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The seasonal content update for Minecraft has arrived — and it brings with it the initial fresh armament introduced into the title since the mace made its debut. The lance is now available and it has the potential to alter your gameplay in Minecraft, especially if you enjoy mayhem.

An Armament Designed for Chaotic Rides

The Mayhem Mounts drop also adds a host of fresh elements and updates focused on riding animals in the game. That focus made the spear the ideal addition for this update, as the creators had already known it was the moment to introduce a fresh combat tool.

"From the outset, we understood that we desired a fresh armament that would increase combat distance, and we wanted it to be fighting from atop a creature," explained a lead developer. "We tried out a few different ideas, but the spear was the one that both played wonderfully when we tested our prototypes and also made sense for the intended purpose."

If you're wondering whether mounted combat means you can charge at your allies on steeds, the response is a resounding yes. In fact, there's even an combat move excellently designed for it.

"[Jousting on horses is a major functions for the spear, and it's so much fun," the lead continues. "The spear has two attacks: You have the jab attack, where you just stab your enemy. But you also have a charge attack where you lower your spear and get increased harm [with] the more momentum you have. So [it’s] ideal for jousting on horses."

Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration

The wild enjoyment doesn't have to stop 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 quite advanced, [spears are] perfect for equipping the elytra and taking to the skies and creating genuine chaos," she suggests.

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

Another significant inclusion in this latest drop is the Nautilus. This aquatic being, which is modeled after the seashells players have gathered for years, can be domesticated and ridden for underwater travel. 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 fresh air.

The rest of the additions are primarily things that want to kill you, as is the nature of Minecraft. Unsurprisingly, there's also a undead nautilus popping up in the water, often with a Drowned on its back. If you succeed in dispatch the Drowned, though, you can befriend the undead mount — or the standard version, for that matter — with a blowfish.

"We've been thinking about this problem on and off, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it appeared to be the ideal opportunity to also unveil something for the ocean depths," the developer explains. "For the Nautilus specifically, 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 pre-existing in the game."

She also points out that there are actually a pair of variants of zombie Nautilus: regular and coral-infested undead mount. "[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 endure the sun, which means there's no getting away from them if you end up in that biome. Sometimes you'll see them on desiccated dromedaries, another new mob. These passive, zombified camels have an striking appearance that sees their skeletal frame exposed. The same goes for zombie horses, who have a comparable rib-popping design 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 minor quality-of-life improvements, including some much-anticipated changes to riding horses. Now, you can traverse waterways while mounted on a horse. Furthermore, high-tier barding is now available at the crafting table, so you can provide your steed with the best defense it deserves.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

Overall, the last content update of the year is a solid offering. The spear by itself — and the potential for chaos — would have constituted a considerable upgrade. Combine that with the Nautilus, and more things trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a little more dangerous.

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