New World Tank Gear Guide
With New World Aeternum, the Rise of the Angry Earth expansion, and 725 Gear Score upgrades, tanking has evolved significantly. Whether you’re clearing mutated expeditions or the Hive of Gorgons raid, this guide covers the best tank gear, shields, weapons, and perks to help you maximize survivability and threat generation.
Want to tank like a pro? Here’s the best armor, weapons, and accessories for tanking in New World in 2025.
Crafting & Upgrading Gear in New World
Named gear items can be upgraded to 700 gear score, regardless of their initial score. For instance, the Taiyi Longsword may drop as low as 550, but it’s still upgradable to 700.
To upgrade, gather the required materials, head to the Gypsum Kiln, select the item at the bottom of the menu, and proceed with the upgrade. Note that the item must be removed from any saved gear sets before upgrading. You’ll also have the option to choose the final perk, letting you create a near Best-in-Slot item.
Gear drops typically range from 650 to 700 and come in purple or gold quality. Before upgrading, check if the perks suit your build. Another way to acquire high-level items is by collecting materia from mutated expeditions or the season pass. With sufficient progression in the Season pass, you can accumulate materia faster, though it generally takes around 25 M1 expeditions to gather enough for one gear piece.
Upgrading to 725 Gearscore Gear in New World
To reach the max gear score of 725, you’ll need to focus on the Hive of Gorgons Raid, the Cursed Mists PvP zone, or certain activity caches.
Key Sources of 725 Gear:
- Hive of Gorgons Raid:
- Obtain 725 gear from boss loot drops, including Hoplite and Gorgon sets.
- Each completed raid grants 10 Hive of Gorgons tokens, which can be used at a gypsum kiln to craft specific 725 gear.
- Look out for Gorgon’s Eye, a crafting material dropped by bosses, used to craft 725 gear with Gorgonite schematics.
- Cursed Mists PvP Zone:
- Earn cursed doubloons by looting chests and defeating enemies, which can be converted to mystic doubloons by exiting the PvP zone.
- Gather a Goldcursed Coconut (limited to one every 7 days) from cursed hoards.
- Exchange mystic doubloons, Goldcursed Coconut, and dark matter at the Well of Fortune in Cutlass Keys for 725 gear. The coconut can also upgrade artifacts to 725.
- Caches and Trials:
- Outpost Rush, invasion, war spoils, and arena caches may drop 725 gear.
- Completing the Sandwurm Trial or crafting with mystic doubloons can yield 710 gear, upgradable to 725 at a gypsum kiln.
In summary, after reaching gear score 700, prepare for the Hive of Gorgons raid or the Cursed Mists PvP zone, or upgrade gear via caches and gypsum kilns to reach the max score of 725.
The Best New World Tank Armor
Armor Sets
Best-in-Slot Options
- Azoth Crystal Set
A strong set, featuring Refreshing and Enchanted Ward. It’s obtainable from Mutation 2 or 3 bosses in any expedition or crafted at the Gypsum Kiln, making it easier to acquire. - Frigid Dawn Set
One of the top sets for tanks, obtained from the Mutated Glacial Tarn. - Void Darkplate Artifact
A great choice for tanks, offering 20% increased armor, Enchanted Ward, and Physical Aversion.
Easier-to-Acquire Gear
- 675 Alliance/Faction Gear
A good entry set with solid perks. - Woodgrain Set
A potential 700 gear score set that’s easily farmed in Edengrove’s Malevolence Elite Area, notably from the boss Baines.
Armor Perks
Armor Perks to Prioritize
Focus on perks such as Refreshing, Health and Enchanted Ward. Your armor should also include a Weapon Buffing Perk such as Accelerated Resolve or Sundering Shockwave.
Alternative Perks that are useful include Slash Conditioning and Physical/Elemental Aversion. Remember, Refreshing is limited to four gear pieces, so avoid over-stacking it.
Make sure to align your perks with your chosen weapon and preferred skills. If you aren’t using a specific skill, avoid perks tailored to it, as they won’t add any benefit.
Note that certain perks are more effective when applied directly to your weapon or shield, offering a stronger buff than on armor alone.
