Buffs & Debuffs
Understand Empower, Rend, Weaken, DOTs and more. Full breakdown of buffs, debuffs, caps, and mechanics in New World.
Check out the full list of buffs & debuffs with built in calculators.
Intro
New World is full of status effects and mechanics that aren’t clearly explained in-game.
Terms like Empower, Rend, Weaken, DOTs, Fortify, and Absorption are constantly mentioned, but what do they actually mean?
This guide breaks down the core mechanics, their limits (caps), and how they affect both PvE and PvP gameplay.
Base Damage, Empower & Weaken
| Effect | Function | Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Base Damage | Weapon or ability’s raw damage | None |
| Empower | Multiplier applied to base damage | 50% |
| Weaken | Reduces outgoing damage (subtracts Empower) | 50% |
Example:
- 40% Empower – 10% Weaken = 30% effective Empower.
Some players stack Runeglass or Harnessing to go beyond the cap, so when Weaken applies they still maintain high damage.
Rend, Fortify & Absorption
| Effect | Function | Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Rend | Lowers enemy armor | 70% |
| Fortify | Raises your armor ratings | 200% |
| Absorption | Reduces specific damage received | 50% |
Rend directly counters Fortify, making it highly valuable in both PvE and PvP.
Team Utilization
In group content, focus on:
- Maintaining Empower for higher DPS.
- Applying maximum Rend to reduce enemy armor.
- Using Weaken to lower enemy damage output, improving survivability.
Reducing mob damage lets DPS players drop Constitution, increasing overall team damage.
Resilience
Some bosses or mobs have resilience, reducing the effectiveness of debuffs.
Example:
- Worm raid boss → 50% resilience against Rend.
- Armor Breaker (30% Rend) applies only 15%.
- To reach the effective 70% cap, you’d need to apply 140% total Rend.
Unclamped Effects
Unclamped effects do not count toward Empower cap.
Example:
- 50% Empower (cap) + Beast Coating (+15% vs beasts) = Full 65% damage boost.
Disease
- Reduces healing efficiency.
- Affects both outgoing (heals given) and incoming (heals received).
- Cap = 50% each.
- Critical in PvP to shut down sustain builds.
Haste & Slow
- Haste → Increases movement speed.
- Slow → Reduces movement speed.
Movement control is crucial in PvP.
- Offensive players rely on slows to chase and lock targets.
- Defensive groups stack haste to kite and reposition.
Energize & Exhaust
- Energize → Increases stamina regeneration.
- Exhaust → Reduces stamina regeneration.
Since dodging consumes stamina, these effects influence mobility and survivability, especially in extended fights.
Outro
Understanding how buffs and debuffs interact is critical for optimizing your builds.
Key takeaways:
- Empower caps at 50%, Weaken subtracts directly from it.
- Rend, Fortify, and Absorption all have different caps and counters.
- Resilience reduces debuff effectiveness in certain fights.
- Disease, Haste/Slow, and stamina modifiers shape both PvP and PvE.
Use these mechanics to maximize your group’s efficiency in arenas, OPR, and raids.