Weapon Mastery Guide: List of Weapon Skills and Abilities

This is a guide on New World's Weapon Skills. Read on to see all of the available skills and abilities for each weapon and how Weapon Mastery works in the game!

List of Weapon Skills

Sword and Shield

Weapon Skill Categories
Sword & Shield	Rapier	Hatchet	Spear
Great Axe	War Hammer	Bow	Musket
Fire Staff	Life Staff	Ice Gauntlet	Void Gauntlet

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Sword and Shield Skills

Active Skills

Defiant Stance	Shield Rush	Shield Bash
Leaping Strike	Whirling Blade	Reverse Stab

Passive Skills

Defensive Formation	Restoration	Final Count Down
High Grip	Recuperation	Fortitude
Defensive Training	Sturdy Grip	Intimidating Rush
Improved Rush	Final Blow	One With The Shield
Elemental Resistance	Sturdy Shield	Concussive Bash
Intimidating Bash	Leadership	Cowardly Punishment
Final Strike	Achilles Heel	Critical Precision
Counter Attack	Freeing Justice	Empowered Stab
Tactical Strike	Opportunity	Confidence
Opportunist	Mobility	Precision
Tactician	Unstoppable Stab	Invigorating Bulwark

Rapier

Weapon Skill Categories
Sword & Shield	Rapier	Hatchet	Spear
Great Axe	War Hammer	Bow	Musket
Fire Staff	Life Staff	Ice Gauntlet	Void Gauntlet

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Rapier Skills

Active Skills

Fleche	Evade	Riposte
Flurry	Flourish And Finish	Tondo

Passive Skills

Momentum	Interruption	Backside
Quick Lunge	Swiftness	Perfectionist
Controlled Breathing	Crescendo	Adagio
Allegro	Breathe In	Red Curtains
Desperation	Lasting Consequence	Priority
Insult To Injury	Finalize	To The Bone
Fleeting Strikes	Overwhelm	Light Edge
Engarde	Bloody End	Fuel
Swagger	With Flair	Heavy Puncture
Unerring	Refreshing Strikes	Proper Spacing
And Again	Thirst For Blood

Hatchet

Weapon Skill Categories
Sword & Shield	Rapier	Hatchet	Spear
Great Axe	War Hammer	Bow	Musket
Fire Staff	Life Staff	Ice Gauntlet	Void Gauntlet

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Hatchet Skills

Active Skills

Infected Throw	Social Distancing	Rending Throw
Raging Torrent	Berserk	Feral Rush

Passive Skills

Persistent Hinderance	Aerial Transmission	Mortal Power
Rejuvinating Crits	Adrenaline Rush	Exploitation
On Fire	Critical Throw	Stay Back
Quick Power	Boot And Rally	Refreshing Throws
Aimed Throw	Second Wind	Opportunistic
Targeted Impact	Defy Death	Final Blow
Aggressive Approach	Desperate Refresh	Fortifying Strikes
Relentless Fury	Accumulated Power	Uninterruptible Berserk
Berserking Purge	Berserking Refresh	On The Hunt
Frenzied Purge	Against All Odds	Enraged Strikes
Crippling Strikes	Dispatch

Spear

Weapon Skill Categories
Sword & Shield	Rapier	Hatchet	Spear
Great Axe	War Hammer	Bow	Musket
Fire Staff	Life Staff	Ice Gauntlet	Void Gauntlet

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Spear Skills

Active Skills

Vault Kick	Skewer	Perforate
Sweep	Javelin	Cyclone

Passive Skills

Exploited Weakness	Continuous Motion	Relentless Blows
Refreshing Jabs	Exposed Wounds	Aggressive Maneuvers
Finishing Blows	Deep Wound	Follow Through
Deadly Ambush	Exacerbating Crits	Unerring Precision
Crippling Jabs	Impactful Strikes	Rupturing Strikes
Precise Jabs	Reserved Strength	Coup De Grace
Tenacious Sweep	Defensive Stance	Merciless Strength
Evasive Maneuvers	Deadly Reach	Deadly Distance
Refreshing Precision	Forceful Impact	Strong Conditioning
Invigorating Crits	Deadly Consistency	Strong Momentum
Invigorating Combo	Refreshing Reach

Great Axe

Weapon Skill Categories
Sword & Shield	Rapier	Hatchet	Spear
Great Axe	War Hammer	Bow	Musket
Fire Staff	Life Staff	Ice Gauntlet	Void Gauntlet

