The Minecraft Mounts of Mayhem Update is here to transform your gameplay experience with exciting new mounts, weapons, and mobs! This major December 2025 update introduces underwater exploration with the Nautilus, combat revolution with the Spear weapon, and dangerous new enemies across desert and ocean biomes. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just starting your Minecraft journey, this update brings fresh challenges and adventures that will change how you play forever. Get ready to dive into oceans, battle new foes, and master mounted combat like never before!
Key Takeaways
- Release Date: December 9, 2025, for both Java Edition 1.21.11 and Bedrock Edition 1.21.130
- New Underwater Mount: Tame and ride the Nautilus for infinite underwater breathing
- New Weapon: Spear with jab and charge attacks, plus the exclusive Lunge enchantment
- New Mobs: Zombie Nautilus, Camel Husks, Parched mobs, and naturally spawning Zombie Horses
- New Armor: Nautilus Armor for your underwater mount and Netherite Horse Armor
- Combat Changes: Mounted combat mechanics and new enemy combinations
What is the Minecraft Mounts of Mayhem Update?
The Minecraft Mounts of Mayhem Update is the fourth major game drop of 2025, following Spring to Life, Chase the Skies, and The Copper Age. This update focuses on expanding your transportation and combat options with new mounts and weapons that work together in exciting ways. Mojang designed this update to make exploration more thrilling and combat more dynamic, whether you’re diving deep into ocean monuments or crossing dangerous desert landscapes.
This update represents a significant shift in Minecraft’s gameplay mechanics by introducing the first official underwater mount and a new weapon class specifically designed for mounted combat. The Mounts of Mayhem Update also brings back the Zombie Horse as a naturally spawning mob, giving players more options for land-based transportation and combat.
When Does the Mounts of Mayhem Update Release?
The Minecraft Mounts of Mayhem Update releases on December 9, 2025, for both Java and Bedrock editions. Based on previous update patterns, you can expect the update to go live between 7:30 AM PST and 10:00 AM EST. Here are the expected release times for major time zones:
- United States (West): 7:30 AM PST, December 9
- United States (East): 10:30 AM EST, December 9
- India: 9:00 PM IST, December 9
- Japan: 12:30 AM JST, December 10
- China: 11:30 PM CST, December 9
- Canada: 10:30 AM EST, December 9
- Italy: 4:30 PM CET, December 9
- Australia: 2:30 AM, December 10
- New Zealand: 4:30 AM NZST, December 10
These times may vary slightly depending on server rollout, but they’re accurate enough for planning your update day activities. Make sure to backup your worlds before updating, as major updates can sometimes cause compatibility issues with existing saves.
Meet the Nautilus: Your New Underwater Mount
The Nautilus is the star of the Mounts of Mayhem Update and Minecraft’s first official underwater mount. This fascinating aquatic creature spawns in ocean biomes and can be tamed to become your personal submarine for exploring underwater environments. The Nautilus features a beautiful striped shell and tentacle-like limbs, making it both functional and visually appealing.
How to Tame a Nautilus in Minecraft
Taming a Nautilus is straightforward but requires the right resources. You’ll need pufferfish or a bucket of pufferfish to tame these creatures. Here’s the step-by-step process:
- Find a Nautilus: Look for them in ocean biomes, particularly around coral reefs and ocean monuments
- Approach carefully: Nautili are neutral mobs, so they won’t attack unless provoked
- Feed pufferfish: Right-click with a pufferfish or bucket of pufferfish to tame
- Wait for hearts: When hearts appear, the Nautilus is tamed
- Add a saddle: Place a saddle on your tamed Nautilus to ride it
Once tamed, you can breed Nautili using any type of fish or fish buckets, making it possible to create your own underwater mount farm. Baby Nautili have unique models and sounds, adding extra charm to your underwater adventures.
Riding and Controlling Your Nautilus
Riding a Nautilus opens up entirely new possibilities for underwater exploration. When mounted, you’ll receive the “Breath of the Nautilus” effect, which freezes your oxygen bar and allows you to stay underwater indefinitely. This makes exploring ocean monuments, shipwrecks, and underwater ruins much easier and safer.
