New World Duelist Build: Rapier And Musket

Play as the Ultimate Musketeer with this Rapier / Musket combo. Perfect for Solo PVE and PVP Combat in New World!

Build Introduction

The Duelist Build is an Insanely Powerful Solo PVE and PVP Build for New World. This build specializes in explosive long range damage, brutally fast melee attacks and supreme mobility. In most fights and with enough experience using this build you can completely control the situation choosing to deal damage from any range you want, kite the target, or retreat if necessary.

Best Attributes

The core attribute needed for the DUELIST build is Dexterity. This is because Dexterity is the primary attribute for both of our main weapons on this build. Simply put: More Dexterity means more Damage! Dexterity also comes with some fantastic passive bonuses for ranged and melee fighters including higher critical chance, headshot damage and backstab damage.

Putting points into Constitution is aslo recommended for increasing your Maximum Health, especially early on in the game. Having at least 50 points in Constitution results in a healing perk great for all builds that increases the effectiveness of your potions.

Armor Choices

New World has a detailed Armor Weight and Equip Load system which provides different bonuses and drawbacks depending on your overall build weight. For the DUELIST Build I prefer a Light Equip Load as this gives us the highest possible damage in all situations. You can also go with a Medium Equip Load if you prefer for a more balaned approach to damage and armor. Some players also prefer using Medium on a build like this that uses the Musket because you can dodge/reload faster while using a specific passive.

Light Armor builds have the following passive bonuses in New World:

Light Equip Load

20% Bonus Healing
20% Bonus Damage
Farthest Dodge Distance: the Dodge Roll
Lowest Physical and Elemental Resistance

For comparison, Medium Armor builds have the following passive bonuses in New World:

Medium Equip Load

10% Bonus Healing
10% Bonus Damage
Medium Dodge Distance: the Dodge Hop
Average Physical and Elemental Resistance

Armor Attributes

Remember, when looking for gear pieces for this build to focus on our Primary Attribute: Dexterity. Some pieces with Constitution will also be good.

Armor Sets

My favorite Armor Set in New World for the DUELIST build is the Ranger Set. This type of armor comes in Heavy, Medium and Light, so you can mix and match pieces if needed to obtain your desired Equip Load. I recommend using a Medium Chest Piece as this will give you quite a bit of extra Physical and Elemental Resistances without putting you over the Light Armor Cap.

The great thing about this set is its attribute bonus which is 100% Dexterity-based. You can find this set randomly from enemy drops in New World or buy it from the trader.

Primary Weapon

The Primary Weapon for the DUELIST Build is the Rapier. This weapon allows for Powerful and Fast damaging combos as well as fantastic mobility.

A recommended trait for your Rapier is Keenly Empowered.

Once you find a Rapier with a Gem Slot available, you’ll be able to dramatically increase your killing power with the help of a Cut Emerald Gem. This increases your damage against targets below 30% Health and can very useful for quickly burning through enemies.

More information on Emerald Gems can be found here.

Secondary Weapon

The Secondary Weapon for the DUELIST Build is going to be the Musket. This weapon is an extremely powerful ranged option for any build in New World due to its massive burst damage potential.

A recommended trait for your Musket is Crippling Powder Burn.

Once you find a Musket with a Gem Slot available, you’ll be able to dramatically increase the Musket’s Power, especially as an opening weapon, with a Cut Onyx Gem. This increases your damage against targets at Full Health from 20-30%. Big Damage!

More information on Onyx Gems can be found here.

Rapier Skills

The Rapier Skills we’ve selected for this build are centered around quick melee strikes and mobility.

Click each skill name below to learn more about that skill and its upgrades.

Skill #1

Flurry

Enter a posed stance and unleash a series of five quick thrust attacks with each strike dealing more damage. Flurry can be dodge canceled at any time.

Cooldown: 16.0

Weapon Tree: Blood

Tier I

Skill #2

Riposte

Enter into a defensive stance for 1 second. If struck during this ability, counter the attacker stunning them briefly for 1.5 seconds. You are briefly invulnerable upon a successful Riposte.

