Sword and Shield Perks for New World

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.

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

• 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.
• Keenly Empowered — This should be used on your Sword since Keen and Vicious will go on your Shield.
• Attunement Perks — This adds a great burst of damage to every attack.
• Empowering Leaping Strike — This adds great damage to every Sword combo.
• Bane Perks — (PvE) Use a Bane perk instead of Plagued Strikes in PvE.

• Fortifying Shield Rush — (On Gear) Fortify is valuable when tanking, it is also a great utility pickup when playing a damage build.
• Thwarting Strikes — Increased damage on everything if you play with 300 Strength.
• Enchanted — Great PvE option to increase damage.
• 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.

• Contagious Reverse Stab — Good damage increase for only Reverse Stab, it does have some debuff removal potential.
• Empowering Whirling Blade — Beneficial AoE damage increase if you use Whirling Blade. This is most likely only in PvE.
• Shirking Damage Perks — Can be a budget option instead of Attunement or Chain Damage.

• 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 — This will not be used enough to make its duration decrease valuable. It also applies to only one target at a time.
• 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 — 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 — 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

• Sturdy — Important for all tanking shields to allow more blocks.
• Sturdy Energy — Helps with stamina regeneration.
• Fortifying Shield Rush — Large fortify buff when using builds with 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.

• Keen
• Vicious
• Keenly Jagged
• Keenly Empowered

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

• Resilient — Great for survivability in all PvP environments. Should be stacked on almost every armor piece.
• 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 — Defensive option that can provide value when being hit by ranged attacks.

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

• Shirking Fortification — Provides a small amount of defensiveness.

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.

• Physical Aversion
• Invigorated
• Refreshing Evasion
• Refreshing Ward

• Refreshing — Free cooldown reduction in PvE. This is generally a top pick due to the lackof needing PvP survivability perks.
• 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.

• Shirking Fortification — Provides great defensiveness when threat is focused on you and you are forced to dodge enemies.
• Physical Aversion — Has less value than Elemental Aversion due to the high amount of magical damage in all expeditions. It can be a viable third perk option.

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

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

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 can only go on a ring.

• Health — This is just free health. This is crucial on any amulet for increased survivability.
• 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 — Important for PvE survivability.
• 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 — In light armor builds, this is a great option if you are able to snowball and not die.
• Slash Damage — This should be paired with either Invigorated Punishment or Mortal Empowerment in PvP. This should always be used in PvE. These statements only apply to melee weapons.
• Keen Awareness — This can be used instead of Slash Damage in PvP if you prefer. In PvE, use this with Slash Damage on Legate's Ring.
• Refreshing Toast — Incredible perk to increase self healing and Infused Regeneration Potion usage to remove debuffs. This is a "must-have" on earring.
• 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 — Great for light armor PvP builds and all tanking builds.

• 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 — Can be placed as a third perk on an earring or used as a functional perk on other jewelry pieces.
• 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 — This a great option to pair with Slash Damage and Keen Awareness when playing in a PvE build with Legate's Ring.
• Regenerating — Free additional healing over time. This can be a decent third perk option.

• Refreshing Evasion
• Thrust Protection — Slash Protection should be prioritized, but this can be used if you are struggling against damage from Bows, Muskets, and Blunderbusses.
• Despised — Can be helpful with threat generation.
• Fortified

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.

• Refreshing Ward
• Brilliant
• Fortified Recovery
• Alacrity
• Purify
• Focused
• Healthy Toast