The Sandwurm Devourer Heartrune, introduced in New World: Aeternum’s Season 2, Blood of the Sands, on July 6, 2023, is a game-changer for endgame players. This powerful ability, tied to the fearsome Shah Neshen, allows players to summon a sandwurm to unleash devastating attacks, blending crowd control and high damage. Combat Designer Josh Hurley shared insights into its creation, mechanics, and strategic applications, revealing secrets that make this Heartrune a must-have. Here’s a New World Gold coins deep dive into its design, functionality, and tips to maximize its potential.
Conceptual Evolution
The Sandwurm Devourer Heartrune was always envisioned as a reflection of the sandwurm’s raw power. Early concepts ranged from transforming a player’s arm into a worm for melee attacks to throwing a small worm to disorient enemies. The team settled on a summoning mechanic, where the sandwurm bursts from the ground, delivering a dramatic, cinematic effect. Prototyping was playful—Hurley noted using the “Wiggle Dance” emote as a placeholder animation, adding humor to the process. The final design captures the sandwurm’s essence, ignoring realistic constraints like burrowing through platforms, allowing it to function in diverse environments like fort walls during War playtests.
Mechanics and Functionality
The Heartrune has two phases: an initial emergence dealing 40% Heartrune damage, pushing back and knocking down targets in a 2.5m radius, and a follow-up chomp inflicting 100% Heartrune damage within a 2m radius. Grit is active during aiming and activation, ensuring uninterrupted casting. The chomp serves as a backup for enemies who avoid the knockback via Grit or other mechanics, making it versatile in PvP and PvE. Available in Brutal, Cunning, and Stalwart variants, the Brutal version enhances damage but reduces duration, while Cunning adds utility effects like slows. Upgrading to Legendary requires resources like Sandwurm Materia and Gypsum Orbs at a Stonecutting station.
Strategic Applications
In PvP, the Heartrune excels at disrupting formations. During War, players can summon the sandwurm to knock ranged defenders off fort walls, creating openings for attackers. Its 15m range requires leading moving targets, rewarding skillful positioning. In PvE, it’s ideal for crowd control in expeditions like The Savage Divide, clearing beast-type adds efficiently. Pair it with Beast Bane weapons and coatings to amplify damage against Shah Neshen or other beasts. For optimal use, combine with abilities that synergize with knockback, like a Great Axe’s crowd-control skills, to chain staggers.
Challenges in Development
Balancing the Heartrune was tricky. Early iterations included a projectile-based summon, which risked deployment issues in complex terrains, and a ranged melee attack that lacked impact. The team opted for a ground-based summon to ensure reliability across Aeternum’s varied landscapes. Hurley highlighted the challenge of nailing the “chompy deployment,” ensuring the sandwurm’s emergence felt impactful without overwhelming servers or players. The final design balances accessibility with high skill expression, making it rewarding for both casual and hardcore players.
Tips for Players
To unlock the Heartrune, complete the Secrets of the Heartgem quest in Brimstone Sands after Strider of the Sands. Earn the Minor version from the Shah Neshen raid or craft it with 500 Sandwurm Materia. Focus on upgrading to Legendary for maximum impact, prioritizing the Brutal variant for PvP damage or Cunning for utility in group content. Use beast ward potions and chitin padding to New World Gold for sale survive acid-heavy encounters. Practice aiming in open-world PvE to master leading targets before deploying in competitive modes.
The Sandwurm Devourer Heartrune transforms combat with its primal power, offering strategic depth and chaotic fun. Master its mechanics to dominate Aeternum’s battlefields.
