Hey guys! Are you ready to dive back into Aeturnum and smash your way to victory in New World Season 8? If you're a fan of getting up close and personal, dealing massive damage, and generally being a force to be reckoned with, then this guide is for you. We're going to break down the ultimate bruiser build, optimized for Season 8, to help you dominate both PvE and PvP content. Get ready to learn the best weapons, attributes, armor, skills, and strategies to become the ultimate bruiser.

Understanding the Bruiser Playstyle

Alright, before we get into the nitty-gritty, let's talk about what it really means to be a bruiser in New World. Bruisers are the heavy hitters of the game. They thrive in the thick of combat, trading blows, and dishing out serious punishment. Think of them as the brawlers, the gladiators, the ones who aren't afraid to stand toe-to-toe with any opponent. The core of a bruiser build revolves around high damage output, excellent survivability, and the ability to control the battlefield. They want to be in the face of enemies, disrupting their plans and causing chaos.

Core Characteristics of a Bruiser

• High Damage Output: Bruisers are designed to deal significant damage, both in single-target engagements and in AoE situations. Their primary focus is to kill enemies quickly or pressure them effectively to open them up for others. Weapons like the Great Axe, War Hammer, and Sword & Shield are essential.
• Exceptional Survivability: Bruisers need to withstand a lot of damage, as they will be at the front lines. This is achieved through a combination of high armor, defensive skills, and good health pools. They want to survive long enough to defeat their opponents.
• Crowd Control (CC) Capabilities: Bruisers often have skills that can stun, knock down, or otherwise disrupt opponents, giving them the edge in battles. CC allows them to control the flow of combat and create opportunities for themselves and their team.
• Mobility and Positioning: While not always the primary focus, some mobility is useful for bruisers to close the gap on enemies or reposition in a fight.

Why Choose a Bruiser?

So, why would you want to play a bruiser? The answer is simple: if you enjoy being the heart of the fight, dishing out huge damage, and soaking up hits while simultaneously dominating the battlefield. Bruisers excel in:

• PvE: Great for tanking, dealing consistent damage, and controlling enemy spawns in expeditions and open-world content.
• PvP: Excellent for duels, small-scale fights (like OPR), and objective control in wars.
• Solo Play: Bruisers can handle a lot of content alone, giving you an advantage as you progress through the game.

Now that you know a bit more about what makes a bruiser tick, let's look at the best build to use in Season 8 to dominate.

Weapon Choice: The Heart of Your Build

Choosing the right weapons is the most important part of your bruiser build. Season 8 brings some changes, so let's examine the top choices.

Great Axe and War Hammer: The Classic Combo

This is the bread and butter of most bruiser builds, and it's powerful for a reason. The Great Axe provides excellent damage and mobility, while the War Hammer brings a wealth of crowd control and burst damage. This combo allows you to stick to your targets, deal devastating blows, and control the battlefield.

• Great Axe: Offers incredible damage output and gap-closing abilities. Skills like Charge to get into the fight, Gravity Well to trap enemies, and Reap for AoE damage and healing are essential. The Great Axe is all about getting close and personal.
• War Hammer: Provides powerful crowd control and burst damage. Skills like Wrecking Ball for stunning enemies, Shockwave for area-of-effect stuns, and Path of Destiny for damage and mobility make the War Hammer a force to be reckoned with.

Sword & Shield and Great Axe: A Balanced Approach

This combo trades some damage for increased survivability and control. If you like being a frontline tank, this is a great choice.

• Sword & Shield: Excellent for blocking, stunning, and disrupting enemies. Defiant Stance for taunting and mitigating damage, Shield Bash for stunning, and Leaping Strike for gap closing are vital.
• Great Axe: Still provides the damage output needed to eliminate the target.

Weapon Perks: Maximizing Your Potential

Your weapon perks are going to increase your effectiveness. Consider these important perks:

• On the Great Axe: Keen, Enchanted, and Vorpal are good for extra damage output. Perks that provide healing on hit are also great.
• On the War Hammer: Keen, Enchanted, and Sundering Strikes are solid picks.
• On the Sword & Shield: Refreshing Ward, Sturdy, and perks that increase blocking efficiency are very important.

