Minecraft finally added a new melee weapon after a long wait, and it changes how combat feels entirely.

The spear arrived with the Mounts of Mayhem update in December 2025, and it is already one of the most unique weapons in the game. Unlike swords and axes, the spear rewards momentum. The faster you move when you attack, the more damage you deal.

If you want to understand how to use it properly, this guide covers everything from crafting to advanced combat strategies.

What Is the Spear

The spear is a tiered melee weapon introduced in Mounts of Mayhem (Java Edition 1.21.11 and Bedrock Edition 1.21.130).

It comes in seven material tiers, from Wood all the way to Netherite, and each tier changes damage, attack speed, and durability.

What makes it different from every other weapon in the game is the charge attack. Your damage scales based on how fast you and your target are moving toward each other. Sprint into an enemy and you hit much harder. Ride a horse at full speed and the damage becomes devastating.

How to Craft a Spear

The crafting recipe works similarly to a shovel but placed diagonally.

You need two sticks and one material piece in the top slot of your crafting grid.

  • Wood spear: two sticks and one wooden plank
  • Stone spear: two sticks and one cobblestone
  • Iron spear: two sticks and one iron ingot
  • Gold spear: two sticks and one gold ingot
  • Diamond spear: two sticks and one diamond
  • Netherite spear: upgrade a diamond spear in the smithing table

You can also find spears as loot in Buried Treasure, Bastion Remnants, and End Cities. Zombies, Husks, Piglins, and Zombified Piglins can also spawn holding spears.

The Two Attack Types

The spear has two completely different attacks and knowing when to use each one is the key to mastering this weapon.

Jab Attack

Press the attack button quickly without holding it to perform a jab. It is fast, deals knockback, and can hit multiple targets at once. Great for crowd control.

The spear has extra reach compared to swords, but also a minimum distance. Stand too close and the jab will not deal damage.

Charge Attack

Hold the attack button to charge your strike. The damage scales with your speed when you release. The faster you move toward the target, the harder you hit.

After around five seconds the charge resets. You will notice stages: Engaged, Tired, and Disengaged.

Mounted Combat

This is where the spear truly shines. Riding a horse at full gallop and landing a charge attack deals significantly more damage than anything on foot.

At high speed the charge attack can even dismount enemies. This makes mounted PvP completely different and much more interesting.

Lunge Enchantment

Lunge is spear exclusive and works only with the jab attack. It has three levels and propels you horizontally in the direction you are looking.

  • Level I: uses 1 hunger point
  • Level II: uses 2 hunger points
  • Level III: uses 3 hunger points

For maximum distance keep your camera perfectly level. Lunge does not work below 6 hunger points, while riding, gliding, or underwater.

Other Enchantments

The spear supports Sharpness, Smite, Looting, Unbreaking, and Mending. Note that Sharpness V cannot be applied through an enchanting table. The maximum from the table is Sharpness IV. Combine two Sharpness IV spears in an anvil to reach V.

Final Thoughts

The spear is one of the most interesting weapons Minecraft has added in years. It rewards an aggressive momentum-based playstyle and is most powerful on a mount.

Craft an iron spear as soon as you can and experiment with both attack types. Once you understand how the charge damage scaling works, combat starts to feel genuinely exciting.