Best New World Aeternum Greatsword Build for Every Playstyle
October 22, 2024 12:08 pm
In
New World Aeternum , the Greatsword stands out as one of the most powerful and versatile weapons available to players. Its wide attack range, high damage output, and balanced offensive and defensive capabilities make it an ideal choice for those looking to dominate the battlefield while maintaining control. Unlike other two-handed weapons, the Greatsword not only deals significant damage but also allows players to block incoming attacks, making it a formidable option for both offense and defense. By developing a well-rounded build around the Greatsword, you can maximize its potential and become a true force on the battlefield.
The Greatsword offers two primary playstyles:
- Pairing with Ranged Weapons: Deal damage from a distance and switch to melee when enemies get close.
- Combining with Sword and Shield: Use it as a tank in expeditions, providing both offense and defense.
Focuses on high damage and aggressive gameplay, perfect for players who want to unleash devastating attacks and crush their enemies.
Provides more defensive capabilities, allowing players to block and mitigate damage while maintaining a continuous offensive presence.
To maximize the potential of the Greatsword, focus on the following attributes:
- Strength: The primary scaling attribute for the Greatsword. Investing heavily in Strength will significantly increase your damage output, making your attacks more powerful and deadly.
- Dexterity: The secondary scaling attribute. Dexterity helps further enhance your damage output and makes your attacks more precise. Consider allocating a moderate amount of points into Dexterity for an additional damage boost.
- Constitution: Vital for survival. Constitution increases your health, allowing you to take more hits before going down. As with any melee build, survivability is crucial.
- Strength: 300-350
- Dexterity: 50-100
- Constitution: 100-150
The Onslaught skill tree is all about maximizing your damage output. If you want to deal the most damage with your Greatsword, this is where you should focus.
Relentless Rush:
- Description: This skill allows you to dash through enemies while spinning, attacking twice and applying a slow effect to all affected targets. It’s perfect for hitting groups of enemies, especially when they are clustered together—such as around a tank in a dungeon, when pulling multiple enemies during quests, or even in PvP when players are grouped.
- Upgrades: As you level up this skill, it gains increased damage through fortification, making it even more potent. Additionally, if you are in Onslaught Stance, it will root the target, which is particularly useful in PvP. If you are in Defiance Stance, it will heal you for 15% of the damage dealt, making it more effective in PvE.
Crosscut:
- Description: This skill performs two cross slashes followed by a heavy overhead strike. Each hit deals progressively more damage, with the final strike dealing the most. However, without the first upgrade for Courage, this skill can be easily interrupted during its animation.
- Upgrades: Investing in upgrades will make this skill more reliable and deadly.
Skyward Slash:
- Description: This skill performs an upward slash. When upgraded, it can follow up with additional attacks that deal damage, inflict rend, stagger the target, and eventually apply disease to reduce healing. Due to the long animation time, it can be tricky to use effectively.
- Upgrades: Completing the upgrades will maximize its potential, making it a powerful tool in your arsenal.
The Defiance skill tree focuses on providing defensive capabilities while maintaining offensive pressure.
Steadfast Strike:
- Description: This skill first thrusts forward and then performs a spinning slash. It can knock back enemies, pull targets, and generate threat, making it a reliable choice for drawing aggro in dungeons. Additionally, it restores 20 stamina per hit, which is great for tanks and useful in PvP.
- Upgrades: Upgrading this skill increases its utility and effectiveness.
Calamity Counter:
- Description: This skill automatically blocks for 2 seconds, reducing stamina damage by 90%, and then counters based on the number of blocked attacks, causing enemies to stagger or retreat. It’s particularly useful for dealing with groups of enemies in dungeons, large-scale PvP, or when tackling multiple enemies during quests.
- Upgrades: Upgrades can apply bleed, increase critical hit chances, and heal you when using Defiant Stance.
- Roaring Rupture:
- Description: This skill drives your sword into the ground, creating a shockwave that deals damage, enhances your defenses, and generates threat to nearby enemies. It’s perfect for tanks. When upgraded, it can cleanse two debuffs, weaken targets, and make you uninterruptible for 5 seconds.
- Upgrades: Upgrading this skill will significantly enhance its utility and effectiveness in both PvE and PvP scenarios.

The Greatsword in New World is a formidable and versatile weapon, adaptable to various playstyles. Whether you aim to deal significant damage, tank for your team, or strike a balance between the two, the Greatsword offers the skills and attributes to support your approach. By prioritizing the right attributes and mastering key skills from both the Onslaught and Defiance trees, you can become a powerful presence on the battlefield.