Understanding an MMO as big as New World can be tricky, and the meta game — well, even moreso. Games like this develop their own language, and sometimes certain phrases don’t make sense to newer players. This is sometimes the case with the gear score watermark. You’re likely already familiar with your gear score, but what does “watermark” mean? And why is it so important to end-game activities?
What is a gear score watermark in New World?
The gear score watermark, also sometimes called the high water mark, refers to the highest gear score level you’ve equipped in a given slot. Put simply, the stats of loot you find are determined not by your level, but by your gear score watermark. Raise the high water mark, and you’ll gradually get better and better gear.
The concept may seem abstract, but it’s actually quite simple. On your way to level 60, you’ll encounter gear more or less suited to your growing skills. The variation in power is represented by the gear score: the higher, the better.
What you may not realize is that the stats of that gear are influenced by a watermark; a benchmark ghost gear score that affects all loot drops. You’ll only ever find gear slightly better or slightly worse than the best you’ve equipped in that slot previously. As such, in order to find better gear, you need to equip better gear.
How the high water mark affects New World endgame
This becomes very important in the New World endgame, because once you reach level 60, all gear slots are set to a default gear score of 500. From there, the only way to get better equipment is to raise the high water mark.
Practically speaking, the solution is simple: If you find a new piece of gear with a higher gear score, equip it. Doing so will increase the watermark, even if you don’t keep the item equipped afterward. From then on, you’ll have a chance to find loot with a score slightly above or below that new benchmark. Once you find a piece with a higher score, equip it to raise the watermark, then rinse and repeat.
Critically, after level 60, this process does not work with shop-bought or crafted items, traded items, or quest rewards. They must be found in dungeons, arenas, or dropped by monsters or bosses.
Over time, equipping all the best gear you find will raise your gear score watermark. The key is that you won’t raise it just by sticking to your favorite items. Especially in the endgame, loot will only ever scale to the gear slot’s high water mark. And remember, the ghost gear score applies to every single slot individually. Raising them all will take plenty of time.
