In New World, the strongest abilities tend to be player-dependent based on personal taste, the character one wishes to play, and learning how to adapt to the changing dynamics of combat. As of 2025, certain abilities stand out because of how versatile, damaging, and effective they can be against both PvE and PvP combat. These abilities have a strong influence on gameplay and typically decide the performance of a character build.
One of the most powerful skills in play right now is the Void Gauntlet’s Gravity Well. The skill creates a massive AoE that pulls enemies towards the center, leaving them vulnerable to secondary attacks. The skill is often used in group PvE and prolonged PvP fights to disperse enemy lines and take control of the battlefield. It has a 20-second cooldown and has the potential to deal massive damage (up to 1,500 at maximum level), which makes it a must-have skill for team fights. With an additional 25% increase in efficiency following the 2025 update, the Gravity Well’s ability in crowd control and damage makes it one of the most powerful skills in the game.
Another standout is the Sundering Shockwave skill of the War Hammer weapon. Renowned for its ability to reduce enemy armor by 30% for a short duration, this skill significantly boosts damage against well-defended targets, especially during PvE boss fights. The shockwave itself deals around 700-1,000 damage based on the player’s stats, but what really makes it powerful is its debuff effect. At five or more players, damage output is increased by as much as 40% because players capitalize on the weakness this ability induces. The War Hammer’s ability to shatter enemy defenses at the worst possible moment has made it a staple of solo and grouped gameplay and can be easily found in end-game PvE content.
The Searing Lash of the Fire Staff also stands at rank one of the most potent abilities, especially in the case of ranged characters. It allows a player to project a burst of fire that hurts enemies and places a debuff on enemies to reduce healing from them. When maximally developed, it inflicts as much as 1,200 damage within 6 seconds, also with the further benefit of substantially lowering healing by 50%. Given that healing is also the support of PvP and PvE, this skill is even more deadly in combat when sustain is imperative. Ranged experts have affirmed to employ Searing Lash as an attacking mechanism and utility in PvE and PvP encounters alike.
Pure damage is still topped by Revenge, which is the Great Axe’s skill. After a successful strike, this ability also has a possibility to deal another 2,500 damage (depending on the user’s stats) and heal the player for 15% of the player’s health. This not only makes it a strong offense, but also sustainable in battles, especially in danger situations. The Great Axe, being a high burst damage and crowd control weapon, has always been favored in PvP and PvE, and Revenge has only served to enhance its strength as a front-line weapon.
Finally, the Sacred Ground ability of the Life Staff is highly prized due to its healing capacity. It creates a zone where the companions heal for 900 health per second for a period of 10 seconds. Its sheer healing raw power is unmatched when combined with appropriate gear and utilized under heavy battles, particularly during war or large-scale PvE raids. In 2025, the healing effect of Sacred Ground was increased by 15% and became that much more useful for long team survival.
For those gamers who wish to gain a competitive advantage in acquiring the best equipment and skills as soon as possible, it is advisable to buy new world coins to hasten progress in attaining powerful equipment or resources that enhance the best skills. Through adequate investment in game money, gamers can level up quicker and equip themselves with tools required to optimize combat ability.