Sword and Shield Perks for New World

Last updated on Oct 22, 2023 at 12:30 by Lemoni 8 comments
General Information

Welcome to our Perks page for Sword and Shield. Here, we give you an overview of how strong each perk is in each setting. Then, we present Jewelry perks and explain how strong and why each of them is.

1.

Perk Tierlists

All the perks below are usable in any Sword and Shield build. While there are many other perks in the game, these are the perks that are within the scope of having value when using a Sword and Shield and properly gearing your build.

2.

Sword Perks

The perks within this section include general weapon perks and Sword specific perks that are in the current META.

2.1.

S-Tier

  • Rogue Rogue — Can be an amazing source of damage as long as you are htting a target from behind. This is important for increasing damage when using Leaping Strike Leaping Strike.
  • Keenly Empowered Keenly Empowered — This should be used on your Sword since Keen Keen and Vicious Vicious will go on your Shield.
  • Attunement Perks — This adds a great burst of damage to every attack.
  • Empowering Leaping Strike Empowering Leaping Strike — This adds great damage to every Sword combo.
  • Bane Perks — (PvE) Use a Bane perk instead of Plagued Strikes Plagued Strikes in PvE.
2.2.

A-Tier

  • Fortifying Shield Rush Fortifying Shield Rush — (On Gear) Fortify is valuable when tanking, it is also a great utility pickup when playing a damage build.
  • Thwarting Strikes Thwarting Strikes — Increased damage on everything if you play with 300 Strength.
  • Enchanted Enchanted — Great PvE option to increase damage.
  • Refreshing Move Refreshing Move — Provides cooldown reduction for long tanking cooldowns.
  • Chain Damage Perks — Adds a decent burst of damage to attacks. Can bounce and help with Heartrune charge.
2.3.

B-Tier

2.4.

C-Tier

  • Accelerated Resolve Accelerated Resolve — By the time the animation for this ability completes you will already lose some of the haste. It is not a very beneficial pick.
  • Diminishing Shield Bash Diminishing Shield Bash — This will not be used enough to make its duration decrease valuable. It also applies to only one target at a time.
  • Keenly Jagged Keenly Jagged — This is a good perk, but since it is able to be rolled on a shield, you do not want it on your weapon.
  • Vicious Vicious — This is a good perk, but since it is able to be rolled on a shield, you do not want it on your weapon.
  • Keen Keen — This is a good perk, but since it is able to be rolled on a shield, you do not want it on your weapon.
  • Hated Hated
3.

Shield Perks

3.1.

Best Tank Perks

  • Sturdy Sturdy — Important for all tanking shields to allow more blocks.
  • Sturdy Energy Sturdy Energy — Helps with stamina regeneration.
  • Fortifying Shield Rush Fortifying Shield Rush — Large fortify buff when using builds with Shield Rush Shield Rush. This should be on your shield if you are tanking.
  • Shield Protection Perks; This acts similarly to Protection perks found on Amulets. This can be valuable depending on the expedition you are running.
3.2.

Best Damage Perks

4.

PvP Perks

The perks within this section include general armor perks for builds that are viable in the current PvP META.

4.1.

S-Tier

  • Resilient Resilient — Great for survivability in all PvP environments. Should be stacked on almost every armor piece.
  • Freedom Freedom — Fantastic survivability option when stacked four times on armor pieces. Allows for you to get out of stuns, slows, and roots more quickly to save your life.
  • Elemental Aversion Elemental Aversion — Defensive option that can provide value when being hit by ranged attacks.
4.2.

A-Tier

  • Refreshing Refreshing — Top-tier cooldown reduction option so that maximum cooldowns are shorter and abilities come online faster. Used in non-bruiser builds.
4.3.

B-Tier

4.4.

C-Tier

These options are somewhat filler perks that can be used on a three perk item so you have more value than a simple two perk item. They are low value perks in this aspect of gameplay and would not be the pick for a Best in Slot item.

5.

PvE Perks

5.1.

