New World Blunderbuss Build 2024 - PvE & PvP

Oct. 14, 2024

This means you’ll want to stay within closer range with a Blunderbuss Build compared to theMusket, maintaining the optimal distance for maximum damage. Like theMusket, theBlunderbussdoesn’t require crafted ammo and also enjoys a base20% damage bonus. However, while theMusketoften relies on free-aiming for headshots, theBlunderbussbenefits greatly from the newlock-onsystem, allowing you to lock onto a target and fire freely. Unlike thebow, which suffers from reduced damage when hip-firing while locked on, theBlunderbussretains full damage, making it especially lethal inPvP, where you can stay out ofmeleerange and unload shots quickly.

Though theBlunderbusscan be free-aimed, many players will likely take advantage of its ease of use withlock-on, especially inPvEscenarios. Dodging during a reload interrupts the process, similar to theMusket, but theBlunderbussreloads much faster, making it less of an issue.

New World Aeternum Blunderbuss Pros:

New World Aeternum Blunderbuss Cons:

The first ability isAzoth Shrapnel Blast, which fires in a tight spread while pushing you back. This ability deals about double the damage of alight attackand only gets better with upgrades—enhancing its range, reducing its cooldown, and adding more shots. It’s a great ability to use on cooldown since it outperformslight attacksand is a staple for single-target focus with theBlunderbuss.

Next isClaw Shot, which fires a shot that pulls you to the target while rooting them. It does very little damage but excels inPvP, where it helps you close the distance on a fleeing player. Upgrading this ability adds further utility: it regenerates stamina, reduces cooldowns, and reloads an additional round into yourBlunderbuss, making it very effective inPvPscenarios. However, it sees limited use inPvE.

The third skill,Net Shot, fires a net that slows enemies, with upgrades reducing its cooldown, increasing the slow effect, and adding ableedover time. This ability is handy for keeping enemies at bay, especially inPvPwhen trying to prevent an enemy from escaping. In generalPvEor expeditions, it’s not likely to be used as much, but it’s still a good single-target tool.

Thecapstoneability for theContainmenttree isUnload. It enhances your next shot after using a weapon ability, increasing the number of pellets fired from six to eight, boosting damage by around 25%. Since you’re likely alternating between skills and shots during combat, this ability consistently increases your damage by 25% with each ability, resulting in an overall 75% damage increase across a full rotation. This makesUnloadmore reliable than the capstone from theChaostree, although the latter has its own situational advantages.

Overall, theContainmenttree is great forPvPdue to its mobility and ability to control enemy movement, while still being solid forPvEcontent where single-target damage is key.

This ability fires a grenade that splits and then detonates, providing a solid source ofAoEdamage. However, it can be tricky to use because if you hit a target directly, it may bounce off and detonate away from them. There’s also a delay before it explodes, so hitting charging enemies can be tough. That said, it’s useful for initiating fights or hitting groups of enemies clustered around a tank.Splitting Grenadegives theBlunderbussa bit more range than a regular shot, making it a good choice for longer-distance engagements. Upgrades to this skill increase damage againsthealthy targets, granthasteif you hit a target (helping you chase enemies), and apply theburningstatus effect for damage over time.

This ability loads yourBlunderbusswith explosive rounds that have greater range than standard shots. It’s ideal for increasing your effective range, especially against targets more than 10 meters away. It’s perfect for situations where you need to hit from a distance, like PvP or when you want to avoid getting too close to enemies. UpgradingMortar Chargereturns stamina with each hit, grantshasteto boost your speed, and lets you load an extra round, allowing you to fire four shots before the ability ends.

Though it doesn’t deal much damage,Blast Shotknocks down all enemies in front of you and is uninterruptible due to itsgrit. This makes it a greatutilityskill for knocking down groups of enemies in dungeons or when you’ve pulled a lot of enemies while questing. It’s also valuable inPvP, especially in small-scale or single-player encounters, as the knockdown can buy you precious time to avoid attacks. Upgrades applyrendto enemies hit, reducing their armor, which is useful in both PvP and PvE. It can also boost your allies’ movement speed, which is handy in PvP for chasing down fleeing enemies.

Thecapstoneability for this skill tree,Double Downreduces the cooldown of one of your abilities by 50 every 30 seconds%. While this is a long cooldown, it can be particularly useful insmall-scale PvP, where you may be looking for one-on-one encounters and need your abilities to come back faster. However, it’s situational and might not always be the best choice, especially in larger fights orPvEscenarios where combat is more frequent.

Overall, theChaosskill tree provides strongAoEdamage and utility, giving you more flexibility in how you approach combat with theBlunderbuss, particularly from longer distances or in situations where crowd control and utility are essential.

When considering weapon pairings with New World: AeternumBlunderbuss Builds, you’ll want to think about the weapon’sstrength scaling. Naturally, you might lean toward anotherstrength-based weapon. If you’re going down this route, look for something with strongAoEat close range. While theBlunderbusscan handleAoEfrom a distance, it’s not as reliable, especially if you’re still getting used to it. For close-range situations where multiple enemies are closing in, weapons like theGreatswordorGreataxeare solid choices due to their powerfulAoEattacks in melee combat.

On theintelligenceside, you’re probably better off pairing theBlunderbusswith aranged weapon. While you could use aRapierfor itsintelligence scaling, it isn’t the strongest match. A better option would be something like theFirestafforIce Gauntlet, both of which provide effective ranged damage. You could start fights with these weapons and switch to theBlunderbussonce enemies close in. It may not be as efficient as a purestrength build, but it offers more versatility in terms of range.

As for armor,lightormediumarmor is your best bet when playing with theBlunderbuss. The key to success with this weapon is staying just outside ofmelee rangewhile maximizing the damage from your shots.Light armorenhances this strategy by giving you thedodge roll, which creates more distance from enemies while also providing a 15%damage bonus. This is ideal for keeping yourself safe while landing powerful shots. However, if you want a bit more protection,medium armoris still a viable option. You won’t dodge as far and you’ll lose the damage bonus from light armor, but you’ll be able to withstand more hits, which can be useful if you’re caught in close combat.

That wraps up our New World: AeternumBlunderbussbuild guide! Hope you found it helpful. This weapon is a blast to use, especially with thelock-on system—just lock onto your target and fire away. Most enemies go down in a few shots, making it super effective, especially inPvP. It’s perfect for keeping your distance while consistently dealing damage without needing to aim much, which can be a real game-changer. Keep an eye out for more weapon guides likeSword & Shield,Greatsword,Flail and ShieldandGreat Axe.

What about you? Planning to use theBlunderbussat the launch ofNew World Aeternum? Got another weapon in mind? Let me know what you’re pairing it with in the comments!

Castielle

Senior Editor at Fextralife. I enjoy gaming, playing and watching sports, cooking yummy food, watching a good movie and hanging out with Fex.