In this ever-evolving New World, the role of a tank is crucial in ensuring the success of your group's endeavors. Whether you're tackling challenging dungeons or engaging in intense PvP battles, having a well-optimized tank build is essential for surviving the front lines and protecting your allies. In this guide, we will delve into the 3 popular and powerful tank builds for the year 2023, providing you with detailed insights and strategies to maximize your tanking potential. 

 

• Sword & Warhammer Build
• Greatsword & Spear Build
• Sword & Hatchet Build

 

 

We'll explore the recommended attribute allocations, weapon choices, and abilities for each build, allowing you to adapt your playstyle to different scenarios and become an indomitable force on the battlefield.

 

↖ Sword & Warhammer Build

The sword and shield with a Warhammer build is a versatile and powerful option for tanking in New World. Here's how you can optimize this build:

 

Attributes:

Allocate 300 points into Constitution to unlock the Grit ability. Then, distribute the remaining points into Strength to increase your damage and threat generation. Alternatively, you can invest 150 points into Dexterity for reduced dodge costs.

 

Sword & Shield Abilities:

Utilize Reverse Stab, Shield Rush, and Defender's Resolve. Reverse Stab reduces cooldowns via the Tactician passive. Shield Rush provides a strong defensive buff when combined with a shield that has the Fortifying Shield Rush passive—defender's Resolve buffs resistances and grants tanking strength. Leadership can also be used to enhance group damage.

 

Warhammer Abilities:

Focus on Armor Breaker, Wrecking Ball, and Shock Wave for crowd control and debuffing. Make sure to use the Sundering Shockwave perk to amplify your Shock Wave ability. Consider using Mighty Gavel instead of Armor Breaker if you have a group member wielding a spear.

 

Weapon Recommendations:

Look for named swords such as Deep Root, Grove Warden, Guardian's Resolve, In Furnace, and Timekeeper's Hand. When using a shield, a tower shield like Titan Wall, Hourglass, Good Love, The Geb, or Portent is recommended. For the warhammer, prioritize obtaining one with the Sundering Shockwave perk.

 

Playstyle:

Initiate combat with Shield Rush to generate threat and gain defensive benefits from the Fortifying Shield Rush perk. Activate Defender's Resolve to buff yourself and apply an AoE taunt. Use Reverse Stab to reduce sword cooldowns. Employ Armor Breaker and Shock Wave for debuffs and crowd control. Light attacks between skills will maximize your Warhammer's efficiency.

 

↖ Greatsword & Spear Build

The greatsword and spear build offers an alternative approach, focusing on increased DPS and additional debuffs. This build requires more experience but provides excellent rewards. Here's how to optimize it:

 

Greatsword Abilities:

Utilize Relentless, Rush Counter, and Roaring Rupture. Relentlessly helps you get into position quickly, while Calamity Counter provides an AoE taunt. Apply weakened debuffs with Roaring Rupture by maintaining the Faultless Defender passive.

 

Spear Abilities:

Prioritize Cyclone, Perforate, and Skewer. Use Cyclone for AoE damage and slow, and if possible, find gear with the Leaching Cyclone perk for self-healing. Apply to rend, weaken, and bleed debuffs with Perforate and Skewer.

 

Weapon Recommendations:

Seek out named greatswords like Thor Berserker Sword, Blade of the 19th Soul Step, and Stonehewer. For the spear, aim for the Tip of the Morning Star with the Infeebling Skewer perk.

 

Playstyle: Use Relentless to position yourself quickly, then employ Calamity Counter for AoE taunting. Apply weakened debuffs with Roaring Rupture and debuff enemies further with the spear's abilities. Light attacks between skills will help maximize damage output.

 

↖ Sword & Hatchet Build

The sword and shield with the hatchet build is an excellent option for beginners, offering a strong defensive setup while providing significant damage output. Here's how to make the most of this build:

 

Sword & Shield Abilities:

Switch some of the swordmaster passives to the defender tree for more self-benefits. Use Berserk, Raging Torrent, and Infected Throw. Defy Death is a valuable passive, preventing Death when taking lethal damage.

 

Hatchet Abilities:

Focus on Berserk, Raging Torrent, and Infected Throw. Infected Throw debuffs enemies, while Berserk provides AoE taunting and life-stealing benefits. Raging Torrent should have the Refreshing Torrent perk to reduce cooldowns drastically.

 

Weapon Recommendations:

Prioritize finding a hatchet with the Refreshing Torrent perk. No specific named weapons are required for this build.

 

Playstyle:

Utilize Infected Throw to debuff enemies, and make use of Berserk for AoE taunting and life-stealing benefits. Employ Raging Torrent, taking advantage of the Refreshing Torrent perk. This build is forgiving, thanks to the Defy Death passive.

 

Conclusion:

These top three tank builds for New World in 2023 offer a range of options for tank players. Whether you prefer the sword and shield with warhammer versatility, the greatsword and spear's increased DPS and debuffs, or the sword and shield with the hatchet's beginner-friendly setup, there's a build that suits your needs. Experiment, find the right weapons, and master your abilities to become a formidable tank in New World. For further information and builds, visit tankclub.com or join the Tank Club Discord community. Happy tanking!