Best Tank Builds (Update 1.2.1)

This is a guide on the best Tank builds in New World. Read on to see the recommended stats, skills, armor, and playstyle guides of the best and latest Tank builds for PVE and PVP as of Update 1.2.1!

List of Role Builds
Best Tank Builds	Best Healer Builds	Best DPS Builds

Endgame Tank Builds

Paladin Build

Build Purpose
General (PvE & PvP)
Strengths	Weaknesses
・Perfect for soloing ・High survivability ・Can swap between tanking and healing	・Low offensive power ・Not very agile

Build Stats and Skills

Stat Priority	Strength
Strength	5
Dexterity	5
Intelligence	5
Focus	100
Constitution	95

Stats obtained through armor are not accounted for in this table.

1st Weapon	2nd Weapon
Sword and Shield	Life Staff
Active Skills
Shield Rush Shield Bash Defiant Stance	Sacred Ground Orb of Protection Beacon
Passive Skills
Sturdy Shield Sturdy Grip Elemental Resistance Defensive Training High Grip Intimidating Bash One With The Shield Improved Rush Final Blow Invigorating Bulwark Final Count Down Concussive Bash Intimidating Rush Recuperation Restoration Defensive Formation	Absolved Mending Touch Blissful Touch Holy Ground Blessed Defensive Light Protector's Blessing Protector's Touch Shared Protection Protector's Strength Infused Light Aegis Radiance's Blessing Spirits United Glowing Focus Speed of Light

Best Perks and Equipment

Perks and Equipment Stats
Best Perks	Blessed Enchanted Exhilarate IV Fortifying Sacred Ground Hated Gambit IV Lifestealing Mending Protection Opportunist IV Rally IV Revitalizing Beacon Taunting IV
	Stats: Nomad (Constitution & Focus)
	Type: Tower Stats: Cleric (Focus & Constitution)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Nomad (Constitution & Focus)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Cleric (Focus & Constitution)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Nomad (Constitution & Focus)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Cleric (Focus & Constitution)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Nomad (Constitution & Focus)

Build Playstyle

The Sword and Shield / Life Staff Paladin Build is a Healing & Defense centric build that relies on crowd control, debuffs, and healing to outlast enemies.

The Sword & Shield skills Shield Rush and Shield Bash are used when enemies are starting to pile up and get out of hand. Hunker down with Defiant Stance when you're being ganged up on.

The Life Staff skills present you with more options to deal damage with Orb of Protection and Beacon, which can also function as healing spells. These are the ideal skills for a Paladin build. Sacred Ground offers supplemental healing and is a good skill to have.

This build's passive skills are geared towards decreasing incoming damage, bolstering the effectivity of your shield, boosting healing output, and granting buffs on yourself and your allies.

Pure Defender Tank Build

Build Purpose
General (PvP and PvE)
Strengths	Weaknesses
・Excellent Defense, supreme tanking ability ・Great crowd control and AoE	・Very little offensive power ・Slow, poor mobility ・Can do very little against long range attacks.

Build Stats and Skills

Stat Priority	Constitution
Strength	50
Dexterity	5
Intelligence	5
Focus	5
Constitution	150

Stats obtained through armor are not accounted for in this table.

1st Weapon	2nd Weapon
Sword and Shield	War Hammer
Active Skills
Shield Rush Shield Bash Defiant Stance	Clear Out Shockwave Path Of Destiny
Passive Skills
Intimidating Bash Concussive Bash Sturdy Shield Elemental Resistance One With The Shield Final Blow Improved Rush Intimidating Rush Defensive Formation Sturdy Grip Defensive Training Invigorating Bulwark Recuperation High Grip Final Count Down Restoration	Frailty Meteoric Crater Outnumbered Facilitated Expedition Resurgence Power Cleaner Clean And Refreshed Swing Away Aftershock I Can Do This All Day Guarded Sprint Concussive Impact Prevailing Spirit Acceleration Seismic Waves Stimulated Reduction

Best Perks and Equipment

Perks and Equipment Stats
Best Perks	Regenerating Taunting IV Wilderness Ward IV Refreshing Toast Purify Divine
	Stats: Sentry (Constitution)
	Type: Tower Stats: Sentry (Constitution)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Sentry (Constitution)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Sentry (Constitution)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Sentry (Constitution)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Sentry (Constitution)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Sentry (Constitution)

Build Playstyle

The Sword and Shield / War Hammer Pure Defender Tank Build is a pure tank build that relies solely on Constitution for survivability. This build does not have much offensive capability, leaving the damage-dealing to the DPS builds. What this build does have is the ability to deflect as much damage as possible while also being able to stun or knock enemies down when things get too hot.

This build exclusively uses abilities from the Defender and Crowd Crusher skill trees, which are good at negating damage and crowd control. You can use Shield Bash, Shock Wave, and Path of Destiny to stun, while Shield Rush and Clear Out can knock enemies down.

The passive skills are focused on increasing the effectivity of defense and regeneration, as well as increasing stun debuffs on your enemies.

You generally want to be on the front lines and in the center of all the action, where it would be easier to stun enemies and deflect the majority of damage.

Crowd Crusher Tank Build

Build Purpose
General (PvP and PVE)
Strengths	Weaknesses
・High HP and defense, perfect for tanking ・Great crowd control and AoE skills	・Low offensive capability ・Attacks are slow and easy to miss ・Reliant on team to provide damage

Build Stats and Skills

Stat Priority	Constitution
Strength	50
Dexterity	5
Intelligence	5
Focus	5
Constitution	145

Stats obtained through armor are not accounted for in this table.