Taunt Gem Compatible: If you have a Carnelian gem equiped in your rapier, This ability cause a 4.0s taunt to all foes within 5m. Taunt causes monsters to focus only on you.

Cooldown: 20.0

Weapon Tree: Grace

Tier II

Skill #3

Fleche

Leave the ground lunging forward for 10m in a stabbing motion piercing through enemies dealing 145.0% damage.

Cooldown: 17.0

Weapon Tree: Grace

Tier II

Musket Skills

The Musket skills we’ve selected for this build are focused on dealing as much upfront damage as possible.

Click each skill name below to learn more about that skill and its upgrades.

Skill #1

Power Shot

Overload musket with gun powder, causing the next shot to deal 150% Weapon Damage. Does not stack or combine with other overload shots.

Cooldown: 15.0

Weapon Tree: Sharpshooter

Tier I

Skill #2

Powder Burn

Overload your musket with gun powder, causing the next shot to deal 110% Weapon Damage and cause a Burn status effect that deals 20% Weapon Damage per second for 9.0 seconds. Does not stack or combine with other overload shots.

Cooldown: 15.0

Weapon Tree: Sharpshooter

Tier II

Skill #3

Sticky Bomb

A bomb that can be thrown a short range and sticks to anything it makes contact with. Detonation will occur 3 seconds after impact dealing 175% weapon damage to all targets within 3.0 meters.

Cooldown: 12.0

Weapon Tree: Trapper

Tier III

Combat Basics

Damage

The best way to start combat on this build is from the farthest range possible using the Musket. Start with a Power Shot, aimed for the enemy’s head if possible, for maximum damage. Follow this up with a Powder Burn for the damage over time effect, then roll dodge backward and do another basic Musket shot. From here, if the enemy is far enough away you can apply a Sticky Bomb, then swap to your Rapier and Fleche through the enemy to create more distance or backstab them from the other side.

When enemies are in closer range you will want to rely more on Riposte to counter their attacks followed by Flurry for more damage.

Mobility

Stamina regenerates fairly quickly in New World, so remember to use it! You should be Dodging behind enemies whenever possible to both avoid damage and also increase your own outgoing damage through melee backstab attacks.

To gain more space and move away from enemies you can use Fleche to spin directly through them and come out the other side.

Self-Healing

Potions are the main source of healing on this build, so remember to stay stocked with plenty of Strong Health Potions.

Important Passives

Passive Skills in New World are extremely important, especially for damage dealers. The more passives you unlock, the more damage potential your character has access to.

Rapier

Musket

Salt On The Wounds
Weakened Defense
Hustle
Tactical Reload
Kick ‘Em When They’re Down
Called Shot
Ballistic Advantage
Called Shot Resupply
Hit Your Mark
Sniper

Consumables

Food

You’ll want to start this build off with a basic food option such as Light Rations or Travel Rations. This food is helpful at all times, whether you are in a group or playing Solo as it slowly restores your Health over time. Keep in mind you can also consume this food for a faster heal over time for a few seconds if you are not getting hit.

Potions

For Potions, Weak Health Potions will be fine at first, but you will eventually want to upgrade these to Common Health Potions and Strong Health Potions. Strong Health Potions especially can be a real life saver.

More New World Builds

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Sword And Shield / Hatchet Tank Build: META TANK

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Spear & Life Staff Solo Leveling Build: The Templar

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Kill Things FAST With This Extremely EASY DPS Build For New World Using Great Axe And Hatchet.

Life Staff / Ice Gauntlet Healer Build: Frost Cleric

Great Group Healing and Crowd Control make this the Perfect Healer Build for Expeditions and Group content in New World!

Sword And Shield / Fire Staff Solo Build: Battlemage

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Sword And Shield / Great Axe Build: Brawler

This build offers a great combination of AOE damage, crowd control, defense, and mobility, letting you stand up to multiple enemies at once with ease.