In New World Aeternum, the spear stands out as a versatile weapon that excels in both PvE and PvP combat. This guide will explore optimizing your spear build, the skills and passives that maximize its potential, and the best strategies for pairing the spear with other weapons and armor to dominate in any situation. Whether focused on high-damage single-target encounters or crowd control in large-scale battles, this guide will help you make the most of the spear's unique mechanics.
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Spear Overview:
The spear in New World is a hybrid weapon, scaling with both Dexterity and Strength, but it performs best when focusing on Dexterity. While it works with strength-based weapons, investing more into Dexterity gives you higher damage returns, making it ideal for Dexterity-centric builds. This also pairs well with other Dexterity-based weapons like the bow or rapier.
Damage Scaling: Light attacks deal 100% damage, heavy attacks deal 130%, and fully charged heavy attacks deal 165%. While the Warhammer has a slightly higher charged heavy attack at 175%, the spear has much greater reach, making it easier to hit enemies from a safe distance. The spear primarily deals thrust damage, which is particularly effective against animals but less effective against undead, making it a situational weapon depending on your target.
Reach: One of the spear's greatest advantages is its long reach. You can engage enemies from a distance, keeping you out of range of shorter melee weapons while still landing effective strikes. This makes it a great weapon for PvP, where positioning and mobility are key.
Pros and Cons of the Spear:
Pros:
Crowd Control: The spear excels in controlling enemies, with multiple abilities that knock down, stagger, or slow opponents.
Versatility: The spear works well in both PvE and PvP, offering strong single-target damage and solid AoE options.
Extended Reach: Its long reach allows you to hit enemies without getting too close, especially useful in group combat.
Cons:
Narrow Hitbox: The spear's basic attacks have a narrow hitbox, making it harder to hit multiple enemies compared to weapons like the Great Axe or Hatchet.
Limited Burst Damage: While the spear has steady damage output, it lacks the explosive burst damage that other weapons like the Warhammer or Fire Staff can provide.
Less Effective Against Agile Opponents: Since the spear relies on precise hits, nimble enemies can sometimes dodge or avoid your attacks.
Spear Skill Trees: Zoner vs. Impaler
The spear has two skill trees - Zoner and Impaler, each offering a different approach to combat. Depending on whether you want to focus on crowd control or single-target damage, you'll need to invest in different skills and passives.
1. Zoner Tree (AoE and Utility)
The Zoner tree is perfect for players looking to control the battlefield, with abilities that focus on AoE damage and crowd control. Here are the key abilities:
Cyclone: Cyclone is a 360-degree AoE attack that slows enemies by 30% for 3 seconds. It's an excellent skill for PvP, where controlling movement is crucial, and in PvE, especially dungeons, it effectively deals with groups of enemies. Upgrading Cyclone restores stamina per hit and adds a pushback effect to the ability, further enhancing its crowd control potential.
Javelin: Javelin allows you to throw your spear, knocking down enemies from a distance. This is a fantastic opener in both PvP and PvE, especially when paired with the game's new lock-on feature, making it easier to land hits. Upgrading Javelin reduces cooldowns if you land headshots and increases its damage, making it useful for both crowd control and single-target fights.
Sweep: Sweep attacks in a 120 to 150-degree arc in front of you, knocking down enemies it hits. In PvP, Sweep is invaluable for creating space, giving you time to heal or reposition while your enemy is on the ground. In PvE, Sweep helps control multiple enemies, especially in dungeon encounters. Upgrading this skill adds grit, prevents you from being staggered, and allows for a follow-up attack.
Capstone: The Zoner Capstone, Reserved Strength, gives you a 25% damage boost at full stamina. Since basic spear attacks don't consume stamina, this capstone offers consistent damage output, making it ideal for PvE scenarios where you're dodging less and focusing more on direct attacks.
2. Impaler Tree (Single-Target Focus)
The Impaler tree focuses on dealing single-target damage and applying debuffs to enemies. This tree is particularly useful for PvP and boss fights where high single-target damage is crucial.
Perforate: Perforate delivers three quick hits that apply Rend, reducing the target's armor and increasing the damage they take. This skill is great for weakening tough enemies or bosses, making them more vulnerable to your and your team's attacks. Upgrading Perforate increases the Rend effect and adds a Weaken debuff, reducing the enemy's outgoing damage.
Skewer: Skewer allows you to rush toward the enemy and stab them, applying a bleed effect over time. This is great for keeping constant pressure on enemies in both PvE and PvP. Bleed is particularly annoying for opponents in PvP as it forces them to deal with continuous damage. Upgrading this skill increases damage and grants Empower for 10 seconds if the attack crits.
Vault Kick: Vault Kick is a short-range attack that stuns the enemy and reduces cooldowns on other spear abilities by 30% if it lands. This ability is perfect for interrupting enemy attacks, healing yourself, or setting up a devastating follow-up combo. Upgrading Vault Kick adds more utility, such as Empower and further cooldown reduction, allowing you to cycle through your abilities faster.
Capstone: The Impaler Capstone, Exploited Weakness, increases your damage by up to 30% based on the number of debuffs on your target. While this can be powerful, maintaining multiple debuffs is more difficult compared to the simpler damage boost of Reserved Strength from the Zoner tree. This Capstone is best used by advanced players or in specific team compositions where debuff stacking is easier.
Weapon Pairings and Armor Choices:
You'll want to pair the spear with weapons that complement its strengths to maximize its effectiveness. Here are some popular choices:
Bow or Musket: Both weapons scale with Dexterity, making them natural companions to the spear. The bow allows for mid-range combat, while the musket excels in long-range engagements. This pairing works well for players who like to kite enemies before switching to the spear for close combat.
Rapier: The rapier is another Dexterity-based weapon that excels in PvP. Its forward-moving abilities make it a great choice for closing the gap between you and fleeing enemies, compensating for the spear's lack of mobility.
Hatchet: While primarily a Strength weapon, the hatchet still benefits from Dexterity. Its passive movement speed buff helps make up for the spear's slower mobility, allowing you to chase down opponents or flee from danger when necessary.
Armor Recommendations:
Light Armor: For most spear users, light armor is the best option. It grants a 15% damage bonus and allows for a dodge roll, giving you the mobility to avoid attacks and reposition quickly. Since the spear excels at keeping distance between you and your enemies, the dodge roll is a valuable tool for staying agile while maintaining damage output.
Medium Armor: If you find yourself taking too much damage in battle, medium armor can provide a balance between survivability and mobility. It offers more protection than light armor but still allows you to dodge effectively.
The spear in New World Aeternum is a highly versatile weapon that can be tailored to fit different playstyles. Whether you prefer controlling the battlefield with crowd control and AoE abilities from the Zoner tree or focusing on single-target damage from the Impaler tree, the spear offers a robust set of tools for both PvE and PvP. By pairing the spear with complementary weapons like the bow, rapier, or hatchet and choosing the right armor for your playstyle, you'll be well-equipped to dominate in any scenario.
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