Tanking in New World can feel overwhelming, especially if you're just starting and struggling to get into raids or higher-level expeditions. But you don't have to wait for raid drops to build a solid tank setup. With the right progression path, you can move from beginner to midgame to endgame tanking efficiently—all without being gated by raid requirements.

This guide walks you through how to gear up and prepare for high-level content, including Mutated Expeditions and eventually raids.

Beginner Tanking: Faction Gear

If you're just starting as a tank, raids and even M2 Mutations are usually out of reach. That doesn't mean you can't build a reliable starter kit.

· Faction Missions: Begin with your Covenant, Syndicate, or Marauder missions. Push your faction rank until you unlock Paladin-tier gear.

· Heavy Armor Chest Piece: The Paladin vendor sells a heavy chest plate (and other pieces) with three tank-friendly perks preloaded.

· Item Level: These pieces are 675 GS, giving you the foundation to hold aggro and survive early group content.

By farming New World gold coins and buying this gear, you'll have the starter kit needed to step into your first expeditions without relying on expensive purchases or rare drops.

Midgame Tanking: Mutated Expeditions

Once you've established your starter set, it's time to dive into expeditions. Mutated Expeditions (M1 and especially M2+) are the key to farming tank gear that prepares you for higher gear score tiers.

Best Expeditions for Tanks (Current Rotation)

· Lazarus Instrumentality – Great source of Aegis of the Fallen (AOF) gear, a staple for tanks pushing toward endgame.

· Tempest's Heart – Solid for farming materials and supplemental gear.

· Glacial Tarn – Drops the Frigid Dawn gear set, one of the best tank sets outside of raid-exclusive Hoplite gear.

Pro tip: Frigid Dawn pieces drop more consistently in M2 Glacial Tarn compared to M1. Lazarus also shines because every AOF piece is worth chasing for tanks.

Weekly Expedition Runs

· You get 35 runs per expedition per week after the reset (Tuesdays).

· Even if you don't get drops, you earn materials to craft targeted pieces later.

By running all 35 Lazarus and/or Glacial Tarn expeditions, you can secure 2–3 major gear upgrades per week.

Endgame Tanking: Crafting and Gear Score 700+

After farming Mutations, you'll have two main paths to push toward 700 GS and beyond:

1. Expedition Gear Sets

  · Frigid Dawn (Glacial Tarn) – Ideal tanking set with defensive perks.

  · Aegis of the Fallen (Lazarus) – Strong for aggro management and survivability.

2. Crafting With Materials

  · Use drops and expedition materials like Weapons Matrices, Dark Matter, Gypsum, and Chromatic Seals.

  · Chromatic Seals can also be purchased from your faction vendor on cooldown to accelerate crafting.

By combining crafted sets and expedition drops, you'll be prepared to step into raids without waiting on raid loot RNG.

The Final Push: Toward 725 Gear Score

Season 10 is approaching, and the ultimate goal for tanks is 725 GS raid-level gear. By following this progression path:

· Faction Paladin gear (675 GS starter)

· Mutated Expedition gear (700 GS)

· Crafted gear and raid preparation (725 GS)

…you'll have everything you need to tank in any content New World throws at you.

Final Thoughts

Don't let raid requirements or gear checks hold you back. By farming faction gear, grinding Mutated Expeditions, and crafting with the materials you earn, you can completely gear your tank without stepping foot into a raid.

· Beginner? Grab Paladin gear through faction missions.

· Midgame? Grind Lazarus and Glacial Tarn M2s for AOF and Frigid Dawn sets.

· Endgame? Craft your way to 700+ GS and prepare for raid-level 725 gear.

Lock in, run your 35 expeditions each week, and you'll be raid-ready before you know it.