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The winter game drop for the block-building phenomenon has landed — and it features the first new weapon added to the title since the mace made its debut. The spear is finally here and it could very well change how you play Minecraft, especially if you thrive on pandemonium.

An Armament Designed for Chaotic Rides

The Mounts of Mayhem update also adds several new features and updates related to animal mounts in the game. That focus made the spear the perfect fit for this release, as the creators had already known it was the moment to introduce a fresh combat tool.

"We knew initially that we wanted a fresh armament that would provide extended reach, and we wanted it to be fighting from atop a creature," stated a senior product manager. "We tried out 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 use case."

If you're wondering whether fighting from a saddle means you can charge at your allies on horseback, the response is a resounding yes. In fact, there's even an offensive action ideally crafted for it.

"[Jousting on horses is a primary applications for the spear, and it's a blast," the lead continues. "The spear has two attacks: You have the jab attack, where you simply impale your enemy. But you also have a charge attack where you couch your lance and inflict greater injury [with] the more momentum you have. So [it’s] tailor-made for mounted duels."

Sky-High Chaos and Underwater Adventures

The wild enjoyment doesn't have to stop there, though. If you're deep enough into the game that you've explored The End, the developers have an even more ridiculous idea. "If you are quite advanced, [spears are] excellent for equipping the wings and taking to the skies and creating genuine chaos," she teases.

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

Another major addition in this latest drop is the underwater mount. This sea-dwelling mob, which is based on the nautilus shells we've all been collecting for years, can be tamed and mounted for deep-sea journeys. Not only will it move you through the water more swiftly than swimming, it'll also maintain your oxygen levels, so there's no necessity to return to the surface for oxygen.

The remaining new features are primarily things that seek your demise, as is the way of Minecraft. Naturally, there's also a rotting sea creature appearing in the water, frequently with a zombie villager on its back. If you are able to dispatch the Drowned, though, you can befriend the undead mount — or the standard version, for that matter — with a puffer fish.

"We've pondered this issue on and off, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it seemed like the right time to also bring in something for the ocean depths," the developer clarifies. "For the Nautilus specifically, we had a few different ideas for underwater mounts that we wanted to experiment with, but the Nautilus concept art looked striking, and we have the tie-in 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-infested undead mount. "[The variants] provide diversity to what you discover underwater."

Parched Perils & Overdue Enhancements

Additional features include the sun-proof skeletons, desert-exclusive undead archers that can endure the sun, which means there's no refuge 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 zombie horses, who have a comparable exposed-rib aesthetic 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 smaller gameplay updates, including some long-overdue tweaks to equestrian travel. Now, you can cross bodies of water while riding a horse. Also, high-tier barding is now obtainable at the workbench, so you can provide your steed with the ultimate protection it is worthy of.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

Overall, the last content update of the year is a notable addition. The spear by itself — and the pandemonium it invites — would have constituted a considerable upgrade. Throw in the Nautilus, and additional creatures trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a little more dangerous.

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