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Great Axe Skills

Active Skills

Gravity Well	Maelstrom	Whirlwind
Execute	Reap	Charge

Passive Skills

Mauler's Fury	Unyielding	Crowded Well
Crowded Protection	Revenge	Enduring Strike
Heavy Pull	No Reprieve	Absorb
Storm's Reach	Center Of Attention	Gravity
Mauler's Resolve	Surrounded	Unending Winds
Gusting Winds	Blood Lust	Executioner
Unstoppable Greed	Executioner's Speed	Critical Condition
Death's Embrace	Greed	Fatal Attraction
Hunger	The Collector	Feed
Keen Edge	Frustration	Critical Gains
Unpredictable Strike	Frenzied Momentum

War Hammer

Weapon Skill Categories
Sword & Shield	Rapier	Hatchet	Spear
Great Axe	War Hammer	Bow	Musket
Fire Staff	Life Staff	Ice Gauntlet

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War Hammer Skills

Active Skills

Path Of Destiny	Clear Out	Shockwave
Wrecking Ball	Mighty Gavel	Armor Breaker

Passive Skills

Aftershock	Stimulated Reduction	Seismic Waves
Acceleration	Prevailing Spirit	Concussive Impact
Guarded Sprint	I Can Do This All Day	Swing Away
Clean And Refreshed	Power Cleaner	Resurgence
Facilitated Expedition	Outnumbered	Meteoric Crater
Frailty	Breathing Room	Safety Measures
Hardened Steel	Power Through Pain	Contemption
Hammer Time	Justice For All	Expedite
Impact Fracture	Summary Judgment	Quick Recovery
Exhaustive Attacks	Epitome Of Bonk!	Opening Act
Lasting Trauma	Indomitable

Bow

Weapon Skill Categories
Sword & Shield	Rapier	Hatchet	Spear
Great Axe	War Hammer	Bow	Musket
Fire Staff	Life Staff	Ice Gauntlet	Void Gauntlet

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Bow Skills

Active Skills

Splinter Shot	Penetrating Shot	Rapid Shot
Rain of Arrows	Evade Shot	Poison Shot

Passive Skills

Concussion	Calculated	Scatter Shot
Bullseye	Arrow Range	Opening Strike
Unbreakable Focus	Aim True	Deep Strike
Blood Soaked Arrow	Hawkeye	Surprise Attack
Finishing Shot	Long Range	Final Blow
Rapid Accuracy	Hooked Arrows	Barbed Arrows
Catch Me If You Can	Battle Precision	Archer's Speed
Hunter's Insight	Closing In	Evasive Tactics
Knee Shot	Go the Distance	Evasive Knockback
Mark	Dodge and Weave	Impale
Direct Hit	Infected Arrows

Musket

Weapon Skill Categories
Sword & Shield	Rapier	Hatchet	Spear
Great Axe	War Hammer	Bow	Musket
Fire Staff	Life Staff	Ice Gauntlet	Void Gauntlet

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Musket Skills

Active Skills

Sticky Bomb	Traps	Stopping Power
Shooter's Stance	Power Shot	Powder Burn

Passive Skills

Lethal Combo	Sticky Slow	Unflinching Walk
Back it Up	Kick 'Em When They're Down	Tactical Reload
Empowering Weakness	Double Trap	Scent of Blood
Trapped Damage	Energy Burst	Hustle
Weakened Defense	Supplementary Repulsion	Lasting Impression
Salt on the Wounds	Sniper	Marksman
Shoot More	Empowering Headshot	Heightened Precision
Called Shot Resupply	Called Shot	Bullseye
First Blood	Initial Engagement	Hit Your Mark
Ballistic Advantage	Greater Accuracy	Critical Reload
Chronic Trauma	Backdraft

Fire Staff

Weapon Skill Categories
Sword & Shield	Rapier	Hatchet	Spear
Great Axe	War Hammer	Bow	Musket
Fire Staff	Life Staff	Ice Gauntlet	Void Gauntlet

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Fire Staff Skills

Active Skills

Burn Out	Flamethrower	Incinerate
Fireball	Meteor Shower	Pillar of Fire

Passive Skills

Reheat	Heat it Up!	All In
Combat Speed	Watch it Burn	Let it Burn
Pyro Dancer	Infernal Flames	Fire's Reach
Trial by Fire	Kindle	Heat Up
Pyromania	Flame Out!	Cauterize Wounds
Scorched	Runes of Helios	Catch
Scorched Earth	Clear Mind	Clear Casting
Singe	Fiery Restoration	Judgment of Helios
Fiery Determination	Immolation	Flare
Spellslinger	Spell Focus	Prophet of a Fire God
Arson's Advantage	First Strike

Life Staff

Weapon Skill Categories
Sword & Shield	Rapier	Hatchet	Spear
Great Axe	War Hammer	Bow	Musket
Fire Staff	Life Staff	Ice Gauntlet	Void Gauntlet

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Life Staff Skills

Active Skills

Beacon	Light's Embrace	Orb of Protection
Splash of Light	Sacred Ground	Divine Embrace

