From mass battles to gameplay with factions and companies in the Open World: We answer all questions about PvP in the MMO New World.
New World is no longer a PvP sandbox MMO, as it was originally called when it was announced. However, Amazon is not focusing on pure PvE either: mass battles, outposts, companies and factions play a decisive role in player interaction in the online role-playing game.
We therefore answer all the important questions about PvP here.
Overview
- How does PvP work exactly?
- Who are the factions?
- What is behind companies?
- What PvP modes are there?
Table of Contents
All about PvP: Factions, Modes, Gameplay & more
Do I have to play PvP in New World?
No. PvP can be optionally activated in the MMO (by default with the “U” key) when you are in a settlement or outpost. As long as you do not do this, other players cannot harm you while you calmly complete PvE quests or explore the world.
For PvE players, New World offers missions, monster invasions, end-game expeditions, crafting and more. We had the most fun in the beta alone, when we really understood the MMO as a role-playing game.
How exactly does PvP work?
The short version: New World’s PvP is all about securing areas of the map and defending them to bag bonuses. This applies to settlements, fortresses or entire areas if enough posts are occupied and held there by the same faction. Companies, i.e. guilds that are subordinate to the individual factions, can capture.
In the article, we explain in detail what is behind factions and companies, how you can join, what bonuses await you and which modes you can play in PvP.
What are the benefits of PvP?
You will miss out on certain activities like the mass battles with 100 players or PvP quests for the factions without PvP. Also, only in PvP will you increase faction influence and gain additional experience. Factions can conquer and hold settlements, fortresses or entire territories, which brings certain bonuses.
Settlement owners receive the following benefits:
- 70 percent discount on fast travel
- 30 percent discount on taxes
- 20 percent discount on houses
However,
members of the same faction benefit even if they do not play PvP. Specifically, you will receive a 40 percent discount on fast travel and other advantages such as resource containers in the city, linked storage rooms and bonuses on luck and collecting.
Funnily enough, even housing has a small PvP component: the higher your influence within the faction, the more likely it is that your house will be displayed to other players in the world.
As the ruling company (the equivalent of a guild within a faction), you also determine the amount of taxes. But be careful: If you try to collect too much, players will quickly leave. Owning a settlement also comes with a fee and other obligations – like defending it if you don’t want to lose it again.
Houses
manufacturing station
How do the fractions work?
In New World, you represent one of three factions that represent certain values and fight for supremacy on the island of Aeternum. If you complete PvP missions, you will increase the influence of your group after joining. Through PvE missions, you can obtain special equipment and improve your reputation. If your faction becomes powerful enough, it can declare war on the leading faction and take over a zone.
This gives the members certain advantages, such as discounts at workshops and fast travel. Victory also opens up special city missions: As mentioned above, you then lead and manage individual settlements or bases. As a member of a faction, you also earn special equipment and better crafting components.
You can also fight for individual forts or settlements. If these have not yet been taken over by other players, it is enough to pay a certain amount. However, you can never fight within your own faction – so you can’t steal a base from an allied company.
What factions are there?
- The Marauders: This is a hardcore military organisation. Their goal is to establish a nation where everyone can rise through hard work. They value strength above all else and strive for glory and honour.
- The Syndicate: This secretive group values knowledge and cunning over a hustler mentality. They seek out forbidden knowledge and strive for progress
- The Covenant: The Order is completely dedicated to faith and stands up for religion, righteousness and justice.
Can I change my faction afterwards?
Yes, but you have to wait 120 days after each change. So you should think twice before changing your faction and you can’t keep jumping back and forth.
Can factions form alliances?
Yes. In times of war, two factions can join forces against a third. You may not oppose your own faction, but you can specifically refuse help if you disagree with the organisation’s decisions. The developers also want to ensure that membership in each faction feels rewarding, rather than one eventually becoming completely defeated and no longer fun.
What are companies?
Companies are subunits of factions and function like guilds. Once you join a faction, you can then create a company or become a member of an existing one. You can complete area missions together, expand settlements, compete in PvP and increase your faction’s influence along the way.
However, you can only invite players from the same faction to join a company. The companies are also the ones who declare war or lay siege to territories, not the factions themselves. As governor of a territory, you earn thalers as taxes, receive increased discounts on fast travel and increase your faction’s influence enormously.
