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The seasonal content update for Minecraft has touched down — and it includes the initial fresh armament introduced into the game since the heavy club made its debut. The spear is finally here and it could very well revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, especially if you enjoy mayhem.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mounts of Mayhem update also introduces several new features and enhancements related to riding animals in the game. That focus made the spear the ideal addition for this update, as the development team had long felt it was the moment to introduce a new weapon.

"From the outset, we understood that we desired a new weapon that would increase combat distance, and we designed it specifically for mounted combat," noted a senior product manager. "We experimented with a number of concepts, but the spear was the one that both played wonderfully when we tested our prototypes and also made sense for the intended purpose."

If you're asking yourself whether mounted combat means you can charge at your companions on horseback, the response is a resounding yes. In fact, there's even an attack ideally crafted for it.

"Mounted lance combat] is one of the biggest use cases for the spear, and it's a blast," the developer says. "The spear has a pair of offensive moves: You have the thrust, where you simply impale your enemy. But you also have a powerful lance where you couch your lance and inflict greater injury [with] the more momentum you have. So [it’s] ideal for knightly combat."

Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration

The unruly pleasure isn't limited to there, though. If you're deep enough into the game that you've explored The End, the developers have an truly outlandish 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: Jousting in the clouds is now possible, and it needs to become an Olympic sport immediately.

Another key feature in this new update is the underwater mount. This underwater creature, which is based on the nautilus shells players have gathered for years, can be tamed and ridden for underwater travel. Not only will it transport you through the water faster than swimming, it'll also conserve your oxygen levels, so there's no necessity to come up for air for a breath.

The remaining new features are largely things that want to kill you, as is the tradition of Minecraft. Naturally, there's also a rotting sea creature spawning in the water, sometimes with a Drowned on its back. If you are able to dispatch the Drowned, though, you can claim the undead mount — or the standard version, for that matter — with a blowfish.

"We've pondered this issue periodically, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it appeared to be the ideal opportunity to also unveil something for underwater," the developer explains. "For the Nautilus specifically, we had a several proposals for sea mounts that we wanted to try out, 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: regular and coral-infested undead mount. "[The variants] provide diversity to what you find underwater."

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Other additions include the sun-proof skeletons, biome-specific skeletons that can withstand the sun, which means there's no refuge from them if you venture in that environment. Sometimes you'll see them on zombified camels, another new mob. These passive, zombified camels have an notable look that sees their ribs poking out. The applies equally to zombie horses, who have a analogous rib-popping design and can sometimes be encountered after dark with a lance-wielding zombie on their back.

The remaining updates on the drop's list are minor quality-of-life improvements, including some highly requested changes to equestrian travel. Now, you can traverse bodies of water while atop a horse. Also, high-tier barding is now available at the crafting table, so you can give your horse the top-tier safeguarding it is worthy of.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

Overall, the last content update of the year is a solid offering. The spear on its own — and the pandemonium it invites — would have constituted a considerable upgrade. Throw in the Nautilus, and new threats seeking your end, and Minecraft's definitely getting a little more dangerous.

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