The Latest Mounts of Mayhem Update Introduces a Beautifully Chaotic New Spear to Your World

The seasonal content update for the block-building phenomenon has touched down — and it features the initial fresh armament introduced into the title since the mace made its debut. The javelin is finally here and it might just revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, particularly when you love chaos.

An Armament Designed for Chaotic Rides

The Mounts of Mayhem drop also introduces several new features and enhancements focused on animal mounts in the game. That driving concept made the spear the natural choice for this update, as the creators had already known it was the moment to introduce a new weapon.

"We knew initially that we wanted a fresh armament that would add some more range, and we wanted it to be mounted combat," explained a senior product manager. "We tried out a number of concepts, but the spear was the one that both handled superbly when we tested our prototypes and also made sense for the use case."

If you're curious whether fighting from a saddle means you can tilt at your companions on steeds, the response is a resounding yes. In fact, there's even an attack perfectly suited for it.

"[Jousting on horses is one of the biggest applications for the spear, and it's a blast," the lead says. "The spear has two attacks: You have the jab attack, where you just stab your enemy. But you also have a powerful lance where you lower your spear and inflict more damage [with] the more speed and velocity you have. So [it’s] ideal for mounted duels."

Sky-High Chaos and Underwater Adventures

The chaotic fun can extend beyond there, though. If you're deep enough into the game that you've visited The End, the developers have an delightfully absurd idea. "If you are very late, [spears are] perfect for equipping the wings and taking to the skies and creating genuine chaos," she suggests.

In other words: Aerial lance combat is now possible, and it deserves to be an Olympic sport immediately.

Another significant inclusion in this fresh content is the underwater mount. This sea-dwelling mob, which is inspired by the nautilus shells we've all been collecting for years, can be domesticated and ridden for underwater travel. Not only will it move you through the water faster than swimming, it'll also preserve your oxygen levels, so there's no need to come up for air for fresh air.

The rest of the additions are mostly things that are out to get you, as is the way of Minecraft. As expected, there's also a rotting sea creature popping up in the water, often with a zombie villager on its back. If you manage to defeat the Drowned, though, you can tame the zombie Nautilus — or the standard version, for that matter — with a puffer fish.

"We've long considered this problem for some time, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it felt like the ideal opportunity to also unveil something for underwater," the lead clarifies. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a several proposals for sea mounts that we wanted to test, but the Nautilus design sketches looked compelling, and we have the tie-in to the Nautilus shell that was pre-existing 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] add variety to what you encounter underwater."

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Other additions include the Parched, desert-exclusive skeletons that can survive in the sun, which means there's no escape from them if you venture in that environment. Sometimes you'll see them on zombified camels, another new mob. Camel husks 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 found at night with a spear-carrying undead rider on their back.

The final pair of items on the drop's list are minor quality-of-life improvements, including some long-overdue tweaks to riding horses. Now, you can cross rivers and lakes while atop a horse. Additionally, high-tier barding is now obtainable at the crafting table, so you can give your horse the best defense it deserves.

A Fittingly Chaotic Finale

All told, the final game drop of the year is a pretty good one. The spear on its own — and the mayhem it enables — would have constituted a significant enhancement. Combine that with the Nautilus, and new threats trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a little more dangerous.

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