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The seasonal game drop for the block-building phenomenon has landed — and it features the first new weapon added to the game since the heavy club made its debut. The javelin is now available and it could very well alter your gameplay in Minecraft, particularly when you thrive on pandemonium.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mayhem Mounts update also introduces several new features and updates focused on riding animals in the game. That driving concept made the spear the perfect fit for this release, as the creators 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 provide extended reach, and we envisioned it for fighting from atop a creature," explained a senior product manager. "We prototyped a few different ideas, but the lance was the one that both felt great when we tested our prototypes and also looked good for the use case."

If you're wondering whether mounted combat means you can charge at your companions on horseback, the answer is a resounding yes. In fact, there's even an offensive action excellently designed for it.

"Mounted lance combat] is one of the biggest applications for the spear, and it's a blast," the developer adds. "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 deal more damage [with] the more momentum you have. So [it’s] ideal for mounted duels."

Sky-High Chaos and Underwater Adventures

The wild enjoyment doesn't have to stop there, though. If you're far enough into the game that you've explored The End, the developers have an even more ridiculous idea. "If you are very late, [spears are] ideal for equipping the wings and going out and unleashing absolute pandemonium," she teases.

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

Another major addition in this latest drop is the Nautilus. This sea-dwelling mob, which is based on the nautilus shells found in-game for years, can be domesticated and mounted for deep-sea journeys. Not only will it transport you through the water quicker than swimming, it'll also maintain your air supply, so there's no need to surface for a breath.

The remaining new features are primarily things that want to kill you, as is the nature of Minecraft. Naturally, there's also a zombie Nautilus spawning in the water, frequently with a zombie villager on its back. If you are able to take care of the Drowned, though, you can befriend the undead mount — or the standard version, for that matter — with a spiky fish.

"We've long considered this problem for some time, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it felt like the perfect moment to also introduce something for underwater," the developer explains. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a few different ideas for aquatic rides that we wanted to try out, but the Nautilus design sketches 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 two distinct kinds of undead nautilus: regular and coral-infested undead mount. "[The variants] provide diversity to what you discover underwater."

Parched Perils & Overdue Enhancements

Additional features include the sun-proof skeletons, desert-exclusive undead archers that can withstand the sun, which means there's no escape from them if you end up in that environment. Sometimes you'll see them on camel husks, another fresh creature. Camel husks have an striking appearance that sees their bones protruding. The same goes for zombie horses, who have a similar rib-popping design and can sometimes be encountered after dark with a lance-wielding undead rider on their back.

The final pair of items on the drop's list are minor quality-of-life improvements, including some highly requested changes to riding horses. Now, you can traverse waterways while mounted on a horse. Additionally, high-tier barding is now available at the workbench, so you can provide your steed with the ultimate protection it is worthy of.

A Fittingly Chaotic Finale

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. Combine that with the Nautilus, and additional creatures trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a bit spicier.

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