Minecraft’s ‘Mounts of Mayhem’ Update Brings First New Weapon in 15 Years — The Spear — Plus New Mounts, Mobs and Chaotic Combat

Mojang’s winter update delivers fresh mounted combat mechanics, underwater mounts, undead creatures, and long-awaited quality-of-life improvements.

Minecraft’s final update of the year — Mounts of Mayhem — has arrived, bringing the first new weapon in more than 15 years: the spear. Designed for chaos-loving players and fans of mounted combat, the spear introduces new gameplay possibilities that can dramatically change how Minecraft is played.

A New Weapon After 15 Years: The Spear

The update introduces a full crafting tier lineup — wood, stone, copper, iron, gold, diamond, and netherite spears. Mojang says the focus on mounts made the spear “the perfect fit” for this update.

According to Mojang Senior Product Manager Anna Lundgren, the team wanted a ranged melee weapon ideal for combat while riding:

“We wanted a new weapon that added more range and worked for mounted combat. The spear felt great in tests and looked perfect for the role.”

The spear includes two attack styles:

Jab Attack – A quick stabbing attack.

Charge Attack – A powerful strike that deals more damage with increased speed and momentum, ideal for jousting on horses.

But the chaos doesn’t stop on the ground. Lundgren teases that late-game players can take the spear skyward:

“With an elytra, spears are perfect for creating real mayhem.”

Yes — sky jousting is now officially possible.

New Mount: The Nautilus

Another major highlight is the Nautilus, an underwater mount inspired by the iconic seashell already in the game. The Nautilus:

Can be tamed and ridden underwater.

Moves faster than swimming.

Prevents oxygen loss, so players no longer need to resurface for air.

In true Minecraft fashion, dangers lurk beneath the waves:

Zombie Nautilus variants, including coral zombie Nautilus, appear in the ocean.

Many carry a Drowned on their back.

Both regular and zombie Nautilus can be tamed using pufferfish.

New Mobs: The Parched, Camel Husks & More

The update adds several new hostile and undead mobs:

The Parched

Desert-exclusive skeletons.

Can survive daylight.

Often roam the desert riding camel husks.

Camel Husks

Passive zombified camels.

Feature skeletal ribs protruding from their bodies.

Zombie Horses

Appear at night.

Sometimes ridden by spear-wielding zombies.

Quality-of-Life Additions

Several long-requested features also arrive in this update:

Horses can finally cross bodies of water while being ridden.

Netherite horse armor can now be crafted, offering top-tier protection for mounts.

A Chaotic and Feature-Rich Update

With a new weapon, underwater mounts, deadly new mobs, and upgrades for horse lovers, the Mounts of Mayhem update injects fresh excitement into Minecraft’s core gameplay. The update is available now for both Java Edition and Bedrock Edition.