🔗 Share this article Minecraft's Mounts of Mayhem Drop Introduces a Stunningly Wild Fresh Weapon to Your World The seasonal content update for the block-building phenomenon has arrived — and it includes the initial fresh armament introduced into the title since the heavy club made its debut. The spear is now available and it might just change how you play Minecraft, especially if you enjoy mayhem. A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem The Mounts of Mayhem drop also adds a host of fresh elements and updates related to animal mounts in the game. That focus made the spear the natural choice for this update, as the creators had long felt it was time for a new weapon. "We knew initially that we wanted a new weapon that would provide extended reach, and we wanted it to be fighting from atop a creature," 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 intended purpose." If you're wondering whether fighting from a saddle means you can charge at your companions on steeds, the response is a resounding yes. In fact, there's even an attack ideally crafted for it. "[Jousting on horses is a major applications for the spear, and it's so much fun," the lead says. "The spear has a dual attack system: You have the thrust, where you pierce your enemy. But you also have a powerful lance where you lower your spear and get more damage [with] the more speed and velocity you have. So [it’s] ideal for knightly combat." Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration The chaotic fun 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] perfect for equipping the elytra and flying forth and making some real mayhem," she hints. In other words: Aerial lance combat is now real, and it deserves to be an competitive event without delay. Another key feature in this fresh content is the Nautilus. This aquatic being, which is inspired by the seashells we've all been collecting for years, can be domesticated and ridden for underwater travel. Not only will it carry you through the water quicker than swimming, it'll also preserve your air supply, so there's no requirement to come up for air for a breath. The other inclusions are largely things that want to kill you, as is the tradition of Minecraft. As expected, there's also a undead nautilus appearing in the water, sometimes with a Drowned on its back. If you manage to take care of 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 introduce something for aquatic environments," the developer explains. "For the Nautilus specifically, we had a several proposals for sea mounts that we wanted to test, but the Nautilus design sketches looked striking, and we have the link to the Nautilus shell that was found within the game." She also adds that there are actually two distinct kinds of zombie Nautilus: standard and coral-infested undead mount. "[The variants] give some flavor to what you find underwater." Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks Further inclusions include the sun-proof skeletons, desert-exclusive undead archers that can withstand the sun, which means there's no getting away from them if you end up in that environment. Sometimes you'll see them on camel husks, another fresh creature. Camel husks have an excellent design that sees their ribs poking out. The same goes for zombie horses, who have a analogous rib-popping design and can sometimes be encountered after dark with a spear-carrying undead rider on their back. The remaining updates on the drop's list are smaller gameplay updates, including some long-overdue adjustments to equestrian travel. Now, you can ford rivers and lakes while mounted on a horse. Also, high-tier barding is now craftable at the workbench, so you can provide your steed with the top-tier safeguarding it is worthy of. A Fittingly Chaotic Finale 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 significant enhancement. Combine that with the Nautilus, and new threats trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a bit spicier. The Mayhem Mounts update is available for all major editions of Minecraft.