Passive Skills

Speed of Light	Radiance's Blessing	Infused Light
Glowing Focus	Balance	Protector's Touch
Magnify	Connection	Inspire
Defensive Light	Spirits United	Protector's Strength
Bend Light	Aegis	Shared Protection
Protector's Blessing	Divine Blessing	Purify
Shared Recovery	Blissful Touch	Intensify
Enchanted Justice	Revitalize	Mending Touch
Absolved	Blessed	Holy Ground
Sacred Protection	Desperate Speed	Rebound
Shared Struggle	Privilege

Ice Gauntlet

Weapon Skill Categories
Sword & Shield	Rapier	Hatchet	Spear
Great Axe	War Hammer	Bow	Musket
Fire Staff	Life Staff	Ice Gauntlet	Void Gauntlet

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Ice Gauntlet Skills

Active Skills

Entombed	Ice Shower	Ice Pylon
Wind Chill	Ice Storm	Ice Spikes

Passive Skills

Ultimate Frost	Cleansing Tomb	Pylon Refresh
Defiant Freeze	Frigid Showers	Strengthened Tomb
Refreshing Frost	Pylon Dodge	Quick Shower
Pylon Regen	Frozen Touch	Enduring Shower
Empowered Frost	Greater Pylon	Quick Frost
Blocking Stamina	Ultimate Chill	Punishing Storm
Spiky Reach	Heavy Freeze	Chilling Blast
Storm Summoner	Critical Frost	Deadly Path
Enduring Chill	Weakening Gust	Gathering Storm
Empowered Spikes	Refreshing Spikes	Energized Critical
Critical Rejuvenation	Cold Reach

Void Gauntlet

Weapon Skill Categories
Sword & Shield	Rapier	Hatchet	Spear
Great Axe	War Hammer	Bow	Musket
Fire Staff	Life Staff	Ice Gauntlet	Void Gauntlet

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Void Gauntlet Skills

Active Skills

Void Blade	Oblivion	Petrifying Scream
Orb of Decay	Baleful Tether	Essence Rupture

Passive Skills

Forsaken Pact	Keen Confidence	Refreshing Precision
Fortified Blade	Keen Humility	Empowering Proximity
Efficient Harvest	Withering Oblivion	Invigorating Oblivion
Leeching Agony	Vicious Void	Bone-Chilling Voice
Fortifying Echoes	Refreshing Frailty	Leeching Blade
Voidcaller	Deadly Range	Fervent Thirst
Radiant Efficiency	Draining Orb	Refreshing Harvest
Tethered Refresh	Leeching Bolts	Slowing Orb
Tethered Focus	Detonating Orb	Extended Suffering
Invigorating Rupture	Soul Eater	Mending Evasion
Overflowing Essence	Glimpse of the Void

What is Weapon Mastery?

Weapon Mastery is a system in New World that grant weapon skill points depending on your mastery level for that particular weapon. You gain One skill point every time your mastery with that weapon levels up. You can use these skill points to learn a new skill in one of the weapon's skill trees — assuming you fulfill a skill's other requirements as well. Take note that each weapon has two available skill trees that determine the weapon's overall playstyle.

How to Increase Weapon Mastery

Each weapon starts at mastery level zero. You gain experience for a particular weapon whenever you use it in combat or hunting wild animals.

Party Members Share Weapon Mastery Exp!

Kills by party members also provide weapon mastery exp. The mastery exp will only be credited to your active weapon, regardless if it's sheathed or not. This means weapons that you swapped out of will not get mastery exp from your ally's kill.

Example: Player A has a Musket and Hatchet equipped. Player B killed a wolf while Player A is swapped to his Musket. Player A will only receive weapon mastery exp for their Musket.

Lastly, kills from party members only grant weapon mastery exp within a certain range. You won't receive any weapon mastery exp if your allies are too far!

How Do Weapon Skill Trees Work?

Skills within each weapon skill tree are categorized into two types:

• Active Skills: Skills that have square borders within the tree and need to be slotted in one of a weapon's three skill slots to use. These typically come with mana costs and cooldowns.
• Passive Skills: Skills that have circular icons within the tree. Passive Skills can either augment active skills by granting them additional effects when used or grant on-going effects for your character as long as the skill is learned.

There are a total of 3 active skills and 16 passive skills per tree.

Mixed Builds Are Possible!

It is important to note that you don't have to choose between a weapon's skill trees. Even though each of these trees cater to a specific playstyle, it is possible create hybrid builds that utilize certain skills from each of them. Don't be afraid to experiment as well! It is possible to Respec your skill points at any time out of combat. Resetting your skill points is free until your weapon reaches mastery level 10. Skill respecs at mastery level 10 and above require Azoth.

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