New World Musket Build 2024 - PvE & PvP
Oct. 14, 2024With the newlock-onfeature, using muskets has become easier than before, making them an excellent weapon choice. However, while the lock-on assists with targeting, it doesn’t guarantee precise aiming, so you’ll still need to practice to consistently land headshots for critical damage.
Initially, ranged weapons like the musket required ammo, but since that was removed, these weapons now deal a 20% increase to base damage instead. Another key point is that theMusketdealsthrust damage, making it effective against animals but less so against undead, which resist it. A crucial note forheadshots—they grant critical hits, so aiming for the head is essential for maximizing damage.
A couple of tips: if you dodge while reloading, the animation cancels, forcing you to restart the reload, so make sure your weapon is reloaded before dodging. Unlike the bow, which can quick-fire without needing to reload, the musket relies on being fully loaded. Lastly, theSticky Bomband Powder Burn abilities are the only exceptions to the musket’s thrust damage, as the Sticky Bomb dealsfire damageand Power Burn deals some Fire Damage over time, giving you a bit of variety in its damage output.
New World: Aeternum Musket Pros:
New World: Aeternum Musket Cons:
The first ability you can unlock in theSharpshootertree isPowder Burn. This ability enhances your next shot, increasing its damage to 110% and applies a burning effect to the target for 7s, which inflicts significant damage over time—making it an excellent debuff against enemies and players alike. Progressing this skill line increases its damage and extends the debuff duration if you nail a headshot.
What’s interesting aboutPowder BurnandPower Shotis that the buffs they give don’t expire, even if you switch weapons. This means if you buff yourself with one of them, but find you need to swap weapons before firing, your next shot will be buffed when you swap back without having wasted the skill. Note that these skills used to cooldown immediately after using, allowing for back to back Power Shots or Power Burn in some cases, but no longer do, preventing this from happening.
Power ShotOverloads musket with gun powder, allowing your next shot to deal 160% weapon damage. It also has a 30% damage increase if you use it against a hostile non-player enemy. It’s beneficial to use these abilities strategically, so consider queuing one up whenever you’re in combat or on the move. Progressing this skill line grants youempowerwhich increases your base damage by 10% when you successfully land a shot, as well as reducing its cooldown if you land a successful headshot.
The last ability in this tree isShooter’s Stance, which allows you to take a knee and remain stationary while reloading 75% faster. This is especially useful when you know you need to make multiple shots to take down a target or if you’re dealing with fast-moving enemies. By using this ability, you can often dispatch targets before they reach you. It pairs well with your other buffs, allowing your first shot while kneeling to benefit from any active buffs you’ve applied, likePower Shot. If you’re leaning towards a sniper build or focusing heavily on ranged attacks, this ability is a must-have for quickly taking down tougher enemies. Progressing this skill allows you to shoot 5 times instead of 3 and hitting the same target three consecutive times reduces all your musket skill cooldowns by 25%.
The capstone for this skill tree,Deadeye, grants a 15% damage increase to all headshots. It also inflictsbleedto to enemies that get hit when a single musket attack hits multiple enemies. If you’re confident with landing headshots, then you can get this capstone. Otherwise, go forLethal Combo.
One of the key abilities here isStopping Power, which works differently toPower ShotandPowder Burn. You don’t load it into your weapon, and then fire, but instead it fires instantly upon use. This ability deals 90% of your weapon damage and is particularly effective for fending off charging enemies, giving you extra time for another shot. It synergizes well withShooter’s Stance, as you can knock an enemy back with your first shot, allowing you to quickly fire off additional shots before they close in. Progressing this skill line allows you to inflictexhaustedto your targets, reducing their stamina regeneration by 10% as well as inflicting them withslow.
Trapsis another valuable ability that lets you set a trap that lasts for 30s, dealing damage and inflictingrooton an enemy for 3s. You can place the trap in front of you, especially if you anticipate an enemy will charge at you. Many enemies rush toward you when you fire, so deploying a trap just a few feet ahead creates an excellent opportunity to shoot at them while they’re immobilized. This makes landing headshots and dealing critical damage much easier, particularly against humanoid enemies. Progressing this skill line allows you to inflict rend on an enemy, heal you for the amount of damage the trap dealt, and allowing you to deploy 2 traps.
TheSticky Bombability deals an impressive 210% fire damage instead of thrust damage, but it can be challenging to use effectively if you don’t lock-on. It has a limited throwing range, making it difficult to accurately target foes. It also has 3s before it detonates which is something you’ll need to take note of. You might find yourself aiming high to throw it further, but this complicates the process of sticking it to an enemy. Typically, you’ll want to use it in conjunction with traps: first, trap an enemy, then throw aSticky Bombto unleash a significant burst of damage. Progressing this skill line gives you 40 stamina whenever you damage someone with this skill as well as inflicting them with a 15% slow for 3s.
One passive ability worth highlighting in this tree isTactical Reload. This allows you to reload by dodging once every six seconds, which is a game changer. As mentioned earlier, dodging while reloading cancels the animation, but withTactical Reload, you can avoid that reset. This can be crucial for getting off that last shot against an enemy closing in on you, making it a must-have regardless of your musket build.
The capstone for this skill tree,Lethal Combo, increases musket base damage by 17% against targets who are affected by your musket skills’ debuffs. This means all Abilities but Power Shot or Shooter’s Stance will trigger this once fully upgraded, so take that into consideration when selecting this capstone.
Since New World: AeternumMusket Buildsscales off bothDexterityandIntelligence, you have plenty of options for pairing it with other weapons depending on your playstyle. Some players might lean into a pure ranged setup by combining the musket with aFire Staff, focusing more onIntelligencethanDexterity. Others might prefer a hybrid approach, mixing the musket with weapons like theRapierorSpearfor a balance of ranged and melee combat. All of these combinations can work effectively.
ForPvP, it’s generally not advisable to go 100% ranged unless you’re playing in a large group, because you’ll eventually find yourself in close-range combat. Without a solid melee option, you might struggle in smaller groups. The same applies to questing—if you pull multiple enemies in a camp and don’t have a melee weapon, you’ll quickly find yourself overwhelmed. So, pairing the musket with aSpearorRapieris a smart choice, giving you flexibility when the situation requires you to fight up close. However, you can also mix it with anIce GauntletorFire Staffif you want someAoEabilities to handle groups of enemies more efficiently.
When it comes toarmor, it’s best to go withLight Armorwhen using a ranged weapon like the musket,Bow, orstaff. The extra 15% damage bonus from light armor is crucial for maximizing your damage output, especially since you’ll likely be engaging enemies from a distance and aren’t expecting to take too many hits. Every shot will count, so you’ll want that added damage boost.
The musket is one of the most enjoyable weapons to use in the game, especially inPvP. Whether you’re solo or in a group, the musket offers plenty of fun, from its satisfying sound effects to the challenge of landing precise shots. It’s definitely worth giving this weapon a try!
Keep an eye out for moreweapon guidesas we cover every type inNew World: Aeternum. If you have any additional questions about the game, feel free to visit ourNew World Wiki. So, what do you think about themusket? Do you prefer it forPvEorPvP? How do you use it, and what are your best tips? Share your thoughts 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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