New World: Best builds New World guide, tips
The best builds in New World will allow you to create a character suited to your specific situation. You will find here builds for tank, DPS, healer and the best solo build. Our guide will tell you which skills and attributes to choose.
Last update: 19 January 2022
Builds in New World allow you to determine what role your character is best suited to during expeditions or PvP battles. This page of the guide lists some of the best builds in the game. Each build works better in a different situation. We've prepared a tank build for players drawing enemy attention, a healrt build for those wishing to help others and a DPS build dealing massive damage. We've also included the best solo build, that is, a character perfect for those players who don't work with others often and prefer to travel through the world alone.
Best Solo build
This build was created for those who prefer to play alone, without co-operating with others often. This means you need high damage resistance, healing skills and some decent damage potential. All this is provided by the Hatchet skills, combined with Sword and Shield skills.
Focus on upgrading Constitution at first in order to increase your health and your chance of survival. Use heavy armor as well. At some point you'll need to invest around 50 points into Strength. You can't pour everything into health when playing solo - you'll need some damage potential to actually beat the enemies.
Most of your damage in the solo build will come from your Hatchet skills. Always start combat encounters by using them. After using up all Hatchet skills switch to Sword and Shield to reduce damage received, block hits and stun enemies, After a while you can draw the hatchet again and start dealing high damage.
HATCHET - RECOMMENDED SKILLS:
Berserker - increases damage dealt for 12 seconds. It's a good idea to buy all passive bonuses to this skill. This will grant you faster movement, healing and resistance to Stagger and Root.
- On The Hunt
- Berserking Refresh
- Berserking Purge
- Uninterruptible Berserk
Feral Rush - this skill deals a lot of damage and lets you quickly close the distance between you and your opponent.
Raging Torrent - four quick attacks which synergize well with Berserk.
Passive skills:
- Accumulated Power
- Against All Odds
- Fortifying Strikes
- Enraged Strikes
- Defy Death
SWORD AND SHIELD - RECOMMENDED SKILLS:
Defiant Stance - reduces damage received by 30% for 8 seconds and restores health after buying the passive bonuses. This skill works great while you wait for your Hatchet skills to cooldown.
- Final Countdown
- Restoration
Shield Bash - deals damage and stuns enemies.
- Intimidating Bash
- Concussing Bash
Shield Rush - another skill that allows you to quickly close the distance between you and the enemy.
- Improved Rush
Passive skills:
- Sturdy Shield
- Final Blow
- Recuperation
- Elemental Resistance
- Invigorating Bulwark
Best DPS build
The DPS builds in New World focus on dealing massive damage. This, of course, comes at the cost of low survivability, therefore we recommend this build to experienced players who like to cooperate with others. Using the Musket and the Rapier makes all of your skills specialize in damage-dealing.
Your main attribute should be Dexterity as it increases those weapons' damage. To maximize your damage output put all stat points into Dexterity. If you die too often you can try putting some of them into Constitution. Aside from that use light armor to deal even more damage.
Playing the described DPS build is slightly reminiscent of an action game. You have to constantly be on the move, go for headshots and dodge enemy attacks. Quickly switch to the Rapier when forced into melee combat but remember to keep dodging due to your low health and armor.
MUSKET - RECOMMENDED SKILLS:
Power Shot - your next shot deals 150% weapon damage. We recommend you purchase all passive bonuses of this skill to maximize your damage output.
- Initial Engagement
- First Blood
- Bullseye
Powder Burn - increases damage and inflicts Burn on enemies which deals damage over time.
- Backdraft
- Chronic Trauma
Shooter's Stance - yet another damage increase.
- Shoot More
- Marksman
Passive skills:
- Empowering Headshot
- Heightened Precision
- Hit Your Mark
- Sniper
- Salt on the Wounds
- Weakened Defense
- Hustle
- Tactical Reload
RAPIER - RECOMMENDED SKILLS:
Tondo - increases attack range and inflicts Bleed.
