🔗 Share this article

The seasonal game drop for the block-building phenomenon has arrived — and it brings with it the first new weapon 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, particularly when you thrive on pandemonium.

An Armament Designed for Chaotic Rides

The Mayhem Mounts drop also adds a host of fresh elements and enhancements related to riding animals in the game. That focus made the spear the perfect fit for this release, as the creators had long felt it was the moment to introduce a fresh combat tool.

"We knew initially that we wanted a new weapon that would increase combat distance, and we designed it specifically for fighting from atop a creature," noted a senior product manager. "We tried out a few different ideas, but the spear was the one that both handled superbly when we tested our prototypes and also was visually fitting for the use case."

If you're asking yourself whether mounted combat means you can joust against your allies on horseback, the response is a resounding yes. In fact, there's even an offensive action excellently designed for it.

"[Jousting on horses is one of the biggest functions for the spear, and it's a blast," the developer says. "The spear has a pair of offensive moves: You have the quick stab, where you pierce your enemy. But you also have a powerful lance where you lower your spear and get more damage [with] the more pace you have. So [it’s] ideal for mounted duels."

Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration

The unruly pleasure can extend beyond there, though. If you're deep enough into the game that you've visited The End, the developers have an even more ridiculous idea. "If you are very late, [spears are] excellent for strapping on the elytra and going out and unleashing absolute pandemonium," she teases.

In other words: Sky jousting is now possible, and it needs to become an Olympic sport without delay.

Another key feature in this new update is the Nautilus. 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 carry you through the water faster than swimming, it'll also maintain your oxygen levels, so there's no need to come up for air for a breath.

The remaining new features are primarily things that seek your demise, as is the tradition of Minecraft. As expected, there's also a rotting sea creature appearing in the water, frequently with a Drowned on its back. If you succeed in defeat the Drowned, though, you can tame the zombie Nautilus — or the regular one, for that matter — with a puffer fish.

"We've long considered this challenge for some time, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it felt like the right time to also bring in something for aquatic environments," the developer elaborates. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a several proposals for sea mounts that we wanted to test, but the Nautilus design sketches looked striking, and we have the link to the Nautilus shell that was pre-existing in the game."

She also points out that there are actually a pair of variants of zombie Nautilus: standard and coral-infested undead mount. "[The variants] add variety to what you discover underwater."

Parched Perils & Overdue Enhancements

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

The remaining updates on the drop's list are smaller gameplay updates, including some much-anticipated tweaks to riding horses. Now, you can ford rivers and lakes while riding a horse. Furthermore, high-tier barding is now craftable at the workbench, so you can provide your steed with the best defense it deserves.

A Fittingly Chaotic Finale

In summary, the last content update of the year is a pretty good one. The spear alone — and the pandemonium it invites — would have constituted a major improvement. Throw in the Nautilus, and additional creatures trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a touch more chaotic.

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