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The winter game drop for Minecraft has landed — and it features the first new weapon introduced into the title since the mace made its debut. The lance is now available and it might just revolutionize your approach to Minecraft, particularly when you enjoy mayhem.

A Weapon Forged for Mounted Mayhem

The Mayhem Mounts update also incorporates a host of fresh elements and enhancements centered around riding animals in the game. That driving concept made the spear the perfect fit for this release, as the development team had already known it was the moment to introduce a new weapon.

"We knew initially that we wanted a new weapon that would add some more range, and we envisioned it for fighting from atop a creature," explained a senior product manager. "We prototyped a number of concepts, but the lance was the one that both played wonderfully when we tested our prototypes and also looked good for the intended purpose."

If you're asking yourself whether mounted combat means you can charge at your companions on horseback, the response is a definite affirmative. In fact, there's even an combat move ideally crafted for it.

"Mounted lance combat] is a major applications for the spear, and it's incredibly enjoyable," the lead adds. "The spear has two attacks: You have the quick stab, where you just stab your enemy. But you also have a sprinting strike where you couch your lance and get increased harm [with] the more speed and velocity you have. So [it’s] ideal for jousting on horses."

Sky-High Chaos and Underwater Adventures

The chaotic fun doesn't have to stop there, though. If you're advanced sufficiently into the game that you've been to The End, the developers have an even more ridiculous idea. "If you are in the end-game, [spears are] excellent for strapping on the elytra and flying forth and unleashing absolute pandemonium," she teases.

In other words: Jousting in the clouds is now real, and it needs to become an Olympic sport immediately.

Another significant inclusion in this new update is the underwater mount. This aquatic being, which is inspired by the nautilus shells players have gathered for years, can be domesticated and mounted for submarine exploration. Not only will it move you through the water more swiftly than swimming, it'll also conserve your breath meter, so there's no requirement to come up for air for fresh air.

The remaining new features are mostly things that want to kill you, as is the way 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 puffer fish.

"We've long considered this problem on and off, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it appeared to be the perfect moment to also bring in something for the ocean depths," the lead clarifies. "For the Nautilus in particular, we had a few different ideas for sea mounts that we wanted to experiment with, but the Nautilus initial artwork looked compelling, and we have the tie-in to the Nautilus shell that was already in the game."

She also notes that there are actually a pair of variants of undead 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 sun-proof skeletons, biome-specific undead archers that can withstand the sun, which means there's no getting away from them if you venture in that region. Sometimes you'll see them on desiccated dromedaries, another fresh creature. Camel husks have an notable look that sees their skeletal frame exposed. The same goes for zombie horses, who have a similar exposed-rib aesthetic 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 changes to riding horses. Now, you can ford rivers and lakes while atop a horse. Furthermore, high-tier barding is now craftable at the crafting table, so you can give your horse the best defense it is worthy of.

A Spicy Send-Off for the Year

All told, the year-end release of the year is a pretty good one. The spear by itself — and the pandemonium it invites — would have constituted a major improvement. Combine that with the Nautilus, and new threats trying to kill you, and Minecraft's definitely getting a bit spicier.

The Mounts of Mayhem update is out now for all major editions of Minecraft.