Upgrading your gear is a massive part of every MMORPG, and New World is no exception! While playing through for the first time you'll pick up hundreds - if not thousands - of unique armour pieces. But what different types of armour are there? What Armour slots do you have access to, and what's all this about encumbrance? This guide will take you through all the basics and explain everything you need to know about armour in New World.
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What Is Armour, and What Does It Do?
Armour in New World is your primary source of defensive bonuses that'll keep you protected from physical and magical attacks. Each armour piece you collect is guaranteed to come with a defensive stat, but pieces may also come with perks that further boost your character's attributes (such as +2 strength on a pair of boots).
You have five different armour slots unlocked from the start of the game in New World. These are for your head, torso, hands, legs, and feet. As you level up in New World you do unlock additional slots for items that can provide additional perks, but the core of your build will revolve around these five armour slots and the benefits they provide.
What Different Armour Types Are There?
In New World there are three different armour types that you can acquire. These are based around how heavy the armour is, and are split into Light Armour, Medium Armour, and Heavy Armour. Generally speaking, a piece of heavy armour of the same level as a piece of light armour for the same slot will have more defensive stats on it. For example, some level 15 heavy gauntlets will provide more defence than a level 15 pair of leather gloves.
Each piece of armour you equip has its own armour type, so you can mix and match no problem. Instead of trying to equip pieces of just one weight type, try and keep an eye out for pieces that provide additional stats that compliments your character. You'll find you may be able to stay light on your feet even with a piece of medium armour equipped.
What Is Encumberment and How Does It Work?
Encumberment in New World is basically a bar that tracks the overall weight of the weapons and armour you are using at one time. Encumberment is broken into three brackets, each with their own boons and negative side effects. These are:
- Light: While in the light bracket, your dodge roll is the fastest and covers the greatest distance. You also get a 20% damage buff, so this is the area where players hoping to deal maximum damage should try and fall into. The downside here is that this also makes you the squishiest of the three, so if you get hit you'll really feel it.
- Normal: A balanced middle ground. The normal armour bracket downgrades that agile dodge roll into a short leap. You also lose 10% of that damage buff. However, you are certainly tankier in the normal bracket, plus any debuffs you place on enemies lasts longer too!
- Heavy: Really hampers your ability to dodge at all, providing a meek sidestep that is by far the slowest of the three. But it makes up for it with a 15% buff to any crowd control abilities you have, and additional block stability. This is the must-pick for any tanks.
That wraps up our armour type and encumberment guide! With this, you should have a good idea of what makes armour so important, and what pieces you should be aiming for. Whether you're planning on staying light on your feet, or building yourself up as a juggernaut, each weight type has its pros and cons. So be sure to keep an eye on what gear you're putting on! For a look at how Rarity works, head here.