Welcome to our New World Damage Types and Effects guide. This is a guide on the damage types and effects in New World. Read on to learn New World’s damage mechanics, differences between the damage types, effects and ailments, and more!
New World Damage Types and Effects
New World’s Damage Mechanics
Damage Mechanics Explained
In the above image, the sword has the default Slash as its physical damage type. It also has a Lightning elemental damage type due to its Chain Lightning perk.
New World’s damage mechanics consists of two damage types: Physical Damage and Elemental Damage. Hovering over your weapon in the Inventory lets you see its Physical Damage Type, as well as any perk that adds an additional Elemental Damage Type.
Some weapons allow you to use a secondary physical damage type. For example, Swords have a Slash damage type when using its light attack. However, its heavy attack is a Thrust damage type.
Certain Weapon Skills also allow you to change a weapon’s damage type when activating an abillity.
Critical Hit Chance and Damage Modifier
All weapons in New World have a Critical Hit Chance and Critical Damage Modifier.
Critical Hit Chance determines the chance of landing a critical hit to an enemy while Critical Damage Modifier determines the extra damage dealt when doing so.
You can increase these two stats using perks or adding points to a certain attribute.
Backstabs and Headshots
Landing a critical hit causes the floating damage counter to appear with an orange color.
Backstabbing or hitting an enemy in the head is a guaranteed critical hit.
Backstab works by hitting an unsuspecting enemy from behind. This works best against stationary enemies such as the Corrupted in abandoned farmlands or the Lost sailors in shipwrecks.
Headshots work by aiming at an enemy’s head using a ranged weapon such as the Bow or Musket.
Take advantage of these maneuvers when facing PvE and PVP enemies.
Resistances and Weaknesses
When dealing damage to an enemy, a floating damage counter number appears briefly showing your damage output. The color will vary depending on the enemy’s resistance and weakness.
Resistant damage values are displayed with a blue color along with double arrows pointing downwards (⯯). This indicates that the physical or elemental damage is ineffective against the enemy.
Neutral damage values are displayed with a white color and a physical or elemental damage type icon used to attack the enemy. This means that the damage type is neither weak nor resistant against the enemy.
Effective damage values are displayed with a yellow color with double arrows pointing upwards (⯭). This means that the physical or elemental damage is effective against the enemy.
Enemy Type Resistances and Weaknesses Chart
Every enemy type in the game is weak or resistant against certain damage types. Knowing these will help you defeat enemies easier and create effective DPS builds.
See the chart below to learn each of the enemy type’s resistances and weaknesses.
Physical Damage Types – New World Damage Types and Effects
Slash
Slash is the primary physical damage type of Swords, Hatchets, and Great Axes.
Strike
Strike is the primary physical damage type of War Hammers.
Thrust
Thrust is the primary physical damage type of Spears, Muskets, Bows, and Rapiers. Swords can also inflict thrust damage when using its heavy attack.
Elemental Damage Types
Fire
Fire is the primary elemental damage type of Fire Staves. You can also equip a gemstone on a weapon to add a secondary fire elemental damage.
Perks that add a Fire Damage Type: Ignited I-IV
Ice
Ice is the primary elemental damage type of Ice Gauntlets. You can also equip a gemstone on a weapon to add a secondary ice elemental damage.
Perks that add an Ice Damage Type: Frozen I-IV
Nature
Nature is the primary elemental damage type of Life Staves. You can also equip a gemstone on a weapon to add a secondary nature elemental damage.
Perks that add a Nature Damage Type: Arboreal I-IV
Arcane
Arcane is a secondary elemental damage type that you can equip as a perk on a weapon. Certain weapons such as the Faeforged Musket has this as its primary damage type.
Perks that add an Arcane Damage Type: Empowered I-IV
Lightning
Lightning is a secondary elemental damage type that you can equip as a perk on a weapon.
Perks that add a Lightning Damage Type: Electrified I-IV
Void
Void is a secondary elemental damage type that you can equip as a perk on a weapon. Certain weapons such as the Longsight has this as its primary damage type.
Perks that add a Void Damage Type: Abyssal I-IV.
