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The seasonal content update for Minecraft has touched down — and it features the initial fresh armament added to the title since the heavy club made its debut. The lance is finally here and it has the potential to change how you play Minecraft, particularly when you love chaos.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mounts of Mayhem update also adds several new features and enhancements related to riding animals in the game. That focus made the spear the natural choice for this update, as the development team had long felt it was time for a fresh combat tool.

"We knew initially that we wanted a fresh armament that would increase combat distance, and we designed it specifically for mounted combat," noted a senior product manager. "We tried out a few different ideas, but the lance was the one that both handled superbly when we tested our prototypes and also looked good for the intended purpose."

If you're asking yourself whether mounted combat means you can tilt at your friends on steeds, the answer is a definite affirmative. In fact, there's even an attack perfectly suited for it.

"[Jousting on horses is a major functions for the spear, and it's so much fun," the developer continues. "The spear has a dual attack system: You have the jab attack, where you just stab your enemy. But you also have a sprinting strike where you lower your spear and deal increased harm [with] the more pace you have. So [it’s] perfect for jousting on horses."

Sky-High Chaos and Underwater Adventures

The unruly pleasure can extend beyond there, though. If you're advanced sufficiently into the game that you've visited The End, the developers have an even more ridiculous idea. "If you are quite advanced, [spears are] perfect for strapping on the wings and going out and unleashing absolute pandemonium," she suggests.

In other words: Aerial lance combat is now a reality, and it should be made an competitive event immediately.

Another key feature in this new update is the underwater mount. This sea-dwelling mob, which is based on the seashells players have gathered for years, can be domesticated and ridden for underwater travel. Not only will it transport you through the water more swiftly than swimming, it'll also maintain your breath meter, so there's no need to come up for air for fresh air.

The remaining new features are largely things that seek your demise, as is the way of Minecraft. As expected, there's also a undead nautilus popping up in the water, frequently with a zombie villager on its back. If you succeed in take care of the Drowned, though, you can befriend the undead mount — or the standard version, for that matter — with a spiky fish.

"We've been thinking about this issue periodically, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it felt like the perfect moment to also bring in something for aquatic environments," the developer explains. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a number of concepts for aquatic rides that we wanted to test, but the Nautilus concept art looked impressive, and we have the tie-in to the Nautilus shell that was already in the game."

She also points out that there are actually two different types of zombie Nautilus: regular and coral-infested undead mount. "[The variants] provide diversity to what you discover underwater."

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Further inclusions include the Parched, biome-specific undead archers that can survive in the sun, which means there's no escape from them if you find yourself in that region. Sometimes you'll see them on zombified camels, another fresh creature. These passive, zombified camels have an excellent design that sees their ribs poking out. The same goes for undead steeds, who have a analogous exposed-rib aesthetic and can sometimes be spawned in the darkness 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 riding horses. Now, you can traverse rivers and lakes while atop a horse. Additionally, netherite horse armor is now obtainable at the crafting table, so you can provide your steed with the top-tier safeguarding it deserves.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

All told, the year-end release of the year is a pretty good one. The spear by itself — and the potential for chaos — would have seemed like a considerable upgrade. Combine that with the Nautilus, and additional creatures trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a touch more chaotic.

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