Sword
Swords are a type of One-Handed Weapon in New World. Being a one-handed weapon, Swords are ideal for quick and fast attacks and are the only weapon that allows you to wield a shield whilst attacking. The Sword has two mastery trees:
- Swordmaster: an offensive tree focussed around quick stabbing attacks and utilising your shield to slay enemies or die trying!
- Defender: A defensive tree designed to be your go to taunting and tanking tree with built in mechanics to take a few hits.
Currently, there is no dual wielding of swords available in the game so you are forced to take a sword with a shield or risk being quite weak in both offense and defense roles.
Dealing damage with a Sword will scale off a player’s Strength and Dexterity Attribute so you should focus your points in these areas to improve your damage.
Below you will find a breakdown of each skill in the mastery trees.
Best Damage Types
Each weapon has a unique way of dealing damage on top of their abilities. For swords, this is primarily Slash damage. You should take care to look for perks and gems that prioritise Slash Damage as other types will provide no additional bonuses to your character.
Sword Mastery Trees
Active Abilities
- Reverse Stab – A stab attack that deals 175% weapon damage. Cooldown: 20 seconds
- Whirling Blade – Deal 145% weapon damage to all foes within 2 meters. Cooldown: 15 seconds.
- Leaping Strike – Leap 4 meters and deal 125% weapon damage. Cooldown: 25 seconds
Active Ability Enhancement Traits
- Unstoppable Stab – Reverse Stab now has Grit, preventing you from being staggered.
- Tactician – On successful hit with Reverse Stab, all sword cooldowns are reduced by 25%
- Opportunity – Whirling Blade causes 20% rend for 5 seconds (Rend reduces target’s armor)
- Tactical Strike – Whirling Blade reduces cooldown on the ability by 10% for each enemy hit.
- Final Strike – If you hit a foe below 30% health, deal 50% more damage.
- Cowardly Punishment – If Leaping Strike hits a target in the back: cause slow for 6 seconds. (Slow reduces target’s movement speed).
Passive Ability Traits
- Precision – Swords critical strike chance increased by 10%.
- Mobility – Move 33% faster while blocking.
- Opportunist – Deal 20% more damage to slowed foes.
- Confidence – While health is full, deal 15% more damage.
- Empowered Stab – Successful Heavy attack grants you 30% Empower for 5 seconds (Empower increases damage).
- Freeing Justice – Successfully hitting with a heavy attack causes you to lose all debuffs.
- Counter Attack – When you block an attack gain 10% increased damage for 20 seconds.
- Critical Precision – On critical, gain 20% haste for 5 seconds (Haste increases movement speed).
- Achilles Heel – The final attack in your light attack chain causes a 20% Slow for 2 seconds (Slow reduces movement speed).
- Leadership – While holding a sword all group members damage is increased by 10%.
Active Abilities
- Shield Bash – Deals 50% weapon damage and stuns foes in front of you for 2 seconds. Taunt Gem Compatible: If you have a Carnelian gem equipped in your sword, this ability causes a 6 second taunt to all enemies hit (Taunt causes monster to focus only on you). Cooldown: 25 seconds.
- Shield Rush – Rush forward 5 meters knocking back foes and dealing 125% weapon damage. Cooldown: 20 seconds.
- Final Stand – For 8 seconds, all damage taken is reduced by 30%. Taunt Gem Compatible: If you have a Carnelian gem equipped in your sword, this ability causes a 6-second taunt to all enemies hit (Taunt causes enemies to focus only on you) Cooldown: 45 seconds.
Active Ability Enhancement Traits
- Intimidating Bash – Shield bash generates greatly increased threat and 100% more damage.
- Concussive Bash – Shield Bash stun duration increased by 1 second.
- Improved Rush – On successful hit all enemies within 5 meters are inflicted with Weaken for 4 seconds (Weaken reduces damage by 10%).
- Intimidating Rush – On successful hit all enemies within 5 meters are Slowed by 30% for 4 seconds (Slow reduces movement speed).
- Final Count Down – If your health is above 50%, damage reduction is increased by 20%.
- Restoration – Gain 15% of your max health when Final Stand ends.
Passive Ability Traits
- Sturdy Shield – Shields provide 15% more armor.
- Elemental Resistance – Reduce damage from all magical types by 10%.
- One With The Shield – When you block with a shield, all shield cooldowns are reduced by 1%.
- Final Blow – The 3rd attack in your light attack combo deals 30% more damage and generates more threat.
- Sturdy Grip – Stamina damage is reduced by 25% when blocking a melee attack with a shield.
- Defensive Training – When you block an attack gain 10% Fortify for 5 seconds.
- Fortitude – While holding a Sword current and max health are increased by 10%.
- Recuperation – All incoming healing and regeneration increased by 10%.
- High Grip – Stamina damage is reduced by 25% when blocking a ranged attack with a shield.
- Defensive Formation – While blocking reduce damage to all other allies within 2 meters by 30%.
