New World Aeternum: 20 Level Mastery War Hammer Guide
The War Hammer in New World: Aeternum is a colossal two-handed weapon designed for players who want to dominate in PvP and PvE through pure strength, crowd control, and staggering area-of-effect (AoE) abilities. As you climb to Level 20 Mastery with the War Hammer, you unlock a broad suite of skills that allow you to become a frontline force, capable of smashing enemies, breaking blocks, and disrupting formations. In this guide, we'll walk through how to best build and optimize your War Hammer mastery progression.
War Hammer Mastery Trees Overview
Two mastery trees:
Juggernaut_ Focuses on high damage, armor penetration, and brute force.
Crowd Crusher_ Specializes in crowd control, AoE disruption, and utility.
Level 20 Build: Crowd Control Bruiser (PvP & PvE Hybrid)
Active Abilities:
Shock wave (Crowd Crusher)_ Creates a seismic wave that stuns all enemies in a 3-meter radius. This is your key initiation and control skill. Pair with "Meteoric Crater" for increased AoE and "Frailty" for weakening enemies.
Path of Destiny (Crowd Crusher)_ Sends a forward shockwave that damages and staggers enemies in a line. Amazing for pulling enemies or interrupting casts.
Wrecking Ball (Crowd Crusher)_ A short-range slam that knocks enemies down and adds Grit. Use it to knock enemies out of casts or hold them in place for follow-up damage.
Alternative PvE option: Swap Wrecking Ball for Mighty Gavel (Juggernaut) if you want to increase single-target damage on bosses.
Skill Progression: Recommended Path from 1 to 20
Levels 1–10: Establishing Core Control
Start by unlocking:
Shock wave → Then take "Frailty" and "Meteoric Crater"
Path of Destiny → Then "Seismic Waves" for stagger and "Stimulated Reduction" for cool down reduction
Unlock passives: "Facilitated Expedition" (on Crowd Crusher tree) and "Concussive Impact" (more damage to CC'd enemies)
These abilities provide early control and AoE damage, helping in both solo and group play.
Levels 11–20: Maximize Utility and Resilience
Continue with:
Wrecking Ball → Upgrade to "Safety Measures" for Fortify
Take "Outnumbered" and "Prevailing Spirit" for healing and mitigation
Finish off with passives like "Resurgence" and the Crowd Crusher capstone: Aftershock (enemies hit by CCs are slowed)
By the end of Level 20, your War Hammer becomes a menace that knocks enemies down, stuns them, weakens their defenses, and controls space.
Attributes: What to Focus On
Primary: Strength (STR)_ Directly increases War Hammer damage.
Secondary: Constitution (CON)_ Boosts health pool, essential for bruiser/tank builds.
For PvP and group PvE, a 300 STR / 200 CON split is ideal by endgame. If soloing or tanking harder content, shift closer to 200 STR / 300 CON.
Best Weapon Pairings
The War Hammer pairs well with weapons that fill in its mobility or ranged gaps:
Great Axe_ The top combo for melee brawlers. It adds mobility via Charge and Reap, and both scale with STR.
Sword and Shield_ For tanking content, especially in Expeditions and Arenas.
Blunderbuss_ Great for hybrid builds and offers ranged pressure with crowd control.
Hatchet_ Provides mobility (via Feral Rush) and survivability with Berserk.
Gear and Perks
Armor Weight:
Heavy Armor_ Maximizes defense and benefits from Grit. Best for tank/brawler roles.
Medium Armor_ For a balance of mobility and protection. Recommended for PvP bruisers.
Perks to Prioritize:
Empowered Shock wave_ Increases Shock wave's damage and radius.
Sundering Shock wave _ Applies Rend (reduces enemy defense).
Refreshing_ Reduces cool downs, crucial for frequent CCs.
Fortifying Wrecking Ball_ Grants a Fortify buff on hit.
Look for Resilient on PvP armor and Refreshing Ward for PvE tanking.
War Hammer Tips and Tricks
Use Grit wisely: Heavy attacks and skills often come with Grit — time them to avoid staggers or interrupts.
Animation cancel with dodges: You can cancel long animations after slams by dodging immediately — improving responsiveness.
Layer crowd control: Don't overlap Shockwave and Wrecking Ball; instead, chain them to extend CC uptime.
Open with Path of Destiny: It's a safe way to begin fights from range and group enemies for Shockwave.
Final Thoughts
At Level 20 Mastery, the War Hammer in New World: Aeternum becomes one of the most potent tools for controlling the battlefield. Whether you're disrupting enemy formations in a War or locking down bosses in Expeditions, a properly-built War Hammer bruiser offers unmatched impact.
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MMOexp New World Team