🔗 Share this article

The winter content update for Minecraft has landed — and it features the initial fresh armament introduced into the title since the heavy club made its debut. The javelin is now available and it has the potential to revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, especially if you enjoy mayhem.

An Armament Designed for Chaotic Rides

The Mayhem Mounts drop also adds a host of fresh elements and updates related to riding animals in the game. That focus made the spear the ideal addition for this release, as the creators had long felt it was time for a new weapon.

"We knew initially that we desired a fresh armament that would increase combat distance, and we envisioned it for mounted combat," stated a senior product manager. "We prototyped a few different ideas, but the spear was the one that both played wonderfully when we ran our trials and also made sense for the use case."

If you're wondering whether mounted combat means you can joust against your companions on steeds, the response is a definite affirmative. In fact, there's even an combat move ideally crafted for it.

"[Jousting on horses is a primary use cases for the spear, and it's a blast," the developer says. "The spear has two attacks: You have the thrust, where you just stab your enemy. But you also have a powerful lance where you lower your spear and inflict increased harm [with] the more speed and velocity you have. So [it’s] tailor-made for knightly combat."

Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration

The chaotic fun doesn't have to stop 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 very late, [spears are] excellent for strapping on the elytra and flying forth and unleashing absolute pandemonium," she teases.

In other words: Aerial lance combat is now real, and it needs to become an Olympic sport right away.

Another major addition in this latest drop is the Nautilus. This sea-dwelling mob, which is inspired by the nautilus shells players have gathered for years, can be tamed and mounted for deep-sea journeys. Not only will it carry you through the water quicker than swimming, it'll also preserve your breath meter, so there's no necessity to surface for a breath.

The other inclusions are primarily things that want to kill you, as is the way of Minecraft. As expected, 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 claim the undead mount — or the regular one, for that matter — with a puffer fish.

"We've pondered this issue periodically, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it seemed like the right time to also bring in something for underwater," the lead elaborates. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a number of concepts for aquatic rides that we wanted to try out, but the Nautilus concept art looked striking, and we have the link to the Nautilus shell that was already in the game."

She also notes that there are actually two different types of undead nautilus: regular and coral zombie Nautilus. "[The variants] give some flavor to what you find underwater."

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Other additions include the sun-proof skeletons, biome-specific undead archers that can withstand the sun, which means there's no escape from them if you venture in that region. Sometimes you'll see them on desiccated dromedaries, another fresh creature. Camel husks have an excellent design that sees their skeletal frame exposed. The applies equally to undead steeds, who have a similar 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 tweaks to equestrian travel. Now, you can cross waterways while riding a horse. Additionally, netherite horse armor is now available at the workbench, so you can give your horse the ultimate protection it deserves.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

Overall, the year-end release of the year is a pretty good one. The spear on its own — and the pandemonium it invites — would have felt like a significant enhancement. Throw in the Nautilus, and additional creatures seeking your end, and Minecraft's definitely getting a touch more chaotic.

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