While traveling around and having a blast playing New World, you may have come across unusual plants and rocks spread across Aeternum. These nodes don't just shoot out fire or emit electricity - they're special resources that provide elemental motes - important resources for alchemists, and are integral to the end-game. But what different motes are there, and how does one harvest these motes?
This guide will take you through how to acquire elemental motes, the different motes available, and where you can find the nodes that provide them. Using a brief description of each mote and a screenshot of the world map, you should have no issue tracking down these exotic resources.
Read More: New World Fishing Guide: Where To Find Every Fishing Hotspot
For this guide, we used Map Genie's excellent New World Aeternum Guide
How Do I Obtain Elemental Motes
Elemental motes are unique from other crafting resources like wood, ore, or plants in that they can come from a variety of different sources. The three sources of elemental motes are:
- Mining nodes
- Harvesting nodes
- Special Small Animals
Both mining and harvesting nodes require a prerequisite level in either mining or harvesting in order to gather the resources from them, however special small animals are items you can simply pick up when you find them in the open-world without any skill checks. Each elemental type has their own distinct version of these three sources - each clearly reflecting the different elements they represent.
Air Motes
Air motes can be found all across Aeternum, with especially great farming spots found in the centre of Restless Shore and the south of Great Cleave. They come in the form of Shockbulbs for harvesters, Shockspires for miners, and Lightning Beetles for everyone.
Death Motes
If you're feeling a tad edgy, you can find death motes across the map but especially across Weaver's Fen and the North West of First Light. Death motes can be found in the form of Blightroot for harvesters, Blightcrag for miners, and Blightmoths for everyone.
Earth Motes
Earth motes can be found all over rocky regions throughout literally every zone in the game, with especially great farming spots found in the east of Monarch's Bluff and the east of Shattered Mountain. Earth motes can be found in the form of Earthspine for harvesters, Earthcrag for miners, and cute little Earthshell Turtles for everyone.
Fire Motes
If you're feeling hot under the collar, it's almost certainly because your store of fire motes is lacking. The cure? Head to Windsward or the south of Mourning Dale to find a massive amount of the elemental mote. Fire motes can be found in the form of Dragonglory for harvesters, Scorchstone for miners, and Salamander Snails for those lacking the trade skill XP.
Life Motes
Life motes are incredibly useful, and are thankfully findable in huge numbers all over early game regions - especially Windsward and Monarch's Bluff. Life Motes can be found in the form of Lifebloom for harvesters, Lifejewel for miners, and Life Moths that anyone can pick up.
Soul Motes
Soul motes are the Aretha Franklin of crafting motes - if you don't know who that is, ask your parents. Soul motes are some of the rarer resources out there, but you can find them in the centre of Mourningdale and across the shared border of Monarch's Bluff, Everfall and Windsward. Soul Motes can be found in the form of Soulsprite for harvesters, Soulspire for miners, and Soulwyrms for everyone!
Water Motes
Finally, we've got water motes. These - as you'd expect - can be found near bodies of water all across the map. Especially great zones are around the centre of Weaver's Fen and the lake at the middle of Brightwood. Water Motes can be found in the form of Rivercress for harvesters, Springstone for miners, and Spinefish for the rest of us.
Now we've gone over all the motes, you should have no issue tracking down the elemental notes you need. With a surplus of these resources, powerful potions and a variety of additional special items are at your fingertips. If you're looking to do some cooking while looking for motes, check out our New World fruit and vegetables guide. Alternatively, if you want to level quickly so you can search some of the higher level regions, read our guide on leveling quickly.