Upgrading to Legendary: Which Items Can Reach the Pinnacle in New World?
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In the world of Aeternum, attaining legendary status for your gear is a crucial step towards maximizing your character’s potential. It’s not just about having powerful stats; it’s also about unlocking the full potential of certain unique items. But which pieces of equipment can actually be elevated to legendary status? The answer is specific and understanding the nuances of gear progression will help you in your New World journey.
The Key to Legendary: Named Items and Umbral Shards
To achieve legendary status in New World, you primarily focus on named items. These aren’t just any random drops. They are specific pieces of gear, often with unique names, that you obtain from various sources such as quests, expeditions, and named enemies. These items already have a unique set of perks associated with them. The critical point is that these named items must be at a Gear Score (GS) of 590 or above to be eligible for upgrading to legendary.
The tool you need to transform these items is Umbral Shards. This resource is primarily earned by completing Mutated Expeditions. Once you have a 590+ named item and sufficient Umbral Shards, you can use these shards to increase its Gear Score. When the Gear Score of a 590+ named item reaches 600, it unlocks the item’s final perk slot, transforming the item into a legendary piece. This final perk is predefined, meaning it’s the same perk for every player who upgrades that specific named item.
Why Only Named Items?
It’s vital to understand that regular, non-named items do not have the ability to be upgraded to legendary status in this manner. This system was designed to allow players to chase specific named items with good perks and a high enough Gear Score, turning them into the pinnacle of equipment with that last perk. Regular drops at Gear Score 600 are still valuable in crafting.
The Progression from 590 to 625
The goal in New World is not just to reach a GS of 600, but to push it all the way to 625, the maximum Gear Score cap. This allows your gear to maximize its stats and contribute to a higher overall character power. Here’s how the process works:
- Initial Requirement: Your named item must have a Gear Score of 590 or higher. Your expertise in that slot must also be at 590 or higher.
- Umbral Shards: Use Umbral Shards to upgrade the Gear Score. As mentioned earlier, increasing the gear score to 600 on a named item will unlock its final perk slot and make it legendary.
- Expertise Increase: Upgrading an item using Umbral Shards also increases your expertise with that gear slot.
- The Road to 625: After the item becomes legendary, you can continue to upgrade it to Gear Score 625 using even more Umbral Shards.
- Cost Scaling: It’s worth noting that the cost in Umbral Shards increases exponentially as you approach the 625 cap. Moving from 624 to 625 is by far the most expensive in terms of Shards. This makes the final upgrades a significant investment.
The Importance of Expertise
Your expertise level plays a crucial role in this whole process. Expertise is a system that dictates your potential Gear Score of equipment you find in the world. To upgrade an item using Umbral Shards, your expertise for that gear slot must be at least 590. Additionally, your expertise level influences the range of Gear Score that drops naturally (without upgrading). You can get regular item drops at 600 GS with a 590 expertise level, but you must upgrade named 590+ items to legendary via Umbral Shards.
The Bottom Line
In summary, named items with a Gear Score of 590 or higher can be upgraded to legendary by using Umbral Shards to reach a Gear Score of 600 which unlocks a final perk. Then, continue using Umbral Shards to continue upgrading until your items are at a Gear Score of 625. Understanding this system is essential to mastering your gear in New World.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What are Umbral Shards and how do I get them?
Umbral Shards are a resource used to upgrade gear in New World. They are primarily obtained by completing Mutated Expeditions. The higher the difficulty level and the higher your score rank within the expedition, the more Umbral Shards you will earn.
2. Can any item be upgraded to legendary?
No. Only named items that drop with a Gear Score of 590 or higher can be upgraded to legendary status using Umbral Shards. Regular, non-named items can not be upgraded this way.
3. What is Gear Score and why is it important?
Gear Score is a numerical value tied to each item in New World. It determines the item’s base stats and effectiveness. Increasing your Gear Score is essential to improve your character’s power for late-game content.
4. What is Expertise in New World?
Expertise is a system that dictates the potential Gear Score of drops you find in the world. You must have an expertise level of 590 or higher to use Umbral Shards to upgrade a piece of gear and to receive drops with a GS between 580-600.
5. What is the maximum Gear Score in New World?
The maximum Gear Score in New World is 625.
6. How many Umbral Shards does it take to go from 624 to 625?
Upgrading a piece of gear from a Gear Score of 624 to 625 requires 2500 Umbral Shards, making it the most expensive upgrade to perform.
7. Why aren’t I getting legendary drops in New World?
Legendary items at Gear Score 600 have a low chance of dropping in New World. To maximize your chances, you should have an expertise of at least 590. The drops can range from 580-600 GS with a 590+ expertise.
8. How do I farm legendary weapons in New World?
The best ways to farm legendary weapons are by participating in expeditions, defeating high-level named monsters, and consistently improving your character’s gear score.
9. What is a ‘named item’ in New World?
A named item is a specific piece of gear with a unique name and usually unique set of perks. They are often obtained from quests, expeditions, or named enemies, and they are the only items that can be upgraded to legendary.
10. What happens when a named item reaches Gear Score 600?
When a named item reaches a Gear Score of 600 after using Umbral Shards, it unlocks its final perk slot, transforming it into a legendary item.
11. Can you buy Umbral Shards?
While it’s possible to acquire Umbral Shards through third-party services, it is most recommended to engage in in-game activities such as Mutated Expeditions to obtain them.
12. Is it possible to get Umbral Shards solo?
While it is possible to get some from outposts, the most efficient way is through Mutated Expeditions. These are primarily designed for groups, but you can still attempt solo runs to acquire some Umbral Shards.
13. What should I use my Umbral Shards on?
Prioritize upgrading your best pieces of named gear that have a Gear Score of at least 590, focusing on slots you use the most. Upgrading equipment will also permanently increase your expertise.
14. Does gear score matter in New World?
Yes, Gear Score is crucial in New World. It impacts the effectiveness of your gear, character stats, and your performance in endgame activities, making it important for progression.
15. Is the Expertise System being removed from New World?
The Expertise System has been a point of contention among players, and there have been changes made over time. The system has been modified and simplified but is currently still a core feature in New World for gear progression. The developers have said that they will continue to make improvements for this system.