Life Staff Pure Targeted Healing PvP Build for New World

This build is one of the most difficult healing builds to play in New World and has a high skill cap. It has the potential to completely swing fights and allow teammates to fight while drastically outnumbered. By using Light's Embrace, Divine Embrace, and Sacred Ground, you can effectively burst heal your allies in combination with targeted keybinds to be a very potent dedicated group healer. This build can be played in a variety of content, but it is difficult to heal allies outside of your group if you are not used to healing in this way. When played correctly, it is very defensive and provides unmatched support to your team. It is best suited for a dedicated dive team healer, or for one who is tasked with healing their own specific group on capture points.

This build can be used to heal groups near point, but it is better for more niche groups such as a kill squad or a Dex group.

This burst healing build is focused on 5-player groups. It is best paired with Refreshing due to lower cooldown abilities. It offers more healing output potential through taking all points into Divine Embrace to contribute to partial AoE output, or for large burst windows. Light's Embrace can be used to instantly follow up for significant burst healing, or to top off allies and give them stamina back and haste. In general, this build emphasizes using light attacks at all times and timing cooldowns to combat burst damage on each group member.

• Divine Embrace — Targets party members and acts as a traditionally casted burst heal. It also has AoE opportunity through Shared Struggle and Rebound
• Sacred Ground — Targets a player and casts a zone at their feet. This creates a healing circle for a quick burst heal and residual healing over time. It also amplifies the healing received of any player in the zone through Anointed.
• Light's Embrace — Casted heal that will have lower baseline healing than Divine Embrace, but has great utility through Accelerating Light's Embrace and its stamina return. This should be used to top off the health bars of allies, when the target is not below 50% health, or Divine is on cooldown.

In almost all cases with this build you will be taking the Rapier for mobility and survivability. But if you are looking for an alternative that also increases healing output you can use the Void Gauntlet.

Rapier is the premier PvP secondary as it offers defensiveness and mobility with all of its abilities to help escape enemies and reposition. Riposte will stun targets and completely block and incoming attack. Evade allows for dodging abilities, a quick invulnerability frame, and a way to get haste and stamina back. Fleche dashes a far distance to escape and quickly reposition.

Void Gauntlet offers healing over time and burst healing through Orb of Decay. It allows you to root enemies in place with Petrifying Scream for defensive utility and to set up kills for teammates. You can also use Oblivion to increase damage output, stamina and mana regeneration, and remove enemy buffs.

This secondary is better paired with healing builds that are not as dangerous and do not require high amounts of mobility. While this can certainly be used in this build, it makes it difficult to truly embody the needs of this role. This would be best used if extra healing is needed inside of a Fort fight, or if the War is not very competitive.

200 Constitution will be your baseline for all types of healing in both PvP and PvE. It gives you enough defensiveness while still maintaining great healing output. The additional points from higher gearscore sets can go into Focus for increased healing, or Constitution for more survivability.

Slot	Perks	Gem	Weight	Attribute	Source
Life Staff	Blessed Refreshing Divine Embrace Refreshing Move	Cut Pristine Diamond	-	Focus	Dynasty* or Crafted/BoE
Rapier	Refreshing Fleche Keen Speed Keen	Cut Pristine Amber	-	Focus	Crafted/BoE
Helmet	Accelerating Light's Embrace** Resilient Freedom	Cut Pristine Opal	Light	Focus or Constitution	Crafted/BoE
Gloves	Resilient Freedom Refreshing	Cut Pristine Opal	Light	Focus or Constitution	Crafted/BoE
Chest	Resilient Freedom Refreshing	Cut Pristine Opal	Medium	Focus or Constitution	Crafted/BoE
Pants	Freedom Shirking Energy Resilient	Cut Pristine Opal	Light	Focus or Constitution	Crafted/BoE
Boots	Resilient Freedom Refreshing	Cut Pristine Onyx	Light	Focus or Constitution	Crafted/BoE
Amulet	Health Stamina Recovery Thrust Protection	Cut Pristine Onyx	-	Focus or Constitution	Crafted/BoE
Ring	Sacred Hearty Refreshing	Cut Pristine Onyx	-	Focus or Constitution	Crafted/BoE
Earring	Refreshing Toast Healthy Toast Refreshing	Cut Pristine Onyx	-	Focus or Constitution	Crafted/BoE

*: Glowing Lifecrystal Staff is a best in slot drop from any version of Mutated Dynasty Shipyard or it can be crafted with Materia.

**: Ability perks can go anywhere that you are able to fit them. These slots are just a suggestion. Note that it may be better to not use Fortifying Sacred Ground because of its interaction with Invigorated Punishment and the Fortify nerf. But you can use it if you wish.

Overall with gearing, this is the ideal loadout of perks for a best in slot healing build. With that being said, be sure to refer to the Life Staff Perks guide to have a better understanding of other flexible perk options to fit into your build. You can decide what you are most comfortable with. Perhaps you feel that you need more cooldown reduction, then opt to take more Refreshing.

When running Freedom you should run 5 stacks for the most optimal CC reductions. If you choose to use less, it is more beneficial to play at 3 stacks and use other perks.

In PvP combat it is best to run 5 stacks of Resilient for maximum damage reduction, but you can definitely get away with 4 stacks.

Refreshing is valuable, but do not over value it on a gear piece. Remember, you can fit it in on jewelry too. You should always have 5 stacks.

For more specific information on optimizing your gems and consumables, please refer to our dedicated Life Staff Gems and Consumables guide.

Minor Heartrune of Stoneform is the most defensive and useful option a healer has. It allows you to freely break out of crowd control effects, become immune to stagger, and obtain defensive buffs.

Stalwart Heartrune of Stoneform is the best pick as it not only gives a 10% Fortify, but a healing over time effect as well. This is our best option after the changes to Fortify in Season One.

Your Heartrune will be used similarly in PvP and PvE scenarios. As such, please refer to the Heartrune section of our Life Staff guide for tips on how it can be used most effectively.

The theoretical healing rotation for this build is as follows:

• Dodge to receive Bend Light
• Cast Sacred Ground to increase the target's healing received through Anointed.
• Cast Light's Embrace when the target is above 50% health, or if Divine Embrace is on cooldown.
• Cast Divine Embrace to burst heal any party memeber who continues to lose significant health. If they are below 50% this is the priority to heal to make use of Refreshing Divine Embrace. If below 50%, use before Light's Embrace.
• Light attack as a filler ability when cooldowns are not up, or not needed, this provides healing through Blissful Touch.
• Repeat

When using the Life Staff in PvP and PvE there are many similar nuances to a healer's mechanics and gameplay decisions. To learn more about how you can improve your gameplay, use certain secondary weapons, or additional information on specific abilities, please refer to the gameplay section of the Life Staff guide.

For more information on the most frequently asked Life Staff questions please refer to the FAQ section of the Life Staff guide for answers on PvP and PvE topics!