S-Tier

  • Refreshing Refreshing — Free cooldown reduction in PvE. This is generally a top pick due to the lackof needing PvP survivability perks.
  • Elemental Aversion Elemental Aversion — High value defensive option because of the rotating elemental types in mutated expeditions.
  • Ward (Ancient, Angry Earth, Corrupted, Lost) — When playing damage roles in end game PvE content, it is important to have this in your gear so you are able to play with less Constitution and have more defensiveness.
  • Bane (Ancient, Angry Earth, Corrupted, Lost) — Free damage increase for mutator-specific enemies. This will require you to have multiple different weapons depending on the expedition it is used in.
5.2.

A-Tier

5.3.

B-Tier

  • Refreshing Evasion Refreshing Evasion — Free cooldown reduction in PvE. It can be useful, but it is better to have Refreshing Refreshing
  • Freedom Freedom — Can be beneficial to reduce CC effects from some enemy types.
  • Refreshing Ward Refreshing Ward — Loses value in PvE, it is typically best to just use Refreshing Refreshing as a DPS. With that being said, this is a good option for tanks.
5.4.

C-Tier

These options are somewhat filler perks that can be used on a three perk item so you have more value than a simple two perk item. They are low value perks in this aspect of gameplay and would not be the pick for a Best in Slot item.

  • Invigorated Invigorated
  • Ward (Beast) — Although listed in C-Tier, this should not ever be taken until there is an expedtion with beast damage in it.
6.

Jewelry Perks

The perks listed below are combined between amulet, ring, and earring. These are the best options for jewelry as a whole. Keep in mind that some of these perks are only able to go on a specific jewelry slot, for example Keen Awareness Keen Awareness can only go on a ring.

6.1.

S-Tier

  • Health Health — This is just free health. This is crucial on any amulet for increased survivability.
  • Stamina Recovery Stamina Recovery — Great survivability option in any kit. When you are being dove on by enemies this has the potential to save your life.
  • Divine Divine — Important for PvE survivability.
  • Invigorated Punishment Invigorated Punishment — This is a consistent damage increase and should often be used if playing as a melee since it is likely that you will die in PvP.
  • Mortal Empowerment Mortal Empowerment — In light armor builds, this is a great option if you are able to snowball and not die.
  • Slash Damage Slash Damage — This should be paired with either Invigorated Punishment Invigorated Punishment or Mortal Empowerment Mortal Empowerment in PvP. This should always be used in PvE. These statements only apply to melee weapons.
  • Keen Awareness Keen Awareness — This can be used instead of Slash Damage Slash Damage in PvP if you prefer. In PvE, use this with Slash Damage Slash Damage on Legate's Ring Legate's Ring.
  • Refreshing Toast Refreshing Toast — Incredible perk to increase self healing and Infused Regeneration Potion Infused Regeneration Potion usage to remove debuffs. This is a "must-have" on earring.
  • Purifying Toast Purifying Toast — Necessary for most frontline players in PvP to help with defensiveness and one's ability to play in the frontline. Removing a debuff such as a root, or a DoT, and can save your life. Not needed for PvE tanking.
  • Hearty Hearty — Great for light armor PvP builds and all tanking builds.
6.2.

A-Tier

  • Slash Protection Slash Protection — (PvP) Can be a great third perk option on amulet to help provide defensiveness against enemies using melee weapons who are trying to dive onto you.
  • Elemental Protection Perks — Changing Amulets to match the mutated expedetion's elemental damage type provides great defensiveness in addition to your gems.
  • Refreshing Refreshing — Can be placed as a third perk on an earring or used as a functional perk on other jewelry pieces.
  • Hearty Hearty — Do not use this in a medium loadout build. It is not necessary unless playing in a light armor loadout. If you are playing in light this must be on your ring and it would be S-Tier. It is not needed in PvE.
  • Leeching Leeching — This a great option to pair with Slash Damage Slash Damage and Keen Awareness Keen Awareness when playing in a PvE build with Legate's Ring Legate's Ring.
  • Regenerating Regenerating — Free additional healing over time. This can be a decent third perk option.
6.3.

B-Tier

6.4.

C-Tier

These options are somewhat filler perks that can be used on a three perk item so you have more value than a simple two perk item. They are low value perks in this aspect of gameplay and would not be the pick for a Best in Slot item.

7.

Changelog

  • 22 Oct. 2023: Guide updated for expansion.
  • 29 Mar. 2023: Updated tiers for Season One.
  • 16 Feb. 2023: Guide added.
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