Controlling the Nautilus is similar to controlling the Strider – you use mouse or joystick movements to steer. The Nautilus also has a special dash ability that lets you move quickly through water, similar to how camels dash on land. This dash ability is perfect for escaping hostile underwater mobs or quickly reaching your destination.
However, be careful when taking your Nautilus on land! When out of water, Nautili become dehydrated and move slowly. It’s best to keep them in the water where they belong.
Master the Spear: Minecraft’s New Weapon
The Spear is a revolutionary new weapon in Minecraft that changes how combat works, especially when mounted. This tiered weapon comes in all the familiar materials: wood, stone, copper, iron, gold, diamond, and even netherite. The Spear features two distinct attack modes that make it versatile for different combat situations.
Spear Attack Types: Jab vs Charge
The Spear has two main attack types that you’ll need to master:
Jab Attack: This is your standard melee attack, similar to swinging a sword. The jab has a longer reach than swords, making it safer to use against mobs that attack from a distance. The jab attack is also the only attack that works with the Lunge enchantment, making it essential for certain combat strategies.
Charge Attack: Hold down the use button to charge your Spear, then release to unleash a powerful thrust. What makes the charge attack special is that the faster you’re moving when you release it, the more damage it deals. This makes the Spear perfect for mounted combat – whether you’re riding a horse, camel, or even a Nautilus underwater.
Crafting and Upgrading Spears
Crafting a Spear is simple and follows familiar Minecraft patterns. To craft a basic Spear, you’ll need:
- 2 sticks
- 2 of your chosen material (wooden planks, cobblestone, copper ingots, iron ingots, gold ingots, diamonds, or netherite ingots for upgrading)
For netherite Spears, you’ll need to upgrade a diamond Spear using a netherite upgrade template at a smithing table, just like other netherite tools and armor.
The Lunge Enchantment
The Lunge enchantment is exclusive to Spears and adds a unique mobility aspect to combat. This enchantment has three levels and only works with jab attacks. When you perform a jab attack with Lunge, it propels you horizontally in the direction you’re facing, allowing you to close distances quickly or escape from dangerous situations.
However, using Lunge comes with costs:
- Consumes saturation and hunger points based on enchantment level
- Uses 1 durability point per lunge
- Requires at least 6 hunger points to use
- Works best when your view is perfectly level for maximum distance
New Mobs in the Mounts of Mayhem Update
The Mounts of Mayhem Update introduces several new mobs that add challenge and excitement to your Minecraft world. Each new mob has unique behaviors and drops that make encountering them interesting and rewarding.
Zombie Nautilus: The Undead Underwater Threat
The Zombie Nautilus is a rare undead variant of the regular Nautilus that spawns in ocean biomes. These dangerous creatures often appear with a Drowned rider wielding a trident, creating a formidable underwater enemy combination. Zombie Nautili have several key differences from their living counterparts:
- Faster swimming: They swim about 10% faster than regular Nautili
- Land survival: Unlike regular Nautili, they don’t dehydrate on land
- Sunlight vulnerability: They burn in sunlight like other undead mobs
- Cannot be bred: You can’t breed Zombie Nautili like regular ones
- Hostile by nature: They’re always hostile until defeated
Zombie Nautili drop rotten flesh like other zombie-type mobs, making them a good source of experience and emergency food if you’re desperate.
Camel Husks: Desert Menace
Camel Husks are undead variants of regular camels that spawn in desert biomes at night. These dangerous creatures often come with riders – typically a Husk wielding an iron spear and a Parched mob, creating a terrifying three-enemy combination. Here’s what makes Camel Husks unique:
- Undead properties: They don’t burn in sunlight and drop rotten flesh
- Cannot be bred: Unlike regular camels, you can’t breed Camel Husks
- Temptable with rabbit’s foot: You can use rabbit’s feet to tempt and heal them
- Hostile until ridden: They count as hostile mobs until a player rides them
The Husk rider has a chance to drop a rabbit’s foot, making Camel Husk encounters potentially rewarding if you can survive them.
