The best Sword and Shield builds in New World make use of both the offensive and defensive capabilities both pieces of equipment have. The Sword and Shield combination is the only weapon in all of New World capable of both offense and defense, making it the perfect weapon for players who prefer a balanced playstyle. The Sword and Shield combination is also considered one of the most powerful weapons in all of New World for both PvE and PvP.
The Sword and Shield combination has two Mastery Trees to choose from in New World. The Swordmaster Tree increases the offensive capabilities of the Sword, while the Defender Tree focuses on the Shield’s abilities. The two trees can be mixed and matched to cater to a variety of playstyles and gain additional passive bonuses from the perks. Each tree has three Abilities to choose from, and only three abilities can be chosen in total, but this weapon specialization’s versatility makes it great for new players to earn more XP quickly.
The Swordmaster and Defender tree active Abilities are:
- Whirling Blade (Swordmaster): Deals 145% weapon damage to all enemies within two meters
- Reverse Stab (Swordmaster): A stabbing attack that deals 175% weapon damage
- Leaping Strike (Swordmaster): Leap six meters and deal 135% weapon damage
- Shield Rush (Defender): Rush forward five meters knocking enemies back and dealing 125% weapon damage
- Shield Bash (Defender): Deals 50% weapon damage and stuns enemies for two seconds
- Defiant Stance (Defender): For eight seconds, reduce the incoming base damage from enemies by 30%
New World: The Best Sword and Shield Builds
There are two build options for players who like to use the Sword and Shield in New World, one that relies on offensive DPS-based gameplay and another that focuses on playing a Tank. Those who choose to use the best New World Tank build will need to unlock and use every ability and perk under the Defender tree. Tanks are going to be on the front lines, taking lots of damage and managing crowd control while supporting the more offensive-based teammates. Additionally, it’s a great idea to run a Life Staff with this build so the Tank can heal themselves and their teammates when needed.
The other best Sword and Shield build utilizes a mix of Swordmaster and Defender abilities and perks to remain offensively capable for as long as possible in New World. The three abilities are Whirling Blade, Reverse Stab, and Shield Rush. Shield Rush and Reverse Stab are favorable abilities for one-on-one fights, while Whirling Blade can quickly finish off multiple enemies with low health. This build focuses on using abilities to bring crowds of enemies down to weaker one-on-one fights.
New World is available for PC.
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