New World: Fury of the Great Axe Warden
In New World: Fury of the Great Axe Warden, players face off against one of the most brutal foes in Aeternum – The Warden of Bonefall Keep, a corrupted champion who embodies the raw, violent strength of the Great Axe. This guide will walk you through preparing for the encounter, recommended builds, strategies for both solo and group players, and tactics for defeating this boss in both PvE and PvP scenarios.
1. Overview of the Great Axe Warden
The Great Axe Warden is a mini-raid boss introduced in the Bonefall Keep encounter. He’s a former war leader turned corrupted brute, armed with a runed Great Axe infused with Void energy. His playstyle mimics that of aggressive PvP players—fast charges, AoE pulls, and New World coins devastating cleaves. The Warden serves as both a test of crowd control awareness and a lesson in tank-burst damage survival.
Location: Bonefall Keep (Level 65+, Shattered Mountain)
Respawn Time: 30 minutes
Afflictions: Corruption, Voidburn
Weaknesses: Arcane, Ice
2. Preparing for the Encounter
Solo Preparation (Advanced Players):
Level 65 with 600+ Gear Score is highly recommended.
Bring Corrupted Coatings, Infused Health Potions, and Corruption Tinctures.
Equip gear with Corrupted Bane and Refreshing perks.
Group Preparation (Recommended):
Ideal party: 1 Tank, 2 DPS, 1 Healer
Use a dedicated tank with Carnelian gems and taunt-capable weapons (Sword/Shield or War Hammer).
Ranged DPS using Ice Gauntlet or Fire Staff work well from safe zones.
3. Recommended Builds and Gear
Best Weapons Against the Warden:
Ice Gauntlet: Slows the Warden and helps avoid being overwhelmed. Use Ice Storm and Entombed for survivability.
Greatsword (for tank/DPS hybrid): Calamity Counter and Relentless Rush offer mobility and defense.
Void Gauntlet: Applies Weaken and synergizes with Arcane damage bonuses.
Tank Build:
Attributes:
Constitution: 300+
Strength: 100–150
Gear Perks:
Fortifying Sacred Ground
Refreshing Ward
Corrupted Ward
Weapon Perks:
Hated
Enchanted
Taunting IV (Gem)
DPS Build:
Attributes:
Intelligence: 300 (Ice Gauntlet/Fire Staff)
Dexterity: 250+ (Spear/Bow variants)
Perks:
Corrupted Bane
Keen Awareness
Empowering Meteor Shower (Fire Staff)
4. Combat Strategy
Phase 1: Opening Roar and Hook Slam
The Warden will roar and initiate a Hook Slam, which pulls players into his melee range. Tanks must immediately taunt and reposition the boss away from fragile DPS. Avoid stacking, as the Warden follows up with cleaving swings that hit in wide arcs.
Tips:
Roll out of the hook radius the moment his axe starts glowing red.
Use Ice Gauntlet’s Ice Shower to root him briefly.
Stay spread out to minimize group-wide hits.
Phase 2: Rage Unleashed (50% HP)
At half health, the Warden enters Fury Mode. He gains haste, armor penetration, and starts using Void Cleave – a forward-charged AoE that also burns stamina.
Survival Tactics:
Tanks should block or sidestep Void Cleave, then reposition to a corner.
Ranged players must keep distance and kite if the Warden switches aggro.
Use Sacred Ground + Beacon for area healing to survive extended melee.
Phase 3: Wrath of the Warden (20% HP)
The boss channels Wrath of the Warden, slamming his axe into the ground to create shockwaves in a 360° area. Players must roll through gaps or time blocks. He also summons Corrupted Echoes, which are mini adds with bleed attacks.
Tips:
Focus AoE skills like Ice Storm, Meteor Shower, and Shockwave (War Hammer) to clear Echoes.
Tanks must hold the boss’s attention while DPS clears the field.
Save ultimate abilities or Empowered Runes for this phase.
5. PvP Comparison – Facing Great Axe Warden Builds
In PvP modes, players emulating the Warden typically use:
Great Axe + War Hammer or Great Axe + Hatchet
Skills like Gravity Well, Charge, and Maelstrom
High Strength/Constitution builds for bruiser roles
Counter Tactics:
Ranged weapons like Bow or Fire Staff can kite effectively.
Ice Gauntlet’s Ice Shower and buy New World coins Entombed help manage pressure.
Keep Freedom and Resilient gear to reduce crowd control and critical damage.
6. Rewards and Drops
Defeating the Great Axe Warden has a chance to drop:
Runeblade of Fury – Named Great Axe with Corrupted Bane, Keenly Empowered, and Rogue
Warden’s Will – Medium chest armor with Refreshing, Corrupted Ward, and Resilient
Heartgem Rune: Devastation Pulse – Deals a shockwave of Void damage around the player
10–20 Corrupted Shards and Warden’s Trophy Fragments (used in crafting trophies)
Conclusion
New World: Fury of the Great Axe Warden presents players with a brutal challenge that tests team coordination, reaction time, and build optimization. Whether you're pushing for top-tier loot, mastering your role in group combat, or mimicking the Warden’s ferocity in PvP, this content rewards both skill and preparation. Gather your allies, sharpen your blade, and stand firm—because in Bonefall Keep, the fury never fades.