Sign Up
  • Verification Code
I want to get information about activities, sales and personal offers

or continue with social networks

twitch google steam reddit discord
Already have an account?
Log In
Remember me Forgot your password?

or continue with social networks

twitch google steam reddit discord
Not a member? Sign up now

New World Aeternum Season 9 Raid Tank Build: What Weapons Should You Prepare?

Posted: Aug 29, 2025 Views: 13

New World Aeternum's updates have become more frequent since the new Director. Season 9 will be released a bit sooner, and Season 10 will arrive in early October. However, it's still a bit premature to talk about Season 10 now, as you still have a month to enjoy Season 9.

As you know, tanks are incredibly versatile in PvE, so having a tank in a raid significantly reduces the difficulty. Here's a tank build suitable for current raids.

New World Aeternum Season 9 Raid Tank Build: What Weapons Should You Prepare?

Weapon Selection

Since the first two boss teams in Hive of Gorgons raid usually have melee teammates providing armor penetration, use a more defensive greatsword. The final boss team typically becomes a ranged DPS and lacks armor penetration, so switch to a war hammer to provide your own armor penetration. Since the healers are also ranged, you'll receive more healing.

While it's recommended to have a variety of weapons, if you don't have New World coins to upgrade to the best gear, there are many alternatives below.

  • Primary Weapon: The sword and shield is the core weapon of the build, which can provide a Leadership buff and primary tanking abilities.

Sword And Shield Skills

  • Upheaval
  • Shield Rush
  • Defender's Resolve
  • Leadership (Optional)

Best Sword: Hoplite Longsword

  • 64 Base Damage
  • 7.0% Critical Hit Chance
  • 1.30 Critical Damage Multiplier
  • 36.0 Block Stamina Damage
  • 36.0 Stagger Damage
  • 22% Block Stability
  • Refreshing Move: Light and heavy attacks reduce your active weapon cooldown (0.2s cooldown).
  • Trenchant Rend: Heavy melee attacks inflict a 7-second Rend effect, reducing the target's armor by 16% (10s cooldown).

Second Best Sword: Taiyi Longsword

  • 64 Base Damage
  • 7.0% Critical Hit Chance
  • 1.30 Critical Damage Multiplier
  • 36.0 Block Stamina Damage
  • 36.0 Stagger Damage
  • 22% Block Stability
  • (Also Refreshing Move and Trenchant Rend)

Best Shield

You'll need two tower shields, one with Slash Shield Ward perk and one with Nature Shield Ward perk. Additionally, your tower shield should have Sturdy and Fortifying Shield Rush. Note that the item level of the shield is not important. If your New World Aeternum coins budget is tight, you can even use an item level 600+ shield. Recommended tower shields include:

Tall Duneborn Shield

  • 56 Base Damage
  • 7.0% Critical Hit Chance
  • 1.30 Critical Damage Multiplier
  • 42.0 Block Stamina Damage
  • 42.0 Stagger Damage
  • 145.2 Armor Rating - Elemental
  • 145.2 Armor Rating - Physical
  • 50% Block Stability
  • Fortifying Shield Rush: After hitting a target with a Shield Rush, gain Fortify, increasing Armor by 35%.
  • Sturdy: Damage taken while blocking is 90% of Stamina.

Hoplite Tower Shield

  • 56 Base Damage
  • 7.0% Critical Hit Chance
  • 1.30 Critical Damage Multiplier
  • 42.0 Block Stamina Damage
  • 42.0 Stagger Damage
  • 148.9 Armor Rating - Elemental
  • 148.9 Armor Rating - Physical
  • 50% Block Stability
  • Enchanted Ward: Light and heavy attacks deal less damage to you.
  • Sturdy: Stamina damage taken while blocking is 90% of your target's damage.

Secondary Weapon

  • Optional Weapons: Hoplite Greatsword and Duneborn Tusk

The first choice for a secondary weapon is the greatsword, which is primarily used for defense and taunting bosses during the first two bosses of Hive of Gorgons Raid. It's also best to equip your greatsword with Energizing Counter perk, which increases your stamina regeneration during combat.

Greatsword Skills

  • Calamity Counter
  • Roaring Rupture
  • Relentless Rush

Secondary Weapon (Final Boss)

Choice Weapons: Duneborn Maul, Hoplite Warhammer, or Azoth Crystal War Hammer.

For the war hammer set against the final boss, you'll want to equip your war hammer with Sundering Shockwave perk, which reduces the target's armor by 11% to 15%.

Warhammer Skills:

  • Armor Breaker
  • Shockwave
  • Clear Out

Gear

For armor, your top choice is Hoplite Heavy Set, and be sure to get Enchanted Ward and Health perks. If you don't have these, you can also opt for Azoth Crystal or other types of heavy gear. These take significantly less New World Aeternum coins than Hoplite Heavy Set, but the actual effectiveness isn't significantly different.

Your best artifact is undoubtedly Void Darkplate, which grants a 20% armor boost. However, if you don't already have it, any other gear that makes you more tanky will do.

Finally, you'll want to equip all your gear with Onyxes to increase physical defense, and all your weapons with Carnelians to attract boss aggro.

Jewelry

During the insurance period, you'll need three necklaces. These can be the same necklace, but they'll need different Perks for each boss:

  • Strike Protection (against Echidna)
  • Slash Protection (against Typhon)
  • Nature Protection (against the final boss)

It's best if all three necklaces have Life Perks, such as Lifering Amulet, Orrupt Progenitor Amulet, or Azoth Battery.

For rings, we recommend Slash Damage Perk, Hearty Perk, and Leeching Perk.

Your earrings must have Despised perk for increased aggro and Regenerating perk for passive health regeneration.

How To Play Tank?

Although you're a tank, you shouldn't just take all the damage. Instead, learn to dodge and use Grit to absorb damage, and familiarize yourself with the boss's attack patterns.

You'll also need a teammate to apply the weaken debuff to the boss, which will greatly reduce the pressure on you.

Remember to hold aggro and keep the boss's front facing you, allowing your teammates to attack from behind safely. Avoid frequent movement.

This is the outline of the raids Tank build. Since you need more weapons, you'll need a lot of New World Coins to complete this build, but this will also allow you to handle various situations with ease, making the raid effortless.

Tags:

Previous: New World Aeternum Season 9 Most Valuable Items: How To Get Them?
Surplus stock:
Connecting to online customer service, please wait.

.