Group makeup
New World uses the traditional group makeup for most PVE content – 1 Tank, 1 Healer and 3 DPS (or Damager). The smallest group content is the Catacombs, which can take up to 3 players. Your tank and healer in that instance may wish to spec more toward DPS to ensure the group has enough damage output while maintaining the keys roles of healing and defence.
The minimum group size for standard Expeditions is also 3 players, but it’s more common to see groups using the maximum of 5, which is a standard group for any content. As well as pure damage, there should also be consideration of the utility values of the weapons included. For a 5 player group, it’s usually best not to double up on any weapons, to get the full range of benefits possible.
Artwork by The Sequence Group
Bigger Groups
Raid Groups
For Open World and large group instances, you can convert your group into a raid. This allows four groups to join together, with all 20 health bars visible for everyone. Most group benefits are still limited to the 5-player group you are in, not the entire raid party.
10-player raid groups are used in seasonal trials like the Hatchery and the Winter Rune Forge, or elite raids such as the Hive of Gorgons, with a minimum of 6 to enter. There is usually one tank and two healers, with DPS filling out the rest of the raid, although the Winter Rune Forge may have an “off-tank” to manage a split group strategy.
The only content that requires a 20-player raid group is the Trial of the Devourer, and you’ll need at least 12 to get in and take a look. This has pretty strict role requirements and even the tank uses non-standard weapons.
Invasion groups
Invasion groups are a bit different, as you don’t invite people to them. Instead, players sign up for a scheduled invasion at the war board, and get automatically randomly invited when it’s time. A full invasion roster is 50 players, and it leans heavily toward DPS with just enough healers and no tanks. You can read more about Invasions here.
Companies
Companies are player-run groups that have their own chat channel. Up to 100 players can be in the same company and they must all be in the same faction or no faction at all (more on factions below). At this stage, the game offers little to companies outside of war, so most benefits are social and found through the out-of-game discord channels set up by members. Anyone can start a company, by going to the company menu. It doesn’t cost anything and you get to choose your company name and emblem.
Factions
There are three factions in the game and you choose which one you join through completing quests. You may swap factions every 30 days. There is no limit to the size of a faction, but you cannot swap to the faction that holds the most territory. For more information about factions and territory ownership, check out our article on Factions, Races, and Wars.