Parched Mob: Desert Skeleton Variant
The Parched mob is a new skeleton variant that spawns exclusively in desert biomes. These bandaged skeletons are designed to make desert exploration more challenging and exciting. Key features of Parched mobs include:
- Sunlight resistance: Unlike regular skeletons, they don’t burn in sunlight
- Weakness arrows: They shoot arrows that apply the Weakness effect
- Slower fire rate: They shoot slower than regular skeletons, similar to Bogged
- Weakness immunity: They’re immune to the Weakness effect themselves
Parched mobs replace about 50% of regular skeleton spawns in desert biomes, making them a common threat in sandy regions. They often appear as riders on Camel Husks, creating dangerous enemy combinations.
Zombie Horses: Back from the Void
Zombie Horses make their grand return in the Mounts of Mayhem Update, now spawning naturally in plains and savanna biomes at night. These undead steeds come with Zombie riders wielding iron spears, creating the classic “zombie horseman” threat. Here’s what’s new about Zombie Horses:
- Natural spawning: They now spawn naturally instead of only through commands
- New texture: They have updated appearances to distinguish them from regular horses
- Improved drops: They drop 2-3 rotten flesh instead of just 1
- Temptable with red mushrooms: You can use red mushrooms to tempt and heal them
- Burnable in sunlight: They burn in sunlight unless protected by horse armor
Zombie Horses can be equipped with saddles and horse armor, making them viable mounts if you can tame them. The Zombie rider has a chance to drop a red mushroom, adding another potential reward for defeating these enemies.
New Armor and Equipment
The Mounts of Mayhem Update introduces new armor types that enhance your mounted combat experience and provide new strategic options.
Nautilus Armor: Underwater Protection
Nautilus Armor is a special armor type designed specifically for Nautilus mounts (both regular and Zombie variants). This armor comes in all the standard tiers: leather, iron, gold, diamond, and netherite. When equipped on a Nautilus, it provides protection and special benefits:
- Damage protection: Reduces damage taken by your Nautilus mount
- Sun protection: Prevents Zombie Nautili from burning in sunlight
- Visual customization: Changes the appearance of your Nautilus with different colored armor
Crafting Nautilus Armor requires the same materials as regular horse armor, but you’ll need to use the new crafting recipes introduced in this update.
Netherite Horse Armor: Ultimate Protection
For the first time in Minecraft, you can now craft Netherite Horse Armor! This ultimate protection for your land mounts provides incredible defensive stats:
- 19 armor points (9.5 hearts of protection)
- 3 armor toughness (reduces damage from strong attacks)
- 1 knockback resistance (makes you harder to knock off your mount)
To craft Netherite Horse Armor, you’ll need to upgrade diamond horse armor using a netherite upgrade template at a smithing table. This makes Netherite Horse Armor one of the most valuable and protective items in the game for mounted combat.
Combat Strategies and Tips
The Mounts of Mayhem Update changes Minecraft combat significantly, especially when it comes to mounted fighting. Here are some essential strategies to master the new combat mechanics.
Mounted Combat Basics
Mounted combat is now more viable and exciting than ever before. Here are the key things to know:
- Spear synergy: The Spear works best when you’re moving, making it perfect for mounted combat
- Charge attacks: Use your mount’s speed to increase Spear charge damage
- Lunge positioning: Time your lunges to close distances or escape dangerous situations
- Mount protection: Armor your mounts to keep them alive during tough fights
Underwater Combat Tactics
With the Nautilus, underwater combat becomes much more manageable. Here’s how to excel:
- Breath of the Nautilus: Stay underwater indefinitely without worrying about drowning
- Dash mobility: Use the Nautilus dash to quickly engage or disengage from underwater fights
- Spear effectiveness: The Spear works well underwater, especially with charge attacks
- Zombie Nautilus threats: Be prepared for faster, more dangerous underwater enemies
Desert Survival Strategies
The new desert mobs make desert exploration more challenging. Here’s how to survive:
- Parched mob awareness: Remember they don’t burn in sunlight and shoot weakness arrows
- Camel Husk combinations: Be prepared for multi-enemy encounters with riders
- Weakness protection: Bring milk or items that cure weakness effects
- Ranged combat: Consider using bows to deal with Parched mobs from a safe distance
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Minecraft Mounts of Mayhem Update releasing?
