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The seasonal game drop 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 now available and it has the potential to revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, especially if you enjoy mayhem.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mounts of Mayhem drop also introduces a host of fresh elements and updates related to animal mounts in the game. That driving concept made the spear the ideal addition for this update, as the development team had long felt it was time for a new weapon.

"From the outset, we understood that we wanted a new weapon that would increase combat distance, and we wanted it to be mounted combat," explained a senior product manager. "We experimented with a few different ideas, but the spear was the one that both handled superbly when we ran our trials and also looked good for the intended purpose."

If you're curious whether mounted combat means you can charge at your friends on steeds, the response is a resounding yes. In fact, there's even an combat move perfectly suited for it.

"Mounted lance combat] is one of the biggest functions for the spear, and it's a blast," the lead continues. "The spear has a dual attack system: You have the quick stab, where you simply impale your enemy. But you also have a powerful lance where you lower your spear and deal more damage [with] the more momentum you have. So [it’s] perfect for knightly combat."

Sky-High Chaos and Underwater Adventures

The unruly pleasure isn't limited to there, though. If you're far enough into the game that you've been to The End, the developers have an delightfully absurd idea. "If you are in the end-game, [spears are] perfect for equipping the elytra and going out and creating genuine chaos," she suggests.

In other words: Aerial lance combat is now a reality, and it deserves to be an competitive event without delay.

Another major addition in this fresh content is the underwater mount. This aquatic being, which is inspired by the nautilus shells found in-game for years, can be domesticated and ridden for submarine exploration. Not only will it move you through the water faster than swimming, it'll also preserve your oxygen levels, so there's no requirement to come up for air for a breath.

The remaining new features are largely things that are out to get you, as is the nature of Minecraft. Unsurprisingly, there's also a rotting sea creature spawning in the water, frequently with a Drowned on its back. If you are able to defeat the Drowned, though, you can befriend the undead mount — or the standard version, for that matter — with a spiky fish.

"We've pondered this problem for some time, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it appeared to be the ideal opportunity to also unveil something for underwater," the developer clarifies. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a few different ideas for aquatic rides that we wanted to experiment with, but the Nautilus initial artwork looked impressive, and we have the connection to the Nautilus shell that was found within the game."

She also notes that there are actually two different types of undead nautilus: standard and coral zombie Nautilus. "[The variants] provide diversity to what you discover underwater."

Parched Perils & Overdue Enhancements

Other additions include the sun-proof skeletons, desert-exclusive skeletons that can survive in 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. Camel husks have an notable look that sees their bones protruding. The applies equally to zombie horses, who have a analogous exposed-rib aesthetic and can sometimes be spawned in the darkness with a lance-wielding zombie on their back.

The remaining updates on the drop's list are refinements, including some long-overdue changes to riding horses. Now, you can ford rivers and lakes while riding a horse. Also, high-tier barding is now craftable at the crafting table, so you can provide your steed with the best defense it is worthy of.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

All told, the last content update of the year is a pretty good one. The spear alone — and the mayhem it enables — would have felt like a considerable upgrade. Combine that with the Nautilus, and new threats trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a touch more chaotic.

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