1st Weapon	2nd Weapon
War Hammer	Great Axe
Active Skills
Shockwave Clear Out Path Of Destiny	Reap Maelstrom Gravity Well
Passive Skills
Frailty Meteoric Crater Outnumbered Facilitated Expedition Resurgence Power Cleaner Clean And Refreshed Swing Away Aftershock I Can Do This All Day Guarded Sprint Concussive Impact Prevailing Spirit Acceleration Seismic Waves Stimulated Reduction	Critical Gains Frustration Feed The Collector Hunger Critical Condition Mauler's Resolve Gravity Storm's Reach Absorb No Reprieve Heavy Pull Enduring Strike Crowded Protection Crowded Well Unyielding

Best Perks and Equipment

Perks and Equipment Stats
Best Perks	Regenerating Taunting IV Wilderness Ward IV Refreshing Toast Purify Divine
	Stats: Sentry (Constitution)
	Type: None Stats: -
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Sentry (Constitution)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Sentry (Constitution)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Sentry (Constitution)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Sentry (Constitution)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Sentry (Constitution)

Build Playstyle

War Hammer Crowd Crusher Tank Build is a pure tank build that relies solely on Constitution for survivability. This build does not have much offensive capability, leaving the damage-dealing to the DPS builds. What this build does have is the ability to pull enemies close and to keep them in place with stuns.

This build primarily uses abilities from the Crowd Crusher and Mauler skill trees, which are good at dealing with swarms of enemies. You can use the Great Axe to pull enemies close to you with Reap, Maelstrom, and Gravity Well, then stop enemy movement with War Hammer skills Shockwave, Clear Out, and Path of Destiny (with the Seismic Waves passive ability).

The passive skills are focused on more effectively stunning enemies, and increasing the range of your pulls. HP regen skills and perks are also important to this build, as you want the enemy to have a hard time taking you down.

You generally want to be on the front lines and in the center of all the action., where it would be easier to pull and stun multiple enemies at the same time. This would make it easier for your DPS allies to rain hell on them.

Starter Tank Builds

Starter Paladin Build

Build Purpose
General (PvP and PVE)
Stat Priority
Focus → Constitution → Strength
Strengths	Weaknesses
・Great healing and defensive abilities ・Great for soloing	・Below average damage ・Subpar evasion

Build Skills

1st Weapon	2nd Weapon
Sword and Shield	Life Staff
Active Skills
Shield Bash Defiant Stance	Sacred Ground Splash of Light
Passive Skills
Sturdy Shield Defensive Training Intimidating Bash Restoration Recuperation Concussive Bash	Holy Ground Blessed Protector's Blessing Shared Protection Aegis

Best Perks and Equipment

Perks and Equipment Stats
Best Perks	Regenerating Taunting I Hated Purify Divine
	Stats: Soldier (Strength)
	Type: None Stats: -
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Cleric (Focus → Constitution)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Zealot (Focus → Strength)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Cleric (Focus → Constitution)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Zealot (Focus → Strength)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Cleric (Focus → Constitution)

Build Playstyle

This setup is focused on applying heals on yourself so you can continue tanking enemy hits. It has a steady source of HP Regen from Sacred Ground and enough durability from its Sword and Shield skills

It has disables to cancel enemy attacks and fortification skills to increase your defensive capability if needed. Defiant Stance in particular bolsters your defense, while Shield Bash can keep a particularly annoying enemy in front of you at bay.

PvE Disabler Tank

Build Purpose
PvE
Stat Priority
Strength → Constitution
Strengths	Weaknesses
・Great attack strength ・Superior crowd control skills	・Average HP and defense ・No evasion and defensive abilities

Build Skills

1st Weapon	2nd Weapon
War Hammer	Great Axe
Active Skills
Clear Out Shockwave Path Of Destiny	Reap Execute
Passive Skills
Prevailing Spirit Power Cleaner	The Collector Critical Gains Hunger Fatal Attraction Unstoppable Greed Executioner Feed

Best Perks and Equipment

Perks and Equipment Stats
Best Perks	Regenerating Taunting I Hated Purify Divine
	Stats: Soldier (Strength)
	Type: None Stats: -
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Knight (Constitution → Strength)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Knight (Constitution → Strength)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Knight (Constitution → Strength)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Knight (Constitution → Strength)
	Weight: Heavy Stats: Knight (Constitution → Strength)

Build Playstyle

This setup is a build that fully utilize the Great Axe and War Hammer's frontline skill setup. Clear Out, Shockwave, and Path of Destiny are all AoE crowd control skills that will keep enemies around you in place, while your DPS teammates do most of the damage.

You're able to drain back the damage you deal against enemy mobs to sustain yourself in battle. With 2 weapons both using Strength, stat distribution is also simpler, we highly recommend keeping a higher priority for attack and compensating for the lower constitution with high defense gear as you'll be able to drain back the damage they deal to you anyway by having higher lifesteal damage.

New World Related Guides

Best PVE and PVP Builds

List of Role Builds

List of Role Builds
Best Tank Builds	Best Healer Builds	Best DPS Builds

Best Weapon Builds

Best PVE and PVP Weapon Builds
Sword & Shield	Rapier	Hatchet	Spear
Great Axe	War Hammer	Bow	Musket
Fire Staff	Life Staff	Ice Gauntlet	Void Gauntlet