Dark matter is the lifeblood that fuels vertical progression in New World. Upgrading gear score not only raises item level, but unlocks additional perks that synergistically improve your build. The difference in power between a fresh 60 and 625 expertise character is staggering.
However, with artifact upgrades costing 500 dark matter (DM) and gear pieces 250 DM each, accumulating enough is a tall task. The average player earns just 300-400 DM per week through casual play. At that rate reaching 625 could take nearly a year of grinding!
This definitive DM guide caters to the passionate players determined to hit end-game faster. We will cover:
- Optimal sources and acquisition rates
- Upgrade paths to enhance your role
- Targeted farming methods for efficiency
- F2P or swiper gear upgrade estimates
- And more to push your expertise ceiling
So bookmark this page and level up your dark matter income today!
What Activities Should You Focus On?
| Activity | Weekly DM | Per Run | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tempest Heart Raid | 320 | 80 | 30 min/run |
| Mutations T3 | 500-1000+ | 100 | 35/week cap |
| Mutations T2 | 300-500 | 40-60+ | Puggable |
| Open World Events | 50-100 | 5-10 | Invasions, Siren‘s etc |
| PVP Rewards | 100-300 | 10-30 | Varies based on rank |
| Gear Salvaging | 100-300 | Varies | 600+ GS items |
As evidenced by the table, instanced PvE content awards the most dark matter income:
Tempest Heart Raid (THR)
THR provides an excellent DM baseline – giving 80 per full clear and 320 weekly. By equipping some luck gear and utilizing damage-over-time effects on bosses, you can further boost drops.
- With a coordinated group, THR should take 25-35min.*
Mutations
Tier 3 mutations award the jackpot – but require extreme optimization. Veterans can earn ~100 DM every 20 minutes from Tier 3s by:
- Executing clean speed-run tactics
- Using consumables and skill rotations properly
- Ignoring non-essential enemies and objectives
However, weekly lockouts (35 tier 3 runs) curb endless farming. So most players run comfortable tier 2s for 40-60 DM a pop.
Limited Time Events
Keep an eye out for special events like Siren‘s Call, Shadow Breach, and Server Merges. These provide short DM farming windows that supplement your regular activities.
PvP Rewards
Earning ranked PvP rewards can provide a nice passive DM trickle for those who enjoy that playstyle. But rewards are delayed & unreliable compared to PvE farming.
Gear Salvaging
Destroying unused 600+ gear converts items into DM at a 1:1 rate – doubling your payout from those expensive armor crafts!
Dark Matter Upgrade Priorities
With DM acquisition covered, let‘s discuss upgrade priorities.
Artifacts vs Gear
| Item | Level Up Cost | Income Boost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amulet | 500 DM | +15 Attributes | Big boost |
| Health Pot | 500 DM | barely any | Skip |
| Abyss Helm | 250 DM | +1 perk | Efficient |
- As shown, abyssal armors provide triple the value over artifacts due to lower DM costs and additional perks. Only upgrade key artifacts like your amulet and ring first.
Gear Slot Priority
For weapons, upgrade your main damage weapons first – e.g spear/rapier for dex builds.
For armor, follow this priority order:
- Helmet – Directly boosts primary stat
- Chest – Major armor + CON boosts
- Gloves – Main stat boosts
- Boots – Move speed mainly
- Pants – Minor damage resist
Advanced players recommend leaving pants, boots, and less used weapons at 600 while maximizing key slots. This optimization allows you to gain expertise tiers and mutation access much faster than evenly leveling all pieces.
Step-By-Step Guide To 625 Expertise
Let‘s break down the DM farming journey to endgame gear:
Reach 600 Expertise
Getting all items to 600 is the first major goal. I‘d budget two weeks of casual play or about 2000 DM total.
- Obtain full 590+ gear by purchasing or crafting
- Use early Mutations and Genesis/Lazarus dungeon drops to round out slots
- Run Tempest Heart weekly for the 320 DM
- Salvage unused 600 gs items from mutations
Reaching 600 allows you to equip end-game gear, but your actual stats will still be low without perk upgrades…
Getting Perks (625)
The lengthy grind to 625 begins now. Each armor and weapon piece requires 500 additional DM to unlock the extra perks.
That‘s 5000 DM across 10 armor slots alone! Plus another 1000 DM for key weapon slots.
You‘ll need to religiously run mutations, raid, events, and open world grinds. Here‘s a roadmap:
- Weeks 1-4: Reach 150+ mutation streak for huge loot luck bonuses
- Week 5: Upgrade armor pieces slowly as DM income allows
- Week 6-15: Funnel DM into priority helmet/chest/glove slots
- Week 16: Catch up on other armor slots, weapons
- Week 18-22: Incrementally push all gear to 625
This pace results in ~8 months to max expertise solo. By utilizing trading post profits and some weekly DM shop purchases, you can shave the timeframe down by 25%.
But that still amounts to 200 hours of grinding – are you up for the challenge?
Optimizing Your DM Farming & Upgrades
Let‘s wrap up with advanced tips to accelerate your expertise gains:
Mutations:
- Use in-game party finder rather than randomized matchmaking
- Optimize your attribute spreads and equip appropriate gems
- Change weapons/armor for suitable corruption resistance
- Bring proper elemental tonics, honing stones, coatings
- Keep familiarizing yourself with spawn layouts and boss mechanics
Raid:
- Check guides for ideal poisoin/burn stacking methods
- Bring an ice gauntlet for consistent rend uptime
- Familiarize yourself with tells preceding deadly attacks
- Ensure you have animate dead and oblivion to destroy adds quickly
Gear Upgrades:
- Target helmet, chest, and gloves first for main stat boosts
- Slowly upgrade weapons based on your role rather than all at once
- Use tracking spreadsheet to plan expenditures week-over-week
- Equip supply stock, aptitude, and enrichment gathering gear when upgrading
- Calculate costs ahead of time so you don‘t waste precious DM
Mastering these tips separates the experts from the casuals. While expertise climb will still require immense dedication, maximizing every DM and approaching upgrades strategically will pay dividends.
The gear goblins out there will ultimately reach wealthy player status months ahead of their peers. Will you lead the pack or be left behind? Time to get grinding!