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The winter content update for the block-building phenomenon has touched down — and it includes the first new weapon added to the game since the mace made its debut. The spear is now available and it has the potential to revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, especially if you love chaos.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mayhem Mounts update also adds a host of fresh elements and enhancements related to riding animals in the game. That central theme made the spear the ideal addition for this update, as the creators had already known it was the moment to introduce a new weapon.

"From the outset, we understood that we wanted a new weapon that would provide extended reach, and we envisioned it for mounted combat," stated a senior product manager. "We tried out a few different ideas, but the lance was the one that both handled superbly when we ran our trials 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 friends on steeds, the answer is a definite affirmative. In fact, there's even an combat move ideally crafted for it.

"[Jousting on horses is one of the biggest applications for the spear, and it's a blast," the developer continues. "The spear has a pair of offensive moves: You have the thrust, where you pierce your enemy. But you also have a charge attack where you couch your lance and deal more damage [with] the more speed and velocity you have. So [it’s] ideal for mounted duels."

Sky-High Chaos and Underwater Adventures

The wild enjoyment isn't limited to there, though. If you're advanced sufficiently into the game that you've visited The End, the developers have an delightfully absurd idea. "If you are in the end-game, [spears are] excellent for equipping the wings and flying forth and unleashing absolute pandemonium," she teases.

In other words: Sky jousting is now possible, and it deserves to be an Olympic sport immediately.

Another major addition in this latest drop is the underwater mount. This underwater creature, which is based on the seashells found in-game for years, can be domesticated and ridden for underwater travel. Not only will it carry you through the water faster than swimming, it'll also maintain your breath meter, so there's no necessity to come up for air for fresh air.

The remaining new features are largely things that are out to get you, as is the nature of Minecraft. Unsurprisingly, there's also a zombie Nautilus appearing in the water, sometimes with a zombie villager on its back. If you are able to dispatch the Drowned, though, you can tame the undead mount — or the standard version, for that matter — with a puffer fish.

"We've been thinking about this problem periodically, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it felt like the ideal opportunity to also bring in something for the ocean depths," the developer explains. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a few different ideas for sea mounts that we wanted to experiment with, but the Nautilus concept art looked impressive, and we have the connection to the Nautilus shell that was already in the game."

She also adds that there are actually two distinct kinds of undead nautilus: regular and coral-infested undead mount. "[The variants] add variety to what you find underwater."

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Other additions include the Parched, biome-specific skeletons that can withstand the sun, which means there's no getting away from them if you venture in that environment. Sometimes you'll see them on camel husks, another fresh creature. Camel husks have an striking appearance that sees their bones protruding. The applies equally to zombie horses, who have a comparable exposed-rib aesthetic and can sometimes be encountered after dark with a lance-wielding undead rider on their back.

The final pair of items on the drop's list are refinements, including some highly requested changes to equestrian travel. Now, you can cross rivers and lakes while mounted on a horse. Furthermore, high-tier barding is now craftable at the workbench, so you can provide your steed with the ultimate protection it deserves.

A Fittingly Chaotic Finale

All told, the last content update of the year is a notable addition. The spear alone — and the mayhem it enables — would have constituted a considerable upgrade. Combine that with the Nautilus, and additional creatures seeking your end, and Minecraft's definitely getting a bit spicier.

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