What does GRIT mean in New World?

New World uses the term GRIT to describe certain weapons and abilities. For those that are trying to master combat, understanding what GRIT means, how to use it effectively, and what to do if you see an enemy using it, is critical to success. Unfortunately, working out what GRIT does in New World is tough, as the game doesn’t offer an explanation.

What is GRIT in New World

GRIT refers to any attack or ability that puts a white effect around your character or an enemy character. GRIT attacks are not susceptible to staggers, meaning your attack animation will not be interrupted unless you run out of stamina (more on that in a second).

Some weapons have a GRIT attack with a long wind-up animation.

Some weapons will have a GRIT attack or can be upgraded to include a GRIT attack. One such example is the Spear which can be upgraded with Tenacious Sweep. There are weapons that have GRIT attacks that can be manually cancelled and others that cannot.

Reddit user m0nk3ytal3_ has a great explainer of GRIT and its effects on stamina. Essentially, when using a GRIT attack, you will take health damage as well as stamina damage. The only way to interrupt a GRIT attack is to deplete the stamina bar of the player or enemy that is performing a GRIT attack. The amount of damage you need to deal is based on the Equip Load, the heavier the load, the more damage must be dealt to break the GRIT.

A GRIT attack cannot be staggered like a normal attack can. You must completely deplete the attacker's stamina bar to interrupt a GRIT attack.

Interrupting a GRIT attack by depleting the stamina bar of the player or enemy using said attack will cause the GRIT attack to be interrupted, the player/enemy will be staggered, and the GRIT attack ability will go on cooldown.

What this means for combat is that if you see an enemy using a GRIT attack with a big wind up, you should try and attack them swiftly to deplete their stamina. If you succeed, you will not only have dealt them damage but also interrupted their GRIT attack and put their ability on cooldown. The flipside of this is that if you get hit by the attack, you'll likely suffer a lot of damage.

There are a few nuances to the GRIT system in New World, and understanding what GRIT means is going to take a bit of practice. The best way to wrap your head around it is to spar with a friend and see how your abilities and stamina interact. Be sure to check out the Shacknews New World page for more information on this vast game.