New World: Sword and Shield - weapon skills New World guide, tips

This page of the New World guide describes the Sword and Shield skill. Here you will find all active and passive skills and attributes related to Sword and Shield.

Last update: 26 October 2021

This guide page for New World contains information about the Sword and Shield skill. You will learn what attributes to develop to deal more damage and check all the passive and active skills. Sword and Shield skill combines high protection and damage. The sword is for melee attacks (including area attacks), and the shield allows you to block attacks.

• Related attributes
• Swordmaster - active skills
• Swordmaster - passive skills
• Defender - active skills
• Defender - passive skills

Related attributes

Develop Strength and Dexterity attributes to increase damage dealt with Sword and Shield.

Swordmaster - active skills

Whirling Blade - deals 145% damage to all enemies within 2 meters.

1. Opportunity - Whirling Blade causes 5% Rend for 10 seconds (Rend reduces enemy armor).
2. Tactical Strike - each hit by with the Whirling Blade reduces the cooldown by 10%.

Reverse Stab - a thrust dealing 175% damage.

1. Unstoppable Stab - this ability cannot be interrupted.
2. Tactician - after a successful attack, all sword-related abilities have a cooldown reduced by 25%.

Leaping Strike - leap 4 meters forward and deal 135% damage.

1. Final Strike - if the enemy has less than 30% health, you deal 50% more damage.
2. Cowardly Punishment - hitting a target in the back slows them for 8 seconds.

Swordmaster - passive skills

Empowered Stab - an effective heavy attack provides 30% Empower for 5 seconds (Empower increases damage).

Achilles Heel - the last attack in a series of light attacks causes a 20% Slow for 2 seconds.

Precision - the chance of a critical hit with a sword is increased by 10%.

Freeing Justice - a successful heavy attack removes all negative effects from your character.

Mobility - move 33% faster while blocking.

Counter Attack - a successful block increases damage dealt by 10% for 20 seconds.

Confidence - increases damage dealt by 15% when you have full health.

Critical Precision - critical hit grants 20% Haste for 5 seconds.

Opportunist - deal 10% more damage to enemies with Slow.

Leadership - when wielding a sword, the damage of all party members is increased by 10%.

Defender - active skills

Shield Rush - charge 5 meters to push enemies aside and deal 125% damage.

1. Improved Rush - after a successful Rush, all enemies within 5 meters are weakened by 10% for 4 seconds.
2. Intimidating Rush - after a successful Rush, all enemies within 5 meters are slowed for 4 seconds.

Shield Bash - deals 50% damage and stuns enemies in front of you for 2 seconds.

1. Intimidating Bash - Shield Bash greatly increases the Threat and deals 100% more damage.
2. Concussive Bash - stun lasts 1 second longer.

Defiant Stance - reduces damage received by 30% for 8 seconds.

1. Final Count Down - if you have less than 50% health, the damage reduction is increased by 20%.
2. Restoration - after performing the skill, you gain 15% health.

Defender - passive skills

Sturdy Shield - you get 15% more armor.

Sturdy Grip - stamina damage is reduced by 15% when blocking a melee attack with a shield.

Elemental Resistance - reduces damage received from magic attacks by 10%.

Defensive Training - effective shield block provides 10% Fortify for 5 seconds.

High Grip - loss of Stamina when blocking ranged attacks with the shield is reduced by 25%.

One With The Shield - a successful shield block reduces the recovery time of all shield skills by 1%.

Final Blow - the third attack in a series of light attacks deals 15% more damage and generates more Threat.

Invigorating Bulwark - gain 15 Stamina points when you hit an enemy with Shield Bash or Shield Rush.

Recuperation - received healing and regeneration increased by 10%.

Defensive Formation - shield blocking reduces damage received by all allies within 2 meters by 30%.