New World: A Complete Guide To Factions

There was a time when the MMORPG was a niche market for hardcore gamers. Today, it really is a whole New World, and Amazon's foray into massively multiplayer gaming is getting a lot of attention. The game is different from others in a lot of interesting ways that immerse players and keep them engaged. The conventional leveling system makes progression easy to follow, and the game features plenty of exciting survivalist action.

Most MMOs have opposing or warring factions, and players have to choose one side or the other as part of the character creation process or after advancing a few levels in the game. In New World, there are three factions vying for control of Aeterneum. Gamers can choose between the zealous Covenant, the ambitious Mauraders, or the mysterious Syndicate. It helps to have a New World Faction guide when choosing a side. Be advised that every server has a different dynamic when it comes to which factions control what regions, and this has some influence on the one that players will choose.

Updated on November 11, 2022, by Kristy Ambrose: New World has gone through a lot of changes since it was first released, including several fixes, patches, and a whole new expansion, the Brimstone Sands. Aeternum is still the home of three competing Factions, and each has its own benefits and advantages, with some new additions for their most trusted members. This guide includes all the information new and returning players need regarding joining a faction, the perks they can enjoy, and the activities they can experience by joining one of Aeternum's three warring groups.

Joining A Faction

There are plenty of reasons to join a faction, and it's essential to experience the full in-game content available. By the time the player has fought their way from the shipwreck on the beach to the nearest hamlet any of the territories intended for newbies between levels 1 to 25, they will have reached or will be very close to reaching level 10.

There are four starting areas in each of these zones, and each has its own main city. The player's starting area is chosen at random when a character is created, depending on the composition of players on each server. New characters always start on a beach only a short trip away from a settlement, and the journey serves as a tutorial for new players.

Once the player hits level 10, they'll get a quest from an NPC in the center of town called "Commitment to the Cause," which requires the player to do the pertinent research and align with a New World faction. This person isn't a faction representative themselves, but has the title of Magistrate and is considered to be one of the settlement's leaders. This NPC also provides several starting quests related to simple tasks, like binding at an inn, so the player already knows this quest-giver by the time they hit level 10.

Everfall: The most northerly location and also the furthest inland, this shipwreck had to come pretty deep into the fjord before washing up on the beach. The settlement is close to the middle of the zone. The quest NPC here is named Balian Clark.
First Light: The zone on the southeastern point of Aeternum is a likely place for shipwrecks. The settlement is close to the water to the west of the starting point. Players can talk to Sylvia Oakes to get the quest.
Monarch Bluffs: The zone south of Everfall shares a border with the same fjord, but has more water access. The starting point is just downhill from the settlement. Urbanus Bixford is the quest NPC.
Windsward: This zone is north of First Light and has much smaller access to the beach, but it's enough for a shipwreck. The settlement is nearby at the top of a hill. The Magistrate here is Deepti Korrapati.

Before choosing, keep in mind all of the following points that can affect how powerful, influential, or useful each alliance would be for an individual character. Each hamlet in every region, regardless of who controls it, has Faction representation and they are happy to hand every character all of the pertinent literature.

Changing Factions

Joining a faction isn't a permanent decision that can't be reversed, so if a player feels they've made a mistake, they have the option of joining another faction. To start the process, open the Character screen using the "K" key and open the "Bio" tab. This screen lists the character's basic information, including their Company if they belong to one, any titles they've earned, and their faction.

Underneath the New World faction name and banner is a button that says "Change Faction." Click this to make a popup screen appear with all three factions listed. Before joining another faction, the player has to complete a different set of initiation quests in a certain location, which is noted in the "Select Faction" screen. This isn't used to change the character's faction but gives them the information they need to start the process.

Control Points

Every Territory has a fort, which is the faction's control point for the region. The map shows who controls which forts, and which ones are contested. The more players from one faction are present in the fort, the faster that faction takes over the fort and eventually the region if they succeed. In order to enter a fort, a player must be flagged for PvP, which can be easily turned on and off using the "u" key.

The exact Territories each New World faction controls are always in flux, and the player's membership in a faction determines their ability to fish, farm, or hunt in these areas as well. That means that Aetereum looks different on every server in New World, so the player's choice of faction depends heavily on the server of choice.

Members of the dominating faction get a 5% bonus to their XP gain while leveling and a 20% to their Influence gain within that territory. This is similar to "grinding reputation," a common experience in other MMOs like World of Warcraft. In New World, players can also access special items, rewards, and other quests by making friends in high places.

