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The seasonal game drop for the block-building phenomenon has landed — and it brings with it the initial fresh armament added to the game since the heavy club made its debut. The javelin is now available and it might just revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, especially if you enjoy mayhem.

An Armament Designed for Chaotic Rides

The Mounts of Mayhem drop also incorporates several new features and updates focused on riding animals in the game. That focus made the spear the natural choice for this update, as the creators had already known it was the moment to introduce a new weapon.

"We knew initially that we desired a new weapon that would increase combat distance, and we designed it specifically for fighting from atop a creature," explained a senior product manager. "We tried out a number of concepts, but the spear was the one that both played wonderfully when we ran our trials and also made sense for the intended purpose."

If you're asking yourself whether fighting from a saddle means you can joust against your allies on horseback, the response is a resounding yes. In fact, there's even an combat move ideally crafted for it.

"[Jousting on horses is one of the biggest 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 powerful lance where you couch your lance and deal more damage [with] the more momentum you have. So [it’s] tailor-made for mounted duels."

Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration

The unruly pleasure 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 delightfully absurd idea. "If you are quite advanced, [spears are] ideal for strapping on the elytra and taking to the skies 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 significant inclusion in this fresh content is the underwater mount. This aquatic being, which is inspired by the seashells found in-game for years, can be tamed and mounted for submarine exploration. Not only will it transport you through the water faster than swimming, it'll also maintain your air supply, so there's no need to return to the surface for a breath.

The rest of the additions are largely things that want to kill you, as is the nature of Minecraft. Naturally, there's also a zombie Nautilus popping up in the water, frequently 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 puffer fish.

"We've long considered this issue for some time, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it seemed like the ideal opportunity to also unveil something for underwater," the developer explains. "For the Nautilus specifically, we had a number of concepts for underwater mounts that we wanted to try out, but the Nautilus initial artwork looked compelling, and we have the connection to the Nautilus shell that was pre-existing in the game."

She also adds that there are actually a pair of variants of undead nautilus: regular and coral zombie Nautilus. "[The variants] provide diversity to what you discover underwater."

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Further inclusions include the Parched, desert-exclusive 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. Camel husks have an excellent design that sees their bones protruding. The same goes for undead steeds, who have a analogous rib-popping design and can sometimes be encountered after dark with a spear-carrying undead rider on their back.

The last two things on the drop's list are minor quality-of-life improvements, including some long-overdue adjustments to riding horses. Now, you can ford rivers and lakes while riding a horse. Also, high-tier barding is now available at the workbench, so you can give your horse the ultimate protection it deserves.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

In summary, the last content update of the year is a solid offering. The spear by itself — and the mayhem it enables — would have constituted a major improvement. Combine that with the Nautilus, and additional creatures trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a little more dangerous.

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