Amazon’s MMO New World follows a path where typical classes are not in the foreground. The developers have now explained in more detail what options you have to develop in the game.
Update July 23, 2021: In the meantime, the beta for New World has started, and we have created a guide with the best builds for PvE players.
This is what makes New World different: In New World, your character does not have a class in the strict sense. Instead, your class is determined by the equipment and skills with which you operate.
Players can specialize – for example, by mastering certain weapons, as the developers explained in the MeinMMO interview – but basically, you should have all the freedom to create your own play style.
In an interview with GameSpot, the developers explained that it is precisely the classless progression system that sets New World apart from other games: “One of our goals was to give players more choices and freedoms,” said developer Dave Verfaillie: “In New World, it’s about allowing players to develop their own gameplay, and that’s possible thanks to our classless system.”
In New World, it is for example not a problem to switch from melee to ranged fighters or mages. Since there are no classes, players can now focus on other ways to develop themselves.
New World offers five progression paths
This is how you level up in New World: To advance your character in New World, the game offers you five central types of progress that function completely independently of any classes.
On the one hand, there is progress through classic leveling. Here you can use skill points to improve various stats of your characters. Just that you are not tied to a certain class.
The second path concerns weapon mastery. This involves mastering certain skills and bonuses with the weapons of your choice by using them consistently. Each weapon has two skill trees that you can develop.
The third path concerns the “Trade Skills,” which also include options such as crafting or gathering resources. Here you can also improve and specialize. You start as a novice with each item you craft, but you will get better over time. For example, you could become the best armor smith on the server if you invest a lot of time in crafting.
Additionally, there is territorial progress: you can increase your reputation in various zones of the map and thus unlock bonuses in those locations. This already works by simply playing there a lot. So, it might be worth building a house in your favorite spots.
The fifth path consists of faction progress. In New World there are three factions: the Marauders, the Syndicate, and the Covenant. Depending on whose missions you complete, you can earn special rewards and exclusive items. The more you work for a faction, the better your reputation with them will be.
New World seems to consistently pursue the path of giving you as many freedoms as possible. If you want to try it all out, you can join the preview event starting August 25.
