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New World: Blade of the Sandwurm Matron introduces one of the most ambitious raid encounters yet: the Sandwurm Matron, a massive, ancient beast lurking beneath the shifting dunes of Brimstone Sands. A combination of myth and nightmare, the Matron is both a world boss and the key to unlocking a powerful new legendary weapon—the Sandwurm Fangblade.

 

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know: how to prepare, how to survive, how to coordinate with your group, and how to claim the coveted Fangblade. Whether you're a returning adventurer or freshly arrived in Aeternum, this guide ensures you're not swallowed whole.

 

1. The Sandwurm Matron: Overview

 

Location:

 

Zone: Brimstone Sands

Arena: The Hollow Maw – a colossal, circular open-world crater accessible via a Warden's Obelisk after completing specific pre-raid tasks.

Respawn Timer: 72 hours (or on rotation in specific world events)

 

Recommended Group Size:

 

20 players (10 minimum for scaling)

Mix of tanks, healers, ranged DPS, and melee burst

 

Boss Type:

 

Behemoth-class Wurm

Massive AoE damage

Multi-phase encounter

Sandstorm mechanics and summoned minions

 

2. Pre-Fight Preparation

 

Before you even enter The Hollow Maw, your team must prepare adequately.

 

Gear Score Requirement:

 

Minimum GS 620+ to survive Phase 3

Optimal GS 650–675 with perks

 

Essential Consumables:

 

Blight Tinctures – for Phase 2 venom attacks

Infused Health & Regeneration Potions

Hearty Meals for stamina regen

Powerful Honing Stones – increase damage

Coatings: Beast Coating (the Matron is categorized as a beast-type)

 

Trophies & Camp Bonuses:

 

Beast Hunter Trophy (Major if possible)

Camp Tier 5 for max buff duration

Sandwurm Lure Crystal (crafted from Scorpion Glands and Charged Sand) – needed to summon her outside of event rotations

 

Best Weapons:

 

Greatsword – High burst damage and mobility

Bow or Musket – Ideal for attacking from range in sandstorm phases

Fire Staff – Excellent AoE and damage-over-time effects

Sword & Shield – For off-tank and defensive utility

 

3. Raid Composition

 

Suggested Group Roles:

 

2 Main Tanks

4–6 Healers (1 per 4 players, Life Staff with Beacon + Orb of Protection)

6–8 DPS (melee/ranged mix)

4 Utility Hybrids (Hatchet + Void Gauntlet, Sword + Life Staff)

 

4. The Sandwurm Matron Phases

 

Phase 1: Surface Assault

 

Description:

 

The Sandwurm erupts from the dunes and begins slamming the ground with massive area attacks.

 

Abilities:

 

Tremor Slam – AoE cone in front of her head

Sand Spit – Damaging line attack targeting distant players

Burrow Swipe – When she dives under briefly and attacks from below

 

Mechanics:

 

Avoid standing in front of the Matron unless tanking

Spread out to reduce Sand Spit casualties

Use movement skills when you see sand stirring—she's about to emerge again

 

Strategy:

 

Ranged DPS should kite along the arena's perimeter

Tanks taunt and reposition often

Healers stack Beacon on tanks and light weave for AOE heals

 

Phase 2: Minion Swarm & Venom Breath

 

Trigger: Matron drops to 70% HP

 

Adds:

 

Sandlings – Fast-moving melee adds

Venom Scorpions – Ranged poison spitters

Carrion Swarmers – Explode on death; deal poison AoE

 

New Boss Abilities:

 

Venom Breath – Wide cone; applies poison debuff

Quicksand Pools – Randomly generated slow zones

 

Mechanics:

 

Must kill adds quickly or they will overrun supports

Poison effects stack—use tinctures and cleanse spells

 

Strategy:

 

Assign 2–3 players to add-clearing

Keep ranged players positioned around the center

Rotate healers to cleanse poison and reposition

Tank should drag Matron away from poison zones

 

Phase 3: Sandstorm Cataclysm

 

Trigger: Matron hits 40% HP

 

Description:

 

Arena-wide sandstorm reduces visibility and damages players over time. The Matron now summons ancient spirit clones and becomes semi-invisible, emerging to strike and vanish again.