- Thirst for Blood
Flourish and Finish - knocks back enemies and lets you deal a follow-up attack with increased damage.
- With Flair
- Swagger
- Fuel
- Bloody End
Flurry - a sequence of quick attacks.
- Overwhelm
- Fleeting Strikes
- Down to the Bone
Passive skills:
- Unerring
- Heavy Puncture
- Engarde
- Light Edge
- Controlled Breathing
- Perfectionist
- Red Curtains
- Swiftness
Best Tank build
The tank build is designed to draw enemies' attention and distract them from the DPS and healer characters. This means that survivability as well as stunning and knocking down enemies is required. You can get all this by combining a Sword and Shield with a War Hammer.
Your main attribute is obviously Constitution which increases your health - invest all available points into it. Other than that use heavy armor to increase your durability and the duration of negative effects you inflict onto enemies. As a tank, you must ensure the safety of squishier characters. Stun the enemies attacking your teammates and throw yourself into the heat of battle to draw their attention.
SWORD AND SHIELD - RECOMMENDED SKILLS:
Shield Bash - stuns and deals damage. Perfect for rescuing other team members.
- Intimidating Bash
Shield Rush - a quick charge dealing damage to the target.
- Improved Rush
- Intimidating Rush
Defiant Stance - a tank's basic skill. Reduces damage received - if you put a provocation gem in your sword you'll draw the enemies' attention to yourself as well.
- Final Countdown
- Restoration
Passive skills:
- Empowered Stab
- Freeing Justice
- Counter Attack
- Mobility
- Sturdy Shield
- Sturdy Grip
- Defensive Training
- Elemental Resistance
- One with the Shield
- Recuperation
- Defensive Formation
WAR HAMMER - RECOMMENDED SKILLS:
Shockwave - AoE damage and stunning enemies.
- Frailty
- Meteroic Crater
Clear Out - deals damage and knocks enemies back.
- Power Cleaner
- Clean and Refreshed
- Swing Away
Path of Destiny - yet another AoE skill.
- Seismic Waves
- Stimulated Reduction
Passive skills:
- Hammer Time
- Hardened Steel
- Outnumbered
- Facilitated Expedition
- Acceleration
- Concussive Impact
- Prevailing Spirit
- Aftershock
Best Healer build
Healers are integral party members in New World. You'll obviously need the healing skills provided by the Life Staff. Healing isn't the healer's only role as they can also play the support role by dealing damage and slowing down enemies with the Ice Gauntlet.
The healer's main, or rather only attribute is Focus - it's what the Life Staff scales with. Wear heavy armor to increase the duration of debuffs inflicted upon enemies. In-game try to stay behind your allies and heal them from a safe place. Make sure to support them as well with AoE skills.
LIFE STAFF - RECOMMENDED SKILLS:
Sacred Ground - an AoE heal.
- Holy Ground
- Blessed
Orb of Protection - a projectile that heals allies and damages enemies.
- Protector's Blessing
- Shared Protection
- Aegis
Beacon - a projectile which sticks to a target and heals nearby allies.
- Infused Light
- Radiance's Blessing
Passive skills:
- Absolved
- Blissful Touch
- Revitalize
- Intensify
- Bend Light
- Protector's Strength
- Glowing Focus
ICE GAUNTLET - RECOMMENDED SKILLS:
Ice Storm - deals damage and slows down enemies in its area.
- Weakening Gust
- Storm Summoner
- Punishing Storm
Ice Pylon - create a pylon shooting nearby enemies.
- Greater Pylon
- Pylon Regen
- Pylon Dodge
- Pylon Refresh
Entomb - temporary invulnerability and rapid Mana regen.
- Strengthened Tomb
- Cleansing Tomb
Passive skills:
- Cold Reach
- Energized Critical
- Critical Rejuvenation
- Gathering Storm
- Critical Frost
- Empowered Frost
- Refreshing Frost