New World's endgame begins at level 60. It's a grind, and there's more to do than you think. PvE consists of Elite runs and endgame dungeons, PvP revolves around Outpost Rush and endgame Wars, and grinding is focused around upping your gear score and hitting max trade skill level.

RELATED: New World: PvP Weapon Tier List

But once you hit 60, the game doesn't do an incredible job at telling you what to do next. This guide covers the first steps you should take once hitting max level.

We updated this guide on September 20, 2022, to cover the endgame changes over the past year of the game. This includes more info on Gypsum, Expertise, the endgame dungeon mutations, and lots more. This is to keep you updated ahead of the Brimstone Sands expansion later in October this year.

First Quests For Level 60

You will finish the main storyline (and receive your tier 5 Azoth Staff) at close to level 60, depending on what sort of leveling path you've taken through the game.

Your main aim is to complete the quests offered by Eintou Madaki in Shattered Mountain. After a number of sidequests, you'll unlock the quest "Madaki's Stratagem" which will provide a legendary weapon when completed - providing you're at 20 mastery in the weapon and level 60.

These quests aren't easy. You'll be sent far and wide across high-level zones to collect materials for the weapons, and it's much easier with a friend (or a couple of friends.)

At the end of the quest, you'll be rewarded with a 580 gear score Epic weapon. These might be better than what you'll find on the market, though you might as well check for 580+ weapons as players begin to craft and sell their high-tier gear.

Level 60 Solo Guide

• Grind for the level 60 Faction Armor. The Faction set is one of the best sets in the game for those early gear score days. It's a straightforward way to get your gearscore up.
• Or, instead of faction armor (if you want to save your faction points to purchase the daily Gypsum, more on that below), purchase cheap 2-perk (Epic) gear on the Trading Post with your desired stats. Single stat items are more expensive. The game will take the average of your Expertise and item gear score to give you a gear level.
• Complete as many quests as you can. Even low-level quests can open up better quests elsewhere on the map, and they provide good gold even if you don't need the experience anymore.
• Complete quests in endgame zones for the 20 mastery legendary weapon quests. You can solo pretty much all of these. You might need to find some buddies to complete these with.
• Start to focus on one or two tradeskills to level - stuff like weaponsmithing and armoring is good if you want to craft your way up to 600 gear score.
• Trophies, houses, and luck/harvesting gear should also be a priority.
• Clear corruption for extra Azoth, or run dungeons. Genesis, Lazarus, Tempest Heart, and Barnacle are all valid dungeons for late-game score grind. Genesis, in particular, is great for grinding Expertise.

Begin The Gear Score Grind

If you want weapons that are greater than a 580 gear score, you have three methods: crafting, purchasing, or grinding. Grinding your gear score is a long process, but ultimately worth it if you want to prepare for the endgame expeditions and future endgame content.

• Minor Farming and Chest routes for new level 60s - You want to check out some areas like Scorched Mines and Lonely Climb in Shattered Mountain. These are good until around 550-560 gear score. You should also check out Malevolence in Edengrove, Mangled Heights in Great Cleave, Imperial Palace down in Ebonscale, and Eternal Pools in Reekwater, Myrkgard, Siren.

Elite Chest Run Guide

Here's a look at where all the Chest Run locations are in New World, and where they begin from.

Scorched Mines

Scorched Mines is usually the starting point for the Shattered Mountain Elite chest run loop. Once you finish Mines, you will rotate towards Myrkgard. Both are full of Elites and various chests. Follow the zerg! If you want to maximize your time in the game, wait until the Corrupted Portals are active in Myrkgard. You can see this by the red marks on the map in the northern territory. You can clear these for extra Gyspum and other rewards.

Malevolence

Malevolence is located in Edengrove. Blight might get really annoying here for a fresh level 60, so make sure you bring a couple of potions. The actual starting point of this Elite chest run is next to the elite mob, Baines. We have marked down where you can begin your ascent up to the loop from the bottom stairs.

Eternal Pool

Eternal Pool is located in Reekwater. This is a very short Elite run that is usually run just before Siren's Stand. You will see people typing "+pool" in the chat when a run is about to begin.

Siren's Stand

Siren's Stand is also located in Reekwater. Pool and Siren are usually run consecutively. You will see people type "+siren" in the chat when a run is about to begin.

Imperial Palace

Imperial Palace is located in the southwest corner of Ebonscale Reach, next to the Dynasty Shipyard Expedition. Players will often say "+imp+" in the chat when the run is about to begin. Players assemble at the southern bridge (pictured below) and then begin the zerg. There are multiple chests and Elite fights dotted throughout, so make sure to group up.

