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The winter content update for Minecraft has touched down — and it includes the initial fresh armament introduced into the game since the mace made its debut. The lance is finally here and it might just revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, particularly when you enjoy mayhem.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mayhem Mounts drop also incorporates several new features and updates focused on riding animals in the game. That central theme made the spear the ideal addition for this update, as the development team had already known it was time for a new weapon.

"From the outset, we understood that we aimed for a fresh armament that would increase combat distance, and we designed it specifically for mounted combat," explained a lead developer. "We prototyped a few different ideas, but the lance was the one that both handled superbly when we tested our prototypes and also looked good for the use case."

If you're asking yourself whether fighting from a saddle means you can joust against your allies on steeds, the response is a definite affirmative. In fact, there's even an offensive action ideally crafted for it.

"[Jousting on horses is a major use cases for the spear, and it's a blast," the lead says. "The spear has a pair of offensive moves: You have the quick stab, where you simply impale your enemy. But you also have a sprinting strike where you lower your spear and get increased harm [with] the more pace you have. So [it’s] ideal for knightly combat."

Sky-High Chaos and Underwater Adventures

The unruly pleasure can extend beyond there, though. If you're deep enough into the game that you've been to The End, the developers have an even more ridiculous idea. "If you are in the end-game, [spears are] ideal for strapping on the wings and going out and unleashing absolute pandemonium," she suggests.

In other words: Jousting in the clouds is now real, and it needs to become an competitive event immediately.

Another major addition in this fresh content is the Nautilus. This aquatic being, which is inspired by the nautilus shells found in-game for years, can be domesticated and mounted for underwater travel. Not only will it carry you through the water quicker than swimming, it'll also preserve your breath meter, so there's no necessity to come up for air for a breath.

The other inclusions are mostly things that seek your demise, as is the tradition of Minecraft. Naturally, there's also a undead nautilus spawning in the water, sometimes with a Drowned on its back. If you succeed in defeat the Drowned, though, you can claim the zombie Nautilus — or the standard version, for that matter — with a blowfish.

"We've pondered this challenge on and off, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it felt like the ideal opportunity to also bring in something for the ocean depths," the developer clarifies. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a several proposals for underwater mounts that we wanted to test, 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 adds that there are actually a pair of variants of undead nautilus: regular and coral zombie Nautilus. "[The variants] add variety to what you find underwater."

Parched Perils & Overdue Enhancements

Additional features include the sun-proof skeletons, biome-specific skeletons that can survive in the sun, which means there's no getting away from them if you venture in that region. Sometimes you'll see them on zombified camels, another new mob. These passive, zombified camels have an notable look that sees their bones protruding. The same goes for zombie horses, who have a comparable rib-popping design and can sometimes be found at night with a lance-wielding undead rider on their back.

The last two things on the drop's list are smaller gameplay updates, including some highly requested changes to equestrian travel. Now, you can traverse bodies of water while riding a horse. Furthermore, high-tier barding 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

All told, the year-end release of the year is a notable addition. The spear alone — and the mayhem it enables — would have seemed like a major improvement. 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 live for all major editions of Minecraft.