Companies also share a common treasury and can form groups more easily – you can see prominently when members are online. The maximum number of members is 50 and you can create one yourself as soon as you have completed the quests for the most important town NPCs and reached Windsward.
The role of governor is held by one player, but it is transferable. The other players are divided into the following ranks:
- Settler: The lowest rank, you only pay into the treasury and use the group chat – meant for newcomers
- Officer: The second rank already lets you draw from the treasury and start or recall area upgrades you need to defend against attacking enemies. You can also invite new members or kick out settlers, only promotions are not possible.
- Consul: The third rank allows you to set all points from the top and a message of the day. Consuls share a private chat room with the governor and can organise wars.
If you start your own company, you are allowed to design an emblem and recruit other players. Changing your name or banner later does not cost anything. As governor, you also award the ranks listed above. You should think carefully about who you give access to your finances, for example.
How does a war work in the MMO?
If all settlements in an area are occupied, you have to conquer the whole area instead of individual settlements or forts and declare war on the ruling company (representing the faction). However, this is only possible after a little preparatory work:
If you complete PvP faction missions in the area in question, you weaken the influence of the ruling faction there and increase that of your party at the same time. Faction missions are divided into PvP and PvE:
(PvP faction missions): In PvP missions you have to get information, transport something or kill someone. If you activate such a mission, PvP is automatically activated – other players can attack you. If you deactivate PvP or die, the quest fails and you have to start it again. The reward is not only money but also influence for your faction.
(PvE faction missions): You have to defeat enemies, produce supplies or collect resources. You will receive faction money as a reward, which you can use to purchase special equipment and items from the faction.
If an area has been weakened enough, any enemy company can initiate a declaration of war. After a short waiting period in which declarations of war can be made, a company is randomly declared to be the vanguard if no one holds at least 10 per cent of the territory.
The leader of the group then builds up a force from volunteers of the faction. In this way, even small companies have a chance of successfully going into battle. The war mechanics are also intended to create “social storytelling” – i.e. stories written by players. What you can expect in terms of story and lore on Aeternum apart from that is presented in a separate article.
In PvP, you can participate in the following modes as part of the war:
What is Outpost Rush?
In the smaller battle mode, two teams with 20 members each face each other in their forts. Both have the goal of conquering the three outposts in the middle as quickly as possible. You first capture them and then hold them for as long as possible to earn points for your side – alternatively, (fewer) kills also add points to your account. The party that wins 1,000 points first wins.
Preparation is half the battle: You also help by collecting resources, sharing supplies via storage sheds and equipping yourself accordingly in the armoury. As soon as an outpost has been captured, you can expand and improve it – for example, by making and placing gates or siege weapons. However, enemies can destroy these.
There are also special quest objectives. For example, if you kill the Baroness Hain who appears, you get a buff for the whole team. So you can also help out as a PvE player and don’t have to get involved in PvP duels.
What are the checkpoints in the Open World?
There are strongholds all over Aeternum that you can take over. They bring with them small areas and special rewards such as increased experience gain if you control them and successfully defend them against other players. If you want to conquer a fortress, you have to mark yourself for PvP and enter it.
The more faction members enter the area, the faster your influence grows until you eventually oust the other group completely. Other faction members will get an in-game hint when a point is contested, so you don’t have to round up a whole pack first.
How do the mass battles play?
The climax of the war is represented by the siege battles with 100 players – 50 players compete directly against 50 others at the large territorial fortress. As the attacker, your goal is to capture three important control points that will later serve as respawn points and supply depots. You have 30 minutes to do this. If you are successful, they cannot be recaptured and you get another 30 minutes.
You use this time to break open the gates of the fortress and capture the conquest point inside. You can tactically weigh up in advance where to attack first and whether to split up. It is possible to attack the back door or to strategically place cannons and other siege equipment. The defenders, however, have the same options. In addition, battle points can be exchanged for potions or ammunition in between so that you don’t run out.
You can find even more information about New World in our big overview of the release, gameplay and more. If you already want to prepare yourself for the release at the end of August, our guides to the game will help you:
* (New World Beta Guide:Tips for getting started with the MMO from Amazon)
* (Easier start in the New World: Interactive map shows resources and more)
* (New World Beta: All about duration, keys, content and more)
Will you be trying out New World’s PvP or are you pure PvE players? And what was your experience with Amazon’s MMO so far? Write us your impressions in the comments!
