Season of the Divide Best Weapons Ranked – New World Tier List (2025)

New World: Season of the Divide has officially dropped, and with it comes a fresh wave of weapon balance tweaks, meta shifts, and new ways to absolutely slap your enemies into the void. Whether you're deep in PvE expeditions, farming Coral Divide bosses, or sweating it out in PvP duels, having the right weapon can make or break your gameplay. So, if you’re wondering what the best weapons are in Season of the Divide, you’ve landed on the ultimate tier list to sort out the heavy hitters from the hot trash.

Let’s break it down weapon-by-weapon, with ranks based on overall power, versatility, and how they perform across different game modes—PvP, PvE, and solo play.

S-Tier Weapons – Meta Definers

1. Greatsword

Why it’s OP: Greatsword is still king in Season 8, and it’s not hard to see why. Between Relentless Rush and Crosscut, you’ve got AoE, mobility, and burst damage all in one brutal package. Plus, the Onslaught stance still melts faces in wars and duels.

Best Used In: Wars, AoE PvE farming, Bruiser PvP builds
Synergy: Pair it with Great Axe for mobility or Void Gauntlet for utility.

Pro Tip: Use Mortal Empowerment and stack kills early—your snowball will be unstoppable.

2. Fire Staff

Why it’s OP: Despite minor nerfs, Fire Staff is blazing through Season of the Divide thanks to its raw burst potential and great AoE control. Fireball and Pillar of Fire make for spicy combos, especially when paired with Refreshing gear.

Best Used In: PvE mobs, Outpost Rush, Coral Divide farming
Synergy: Combine with Void Gauntlet for insane lifesteal and debuffs.

Pro Tip: Don’t sleep on Incinerate—the burst is wild with Empower buffs stacked.

A-Tier Weapons – High Value, High Impact

3. Void Gauntlet

Why it’s Solid: Utility, sustain, and solid DPS. That’s the holy trinity the Void Gauntlet brings, and it shines in both support and damage roles. With Oblivion and Scream, you weaken enemies while healing up.

Best Used In: Solo PvE, Healer off-hand, PvP skirmishes
Synergy: Works great with Life Staff, Fire Staff, or even Rapier.

Pro Tip: Essence Rupture is key in group play—tag all enemies before your team nukes them.

4. Bow

Why it’s Great: The Bow’s high-skill ceiling is rewarding as ever. With buffs to Explosive Arrow and Poison Shot, you’ll be deleting squishies in PvP or melting bosses from a safe distance.

Best Used In: PvP sniper builds, boss DPS
Synergy: Pair with Musket or Rapier for mobility and burst.

Pro Tip: Take the high ground—range and terrain matter a lot this season.

5. War Hammer

Why it Hits Hard: Nothing clears crowds or staggers enemies like a good ol' War Hammer. In Season of the Divide, it’s a PvE staple and still a top-tier frontline disrupter in PvP.

Best Used In: Tank builds, War CC chains, expeditions
Synergy: Excellent with Greatsword or Sword and Shield.

Pro Tip: Path of Destiny is underrated for farming Coral mobs—it clears fast and knocks down.

B-Tier Weapons – Still Good, but Situational

6. Rapier

Why it’s Fun: The Rapier is a dueling master’s dream. It’s slippery, fast, and ideal for 1v1 or chasing down healers in PvP. But it lacks AoE and feels rough in larger fights or mob-heavy PvE.

Best Used In: Duels, PvP skirmishes
Synergy: Great with Musket or Void Gauntlet for a hit-and-run style.

Pro Tip: Evade spam + Bleed damage is deadly in Coral Divide arenas.

7. Musket

Why it’s Slipping: The Musket still hits hard, but slower reload and a lack of mobility make it a high-risk pick. It works well with aim-bot-tier precision, but struggles in fast-paced PvP this season.

Best Used In: Boss damage, sniper builds
Synergy: Pairs with Bow or Rapier for hybrid builds.

Pro Tip: Use Shooter’s Stance wisely—overcommitting gets you deleted fast.

C-Tier Weapons – Niche and Outclassed

8. Ice Gauntlet

Why it’s Meh: Once the king of AoE control, the Ice Gauntlet hasn’t kept up with meta shifts. Damage is decent, but its best crowd control tools get outclassed by War Hammer and Void Gauntlet.

Best Used In: Niche PvP slows, support builds
Synergy: Fire Staff, Void Gauntlet, or Great Axe.

Pro Tip: Stack Punishing Storm if you insist on making it work.

9. Sword and Shield

Why it’s Dropping: Still viable for tanks, but let’s be honest—it’s a bit clunky unless you’re fully built for defense. Other setups just do more damage or bring better utility in Season 8.

Best Used In: Expedition tanking
Synergy: War Hammer or Greatsword

Pro Tip: Focus on Shield Bash and Defiant Stance to maintain aggro.

10. Blunderbuss

Why it’s Struggling: The Blunderbuss had its moment, but it’s currently too inconsistent. Its close-range burst is nasty but risky, and without CC follow-ups, you’ll often die before landing the kill.

Best Used In: Meme builds, PvE burst
Synergy: Sword/Shield or Rapier

Pro Tip: Keep an eye out for buffs in the next patch—it needs them.

How to Farm the Best Weapons in Season of the Divide

Not every weapon is easy to get—especially the juicy 700+ GS versions. Here’s how to make your grind smoother:

• Coral Divide Boss Trains: Farm Gorgon’s Eye and other top-tier weapons from world bosses.

• Outpost Rush Caches: These are great sources of random high-GS PvP weapons.

• Lazarus & Genesis Mutations: Still solid options for targeted BiS gear.

• Crafting with Prismatic Ingots: Start flipping and saving early; these ingots spike hard in new seasons.

Final Thoughts + Pro Tip

Every weapon in New World has its moment, and Season of the Divide does a decent job keeping things diverse. That said, if you’re chasing wins, meta gear, and leaderboard clout, you’ll want to lean on the Greatsword, Fire Staff, and Void Gauntlet for now.

Pro Tip: If you want to skip the gear grind and jump right into the fun, check out SSEGold for fast, safe New World gold and item services. It’s a great way to stay ahead of the meta without spending all your time grinding Coral mobs.

Got a build you swear by? Or did we roast your favorite weapon too hard? Drop your thoughts in our community—let’s talk loadouts, nerfs, and what you think needs a buff next!