Mangled Heights

Mangled Heights is located in Great Cleave. It's a short Elite chest run that can be completed in 10-15 minutes. Just fast travel to the nearby Outpost and you'll be right next to where the run starts from.

Since you have last played, the various Elite chest runs have been improved massively. Back at the start of the game, you could really only run Mines and Myrkgard for high-level loot. There's a lot more variety now.

There are also some big changes to how your gear score levels over time. This is Gypsum, Umbral Shards, and Expertise.

What Is Gypsum? What Is Expertise?

Gypsum is a new system that allows you to level up your Expertise (another new system) via completing a multitude of different tasks, including chest runs, crafting, and completing PvP tasks like OPR and Arenas. We have covered both of these in-depth in our guide for returning players in 2022. In short, gear score is now much easier to level - the grind is split between your Expertise and the level of your item. An average is taken between the two values.

In theory, you could reach 600 gear score in around 1-2 weeks depending on your playstyle. We recommend grinding Genesis and Lazarus for your daily gypsum but also to get expertise drops in Expedition chests. Don't forget to buy your daily Gypsum from your faction vendor.

What Are Umbral Shards?

Umbral Shards are a new type of currency that can be used to raise your Expertise from 600 to 625. This is the only way for your items to reach 625, which is currently the max level available in the game. At that point, you will begin getting legendary drops and hunting for your BiS gear.

Umbral Shards are earned in Arenas, Outpost Rush, and on Elite chest runs. You can also get Umbral Shards from chests in the Expeditions. If you have excess gold, you can also purchase them.

RELATED: New World: Complete Guide To Gems

Corrupted Portals

Running endgame Corrupted Portals is a great source of Azoth, loot, and gold. You will end up closing these on your Elite chest runs in Myrkgard anyway. Other portals are located around the map and can be closed solo (like level 25 ones) so you can get your hands on the required Gypsum to unlock more Orbs to upgrade your gear.

Outpost Rush

Outpost Rush makes the main bulk of the endgame PvP content. For winning or losing you'll receive a bunch of gold, Azoth, Umbral Shards, and Gypsum, and it's a lot of fun.

You should run Outpost Rush every day if you want to grind your Expertise and gear score. Even if you don't win, you will still receive Umbral Shards.

This is an essential part of the endgame, even if you're not a massive PvP fan. It's worth trying out because it's unlike any other part of the game. Much less buggy than wars, less focused on that sort of "meatgrinder" objective system they've got in wars, and you can run the mode back-to-back with friends or randoms.

PvP Arenas

These 3v3 Arenas also make up a significant part of the endgame PvP. You can play these as many times as you like a day, and you will receive Umbral Shards and Gypsum as you go. You will receive these rewards even if you don't win the arena. The biggest problem with the Arena is that there is no real matchmaking, and you can easily get thrown up against three very good players. If you've got mates to play with, this is your best bet.

Preparing For PvE Arenas

Arenas are actually a bit tougher than the endgame expeditions, Lazarus and Gardens (you will want to wait to complete these until you're at least gear score 525+, maybe more for Lazarus), and require a lot more prep.

The arena fights are heavily DPS-checked. You should prepare with trophies in your houses, yes, all three, and come with a weapon coating that applies to the damage type in each of the arena battles.

You get 15 minutes to defeat the arena boss. Don't go in underprepared, because the keys are tough to craft/loot.

Best Professions To Focus On In The Endgame

There are a couple of pretty crucial endgame professions to focus on, primarily Stonecutting, weapon smithing, armor crafting, and jewelcrafting. This is because crafting your endgame set can be more reliable than hunting for it or purchasing it.

Secondly, you probably want to steer into Arcana. Not only are the high-tier Infused mana and health potions extremely useful, but the tinctures and damage-boosts also help you clear dungeons and arenas in decent time. You will also need to be able to refine motes so that you can cut high level gems, all the way up to Pristine.

Lastly, Smelting. A high level in Smelting allows you to refine Asmodeum bars, a required material to craft Voidbent armor. This 600 gear score armor is the first endgame armor you'll pick up and is the most convenient in terms of hitting that max GS right away.

With the Brimstone Sands expansion, we will shortly be getting new types of items: Heartgems and Heartrunes. These will add an extra ability to your skillset, but are very expensive to craft. You need Runestones, which require 200 Stonecutting. We're prioritizing this ahead of the expansion!

We have several guides in place for leveling various crafting skills quickly:

• Engineering Leveling Guide
• Mining Leveling Guide
• Jewelcrafting Leveling Guide
• Logging Leveling Guide
• Arcana Leveling Guide

NEXT: New World: Complete Guide And Walkthrough