


Pick up the majority of the passives from the Defender tree, including valuable assets like Recuperation, which increases incoming healing by 10%-ideal if you're running with a dedicated healer-and One With The Shield, reducing shield cooldowns by a small amount each time you block an attack. Related: New World: Jewelcrafting Leveling Guide

Use this to aggro fodder packs in Expeditions or to gain DR during a boss fight. You gain massive damage resistance, taunt every enemy within proximity, and it even heals you once the ability ends. Use this window to swap weapons or recover your resources.ĭefiant Stance is your bread and butter. Keep in mind that the stun from Shield Bash is removed when that target takes damage. Shield Bash is an excellent taunt skill to use against bosses and a solid stun against fodder enemies. You should pick up Shield Bash and Defiant Stance in this mastery tree, then opt for the Whirling Blade mastery from the Swordmaster tree. The Defender Tree is a good place to start for the Sword.
