Great Axe Perks for New World

All the perks below are usable in any Great Axe 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 Great Axe and properly gearing your build.

The perks within this section include general weapon perks and Great Axe specific perks that are in the current meta.

• Enfeebling Maelstrom — Great defensive utility that increases survivabilty by decreasing enemy's damage output.
• Insatiable Gravity Well — This should always be on a piece of armor. It results in more damage output, and self-healing potential.
• Thwarting Strikes — Very large, free damage increase due to the Great Axe always having grit on its attacks and abilities.
• Refreshing Move — Incredible cooldown reduction perk that is more effective due to the Great Axe hitting multiple enemies at once.
• Attunement Perks — Adds damage to light and heavy attacks, as well as, abilities for supplemental damage to add more pressure. Void is recommended for Great Axe.

• Chain Damage Perks — This depends on preference. Some players choose Chain for more Heartrune charge and AoE damage. Generally, Attunement is the more significant option. Either use this or Attunement for your third perk.
• Keenly Jagged — Budget third perk option until you get Attunement or Chain Damage.

• Crippling Reap — When playing with this ability it can be nice to lockdown a target. But, it only applies when they are below 50%. At that point, this target will most likely die if they are pulled in anyway and the slow is insignificant.
• Fortifying Whirlwind — When Whirlwind is used, this adds a significant amount of fortify to help with survival.
• Keen — Not needed, but can be a free damage increase at times.
• Vicious — Can be a slight damage increase, but typically not used.

Mending Execute — If you use Execute this can add self-healing. Great Axe already has self-healing passively, and this is not typically needed.

Refreshing Charge — It can be difficult to land Unpredictable Strike and it is never taken, so this is generally a wasted perk that is overshadowed by defensive options.

Empowering Armor Breaker — It is a very niche perk that will have very low up time and usually not worth prioritizing.

Enchanted — Can be used, but it should never be taken instead of Thwarting Strikes.

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

• Shirking Fortification — Provides a small amount of defensiveness when succesfully dodging an attack.
• Shirking Heals — Provides a small amount of health when succesfully dodging an attack.
• Freedom — Fantastic survivability option when stacked 3 or 5 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 — Alternative source of cooldown reduction when playing a non-bruiser build.

• Invigorated

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

• 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.

• 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.

• Invigorated

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.

• Freedom — Can be beneficial to reduce CC effects from some enemy types.

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.

• Hearty — Consider this perk required for all builds.
• 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.
• Slash Protection — 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.
• Slash Damage — This should be used whenever you have a Great Axe paired with your War Hammer in PvP and PvE.
• Keen Awareness — This is the better second perk option for medium bruiser builds with Great Axe and War Hammer in PvP and PvE.
• 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.

• Refreshing — Can be placed as a third perk on an earring or used as a functional perk on other jewelry pieces for non-bruiser builds.
• Leeching — This a great option to pair with Slash Damage and Keen Awareness when playing in a medium bruiser build because of Legate's Ring.
• Invigorated Punishment — This can be used if you are looking for a more consistent damage option over Mortal Empowerment. This is only effective in PvP.

• Thrust Protection — Slash Protection should be prioritized, but this can be used if you are struggling against damage from Bows, Muskets, and Blunderbusses.
• Divine — Can be a decent third perk option. Increasing healing received could save your life, but often times this amount is not enough and more defensive options have more value. This is a great PvE option instead of something like Stamina Recovery. Great for heavy bruisers.
• Regenerating — Free additional healing over time. This can be a decent third perk option.

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.

• Frozen Protection
• Brilliant
• Fortified Recovery
• Fortified
• Alacrity
• Purify
• Refreshing Evasion
• Healthy Toast