyped a few different ideas, but the lance was the one that both felt great when we ran our trials and also made sense for the intended purpose."

If you're wondering whether mounted combat means you can joust against your allies on steeds, the answer is a definite affirmative. In fact, there's even an combat move perfectly suited for it.

"[Jousting on horses is one of the biggest functions for the spear, and it's so much fun," the developer continues. "The spear has two attacks: You have the quick stab, where you just stab your enemy. But you also have a sprinting strike where you lower your spear and get more damage [with] the more momentum you have. So [it’s] tailor-made for knightly combat."

Sky-High Chaos and Underwater Adventures

The unruly pleasure isn't limited to there, though. If you're advanced sufficiently into the game that you've explored The End, the developers have an delightfully absurd idea. "If you are very late, [spears are] excellent for equipping the elytra and flying forth and creating genuine chaos," she teases.

In other words: Sky jousting is now possible, and it deserves to be an competitive event right away.

Another significant inclusion in this latest drop is the underwater mount. This sea-dwelling mob, which is modeled after the nautilus shells we've all been collecting for years, can be domesticated and mounted for submarine exploration. Not only will it move you through the water more swiftly than swimming, it'll also preserve your breath meter, so there's no requirement to return to the surface for oxygen.

The rest of the additions are mostly things that are out to get you, as is the way of Minecraft. Naturally, there's also a zombie Nautilus spawning in the water, sometimes with a Drowned on its back. If you succeed in defeat the Drowned, though, you can tame the undead mount — or the standard version, for that matter — with a spiky fish.

"We've pondered this challenge on and off, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it appeared to be the right time to also unveil something for aquatic environments," the lead explains. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a number of concepts for underwater mounts that we wanted to test, but the Nautilus design sketches looked striking, and we have the tie-in to the Nautilus shell that was found within the game."

She also adds that there are actually a pair of variants of zombie Nautilus: standard and coral-infested undead mount. "[The variants] give some flavor to what you discover underwater."

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Further inclusions include the sun-proof skeletons, desert-exclusive skeletons that can endure the sun, which means there's no escape from them if you find yourself 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 analogous rib-popping design and can sometimes be spawned in the darkness with a spear-carrying undead rider on their back.

The remaining updates on the drop's list are refinements, including some long-overdue adjustments to riding horses. Now, you can traverse rivers and lakes while atop a horse. Additionally, netherite horse armor is now available at the workbench, so you can give your horse the best defense it deserves.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

All told, the final game drop of the year is a solid offering. The spear alone — and the mayhem it enables — would have constituted a significant enhancement. Throw in the Nautilus, and new threats trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a touch more chaotic.

The Mounts of Mayhem content drop is available for all major editions of Minecraft.