New World Hatchet Build 2024 - PvE & PvP
Oct. 14, 2024If you’re going for a primarilyrangedHatchet build in New World: Aeternum, with aBoworMusket, theHatchetcan work as a solid secondary weapon. It’s not a bad backup, but it might not be as strong as options like theRapierorSpear, which naturally scale better withDexterity. Still, theHatchetcan do the job if you prefer. Itslight attacksdeal 100% damage,heavy attackshit for 120%, andcharged heavy attacksdo 160%. However, landingheavy attackscan be tricky due to theHatchet‘s short range and smallhitbox. You’ll need to be really close to your target, and because of its angled slash, it can sometimes miss smaller enemies, especially if you’re not aimed slightly to the right.
New World Aeternum Hatchet Pros:
New World Aeternum Hatchet Cons:
TheBerserkerskill tree revolves around landing multiple hits in quick succession. TheHatchetswings faster than heavier weapons like theGreat AxeorWar Hammer, meaning you’ll do less damage per hit but attack more frequently. This works well for questing since you can often get two hits in beforedodging, whereas slower weapons may only allow for one hit before needing to defend. The faster rhythm of combat inPvEsuits theHatchet’s playstyle, making it a strongmeleeoption.
TheFeral Rushability lets youleap forwardand perform atwo-hit spin attack, but its short range can be tricky. If you activate it at max distance, the second hit might not connect, and sometimes it misses entirely depending on yourping. It’s great for hitting the back of an enemy or player, especially inPvPwhere you can upgrade it torootyour opponent. However, it’s difficult to land consistently in the middle of combat, so it’s not a go-to ability for every situation. Progressing this skill line allows you to increase Feral Rush’s damage and inflictRoot, immobilizing the enemy for a few seconds.
Berserkis a fantastic ability, boosting your damage, run speed (when upgraded), and more. It has a relatively longcooldown, which only starts once the ability expires, so you can’t use it constantly. Still, it’s incredibly effective when active and significantly increases your damage output. You can also pair this with ataunt gemto taunt all enemies near you when activating the skill. Keep in mind, though, thatBerserkonly applies to thehatchet—swapping to another weapon won’t carry over the buff. Progressing this skill line allows you to gain lifesteal when attacking while Berserk is active, removing crowd control debuffs afflicted to you, as well as making you unstaggerable.
Raging Torrentis another interesting skill. It unleashes four rapid attacks, faster than your normallight attacks, but it’s easy to get interrupted while performing it. You have to be really close to the enemy, which raises the chances of getting hit mid-combo. It’s highly effective when you manage to pull it off, but it can be risky. Progressing this skill line increasesRaging Torrent’sdamage and grants youhaste.
Mostpassivesin theBerserkertree enhance multiple hits or deal bonus damage when an enemy’s health is low, keeping with the theme of rapid, repetitive strikes.Defy Deathis one of the standoutpassives. Thiscapstoneallows you to survive at zero health once every 60 seconds. When you get a hit that would kill you, you’ll instead beimmortalfor half a second before regaining 500 + half of your health. This can be a game-changer in questing, especially for newer players, and it’s a lifesaver inPvP.
The first ability isRending Throw. This reduces the target’s protection and deals damage, making it really effective against heavily armored opponents, whether you’re facing another player, a boss, or an elite monster. Opening with this throw candebuffyour target, allowing you to follow up with more damage as they close in. Since it’s aranged attack, you can hit them as they move toward you, which is handy, and it’s easy to land when using lock-on. Progressing this skill line allows you to extend the debuff duration as well as increase the skill’s damage.
One thing to keep in mind is thatthrown weaponshave a bit of a learning curve when aiming manually. There’s a slight delay between when you activate the ability and when the weapon actually leaves your hand, and the projectiles have a small arc. It’s not a huge arc, but each throw ability has a slightly different trajectory, so you’ll need some practice to get the timing and aim down if you throw manually, but there’s really no need to with Hatchet, so I recommend just using lock-on.
Social Distancingis another great ability—it deals solid damage and makes youdodgebackward. The best part is that it gives you an extra dodge without usingstamina, so you can use it point-blank to avoid attacks, especially if you’re running low on stamina or dodging a lot. This makes it perfect for a build that relies heavily on dodging. Even if you’re inheavy armorand don’t dodge as often, it’s still a useful tool for repositioning while slowing down your target, which is especially important inPvPto keep enemies from escaping or catching up to them. Progressing this skill grants you haste when hitting an enemy with an active debuff as well as inflictingrooton them.
Infected Throwis adebuffability that reduces your target’s healing and damage output by inflicting them with a Disease debuff. It’s great for softening up a player or enemy before they close the gap, limiting their ability to recover or deal full damage when they engage you. If you can land a few of these throws before switching tomelee, you’ll have an advantage going into close combat. Progressing this skill line allows you to prolong the debuff’s duration.
Most of thepassivesin this tree focus on enhancing your throws—some let you aim and throw manually at the cost ofstamina, while others reducecooldownsor increase damage. The theme here is all about making your throwing abilities more powerful. Thecapstone,Persistent Hindrance, increases the duration ofdebuffsapplied by your thrown attacks. While useful, it’s not as strong asDefy Death, since the debuffs mostly shine in PvP, with the exception ofRend. Overall,Defy Deathtends to have more impact, especially in situations where staying alive is crucial, so it’s generally the better choice.
When pairing theHatchetwith another weapon, you’ll likely want to go with something like theWar Hammer,Great Axe, or possibly a rangedDexterityweapon like aBoworMusket. These options work well because theHatchetis great for softening up a target with itsthrowing abilitiesbefore you close in formeleecombat.
As for thehatchet‘s melee capabilities, it’s a bit underwhelming due to its smallhitboxes. If you find yourself outnumbered, the narrow reach makes it hard to hit multiple enemies at once. Weapons like theGreat Axe,War Hammer, or even the Greatsword orSwordhave wider horizontal swings, making them more effective forcrowd control. TheHatchet’s melee swings are more suited to single-target situations, which can be useful in somePvPscenarios, but if you’re up against more than one player or enemy, you might struggle.
That said, pairing theHatchetwith aSpearorRapiercan work well. You coulddebuffenemies with yourhatchet throwsas they approach and soften them up, then switch to aSpearorRapierto deal melee damage. In this case, theHatchetisn’t your primary damage dealer but is used to applydebuffs, which can set you up for stronger hits with your secondary weapon.
When it comes toArmor, it depends on your secondary weapon and playstyle. If you’re using aGreat AxeorWar Hammer, you’ll likely wantmediumorheavy armorfor better defense. However, if you’re using a ranged weapon orspearand rely more ondodging,lightormedium armoris a good option to maintain mobility.
Ultimately, the main reason to use theHatchetin New World Aeternum, especially after testing it thoroughly, is its ability todebuffand deal damage at range while also being able to melee. While it can deal damage in certain situations, like hunting wolves or in a pinch, it’s not the go-to weapon for maximizing damage in questing or dungeons. Wider weapons with broaderhitboxesare much better for handling groups of enemies. TheHatchetexcels at applyingdebuffsand then allowing you to follow up with a different weapon, making it especially effective against tough one off enemies.
That wraps up ourHatcher weapon guide. We’ve got moreweapon guidesincludingMusket,Rapier,Bow, andSpearon the way, so keep an eye out for those. If you’ve got more questions about the game, be sure to check out the New World Wiki for details on crafting materials, weapon choices, and more. What kind of builds are you planning to try early on? Any specific weapons you’re thinking of using? Feel free to share your thoughts on the guide 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.
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