- Flail: Crowded Bludgeon, Mending Vortex
- Sword: Accelerated Resolve, Empowering Whirling Blade (use on Armor if not on Sword)
- War Hammer: Empowering Armor Breaker, Penetrating Wrecking Ball, Sundering Shockwave
- Greatsword: Relentless Freedom, Energizing Counter
- Spear: Enfeebling Skewer, Fortifying Perforate
The Best New World Tank Shields
Tower Shields
Best-in-Slot Options
It’s difficult to find BiS options due to the Ward Perk being so useful, meaning you need multiple different shields for different damage types.
- Tall Duneborn Shield
Good for Sword users but missing Ward - Woodgrain Tower Shield
Easy to farm and useful for Flail and Sword users - Hoplite Tower Shield
Decent perks but not possible to get both Ward and Shield Rush perks
Shield Perks
Shield Perks to Prioritize
- Shield Ward/Protection Perks (Flame, Frozen, Nature, Void, etc) – useful for adapting to specific boss or mutation damage types.
- Fortifying Shield Rush essential shield perk when paired with a sword.
- Enchanted Ward – Lots of damage comes from light and heavy attacks so good for reducing this
- Sturdy – Reduces stamina block cost
The Best New World Tank Weapons
| Weapon | Named Weapons | Perks |
|---|---|---|
| Sword |
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| War Hammer |
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| Spear |
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| Flail |
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| Greatsword |
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| Great Axe |
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The Best New World Tank Amulets
Amulets
Best-in-Slot Options
You need multiple amulets with different Protection Perks and there are very few BIS named items available.
- Heart of Cold
- Lost Stopwatch – Good for beginners or players struggling with aggro, providing 300% increased threat for reliable enemy attention.
Amulet Perks
Amulets are useful to reach the 50% damage reduction cap on specific elemental damage which is needed for Mutated Expeditions. You require multiple amulets each with a Protection Perk + Gem against each mutation type (Flame, Frozen, Nature, Void)
Amulet Perks to Prioritize
- Protection Perks (Flame, Frozen, Nature, Void) – useful for adapting to specific mutation damage types.
- Divine – Increases healing received
- Health – Large health increase
- Fortified – Use with Sword and Fortifying Shield Rush
- Empowered
The Best New World Tank Rings
Rings
Best-in-Slot Options
- Privateer’s Heirloom – Good BiS option, just needs Leeching adding to it.
- Soulpollen – Depending on the weapons you use in your build this might be better with Thrust Damage over Slash
- Azoth Crystal Ring – Just another option pre-loaded with BiS perks
- Blooddrinker – a unique option, trading 25% damage for 25% lifesteal, combined with Leeching and Hearty, can enhance your survivability. Very strong for solo or random groups but may cause issues with maintaining threat.
Ring Perks
Rings have limited useful perks so you target these particular perks which are also pretty simple to farm and obtain with multiple options of Rings that can be used.
Ring Perks to Prioritize
- Hearty
- Leeching
- Damage Perk such as Slash Damage
- Enfeebling – Improves your Weaken uptimes.
The Best New World Tank Earrings
Earrings
The 3 Best in Slot perks can’t be combined but these are some options to use.
Best-in-Slot Options
Earring Perks
Recent changes to potions which makes Healing and Regeneration potions share a cooldown have made previous perks less effective now.
Earring Perks to Prioritize
- Nimble – Essential for recovering stamina
- Regenerating – Healing every seconds improves threat as it classes as healing
- Despised – Increases Threat by a large amount, using this with Carnelian gems and playing actively should be enough for maintaining threat
Final Tanking Tips for New World in 2025
✅ Start with faction gear (675 GS) before farming BiS sets
✅ Prioritize Refreshing, Health & Enchanted Ward armor perks
✅ Use Void Darkplate for maximum armor & survivability
✅ Add weapon skill buffing perks to your armor
✅ Upgrade gear to 725 GS via Hive of Gorgons & Cursed Mists PvP
✅ Use multiple shields & amulets for different mutation damage types
✅ Stack a Fortifying Shield Rush Shield and Sundering Clear Out War Hammer with optimal other perks to maximise your build
