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The winter content update for Minecraft has arrived — and it brings with it the first new weapon introduced into the title since the heavy club made its debut. The spear is now available and it could very well change how you play Minecraft, especially if you enjoy mayhem.

An Armament Designed for Chaotic Rides

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

"We knew initially that we aimed for a new weapon that would add some more range, and we designed it specifically for fighting from atop a creature," noted a lead developer. "We tried out a few different ideas, but the lance was the one that both handled superbly when we tested our prototypes and also made sense for the intended purpose."

If you're curious whether fighting from a saddle means you can tilt 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 a major applications for the spear, and it's incredibly enjoyable," the lead continues. "The spear has a dual attack system: You have the jab attack, where you simply impale your enemy. But you also have a charge attack where you lower your spear and get greater injury [with] the more momentum you have. So [it’s] perfect for jousting on horses."

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 been to The End, the developers have an truly outlandish idea. "If you are in the end-game, [spears are] excellent for equipping the elytra and going out and unleashing absolute pandemonium," she hints.

In other words: Jousting in the clouds is now possible, and it needs to become an Olympic sport right away.

Another major addition in this fresh content is the Nautilus. This sea-dwelling mob, which is inspired by the seashells we've all been collecting for years, can be domesticated and mounted for underwater travel. Not only will it move you through the water more swiftly than swimming, it'll also conserve your breath meter, so there's no requirement to surface for oxygen.

The rest of the additions are mostly things that are out to get you, as is the tradition of Minecraft. Naturally, there's also a zombie Nautilus spawning in the water, frequently with a Drowned on its back. If you succeed in dispatch the Drowned, though, you can claim the undead mount — or the standard version, for that matter — with a blowfish.

"We've pondered this problem for some time, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it seemed like the perfect moment to also introduce something for the ocean depths," the lead explains. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a several proposals for sea mounts that we wanted to experiment with, but the Nautilus design sketches looked impressive, and we have the tie-in to the Nautilus shell that was pre-existing in the game."

She also points out that there are actually two different types of zombie Nautilus: standard and coral zombie Nautilus. "[The variants] provide diversity to what you encounter underwater."

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Further inclusions include the sun-proof skeletons, biome-specific skeletons that can withstand the sun, which means there's no refuge from them if you find yourself in that biome. Sometimes you'll see them on camel husks, another new mob. These passive, zombified camels have an striking appearance that sees their skeletal frame exposed. The applies equally to zombie horses, who have a analogous exposed-rib aesthetic and can sometimes be found at night with a lance-wielding zombie on their back.

The last two things on the drop's list are refinements, including some highly requested tweaks to equestrian travel. Now, you can ford rivers and lakes while atop a horse. Additionally, high-tier barding is now obtainable at the crafting table, so you can provide your steed with the top-tier safeguarding it is worthy of.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

Overall, the year-end release of the year is a solid offering. The spear by itself — and the pandemonium it invites — would have constituted a major improvement. Combine that with the Nautilus, and additional creatures seeking your end, and Minecraft's definitely getting a bit spicier.

The Mayhem Mounts content drop is out now for all major editions of Minecraft.