New World attributes: what do Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Focus, and Constitution do?
Here's how the five New World attributes actually work
Want to learn about the New World attributes and how they work? With New World's first major content update now live, a number of systems have been overhauled. While Attributes haven't seen too many changes, the introduction of a brand-new weapon type means that there's a whole new balancing act to get used to if you want to scale your attributes to make the most of your new toy.
Whether you're picking up the game for the first time or checking back in to see how the new Void Gauntlet works, understanding how Attributes affect your progression is key to success in this colossal MMO. Each of your character's 5 core attributes offers you a variety of different bonuses and boons, and before you have a good idea how to level up your character, you'll need to understand what each attribute does for you. Read on to find out the threshold bonuses and weapon damage stats associated with each of New World's core attributes.
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New World attributes explained
Every player character in New World has access to 5 core attributes: Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Focus, and Constitution. These attributes each offer different benefits, and can be levelled up either by assigning points to them whenever you reach a new character level, or by equipping certain gear which give you attribute point bonuses. After you reach the New World level cap, you can only get attribute points from gear.
With the exception of Constitution, each of the attributes affects the damage you deal with certain weapon types. Some weapons scale only with a single attribute, but most weapon types have a primary attribute and a secondary attribute which both work together to influence the damage you deal.
In addition, each attribute has 6 threshold bonuses which you unlock after you reach certain levels in that attribute. Read on to find out exactly what these threshold bonuses are, and the weapon types which scale with particular attributes.
You can choose to respec in New World from the Character Attributes menu in-game (hotkey by default is "K"). Respeccing gives you back all your attribute points to reinvest across the 5 attributes. Until you hit level 20, respeccing is free; after level 20, it costs Coin, and the amount increases the higher your level.
If you need help increasing your Attribute points as quickly as possible, check out our page on fast New World leveling methods.
Strength
Each point of Strength increases damage for the following weapons:
- Great Axe (Strength only)
- War Hammer (Strength only)
- Hatchet (Strength and Dexterity)
- Sword (Strength and Dexterity)
- Spear (Dexterity and Strength)
The threshold bonuses for Strength are as follows:
- 50 Strength: +5% damage to melee light attacks; +10% mining speed
- 100 Strength: +10% damage to melee heavy attacks; +20 encumbrance
- 150 Strength: +50% stamina damage from melee light and heavy attacks; -10% decrease in weight of mined items
- 200 Strength: +10% damage on stunned, slowed, or rooted enemies; +10% mining speed
- 250 Strength: Stamina regen is faster during melee attacks; +10% mining yield increase
- 300 Strength: Melee attacks gain GRIT; 25% chance to mine an ore with a single swing
Dexterity
Each point of Dexterity increases damage for the following weapons:
- Bow (Dexterity only)
- Rapier (Dexterity and Intelligence)
- Musket (Dexterity and Intelligence)
- Spear (Dexterity and Strength)
- Hatchet (Strength and Dexterity)
- Sword (Strength and Dexterity)
The threshold bonuses for Dexterity are as follows:
- 50 Dexterity: +5% crit chance; +10% skinning speed
- 100 Dexterity: +5% thrust damage; +20% haste for 3s after skinning
- 150 Dexterity: Dodges cost 10 less stamina; -10% decrease in weight of skinned items
- 200 Dexterity: +10% bonus backstab and headshot damage; +10% skinning speed
- 250 Dexterity: +10% bonus crit damage on stunned, slowed, or rooted enemies; +10% skinning yield increase
- 300 Dexterity: Guaranteed crit after dodge roll (once per 10s); ammo has 15% chance of being returned
Note: Dexterity does nothing for your overall movement speed. If you want to get from place to place more quickly than on foot, you'll need to use fast travel, because unfortunately there are no mounts in New World.
Intelligence
Each point of Intelligence increases damage for the following weapons:
- Fire Staff (Intelligence only)
- Ice Gauntlet (Intelligence only)
- Rapier (Dexterity and Intelligence)
- Musket (Dexterity and Intelligence)
- Void Gauntlet (Intelligence and Focus)
The threshold bonuses for Intelligence are as follows:
- 50 Intelligence: +10% damage to light and heavy magic attacks; +10% harvest speed
- 100 Intelligence: +10% crit damage; +5% chance for 1 Azoth while harvesting
- 150 Intelligence: +15% elemental damage; -10% decrease in weight of harvested items
- 200 Intelligence: +10 mana after a dodge; +10% harvest speed
- 250 Intelligence: +30% duration to damage over time spells; +10% harvest yield increase
- 300 Intelligence: +30% damage on first hit on full health target; -10% reduction in Azoth fast travel cost
Focus
Each point of Focus increases damage for the following weapons:
- Life Staff (Focus only)
- Void Gauntlet (Focus and Intelligence)
The threshold bonuses for Focus are as follows:
- 50 Focus: +10% mana regen rate; +10% fishing line tension
- 100 Focus: +20 mana; +10% salvaging yield increase
- 150 Focus: +20% healing output; -10% decrease in carry weight of fish
- 200 Focus: +20% casted buff duration; +10% fishing line tension
- 250 Focus: +30 mana on any self or group kill; +10% increase to caught fish size
- 300 Focus: When your mana hits 0, gain 200% mana regen for 10s (60s cooldown); -10% cooldown reduction for Inn fast travel
Constitution
Each point of Constitution increases your overall Health. Constitution is the only attribute that does not increase the damage of a certain weapon type.
The threshold bonuses for Constitution are as follows:
- 50 Constitution: All health consumables 20% stronger; +10% logging speed
- 100 Constitution: Increase max health by 10% of physical armour; -10% reduction on tool durability loss
- 150 Constitution: -10% crit damage taken; -10% decrease in weight of logging items
- 200 Constitution: +20% armour; +10% logging speed
- 250 Constitution: -80% damage reduction when at full health (60s cooldown); +10% logging yield increase
- 300 Constitution: +20 duration of stun, slow, and root spells; 25% chance to chop down a tree in a single swing
That's all the stats and information we have on New World's five core attributes. If you find yourself specialising in a certain area it's best to have friends with you to compensate for your weaknesses, so have a read of our page on how to play with friends in New World. Elsewhere there's our primer on how to make and upgrade your Camp, and a handy map of all the New World Hemp locations. And if all this is too specific for you, a good place to start would be our New World tips and tricks page.