Though the holy triumvirate is not as present in New World as it is in other MMO games, the basic strategy of frontline and a backline is a failsafe classic. So, on that note, how viable is playing a tank in New World, and how to become one?
Before we get into the meat of the article, one thing must be pointed out. We will be focusing on plate-wearing, hits-taking, enemy taunting, meat-shield brutes when talking of tanks. The game and its system have, quite frankly, too many possible permutations to be discussed in a single article, so no off-tank builds will be mentioned at this time.
When talking of taking on a role in the game, one must not forget that a game is meant to be enjoyed. If you plan on playing a tank indefinitely in the game, be ready to be in it for the long haul.
Group PvE experience as a tank will prove to be quite enjoyable. A good tank is always useful, and your teammates will respect you for the help you give them in encounters, especially so during dungeons.
Solo PvE is even easier. Tanks are easily capable of chaining their crowd control skills on mobs, making leveling and questing an enjoyable breeze.
Group PvP, on the other hand, gets tricky. It all depends on your send choice of weapon, but all in all, most tanks can expect to be bigger or a lesser nuisance on the battlefield more than anything else
The same can basically be said of the solo PvP experience. Mages blast you to pieces while all others have a hard to an impossible time of killing you, while you yourself have a higher or lower chance of killing them based on their build, and your own choice of a second weapon.
All in all, the experience of playing a tank in New World is one where you fill a certain role, which you do exceptionally well, but have a hard to perhaps impossible time in transitioning into doing anything else.
Amazon Game Studios
Being a tank in New World generally consists of heavy armor (+20% cc duration IIRC) and using a carnelian gem in your weapon. Sword and Shield's combination seem to be the go-to tank with really good abilities and more passives in the tree line, such as more healing. There is not much to it from then on, just upgrading your cerulean gem making your threat level higher, and with it taunting, for all intents and purposes, any mob that moves.
