New World Great Axe and War Hammer Build 2024 - PvE & PvP
Oct. 2, 2021This combo isabsolutely deadly, and should more or less work the same in Expeditions and in PvP. This Build is obviously better in medium to large group battles, but it works effectively in 1 0n 1 and smaller PvP as well, because the Great Axe and War Hammer are such strong Weapons.
Both theGreat AxeandWar Hammerscale exclusively off theStrengthattribute, so that’s what you’ll want to focus on for maximum damage. However, you will be in melee range, meaning you will be hit quite often when using this setup so it’s also good to add some Constitution in order to survive enemy and player attacks.
I like to distribute myAttributepoints in a 2:1 ratio of Strength andConstitution, meaning for every 2 points I drop into Strength I also drop a point into Constitution. This helps ensure you survive while taking some punishment so you can keep on swinging. Note that you may have a ton of Constitution from yourArmor, and you may not need to invest quite as many points into Constitution if you do, just try to keep Strength around double the value of Constitution.
Charge– This Skill is your gap closer, and is a must for PvP, and better than you’d think in Expeditions. You can use this to get in range of enemies after you Gravity Well them, or to help gain ground on fleeing opponents. It’s also exceptionally good at getting you back to Bosses that may have moved or knocked you away, so you can continue DPSing ASAP.
Gravity Well– This Skill throws an Axe that creates an orb that slows and damages enemies and players caught in it. It can keep enemies grouped up so you can AoE them down, and it can stop players from escaping in PvP. You’ll get far more kills by slotting this Ability when fighting, whether in small or large battles, so it’s definitely worth having 95% of the time.
Path of Destiny– What I like about this Skill is that it gives your Build some range, which can be used to soften up targets before you get in range, or to finish off fleeing players that are low on Health. Range is the biggest weakness of this Build, so adding just a little bit goes a long way.
Shockwave– This Skill does a medium sized AoE that Stuns and deals damage to all enemies around you. This is fantastic in both PvE and PvP scenarios as it not only deals damage, it prevents you and your fellow party members from getting hit. Ideally you’d use this after Maelstrom, and then use Clear Out to further CC enemies.
For passives you really just want to look for things that increase your overall damage. However, you’ll absolutely want to take theBlood Lust Skillas soon as you can because it allows you to catch players in PvP much more easily, and also increases your damage in both PvE and PvP. If you cannot catch enemies in PvP you will lose out on a lot of kills.
When it comes to Weapons you’ll obviously need a Great Axe and Hammer, and you want to look for those that are going to deal the maximum damage, don’t just look at the Gear Score. Since both theseWeaponsscale only with Strength, you want to find versions of these that provide this attribute.
You’ll also want to look forCrit Chance, and Light Attack and Heavy Attack damage, as it’s not always possible to hit enemies in the back to get guaranteed Critical Hits, and you will Light and Heavy Attack often. If you get a Gem slot, consider slotting anEmeraldfor increased damage against low Health enemies, or aJasperfor increased damage after you’ve taken consecutive hits.
When it comes toArmoryou’ll be looking to find the bestHeavy Armoryou can use.Faction Reputationis not hard to get, and comes with a lot of good bonuses, so consider using this early on when you haven’t run any Expeditions yet.
Look for bonuses on the Armor that increase your Strength, Constitution and Damage Absorption. Anything that further reduces damage is also good, like lowered Critical Damage, etc.
Unlike other New World Aeternum Builds that use Ranged Weapons, you can’t attack from a distance in PvP. The best possible scenario for you is to get into melee range undetected, and you can often use the landscape to shield your approach and catch other players unawares. Ranged Builds have a tough time dealing with this Build in melee, and if you can descend on players before they see you, you’ll have even more success.
Remember to use Charge when closing the gap on fleeing enemies. Sometimes you’ll need to use it 4 or 5x to catch someone, but you’ll be able to if they don’t have anyAbilitiesthat improve their speed as well. This single Skill will get you more kills than just about any other.
Make sure tolead with Gravity Wellso that players and enemies are stuck when you begin your attack. This will help to improve your damage, and is something you should get in the habit of ASAP. Note that when in melee range if you use this Ability, you can actually hit players and enemies with the axe as you swing upward dealing damage on its initial cast.
Lastly, don’t forget to repair your Equipment. You’ll take a beating with this Build so you’ll need to repair more than some other Builds. Make sure to do this whenever is needed for best results. You can click the repair all button on the bottom of your inventory to do this quickly.
Stay tuned for moreNew World Build Guides, and be sure to check out theNew World Wikifor more information about the game.
Castielle
Senior Editor at Fextralife. I enjoy gaming, playing and watching sports, cooking yummy food, watching a good movie and hanging out with Fex.
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