What is the focus of the Sword & Shield Tank Build in New World Season 10: Nighthaven?

The Sword & Shield Tank Build focuses on aggro maintenance, survivability, and team empower via Leadership for the Hive of Gorgons Raid, emphasizing staying on Sword & Shield as much as possible.

What mainhand weapon should I use for the Sword & Shield Tank Build?

Equip Insurmountable Cutlass with Leeching, Trenchant Rend, and Taunt Gem for aggro and Rend application.

What offhand weapons should I use for this build?

Use Tower Shield with Protection, Shield Defense, Grit Ward, Enchanted Ward, and Sturdy for survivability, and Greatsword with Taunt Gem, Keenly Empowered, Energizing Counter, Trenchant Strikes, and Trenchant Crits for Rend.

How should I allocate attributes for the Sword & Shield Tank Build?

Set attributes to Strength 198, Dexterity 5, Intelligence 5, Focus 25, and Constitution 350.

What armor perks should I prioritize?

Prioritize Weapon Perks (Fortifying Shield Rush, Accelerated Resolve), Gem Slot with Onyx (x5), Grit Ward (x5), Enchanted Ward (x5), and Fixed Perks (Slash Conditioning, Strike Conditioning, Prolonged Favor).

What jewelry should I choose for this build?

Select a Protection Amulet matching the activity’s damage type with Protection, Well-Being, Gem Slot, Enchanted Ward, and Grit Ward perks (II versions). Use a Blooddrinker Ring with Leeching and Enfeebling perks. Equip an Earring with Refreshment, Refreshing Move, Keenly Fortified, Despised, and Gem Slot perks.

Which Heartrune is best for this build?

Use Stalwart Heartrune of Stoneform for uninterruptible damage mitigation.

What buffs and trophies should I use for Hive of Gorgons Raid?

Apply 3x Major Angry Earth Trophies (15% Angry Earth Damage), Infused Angry Earth Coating (15% Angry Earth Damage), Infused Angry Earth Ward (10% less damage from Angry Earth), Powerful Honing Stone (7% Empower), Desert Sunrise (25% reduced DoT duration), and +48 food. Aim for 5 buffs above your health bar.

What is the combat rotation for the Sword & Shield Tank Build?

Follow this sequence: 1. Use Shield Rush, 2. Heavy Attack for brief taunt, 3. Use Whirling Blade, 4. Perform 3 light attacks for Rend and threat, 5. Use Resolve for longer taunt and survivability, 6. Perform heavy attack + 3 light attacks until cooldowns return. Weave in Greatsword offhand when safe.

What are some tips for optimizing this build in the Hive of Gorgons Raid?

Stay on Sword & Shield for 10% Leadership empower. Weave Greatsword during safe moments like Echidna stamina break. Dodge over block to conserve stamina. For Echidna: Strike Amulet/Shield. Typhon: Slash Amulet/Shield. Medusa: Nature Amulet/Strike Shield. Use the Empower Calculator to track your 47% Empower total (from Powerful Honing Stone, Empowered Stab, Leadership).

Hive of Gorgons Tank Build - New World Season 10

Using Aconite as a mainhand weapon is not a meta build, but can still pump out serious damage due to its inherent damage bonus. This New World Aconite Build for Season 10: Nighthaven is great for Invasions, Broodmother Medusa in the Hive of Gorgons raid, and has potential for ranged PvP as well. In this guide, I will provide the complete build details as well as How To Play it in PvE content in New World

Weapons

Mainhand

Insurmountable Cutlass with:
Leeching
Trenchant Rend
Taunt Gem

Tower Shield with:
Protection
Shield Defense
Grit Ward
Enchanted Ward
Sturdy

Hive of Gorgons Tank Build mainhand New World Season 10

Hive of Gorgons Tank Build shield New World Season 10

Offhand

Greatsword with:
Taunt Gem
Keenly Empowered
Energizing Counter
Trenchant Strikes
Trenchant Crits

Skill Tree

Attributes

Strength	198
Dexterity	5
Intelligence	5
Focus	25
Constitution	350

Armor

This gear serves as a starting point to build upon as some of it may get replaced when you come into Set pieces with infixes. Infixes should replace your least favorite fixed perk on each piece. The Gem slot serves as your defensive piece with an Onyx.

Weapon Perks
- Fortifying Shield Rush
- Accelerated Resolve
Gem Slot x5
Grit Ward x5
Enchanted Ward x5
Fixed Perks
- Slash Conditioning
- Strike Conditioning
- Prolonged Favor

Jewelry

Pick the best Protection amulet that matches the most common damage you will be taking in the activity you are in. Assume all perks are the new “II” or “2” versions.

Amulet Perks:

Protection
Well-Being
Gem slot
Enchanted Ward
Grit Ward

Ring Perks:

Blooddrinker with:
Leeching
Enfeebling

Earring Perks:

Refreshment
Refreshing Move
Keenly Fortified
Despised
Gem Slot

Some of the Offensive and Defensive sockets are flexible for your to pick the your preferred perk.

Heartrune

Stalwart Heartrune of Stoneform

Typical Buffs and Trophies

You should ideally have 5 buffs above your health bar, and Major trophies at each of your 3 houses matching the enemy type you are facing. For example:

3x Major Angry Earth Trophies – 3×5%(15%) Angry Earth Damage
Infused Angry Earth Coating – 15% Angry Earth Damage
Infused Angry Earth Ward – take 10% less damage from Angry Earth enemies
Powerful Honing Stone – 7% Empower
Desert Sunrise – reduce duration of incoming DoTs by 25%
+48 food

How to Play

Shield Rush
Heavy Attack – for brief taunt
Whirling Blade
3x Light Attacks – for Rend and extra threat
Resolve – for longer taunt + big survivability
Heavy Attack + 3x light attacks to apply Rend – continue this until cooldowns are up on other abilities

The idea should be to stay on Sword & Shield as much as possible so your teammates get the 10% empower from Leadership bonus + better overall survivability when the boss is attacking you. Weave in offhand abilities when the boss has a down moment for abilities to apply Rend, allowing your team to do more damage, and switch back to Sword & Shield quickly.

Weave in offhand abilities when safe between boss mechanics that take larger amounts of time like when Echidna from Hive of Gorgons is downed for the stamina break or “free DPS” phase where it’s standing on its back legs to trigger the spike explosion.

Empower details

Powerful Honing Stone	7%
Empowered Stab	30%
Leadership	10%
Total	47%

Empower is capped at 50%, but having more than 50% can help you manage to stay at cap at all times. To know where your current Empower total stands, check out the Empower Calculator. Even with Defiant Stance taking 15% empower away, you are still able to hit Empower Cap with a timed rotation.

Tips for Hive of Gorgons Raid

Learning the boss mechanics will save you big time in stamina consumption. Dodging for 50 stamina is often the better option compared to blocking.

Echidna – Do your best to hold it still and facing the same direction so DPS don’t have to move all over the arena. Strike Amulet and Shield

Typhon – During the add phases, kite Typhon around one of the pillars to avoid damage, and save your stamina. Slash Amulet and Slash Shield

Broodmother Medusa – Keep Medusa busy between the two right fountains from the entrance. Cleanse yourself when poison stacks go above 10, although healer should be helping cleanse you. Nature Amulet and Strike Shield

Build made using the free tools at New World Buddy.

For unfamiliar terms, please refer to our terminology guide.

Hive of Gorgons Tank Build – New World Season 10