Our New World weapon tier list will rank all 14 weapons and we’ll let you know which are most effective for PvE and PvP gameplay in New World.
One of the most difficult choices in New World is selecting a weapon for your character that makes sense for your style of gameplay, yet is completely effective in PvE and PvP combat.
With 14 different options in total all offering different playstyles, it can certainly be a tad overwhelming at first – especially for new players in the game.
The most logical thing to do in New World is to choose weapons that are considered to be meta as it will ensure you can remain greatly competitive in both PvE and PvP action.
So, without further ado, let’s check out our New World weapon tier list and see where the new Blunderbuss from the Heart of Madness update is ranked.
New World Weapons tier list: PvP
Picking up a strong weapon in PvP is absolutely essential if you want to defeat the enemy and secure as many victories as possible. Of course, while picking the most powerful choices in the meta will give you an edge, it’s important to utilize a weapon that fits your playstyle and that you’re comfortable with.
So, if you prefer long-range combat we recommend using the Fire Staff or Bow, whereas, for those of you that are looking to get into the thick of the action, it’s probably better to opt for the Rapier or Spear.
The Blunderbuss arrived in the Heart of Madness update, and we’ve settled on a placement in the middle of our tier list. So it’s well worth experimenting with if you like ranged combat that is a little more close-quarters.
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| New World Weapons | Description | Tier |
| Rapier | A quick-oriented melee weapon with a variety of quick lunge attacks. | S+ |
| Ice Gauntlet | A magical weapon capable of dishing out massive crowd control and utilizing ice spells. | S+ |
| Life Staff | A powerful staff that can cast healing and protective spells. | S |
| Sword & Shield | The Sword and Shield are tanky weapon combination that deals damage at the melee range. | S |
| Spear | The Spear offers both short-range control and long-distance piercing damage. | A |
| Fire Staff | A staff that casts fire spells and deals impressive damage. | A |
| Greatsword | A big heavy weapon, the Greatsword is versatile and very effective in either offense or defense. | B |
| Great Axe | The Great Axe is a two-handed melee weapon that excels at large, sweeping attacks. | B |
| Bow | Bows offer quick-firing attacks and skills used to eliminate enemies from long distances. | B |
| Void Gauntlets | Void Gauntlets are hybrid magical damage and support weapons that can manipulate the power of the Void. | B |
| Blunderbuss | The Blunderbuss is a shotgun-style weapon that deals huge damage at close quarters. | B |
| Warhammer | A heavy hammer with slow attacks that deals massive damage. | C |
| Hatchet | The hatchet is a fast and deadly melee weapon that dishes out strong DPS. | C |
| Musket | The musket is a long-range weapon that fires hitscan projectiles. | C |
New World Weapons tier list: PvE
The world of Aeternum is an unforgiving land that’s brimming with danger, so mastering one of New World’s 14 weapons is key if you’re to take on the game’s PvE content.
As with our New World PvP list, your first priority should be picking a weapon that you enjoy using, as every single one of the choices below has mechanics that can be difficult to master but can ultimately be satisfying.
However, in terms of meta choices, it’s the Life Staff and Rapier that are holding the top spots in 2023.
| New World Weapons | Description | Tier |
| Rapier | A quick-oriented melee weapon with a variety of quick lunge attacks. | S+ |
| Life Staff | A powerful staff that can cast healing and protective spells. | S+ |
| Bow | Bows offer quick-firing attacks and skills used to eliminate enemies from long distances. | S |
| Fire Staff | A staff that casts fire spells and deals impressive damage. | S |
| Sword & Shield | The Sword and Shield are tanky weapon combination that deals damage at the melee range. | A |
| Spear | The Spear offers both short-range control and long-distance piercing damage. | A |
| Greatsword | A big heavy weapon, the Greatsword is versatile and very effective in either offense or defense. | A |
| Warhammer | A heavy hammer with slow attacks that deals massive damage. | B |
| Void Gauntlets | Void Gauntlets are hybrid magical damage and support weapons that can manipulate the power of the Void. | B |
| Musket | The musket is a long-range weapon that fires hitscan projectiles. | B |
| Blunderbuss | The Blunderbuss is a shotgun-style weapon that deals huge damage at close quarters. | C |
| Great Axe | The Great Axe is a two-handed melee weapon that excels at large, sweeping attacks. | C |
| Ice Gauntlet | A magical weapon capable of dishing out massive crowd control and utilizing ice spells. | C |
| Hatchet | The hatchet is a fast and deadly melee weapon that dishes out strong DPS. | C |
We will continue to update the New World weapon tier list as patch changes and other major updates are released.
For more build guides and other New World guides and content, we have plenty more to check out below:
How many people play New World? Player count & population tracker | Are New World servers down? | How to claim New World Prime Gaming reward drops | Which faction to choose in New World – Syndicate, Covenant, Marauders differences | Best New World AoE Mage build: Ice Gauntlet, Fire Staff, abilities