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Choosing the right weapon for leveling in New World can be a daunting task, especially for new players or even those returning to the game after some time away. Each weapon offers its own strengths, weaknesses, and synergies that can shape your leveling experience. The goal here is to provide a comprehensive overview of what I believe are the best and worst weapons for leveling—not necessarily for late-game content or PvP, but purely for the leveling journey. This is just my perspective, and it's important to remember that while some weapons might be better suited for leveling, there's no weapon that is completely ineffective in the game.

Top S-Tier Weapons for Leveling

Fire Staff

The Fire Staff is one of the standout options for leveling due to its versatile strengths. It offers strong single-target and AoE damage, alongside a ranged attack that allows you to pull enemies from a distance. This feature is particularly valuable in the early game, where other players might be competing for kills, as it helps ensure you secure the credit for defeating mobs. The main downside is the lack of crowd control (CC) and sustain, but the high burst damage often makes up for it by eliminating threats before they reach you. The Fire Staff’s scaling with Intelligence makes it less synergistic with other physical weapons, but it still stands out as an excellent solo choice for leveling.

Hatchet

The Hatchet is another highly effective weapon for leveling, known for its high single-target damage and immunity to staggers. This immunity can be helpful when fighting multiple enemies, allowing for uninterrupted damage output. The Hatchet also has ranged attacks, making it a versatile choice even though it’s primarily a melee weapon. It pairs well with other weapons that scale with Strength or Dexterity, providing flexibility in builds. The life-steal capabilities, though slightly diminished compared to previous versions, still add some sustain during combat, making it a reliable option for those seeking a straightforward and powerful leveling tool.

Spear

The Spear earns its spot in the S-tier due to its mix of utility and damage. It provides access to bleeds, weakens, and fortifies, offering both offensive and defensive boosts. Additionally, its CC potential allows you to control the battlefield, locking down mobs with stuns, sweeps, and knockdowns. While it does have a ranged javelin attack, most players prefer to focus on its melee capabilities for leveling. The Spear’s scaling with Strength and Dexterity makes it a natural pairing with the Hatchet or Greatsword, providing flexibility for players looking to diversify their combat options.

Greatsword

The Greatsword is a relatively recent addition that has quickly become a favorite among players for leveling. It combines exceptional single-target and AoE damage with decent defensive capabilities. Players can build the Greatsword for self-healing and survivability while maintaining a high damage output, making it a strong all-rounder. Its equal scaling with Strength and Dexterity makes it easy to pair with other weapons, and it transitions well into late-game PvE content. The Greatsword offers a seamless balance of offense and defense, making it an ideal choice for those looking to breeze through the leveling process.

A-Tier Weapons: Great Choices with Slight Drawbacks

Life Staff

The Life Staff is unique in its ability to offer sustained healing during combat, making it one of the most durable choices for leveling. Players using a Life Staff rarely need to worry about their health, which can make the leveling experience more forgiving, especially in tougher areas. However, the trade-off is that the Life Staff lacks significant damage output, making it slower for clearing mobs. It pairs best with a secondary weapon that can deal high damage, but obtaining Focus gems for optimal scaling can be challenging at lower levels. Nevertheless, for those interested in running dungeons, using a Life Staff can make it easier to find groups, as healers are always in demand.

Sword and Shield

The Sword and Shield combo is a classic choice for players who might want to dip into tanking while leveling. It offers solid survivability with decent damage and access to defensive abilities. While it might not be as flashy or high-damage as the Greatsword or Hatchet, it is a dependable weapon for those who value durability and the ability to quickly switch to a tank role during dungeon runs. It also scales with Strength and Dexterity, making it easy to integrate with other weapons like the Spear or Hatchet.

Great Axe

The Great Axe provides a mix of AoE damage and moderate sustain through life-steal effects. Its Reap ability offers a way to pull enemies in, giving it a pseudo-ranged capability, albeit limited in distance. The Great Axe’s charge ability also gives it high mobility, allowing players to move quickly between mobs, which is useful for grinding and questing. While it may not match the single-target damage of the Hatchet or the utility of the Spear, its combination of crowd control and mobility makes it a solid choice for those who prefer a straightforward melee approach.

B-Tier Weapons: Strong, but Situational

Rapier

The Rapier shines in high-level PvE, especially against bosses, thanks to its quick attacks and strong single-target damage. However, it’s not as effective during the early leveling process since it requires a more developed skill tree to fully come online. It also relies heavily on perks like Leeching Flurry for sustain, making it gear-dependent. Despite its drawbacks, the Rapier can be a rewarding weapon for those willing to invest in learning its combos and timing, but it’s better suited for players who already have some experience with the game.

Bow

The Bow offers the advantage of range, allowing players to pull enemies from afar, which is especially valuable when quest areas are crowded with other players. It scales with Dexterity, making it a natural pairing with the Rapier or Spear. While it lacks the raw power of the Fire Staff in terms of AoE damage, the Bow can be a strong single-target choice for those who prefer a ranged playstyle. Its mobility skills allow for quick repositioning, though the introduction of mounts in New World has lessened the value of its speed boosts.

Ice Gauntlet

The Ice Gauntlet provides decent damage output and crowd control, making it a viable option for leveling. It lacks the burst damage of the Fire Staff but compensates with abilities like Ice Storm for AoE control. Its ranged attacks make it useful for pulling mobs, and its defensive capabilities, such as Entombed, can serve as a lifesaver in tight situations. Pairing it with a Fire Staff can create a balanced build, but the lack of mobility compared to other options places it slightly lower on the tier list.

C-Tier Weapons: Niche Options with Specific Strengths

Musket

The Musket has seen improvements, making it a more viable choice for PvE leveling than before. It now has options for AoE damage through abilities like Sticky Bomb, and its range allows for easy pulling of mobs in crowded areas. However, its overall damage output can lag behind other ranged weapons like the Bow or Fire Staff. It’s more of a preference-based weapon—if you enjoy the Musket’s playstyle, it can be effective, but it’s not the most efficient choice for rapid leveling.

Blunderbuss

The Blunderbuss excels in burst damage, making it effective for quickly eliminating single targets. However, its lack of sustain and reliance on gear to maximize its effectiveness make it a less ideal choice for leveling. Players looking to pair it with a Great Axe or other melee weapon can find success in a hybrid build, but it requires careful timing and positioning, which might be challenging for newer players.

Flail

The Flail is a fun weapon with a mix of crowd control and debuffs, but it doesn’t stand out as a top choice for leveling. It lacks the raw damage and efficiency offered by other weapons, and its utility is more tailored towards group play and late-game builds. While it’s far from useless, most players will find other weapons more effective for the solo leveling grind.

Conclusion

When it comes to leveling in New World, your choice of weapon can greatly impact your experience. The Fire Staff, Hatchet, Spear, and Greatsword all stand out as top-tier options, offering a blend of damage, utility, and survivability that can make the leveling process smooth and efficient. A-tier weapons like the Life Staff and Great Axe are excellent alternatives, offering more specialized strengths. Meanwhile, B- and C-tier weapons provide viable, if less universally effective, choices that can suit different playstyles. Ultimately, the best weapon is the one that fits your preferred playstyle and helps you enjoy your journey through Aeternum.

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