Remember to tailor your weapon choices to your playstyle, but these options provide a solid foundation for any bruiser.

Attribute Distribution: Powering Up

Your attribute points are the foundation of your build. Here’s a recommended distribution for the Great Axe and War Hammer build:

• Strength (300+): This is your primary stat. It increases your damage output with both weapons. Aim to max this out.
• Constitution (200+): This increases your health and survivability. More health means more time in the fight.
• Dexterity (50): Provides a minor damage boost. This can be shifted into Strength as needed.

For the Sword & Shield build, you may want to focus more on Constitution to increase your survivability, with the balance in Strength. Remember, this is a general guideline. Your specific allocation may change based on your preferred playstyle and gear.

Armor: The Protective Layer

Armor type, perks, and overall gear score are key to your survivability.

Armor Type

• Heavy Armor: As a bruiser, you want to use heavy armor for maximum protection. This reduces the damage you take from all sources.

Armor Perks

• Resilient: Reduces critical hit damage taken.
• Freedom: Reduces the duration of crowd control effects.
• Physical/Elemental Aversion: Reduces damage taken from various damage types.
• Refreshing: Reduces the cooldown of your abilities.

Gear Score

Aim for the highest gear score possible. This increases your base stats and allows you to equip better armor perks.

Skills and Abilities: Mastering the Battlefield

Your skill selection is where you customize your build. Here are the core skills to consider for the Great Axe/War Hammer build:

Great Axe Skills

• Charge: Great for closing gaps and initiating fights.
• Gravity Well: Traps enemies, allowing for AoE damage and setup for follow-up attacks.
• Reap: Good for AoE damage and some self-healing.

War Hammer Skills

• Wrecking Ball: Stuns enemies.
• Shockwave: AoE stun.
• Path of Destiny: Damage and mobility.

These are base skills, which can be modified based on your playstyle.

Consumables and Equipment: Supporting Your Might

Don't neglect consumables and equipment. These can make a big difference in a fight.

Consumables

• Potions: Health potions and regeneration potions.
• Food: Increases stats and provides regeneration.
• Coatings: Apply coatings to your weapons to provide elemental damage.

Equipment

• Jewelry: Focus on perks that increase damage, survivability, and reduce crowd control duration.
• Gems: Choose gems that provide resistance to elemental damage or boost your damage output.

Gameplay Strategy: Leading the Charge

To be a successful bruiser, you need a strategy. Here are some key tips:

In PvE

• Tanking: Use your high armor and taunt abilities to draw aggro from enemies.
• Damage: Deal consistent damage, using your AoE skills to eliminate enemies quickly.
• Positioning: Stay aware of enemy attacks and reposition as needed.

In PvP

• Target Selection: Focus on high-value targets, such as healers and ranged damage dealers.
• Crowd Control: Use your CC skills to disrupt enemies and create opportunities for your team.
• Teamwork: Communicate with your team and coordinate your attacks.

Adaptation and Progression: Evolving Your Build

Season 8 will inevitably bring changes to the game. Stay flexible and make adjustments as needed.

Monitoring Updates

• Patch Notes: Pay attention to patch notes and see how the meta is changing.
• Community: Participate in forums, watch streams, and listen to feedback from other players.

Experimentation

• Try New Weapons and Builds: Don't be afraid to experiment. You might discover your new favorite combination.
• Refine Your Strategy: Adjust your build based on your experience and what's working best for you.

Conclusion: Becoming the Ultimate Bruiser

There you have it, guys! This is the New World bruiser build guide for Season 8. Remember that practice is key. By following these guidelines, experimenting, and adapting to the game's evolution, you'll be well on your way to becoming a dominating force. Go forth, smash some skulls, and have fun in Aeturnum! Good luck, and happy gaming!