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The winter game drop for the block-building phenomenon has arrived — and it brings with it the first new weapon added to the title since the heavy club made its debut. The javelin is finally here and it has the potential to revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, particularly when you love chaos.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mounts of Mayhem update also incorporates a host of fresh elements and updates focused on riding animals in the game. That focus made the spear the ideal addition for this update, as the development team had long felt it was the moment to introduce a new weapon.

"From the outset, we understood that we wanted a fresh armament that would add some more range, and we designed it specifically for fighting from atop a creature," stated a lead developer. "We prototyped a few different ideas, but the spear was the one that both handled superbly when we tested our prototypes and also looked good for the intended purpose."

If you're curious whether fighting from a saddle means you can joust against your friends on horseback, the response is a definite affirmative. In fact, there's even an attack perfectly suited for it.

"[Jousting on horses is a primary use cases for the spear, and it's incredibly enjoyable," the developer adds. "The spear has two attacks: You have the quick stab, where you pierce your enemy. But you also have a charge attack where you couch your lance and get increased harm [with] the more speed and velocity you have. So [it’s] perfect for mounted duels."

Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration

The chaotic fun isn't limited to there, though. If you're deep enough into the game that you've visited The End, the developers have an truly outlandish idea. "If you are very late, [spears are] ideal for strapping on the elytra and flying forth and unleashing absolute pandemonium," she suggests.

In other words: Jousting in the clouds is now possible, and it needs to become an competitive event without delay.

Another significant inclusion in this fresh content is the Nautilus. This aquatic being, which is modeled after the seashells found in-game for years, can be tamed and ridden for submarine exploration. Not only will it move you through the water more swiftly than swimming, it'll also conserve your breath meter, so there's no necessity to return to the surface for a breath.

The other inclusions are largely things that seek your demise, as is the tradition of Minecraft. Unsurprisingly, there's also a rotting sea creature popping up in the water, often with a zombie villager on its back. If you manage to take care of the Drowned, though, you can tame the zombie Nautilus — or the standard version, for that matter — with a blowfish.

"We've pondered this challenge periodically, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it seemed like the ideal opportunity to also bring in something for aquatic environments," the developer explains. "For the Nautilus specifically, we had a few different ideas for underwater mounts that we wanted to experiment with, but the Nautilus design sketches looked compelling, and we have the connection to the Nautilus shell that was already in the game."

She also notes that there are actually a pair of variants of zombie Nautilus: standard and coral-infested undead mount. "[The variants] provide diversity to what you encounter underwater."

Parched Perils & Overdue Enhancements

Further inclusions include the sun-proof skeletons, desert-exclusive skeletons that can endure the sun, which means there's no escape from them if you end up in that biome. Sometimes you'll see them on desiccated dromedaries, another fresh creature. These passive, zombified camels have an striking appearance that sees their bones protruding. The applies equally to zombie horses, who have a comparable exposed-rib aesthetic and can sometimes be encountered after dark with a lance-wielding zombie on their back.

The final pair of items on the drop's list are refinements, including some highly requested changes to riding horses. Now, you can cross waterways while mounted on a horse. Also, netherite horse armor is now available at the crafting table, so you can provide your steed with the ultimate protection it deserves.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

In summary, the last content update of the year is a pretty good one. The spear by itself — and the mayhem it enables — would have constituted a significant enhancement. Throw in the Nautilus, and new threats seeking your end, and Minecraft's definitely getting a bit spicier.

The Mounts of Mayhem update is live for all major editions of Minecraft.