Ahoy, fellow adventurers! As we prepare for the upcoming expansion in the New World, there are many aspects to consider beyond just trading. Now, we'll explore the significance of Dark Matter, an essential resource in the new expansion, and share valuable tips to help you make the most of this exciting journey. But our journey doesn't stop there; we'll also delve into a range of preparations, from faction XP farming to stacking up on critical items, ensuring you're primed and ready for whatever lies ahead. 

• Dark Matter: The Keystone to Upgrading
• Sources of Dark Matter
• Additional Preparations

↖ Dark Matter: The Keystone to Upgrading

Dark Matter plays a pivotal role in the expansion, replacing Umbral Shards and serving various purposes. It is used to upgrade artifacts and allows you to choose the third perk on them, similar to Emerald Shards. This upgrade not only boosts the gear score but also grants you the ability to select a perk of your choice. Here are the resources required for artifact upgrades:

• 100 Dark Matter
  
• 1 Gypsum Orb
  

In addition to artifacts, you can also upgrade certain named gear pieces with Dark Matter, which lets you choose their third perk. For named items upgrades, the requirements are slightly different:

• 100 Dark Matter
  
• 1 Gypsum Orb
  

To craft these upgrades, you'll need Weapon or Armor Matrixes. Let's take the Armor Matrix as an example:

• Armour Matrix: 250 Azoth
  
• Other resources (specific to the upgrade)
  
• 5 Gypsum Orbs
  

So, stacking up on Gypsum Orb is a wise move. But where do you acquire Dark Matter?

↖ Sources of Dark Matter

• Salvaging Legendary Gear: Dark Matter can be obtained by salvaging legendary gear, including old named gear that will no longer serve any purpose beyond 625 gear score. If you have older named gear with shiny effects, it will likely upgrade to 625 gear score on its own, granting you 2 Dark Matter per item.
• Upgrading Certain Gear: Upgrade gear that only becomes legendary when named, such as faction gear from Outpost Rush. This can yield additional Dark Matter.
• PvP Rewards: PvP tracks offer Dark Matter rewards, starting at 40 for 8,000 Azoth. As your PvP track level increases, so do the Dark Matter rewards, with 12,000 Azoth netting you 96 Dark Matter. While reaching track 200 might be challenging, you can prepare by accumulating PvP track XP before the expansion's release. If you have Umbral Shards saved up, there's a good chance they'll convert into Dark Matter once the expansion arrives. Consider not claiming Umbral Shards from rewards before the expansion to gain Dark Matter potentially.
• Major Sandworm Spoils: Defeating the Sand Worm once a week provides a significant boost of 320 Dark Matter. Make sure to engage in group activities to access this source.
• Siege of Sulfur Spoils: These spoils can be obtained three times daily during events, each granting 10 Dark Matter.
• Hatchery Runs: Completing seven Hatchery runs in a week can provide you with 70 Dark Matter if you have a strong group.
• Other Old Items: Various old items, including Umbral Shards, may convert into Dark Matter. Be prepared to receive Dark Matter from items you've been hoarding.
• Tempestus Cache: If you're willing to grind, you can acquire 8 to 16 Dark Matter per completion of Tempestus Cache, but it requires multiple runs and caches before access.
• Cash of Mutated Armaments: If you're a returning player, you may have these caches, each containing 50 Dark Matter. They are worth opening before the expansion.

Now that you're well-informed about the Dark Matter acquisition, let's explore additional expansion preparation tips.

↖ Additional Preparations

While Dark Matter is a significant focus, there are other essential preparations to consider for the expansion:

• Faction XP Farming: Faction rewards are valuable in the expansion, offering resources that boost your farming and gathering skills. Farming faction XP can be limited to three uses per day, so make strategic use of it to prepare.
• Save Faction Tokens: Faction tokens can be useful for purchasing rewards in the expansion, such as the Ethos Inductor and 675 faction gear. Save your tokens for these valuable items.
• Faction Rank and Cooldown Rewards: Many expansion rewards are tied to a new faction rank and come with cooldowns. To prepare, complete faction missions, but wait to turn them in until the expansion hits. This can give you a significant head start on progression.
• Town Board Quests: If you're planning to complete the season pass activities quickly, have some Town Board quests ready to turn in when the expansion launches. This will help you fulfil the season pass requirements faster.
• Wildlife Combat Trophies and Potions: Stock up on Wildlife Combat Trophies, Beast Coatings, and Beast Ward Potions. These items can be beneficial in the new expansion, especially for the new Expedition.

Conclusion:

In total, preparing for the New World expansion goes beyond trading. Dark Matter is a critical resource for gear upgrades, and acquiring it can be strategically planned. Additionally, optimizing faction rewards, saving tokens, and planning ahead for faction ranks and season pass activities can give you a significant advantage when the expansion arrives. Happy adventuring!