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The seasonal content update for Minecraft has touched down — and it brings with it the first new weapon added to the title since the heavy club made its debut. The lance 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 Mounts of Mayhem update also adds a host of fresh elements and updates focused on riding animals in the game. That focus made the spear the natural choice for this update, as the development team had long felt it was the moment to introduce a new weapon.

"From the outset, we understood that we desired a new weapon that would provide extended reach, and we wanted it to be mounted combat," explained a senior product manager. "We prototyped a few different ideas, but the lance was the one that both handled superbly 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 steeds, the answer is a definite affirmative. In fact, there's even an attack perfectly suited for it.

"Mounted lance combat] is a primary functions for the spear, and it's incredibly enjoyable," the lead continues. "The spear has a pair of offensive moves: You have the jab attack, where you simply impale your enemy. But you also have a sprinting strike where you lower your spear and inflict increased harm [with] the more pace you have. So [it’s] ideal for jousting on horses."

Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration

The unruly pleasure can extend beyond there, though. If you're advanced sufficiently into the game that you've been to The End, the developers have an truly outlandish idea. "If you are in the end-game, [spears are] perfect for equipping the elytra and going out and making some real mayhem," she suggests.

In other words: Jousting in the clouds is now a reality, and it needs to become an competitive event right away.

Another significant inclusion in this new update is the underwater mount. This aquatic being, which is based on the seashells found in-game for years, can be tamed and ridden for submarine exploration. Not only will it move you through the water more swiftly than swimming, it'll also maintain your air supply, so there's no need to surface for a breath.

The other inclusions are largely things that want to kill you, as is the tradition of Minecraft. Unsurprisingly, there's also a undead nautilus appearing in the water, sometimes with a Drowned on its back. If you are able to dispatch the Drowned, though, you can claim the undead mount — or the standard version, for that matter — with a spiky fish.

"We've been thinking about this challenge on and off, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it appeared to be the ideal opportunity to also bring in something for underwater," the developer elaborates. "For the Nautilus specifically, we had a several proposals for sea mounts that we wanted to test, but the Nautilus concept art 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: regular and coral-infested undead mount. "[The variants] add variety to what you find underwater."

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Other additions include the Parched, desert-exclusive skeletons that can withstand the sun, which means there's no escape from them if you find yourself in that environment. Sometimes you'll see them on desiccated dromedaries, another fresh creature. Camel husks have an striking appearance that sees their skeletal frame exposed. The applies equally to undead steeds, who have a similar rib-popping design and can sometimes be spawned in the darkness with a spear-carrying undead rider on their back.

The final pair of items on the drop's list are smaller gameplay updates, including some highly requested tweaks to equestrian travel. 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 best defense it deserves.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

All told, the last content update of the year is a pretty good one. The spear on its own — and the pandemonium it invites — would have seemed like a major improvement. Add in the Nautilus, and additional creatures seeking your end, 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.