Spear Abilities and Skill Trees for New World

While this page focuses on assessing the viability of abilities and skill trees, it also gives a bit of advice on how to use them. The gameplay section of our Spear guide has additional information regarding the usage of abilities and each of our Spear PvP Builds and Spear PvE Builds has a detailed gameplay section that explains how to play the build.

• Cyclone — 12s CD: Perform a spin attack that deals 130% weapon damage to targets within a 3m radius, and applies a 50% slow for 3s.
• Invigorating Combo — Restore 25 stamina per target hit.
• Strong Momentum — Cyclone now pushes the target back 3m.

Summary: This ability is not commonly used. It can be interesting in PvE environments when playing solo and playing large packs of enemies, but it lacks damage output and viability in most settings because of its knockback effect. It's most commonly found in PvP builds, due to the ability to self-heal in times of need.

Crafting Material: Orichalcum Spear Charm - Leeching Cyclone: Every hit of Cyclone heals you for 32% of weapon damage (53% on weapon).

• Javelin — 15s CD: Throw your spear, dealing 125% weapon damage and staggering on hit.
• Forceful Impact — Targets are knocked down on hit.
• Refreshing Precision — Headshots reduce Javelin cooldown by 50%.
• Deadly Distance — Javelin deals 2.5% bonus damage per meter traveled. (Max 100%.)

Summary: Great PvP ability for crowd-control and burst damage. This is not commonly used in PvE because there are better options for Rend. It can be hard to hit, but if done consistently it will result in the ability to catch targets, close gaps, and keep them CC'd.

Crafting Material: Starmetal Spear Charm - Sundering Javelin: Javelin inflicts Rend, reducing target's damage absorption by 19% (25% on weapon) for 10 seconds.

• Sweep — 10s CD: Sweep the target's legs, dealing 75% weapon damage and causing a knock down.
• Tenacious Sweep — Grit is now active during the attack.
• Coup de Grâce — Press light Attack during Sweep to follow up with a heavy stab that deals 150% weapon damage.

Summary: Fantastic crowd-control option for 1v1 PvP fights or times you are outnumbered. It can be followed up with a heavy attack for great burst damage. In PvE, this is a powerful tool for AoE crowd-control to keep enemies stacked together. In almost every situation, this ability will be used.

Crafting Material: Steel Spear Charm - Refreshing Torrent: Sweep's Coup De Grace now applies Bleed for 9.6% of weapon damage (17% on weapon) for 8 seconds.

• Perforate — 12s CD: Execute 3 quick piercing strikes that each deal 80% weapon damage and apply rend, reducing the target's damage absorption by 5% for 10s.
• Rupturing Strikes — Rend increased to 10% per strike against targets above 50% health.
• Impactful Strikes — Target is staggered if you successfully land all 3 hits.

Summary: Very useful PvE ability, it can be used in PvP but is difficult to hit targets with. This will always be used because of the multiple Rend stacks it applies in addition to its damage output.

Crafting Material: Reinforced Steel Spear Charm - Fortifying Perforate: Gain a stack of Fortify, increasing damage absorption by 9.6% (17% on weapon) for 6 seconds per successful Perforate hit.

• Skewer — 15s CD: Rush forward and skewer your target, dealing 125% weapon damage and applying bleed. Bleed deals 20% weapon damage every 1s for 10s.
• Deadly Ambush — Skewer deals 20% increased damage against targets that have full health.
• Follow Through — Gain empower if Skewer critical hits, increasing damage by 20% for 10s.
• Deep Wound — Bleed duration increased to 15s.

Summary: High damage burst ability that leaves a potent damage over time effect. This is powerful in PvP and PvE, especially when you use it with its perk. This will then leave 2 debuffs to increase your damage dealt from Exploited Weakness.

Crafting Material: Reinforced Starmetal Spear Charm - Enfeebling Skewer: Skewer hits apply Weaken, reducing target's damage by 24% (44% on weapon) for 8 seconds.

• Vault Kick — 15s CD: Use your spear to vault forward and kick your target, dealing 75% weapon damage and staggering them. Applies stun for 1.5s.
• Relentless Blows — Gain empower after successful hits on targets below 50% health, increasing damage by 20% for 5s.
• Continuous Motion — Cooldowns for other spear abilities are reduced by 30% on successful hit.

Summary: Hard stun that is commonly used in PvP, but can be taken in PvE too. This applies significant cooldown reduction with Aggressive Maneuvers and Continuous Motion. It is a pivotal ability for CC combos.

Crafting Material: Reinforced Orichalcum Spear Charm - Keen Vault Kick: Vault Kick increases random Crit Chance by 19% (36% on weapon) for 5 seconds.

• Deadly Consistency — This should never really be taken because heavy attacks with a Spear is a DPS loss.
• Deadly Reach — This should be taken in builds where you do not use Sundering Javelin. It is a low value pick that is generally taken so that you can progress into the tree.
• Refreshing Reach — Low value passive because of alternative cooldown reduction sources and lack of heavy attacking.
• Evasive Maneuvers — Great utility option that can help with high stamina demands when playing Spear.
• Invigorating Crits — Fantastic option, especially for PvP. This will make you incredibly mobile and help with dodge weaving.
• Merciless Strength — Only really valuable for players using Sweep with Coup de Grâce since it can be difficult to take advantage of on targets who have been hit by Javelin.
• Defensive Stance — Not needed, but it can be an option if you choose Coup de Grâce.
• Strong Conditioning — Great utility pick to help with Stamina management.
• Reserved Strength — This ultimate passive is a low value option that is overshadowed by Exploited Weakness. It is difficult to maintain full stamina, and even then it results in less damage than the alternative ultimate.

• Precise Jabs — Free critical hit chance on light attacks, this should always be taken.
• Refreshing Jabs — Great cooldown reduction that is better for PvE environments. You have many other sources of reduction, but this can still always have some viability.
• Crippling Jabs — Not needed because of all the sources of crowd-control you have access to.
• Finishing Blows — Free damage increase on low health targets. This will help with securing priority kills.
• Unerring Precision — Can be a viable option in PvP since there are many sources of Grit. Not a high value passive, but it can be taken when you have free points to spend.
• Aggressive Maneuvers — Necessary PvP passive in order to get enough cooldown reduction.
• Exacerbating Crits — Strong option in PvP and PvE to maintain bleeds and other debuffs.
• Exposed Wounds — Since you always use Skewer this will always result in a significantly higher critical hit chance.
• Exploited Weakness — This is the best ultimate passive. It applies to all debuffs, not just your own, so it is almost always a guaranteed 30% damage increase.