Declaring War

Declaring War in New World is a fairly complex process. It starts with a Company, the New World version of a guild, declaring war on a Territory. There are a total of 12 territories that make up the vast island of Aetereum, and War can only be declared on a Territory that's currently in Conflict. How that happens involves Faction Influence, the New World version of a reputation grind, and the opposing factions.

There are two different kinds of Faction quests in New World: PvE and PvP. The PvE quests reward money, reputation points, and Faction tokens, but they don't generate influence for the player's faction within that zone. That's where the PvP quests come in. These are often done in groups and they fall under five categories.

Assassination: Find and kill a high-level threat, usually an elite enemy related to an opposing faction.
Control Points: Players band together and take control of an enemy Fort.
Elites: Several players need to form a group and take out an Elite enemy, not of an opposing faction but in an Expedition or other special area.
Intercept: This basic PvP quest requires players to fight and kill members of opposing factions in a world PvP environment.
War Camp Loot: In this espionage mission, players sneak into the enemy camp and steal important intelligence information.

A state of Conflict occurs when an opposing Faction has gained 100% Influence in the territory, usually through competing in enough relevant PvP missions. A War consists of taking over the enemy Fort in the opposing Territory, an operation that includes siege engines and cannons for the event.

Special Gear

Being part of one of the New World Factions isn't all about doing chores and getting beat up in a PvP event. Players can enjoy unique perks depending on the side they choose to take, including currency for new gear and accessories. As a player advances in rank with their Faction, they can purchase better gear at the Faction's Shop.

Different factions offer a variety of armor sets that players can buy with the currency earned from doing the Faction quests in New World. Most of these are PvP-oriented, but players can also collect resources and explore unknown areas as part of earning their money. The higher rank a player has with their Faction, the better quality gear they can acquire.

The Factions

The Covenant

Colors: Gold, yellow, and orange
Tier Sets and Ranks: The Covenant armor sets have names that recall a historic religious order. The Initiate is the lowest rank and wears Tier I. Templar is Tier II, followed by Excubitor at Tier III and Lumen at Tier IV. The Adjudicator is the second-highest rank at Tier 5. The highest and most intimidating rank is Inquisitor, whose gear is also considered Tier 5 but is of Epic quality as opposed to Rare.

This faction rose from the wreckage on that muddy beach determined to do some good. The Covenant is the faction for players who aspire to rise as passionate warriors to fight back and battle corruption.

Those who usually play Lawful Good characters in RPGs would gravitate toward their mission. The role of the Covenant is not only to purge the land of the mysterious power seeping from it but also to cleanse it of vice or immoral behavior. The avarice of the Marauders must be kept in check. And what dangerous secrets are the Syndicate hiding?

The Syndicate

Screenshot Syndicate rep in town New World

Colors: Purple, blue, and white
Tier Sets and Ranks: The ranks given to ranking members of the Syndicate resemble those of an ancient secret society. Adepts are the new players, and start at Tier I. Scrivener follows at Tier II, Chroniclers at Tier III, Cabalist at Tier IV, and finally Alchemists at Tier V.

Knowledge is more than power. It's money, prestige, and social standing. The Syndicate is focused on Intelligence and Focus, two of the ability scores that govern the use of magical items. Thus, this faction attracts magic users, but it can extend to other character builds as well. Any players interested in espionage, for example, would feel at home in the Syndicate.

All New World Factions require their members to complete quests and rank up in level, but this is slightly more involved with the Syndicate, which gives players a specific set of quests to follow as part of the Initiation process. Every Tier advancement also consists of a Trial at level 20 or higher. Keep a watchful eye on the other factions while leveling and training to discover their secrets and subvert their plans.

The Marauders

Colors: Green, in varying shades
Tier Sets and Ranks: The Marauders could be compared to a military force. In organization and discipline that might be true, but only if the army in question was made up of ruthless mercenaries. The Tier I rank is Soldier, and the titles get more dramatic after that. Tier II is Gladiator, then Ravager at Tier III, Destroyer at Tier IV, and finally Commander at Tier V. Like in the Covenant Faction, there's an even higher rank, Legatus, that is also considered Tier V but is of Epic quality instead.

The Marauders have a refreshingly simple philosophy. Aetereum is for commercial and personal gain, and this faction is here to exploit it. That could mean natural resources, magical knowledge, real estate, or whatever the land offers.

This Faction is fairly strict when it comes to advancement, requiring that players reach the reputation cap before they can undertake their initial trials and gain their first rank. There's no set of morals to follow, no divine mission — just good old-fashioned shoot, burn, and build as much as possible. Grab some gear and get busy out there, and don't even worry about what the other New World factions are doing.