The Minecraft Mounts of Mayhem Update releases on December 9, 2025, for both Java Edition 1.21.11 and Bedrock Edition 1.21.130. Based on previous update patterns, expect it to go live between 7:30 AM PST and 10:00 AM EST. The exact time may vary slightly depending on your region and platform, so keep an eye on official Minecraft channels for the most accurate release information.
How do you tame and ride the Nautilus in Minecraft?
To tame a Nautilus, you need to feed it pufferfish or a bucket of pufferfish. Once tamed, place a saddle on it to ride it. The Nautilus can be controlled with mouse or joystick movements and has a special dash ability for quick underwater movement. When riding a Nautilus, you’ll get the Breath of the Nautilus effect, which freezes your oxygen bar and allows unlimited underwater breathing. You can breed tamed Nautili using any type of fish or fish buckets.
What are the new mobs in the Mounts of Mayhem Update?
The Mounts of Mayhem Update introduces several new mobs: the Nautilus (underwater mount), Zombie Nautilus (undead variant), Camel Husks (undead camels), Parched mobs (desert skeletons), and naturally spawning Zombie Horses. Each mob has unique behaviors and drops. The Zombie Nautilus and Camel Husks often spawn with riders, creating dangerous enemy combinations. These new mobs appear in specific biomes – ocean mobs in water, desert mobs in sandy areas, and Zombie Horses in plains and savannas.
How do you use the Spear weapon in Minecraft?
The Spear has two attack modes: jab and charge. The jab is a standard melee attack with longer range than swords. The charge attack requires holding the use button to charge, then releasing to thrust. The faster you’re moving when you release a charge attack, the more damage it deals. Spears can be crafted with all standard materials and upgraded to netherite. The exclusive Lunge enchantment for Spears allows you to lunge forward with jab attacks, consuming hunger points but providing excellent mobility in combat.
Can you breed Nautilus in Minecraft?
Yes, you can breed tamed Nautili in Minecraft. After taming two Nautili with pufferfish, you can breed them by feeding any type of fish or fish buckets to both of them. Baby Nautili have unique models and sounds, making them distinct from adults. Breeding Nautili allows you to create your own underwater mount farm, ensuring you always have access to these valuable mounts for underwater exploration and combat.
What time will the Mounts of Mayhem update release in my time zone?
The Mounts of Mayhem Update releases globally on December 9, 2025, but the exact time varies by time zone. In the United States, expect it between 7:30 AM PST and 10:30 AM EST. In India, it should release around 9:00 PM IST. In Europe, expect it around 4:30 PM CET. In Australia and New Zealand, it will release on December 10th due to time zone differences. These times are estimates based on previous update patterns and may vary slightly.
What is the Lunge enchantment for spears?
The Lunge enchantment is exclusive to Spears and has three levels. It only works with jab attacks, propelling you horizontally in the direction you’re facing when you perform a jab. The enchantment consumes saturation and hunger points based on its level, plus 1 durability point per use. You need at least 6 hunger points to use Lunge, and it works best when your view is perfectly level for maximum distance. This enchantment adds a mobility aspect to Spear combat, allowing you to quickly close distances or escape from dangerous situations.
Conclusion
The Minecraft Mounts of Mayhem Update is a game-changing addition that transforms how you explore and fight in Minecraft. With the new Nautilus underwater mount, the versatile Spear weapon, and challenging new mobs, this update offers endless possibilities for adventure and combat. Whether you’re diving deep into ocean monuments, crossing dangerous deserts, or engaging in epic mounted battles, the Mounts of Mayhem Update brings fresh excitement to every aspect of gameplay.
Don’t wait to dive into these new features – start planning your underwater expeditions, craft your first Spear, and prepare to face the new challenges that await. The world of Minecraft has never been more exciting or full of possibilities. Share your experiences with the Mounts of Mayhem Update in the comments below, and happy crafting!
