The Latest Mounts of Mayhem Update Brings Forth a Stunningly Wild Fresh Weapon to Your World

The seasonal game drop for the block-building phenomenon has landed — and it includes the first new weapon added to the game since the heavy club made its debut. The spear is finally here and it has the potential to change how you play Minecraft, particularly when you thrive on pandemonium.

An Armament Designed for Chaotic Rides

The Mounts of Mayhem drop also introduces a host of fresh elements and updates related to riding animals in the game. That focus made the spear the natural choice for this update, as the development team had already known it was time for a fresh combat tool.

"From the outset, we understood that we wanted a new weapon that would provide extended reach, and we wanted it to be fighting from atop a creature," explained a lead developer. "We tried out a number of concepts, but the spear was the one that both felt great when we tested our prototypes and also looked good for the use case."

If you're curious whether fighting from a saddle means you can tilt at your allies on horseback, the answer is a resounding yes. In fact, there's even an attack excellently designed for it.

"Mounted lance combat] is one of the biggest functions for the spear, and it's incredibly enjoyable," the lead says. "The spear has a dual attack system: You have the thrust, where you pierce your enemy. But you also have a charge attack where you lower your spear 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 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 truly outlandish idea. "If you are in the end-game, [spears are] perfect for equipping the elytra and going out and creating genuine chaos," she hints.

In other words: Jousting in the clouds is now a reality, and it should be made an Olympic sport right away.

Another significant inclusion in this latest drop is the underwater mount. This sea-dwelling mob, which is inspired by the seashells players have gathered for years, can be tamed and mounted for deep-sea journeys. Not only will it transport you through the water faster than swimming, it'll also conserve your breath meter, so there's no necessity to surface for fresh air.

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, often with a Drowned on its back. If you are able to take care of the Drowned, though, you can befriend the zombie Nautilus — or the standard version, for that matter — with a blowfish.

"We've long considered this challenge on and off, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it felt like the ideal opportunity to also introduce something for underwater," the developer elaborates. "For the Nautilus specifically, we had a number of concepts for underwater mounts that we wanted to try out, but the Nautilus concept art looked striking, and we have the tie-in to the Nautilus shell that was found within the game."

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

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Other additions include the Parched, biome-specific skeletons that can survive in 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 striking appearance that sees their skeletal frame exposed. 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 refinements, including some highly requested tweaks to equestrian travel. Now, you can traverse bodies of water while mounted on a horse. Additionally, high-tier barding is now obtainable at the workbench, so you can give your horse the best defense it is worthy of.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

Overall, the year-end release of the year is a notable addition. The spear on its own — and the mayhem it enables — would have constituted a significant enhancement. Throw in the Nautilus, and additional creatures trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a touch more chaotic.

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