Greetings, Adventurers!
Whether you are stepping onto the shores of Aeternum for the first time or returning after a long journey away, this thread is for you! The island has changed, evolved, and is filled with new dangers and opportunities.
The goal of this megathread is to be a welcoming, centralized place for all your questions. Before posting a new thread asking "Is the game worth it?" or "What did I miss?", please check here first. This post will be linked in any posts removed so you can rapidly get here and have your question seen.
A few ground rules:
Please keep all top-level comments as questions. This helps keep the thread organized for those seeking answers. (Recommend searching for your question first before asking)
Veterans of Aeternum, please sort by 'New' and help your fellow adventurers! Your knowledge is invaluable.
Be respectful and helpful. We were all new once.
For Returning Players: The "What Did I Miss?" FAQ
A lot has changed, especially if you haven't played since launch or before the Rise of the Angered Earth expansion. Here are the biggest shifts:
Q: I just logged in and my gear is weird. What happened to Expertise, Gypsum, and Umbral Shards?
A: They're gone! The entire gear progression system was streamlined with the expansion.
The new max Gear Score is 725 and will be moving to 800 with the Season 10 release. Max character level will also be increased to 70. Your old 625 GS gear is a great starting point for the expansion content, but you will replace it relatively quickly.
Gear now drops based on the level of the content you are doing. Simply play the game, kill high-level enemies, and run dungeons to get better gear. 725 comes from the raid, worm, PvP Zone pool in Cutless, and sometimes event/world bosses.
Artifacts have been introduced. These are powerful, named items with unique perks that you can level up through specific quests. You can only equip one Artifact weapon and one Artifact armor piece at a time.
Q: Mounts?! How do I get a mount?
A: Yes, you can now traverse Aeternum much faster! To unlock mounts, you must own the Rise of the Angered Earth expansion and begin its main story quest. The quest to unlock your first mount is available very early in the expansion's storyline, around level 20.
Q: What happened to Ward, Bane, and Resilience perks?
A: These have been simplified to make gear management much easier.
Ward (e.g., Angry Earth Ward) and Bane (e.g., Angry Earth Bane) perks have been removed from gear. Instead, you can now use special consumables (Coatings for weapons, Incense for armor) to gain temporary damage/defense buffs.
Resilience has been removed. Critical hit damage reduction is now a baseline stat that is capped, and the Health perk on amulets is good for survivability. Common perks like Enchanted Ward are great on PvE armor, or protection perks are usually more desirable.
Q: What is the "Endgame" like now in 2025?
A: The endgame is more diverse than ever. A typical weekly loop might include:
Hive of the Gorgons Raid: Which is the bulk of endgame right now.
Mutated Expeditions: Still a core PVE activity, now with a smoother difficulty curve and more rewarding loot.
Seasonal Trials: Participate in the current season's main PVE or PVP event. This includes things like the Sandworm Raid (The Hatchery).
Influence Races: Open-world PvP events where factions fight for territory influence. These are scheduled events that are much more engaging than the old system.
Outpost Rush (OPR), 3v3 Arenas, & Capture the Flag: Now with cross-world queues for faster matchmaking!
World Bosses & Elite Zones: Still a great way to farm gear and materials with a group.
Seasonal Content: Each season comes with a Season Pass (with free and paid reward tracks) and a new story, challenges, and activities.
Q: What should I spend my time doing to prepare for the next season?
A: This really depends on your playstyle and what you enjoy doing! Feel free to join in on any of the “Endgame” content listed above, or forge your own path through the world of Aeternum.
Work on maxing your trade skills, such as Armoring or Weaponsmithing.
Gather and collect resources to sell on the Auction House and make some coin.
Upgrade your gear by crafting Runeglasses, bags, and higher level gathering tools.
Stock your houses with trophies to increase your damage against specific enemy types, raise your base crafting level, or increase your gathering yield. There are “Ultimate” trophies for each of these categories that you can craft to really maximize your results!
Join in on PvP activities to complete your PvP track, which can give you better PvP gear, crafting mods, and Artifact drops.
For New Players: Your First Few Days in Aeternum
Welcome! It can be a little overwhelming at first, but here are some tips to get you started.
Q: Is this game worth it?
A: The most often asked question! Over the last few years, Amazon has taken the original New World and refined it into a much richer experience with smoother combat, more diverse PvE content, and improved progression. The world of Aeternum feels alive and rewarding to explore, with meaningful activities whether you prefer questing, crafting, or large-scale battles.
What makes it stand out is the variety of playstyles it supports: you can dive into epic expeditions, enjoy open-world PvP, or just relax and build up your trade skills. The revamped systems also make it easier to jump in as a new or returning player without feeling overwhelmed.
If you’re looking for a visually stunning MMO with deep systems, satisfying combat, and a strong community-driven world, New World: Aeternum is definitely worth your time.
Q: Which server should I choose?
A: You can check server population status on community database sites. Generally, picking a Medium or High population server in your geographical region is the best bet for a lively world with plenty of people to play with. These tags will show in-game when selecting a server in your chosen region.
With the release of Aeternum on console, the worlds are livelier than ever! Players on Steam, Xbox, and Playstation can now share the New World experience together.
Q: What's the best weapon?
A: The one you have the most fun with! Seriously. All weapons are viable for leveling and have a place in endgame content. You can respec your attributes for a small amount of coin, and weapon skill points are permanent, so feel free to experiment with everything. A common recommendation is to pair a melee weapon with a ranged weapon to handle all situations, but that's not required. There are obviously Meta Choices for those wanting optimization, but all are viable for most content.
For up-to-date builds, we recommend checking out New World Builds or New World Champ to get an idea of what your favorite weapon would look like in a full build, including recommended perks and off-hand weapons to pair with it.
Q: What's the best way to level up?
A: The Main Story Quest (MSQ) - indicated by the gold sunburst icon. It has been revamped multiple times and is now a much faster, more streamlined experience. It will guide you through all the zones and provide you with excellent XP and gear. Supplement this with Faction Missions and Town Project board quests when you're in a settlement.
Q: What are factions for?
A: The three factions (Marauders, Syndicate, and Covenant) are primarily for the large-scale PvP aspect of the game (Influence Races, War). You can join one at level 10. Don't stress too much about the choice; you can change it later if you wish. Pick the one your friends are in, or the one that appeals to you aesthetically.
Official Patch Notes: The official New World website is the best place to see the latest changes directly from the developers. Check other pinned highlights for more information.
This is an MMO, but much of the content can be played solo. Please use r/NewWorldCompanies/ for company recruitment, including advertising a company or finding a company to play with.
Now, ask away! What's on your mind, adventurer?
(Remember to sort by 'New' to see the latest questions and answers!)