 

New Abilities:

 

Storm Surge – Heavy DoT across the arena; unavoidable

Illusory Clones – Phantom Matrons that use weaker versions of real abilities

Wurm Fang Strike – Massive bite attack that can one-shot low-armor players

 

Mechanics:

 

Reduced visibility—rely on voice comms and position markers

Healers MUST use AoE over time and regen fields

Clone Matrons drop sand crystals that help clear storm stacks

 

Strategy:

 

Focus fire on the real Matron—her clones take 80% reduced damage

Drop AoEs like Ice Shower, Gravity Well to trap clones

Rotate defensive cooldowns; tanks must communicate taunts

Stay close to allies—solo players get picked off

 

Phase 4: The Final Thrust

 

Trigger: 10% HP

 

Description:

 

Matron enrages and spams all previous abilities with reduced cooldowns. Damage taken increases for all players by 50%.

 

Mechanics:

 

No adds spawn, but sandstorm and poison persist

One misstep can wipe the group

 

Final Strategy:

 

Stack near the Matron's tail or back legs—avoids frontal attacks

Pop damage cooldowns (Berserk, Detonate, Fireball, Rain of Arrows)

One healer should maintain emergency res duty

Use Sandwurm Lure Crystals to get bonus resistance for this phase if possible

 

Victory:

 

When defeated, the Matron drops a massive pile of loot, and has a rare chance to drop:

 

5. The Legendary Reward – Sandwurm Fangblade

 

Type:

 

Greatsword (Legendary Tier)

 

Perks:

 

Beastslayer's Edge – +20% Damage to Beast-class enemies

Razor Fangs – 15% chance to bleed enemies for 6s

Sandshroud – Gain +15% movement speed after dodge

Enchanted Slash – Light and heavy attacks deal +9% more damage

 

Gear Score Range:

 

650–675

 

Scaling Attributes:

 

Primary: Strength

Secondary: Dexterity

 

Synergy Builds:

 

Greatsword + Bow: Excellent for PvP flanks and PvE burst combos

Greatsword + Hatchet: High sustain and front-line durability

Greatsword + Fire Staff (Fire Leap Build): High crit synergy with Flame Dots and bleed

 

6. PvP & PvE Applications

 

PvP Use:

 

Great mobility and bleed stack potential

Sandshroud allows chase or disengage

High impact in Outpost Rush or Arenas

 

PvE Use:

 

Shreds bosses in Expeditions with Beast tags (e.g., Angry Earth beasts, corrupted wolves)

Bleed stacks help with DoT-focused groups

Buffs group clear with war-style synergy

 

7. Crafting & Upgrading the Fangblade

 

If you're unlucky and don't get the drop directly, you can craft the Sandwurm Fangblade using:

 

Required Materials:

 

1x Wurm Heart Core (rare drop from Matron)

5x Scorched Shardsteel Ingot

20x Sandwurm Plates

10x Fang Resin

3x Runic Alloy

 

Crafting Station: Tier 5 Forge in a maxed-out settlement with Beastcrafter Trophy

 

Upgrading to 700 GS Variant (Mythic Quality):

 

Combine Fangblade with:

 

1x Primal Sandwurm Heart (event-exclusive)

3x Enchanted Fang Runes (PvP reward track)

5x Umbral Flames

 

8. Tips & Final Thoughts

 

Voice Communication is vital during Phase 3 sandstorm chaos.

Assign roles before entering the fight—disorganization kills more than the Matron does.

Stock up on tinctures. Poison wipes groups faster than slams.

Keep ranged DPS mobile—standing still is death post-40% HP.

Farm her in groups or during event windows for better loot rates.

 

Conclusion

 

The Blade of the Sandwurm Matron content in New World exemplifies what makes the game's PvE content stand out: massive spectacle, coordinated teamwork, and meaningful reward. The Matron is more than a boss—she's a challenge that tests your group's synergy and your personal combat discipline.