Welcome to this guide, where we'll explore the significant changes brought to the spear in New World with the latest patch, specifically focusing on cyclone ability. This update has completely transformed the way the weapon is utilized. In this guide, we will compare Cyclone with Coup de Grace and introduce a specialized Sandworm Spear Build to optimize your DPS. So let's dive in!

 

• Cyclone Changes
• Scaling Considerations
• Ability Selection
• Sweep vs. Cyclone
• New Spear Build for Sandworm
• DPS Comparison

 

↖ Cyclone Changes

Cyclone received a substantial buff in the form of increased damage scaling from 130 to 165. Additionally, the animation was significantly sped up, even on high ping servers, making it a fast and impactful attack. The hitbox was also extended downwards to reduce the chances of missing the ground.

 

↖ Scaling Considerations

It's important to note that Cyclone deals strike damage rather than thrust damage. This means that the damage when using a thrust damage ring will be slightly lower compared to other abilities. It is similar to a thrust ability with roughly 150 scalings, which can be compensated by the extra thrust damage from your ring. This difference can be advantageous in both PvP and PvE.

• In PvP, where players often have thrust protection, Cyclone can bypass their defences.
• In PvE, despite not having a thrust damage bonus, the increased strike damage makes the spear a more versatile weapon, especially against ancients and lost enemies.

 

↖ Ability Selection

The spear offers three strike abilities: Cyclone, the initial hit of the Sweep, and Vault Kick. Some players have expressed concern about fitting Cyclone into their build, as they believe all spear abilities are essential for PvE, specifically Sweep, skewer, and perforate. However, depending on your group composition and the number of crowd control abilities available, you may only need skewer and perforate. In such cases, Sweep can be replaced by Cyclone.

 

↖ Sweep vs. Cyclone

When comparing the two abilities, Sweep and Cyclone, it's important to consider their damage output and other factors. Let's analyze them:

 

Damage Perspective:

• Sweep: The initial Sweep deals 45-strike damage. With the Cuda Grass effect (150% damage) and bleeding damage (9.6x8 or 9), the total weapon damage ranges from 272 to 280. However, most of the damage comes from the bleed, which lasts for 8 seconds.
• Cyclone: A heavy attack plus Cyclone combo deals higher damage compared to Sweep. The total damage is a heavy attack (165 scalings) combined with Cyclone (330 weapon scaling) for instant damage. The majority of the damage is area-of-effect (AOE) without a damage-over-time (DOT) effect.

 

Animation and Locking:

• Sweep animation is slightly longer, which can be a disadvantage.
• Cyclone has a shorter animation and does not lock you in place as much.

 

Skill Point and Perk Investment:

• Sweep requires more skill points (3) and perks to maximize its damage output.
• Cyclone requires fewer skill points (1) and offers additional effects like slow and stamina regeneration.

 

In most PvE situations, Cyclone tends to be more effective due to its higher damage output, AOE nature, and additional effects. However, if crowd control (CC) is a priority, Sweep can be used in combination with Cyclone. Consider the investment of skill points and perks when choosing between the two abilities.

 

↖ New Spear Build for Sandworm

The upcoming patch introduces raids that pose challenges for spears and other weapons with bleeding effects. Here's a new spear build specifically designed for the Sandworm encounter:

 

Build Overview:

• Prioritize stamina regeneration and extra effects for light attacks.
• Focus on abilities that maximize damage output and reduce cooldowns.

 

Ability Selection:

• Perforate: Highest DPS ability with three quick attacks and 80 weapon scaling.
• Cyclone: Provides high damage output and additional effects.
• Vault Kick: Unconventional choice with useful effects for this build.

 

Perk Selection:

Relentless Blows (from Vault Kick): Provides a guaranteed empower when targets are below 50 health.

• Continuous Motion: Reduces cooldowns for faster ability usage.
• Aggressive Maneuvers: Further reduce cooldowns.
• Exploit Weakness: Increases damage against vulnerable targets.
• Exacerbated Crits: Enhances critical chance for increased damage.
• Keen Vault Kick: Provides extra critical chance, compensating for the lack of guaranteed to backstab opportunities.
• Exposed Wounds: Maintains bleeding damage on the target.

 

Additional Points:

• Allocate extra points in Perforate for debuffs, as required.
• Adjust perk selection based on your preferences and available gear.

 

This new spear build focuses on resetting Perforate and Cyclone as frequently as possible. Utilize abilities like Refreshing Jabs and Aggressive Maneuvers to maintain a continuous flow of attacks. The build is tailored specifically for the Sandworm encounter, but further testing is recommended to determine its effectiveness in different scenarios.

 

↖ DPS Comparison

In initial tests, the new spear build showed a slightly longer completion time on a dummy compared to a standard build with bleeds—however, factors such as ping, gear quality, and specific perks needed to be fully optimized. With better gear, a keen vault kick, and multiple refreshing pieces, the two builds are expected to have comparable damage output. Further testing on the Sandworm encounter will provide more accurate results.

 

Note: This build is designed for the Sandworm encounter and may be less effective in other situations. 

 

Conclusion:

Overall, the spear in New World has undergone significant changes, and with the right build and understanding of the abilities, you can optimize your gameplay and maximize your damage output. Whether you choose Cyclone or sweep, adapt your playstyle to the situation at hand and enjoy the versatility and power of the spear in your adventures.