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The winter content update for Minecraft has landed — and it includes the initial fresh armament introduced into the title since the mace made its debut. The javelin is now available and it might just alter your gameplay in Minecraft, particularly when you love chaos.

An Armament Designed for Chaotic Rides

The Mounts of Mayhem drop also introduces a host of fresh elements and updates centered around riding animals in the game. That central theme made the spear the perfect fit for this release, as the creators had long felt it was time for a fresh combat tool.

"From the outset, we understood that we aimed for a fresh armament that would add some more range, and we envisioned it for mounted combat," noted a senior product manager. "We prototyped a number of concepts, but the spear was the one that both felt great when we tested our prototypes and also was visually fitting for the use case."

If you're wondering whether mounted combat means you can tilt at your companions on steeds, the answer is a resounding yes. In fact, there's even an attack excellently designed for it.

"Mounted lance combat] is a major functions for the spear, and it's incredibly enjoyable," the lead continues. "The spear has a pair of offensive moves: You have the quick stab, where you simply impale your enemy. But you also have a powerful lance where you lower your spear and inflict more damage [with] the more pace you have. So [it’s] perfect for knightly combat."

Aerial Mayhem & Deep-Sea Exploration

The unruly pleasure can extend beyond there, though. If you're deep enough into the game that you've visited The End, the developers have an truly outlandish idea. "If you are in the end-game, [spears are] excellent for strapping on the elytra and flying forth and unleashing absolute pandemonium," she hints.

In other words: Sky jousting is now real, and it deserves to be an Olympic sport right away.

Another key feature in this new update is the underwater mount. This aquatic being, which is based on the seashells players have gathered for years, can be domesticated and mounted for underwater travel. Not only will it transport you through the water faster than swimming, it'll also maintain your air supply, so there's no necessity to return to the surface for oxygen.

The other inclusions are mostly things that are out to get you, as is the nature of Minecraft. Unsurprisingly, there's also a rotting sea creature appearing in the water, frequently with a Drowned on its back. If you are able to take care of 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 for some time, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it felt like the ideal opportunity to also introduce something for underwater," the lead elaborates. "For the Nautilus specifically, we had a several proposals for aquatic rides that we wanted to experiment with, but the Nautilus concept art looked compelling, and we have the link to the Nautilus shell that was found within 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 discover underwater."

Desert Dangers and Long-Awaited Tweaks

Other additions include the sun-proof skeletons, desert-exclusive skeletons that can endure the sun, which means there's no refuge from them if you find yourself in that biome. Sometimes you'll see them on camel husks, another fresh creature. These passive, zombified camels have an excellent design that sees their ribs poking out. The same goes for undead steeds, who have a analogous rib-popping design and can sometimes be encountered after dark with a lance-wielding undead rider on their back.

The last two things on the drop's list are minor quality-of-life improvements, including some highly requested tweaks to equestrian travel. Now, you can cross rivers and lakes while riding a horse. Additionally, high-tier barding is now craftable at the crafting table, so you can give your horse the ultimate protection it deserves.

A Fittingly Chaotic Finale

Overall, the final game drop of the year is a pretty good one. The spear alone — and the potential for chaos — would have felt like a major improvement. Combine that with the Nautilus, and additional creatures seeking your end, and Minecraft's definitely getting a touch more chaotic.

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