Ever wonder how people join factions? In New World: Aeternum, joining a faction is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as it shapes your entire journey. Not only does it unlock access to exclusive content like PvP missions, and wars. Choosing the right faction will have a lasting impact on your adventure in Aeternum. Here’s a detailed guide about factions and companies, and what it means for your gameplay experience.

New World: Aeternum – How To Join a Faction

Why Join a Faction?

Joining a faction in New World brings a bunch of cool perks that make the game even more enjoyable. For starters, you can flag for PvP by pressing D-Pad up to bring up the radial menu and then press LT/L2. Flagging for PvP gives you handy bonuses like a global luck boost and an extra 10% experience while leveling up. Flagging for PvP also comes with rewards like experience, faction tokens, and item drops when you take down other players in the open world. The longer your target’s been flagged, the better your rewards, and there’s a minimum threshold to hit before you get anything.

You’ll also be able to run PvP Faction Missions that give you faction tokens, experience, and help your team take down enemy territories, which you can grab from your faction’s representative in any settlement. Plus, while flagged, you earn PvP reward track experience, azoth salt, a 1% luck bonus, and a 3% gathering luck bonus.

On top of that, joining a faction gives you access to faction-exclusive shops, where you can grab unique gear and items using your faction tokens. It also unlocks the chance to participate in wars to fight for territory. There’s also “Faction Chat,” where you can talk to everyone in your faction which is super helpful when planning PvP or asking for help with expeditions. The big thing to remember, though, is that joining a faction also lets you join companies within that faction, so if you’re teaming up with friends, make sure you’re all in the same faction to play together.

How to Join a Faction

In New World: Aeternum, joining a faction—Covenant, Marauders, or Syndicate—helps build your reputation and connect with other players. Each faction has unique beliefs and lore, and offers special PvP and PvE missions that reward you with faction tokens, experience, and influence. These activities help you level up, access exclusive gear, and participate in territory control for perks like reduced taxes and better resources.

Factions also add a competitive edge with PvP battles and faction wars, where you can defend or attack territories. You can complete introductory quests for all three factions before deciding, and even switch factions later if you change your mind.

Marauders

The Marauders are a ruthless military force bent on establishing a free nation. One where anyone with the strength to do so can prosper and profit.

They are a faction of warriors who believe in personal strength and the right to take what they can earn through force. Their motto is all about survival of the fittest, and they seek to establish a society where the strong thrive and the weak are left behind. They are not interested in lofty ideals or hidden knowledge like the Covenant or Syndicate, but rather in carving out their own power and prosperity through sheer might and determination.

Covenant

The Covenant is a fervent group of individuals that has charged itself with cleansing the land of heretics and defilers. They do this so that its true holy nature can flourish and justice can be restored.

They believe that they are chosen to cleanse Aeternum of corruption and bring light and justice to the land. They see themselves as holy warriors, striving to purify the world and rid it of any forces they consider evil or heretical. Their focus is on enforcing their ideals of righteousness and using the power of the land for the greater good.

Syndicate

The Syndicate is a secretive organization of immeasurable cunning and intellect in search of forbidden knowledge. Their plan is to usher in a new age of enlightenment.

The Syndicate sees itself as a society of scholars, spies, and strategists dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of Aeternum. They are motivated by curiosity and the desire to uncover the hidden truths of the island. They believe that knowledge is the ultimate power, and they seek to use it to control and influence the world around them. Unlike the other factions, the Syndicate operates in the shadows, preferring intrigue and cunning over brute force.

Joining a Faction

• Level Requirement: To join any faction, players must reach Level 17.
• Leveling Up: Focus on completing Main and Side Quests to gain experience quickly.
• Faction Questline Locations: Upon reaching Level 17, players will notice colored icons in Everfall representing each faction:
  • Green Triangle – Marauders
  • Yellow Winged Diamond – Covenant
  • Purple Diamond and Circle – Syndicate
• Starting the Questline: Go to the faction icon and speak to the NPC there to start a questline. These quests are straightforward since the game guides players through each step.
• Joining the Faction: After completing the questline, players can choose to join the faction or decline. If they decline, the quest will still count as completed, and they can join later.
• Faction Switching: Players can switch factions after 120 days but must complete the new faction’s quests if they haven’t done so already.

There are also some things you should consider before joining a faction:

• Roleplaying Aspect: The choice of faction often comes down to personal preference and roleplaying. All factions offer similar rewards and missions.
• Territory Control: Consider how much territory each faction holds. Factions with more territory can engage in more War events, while those with less territory may find opportunities to conquer enemy lands.
• Housing Discounts: Players receive housing discounts in settlements aligned with their faction, so this is a practical consideration when choosing where to settle.

Missions

Faction Missions are divided into two main types: PvP and PvE.

PvP Missions

• Objective: PvP missions involve tasks such as delivering important messages, patrolling areas, and gathering intelligence.
• PvP Flagging: Taking on these missions flags players for PvP, allowing enemies from opposing factions to attack. If a player is killed during a mission, they must return and pick up a new quest.
• Rewards: Completing PvP missions earns faction tokens, which can be used to purchase gear and other items. Additionally, these missions help increase the faction’s influence in the territory.

PvE Missions

• Objective: PvE missions are more straightforward and typically involve hunting creatures, gathering resources, or crafting items.
• Rewards: Like PvP missions, PvE missions also reward faction currency, although they usually offer less than their PvP counterparts.

If maximizing rewards is a priority, PvP missions generally provide better returns in terms of currency and influence.

Faction Exclusive Stores

Joining a faction gives you access to Faction Exclusive Stores, where you can pick up valuable materials like Chromatic Seals and Azoth Inductor. These items are limited, with some available only once a day or once a week, and they’re crucial for crafting endgame gear. You can also buy Faction Seals that let you change the attributes on your equipment. Just remember, you can’t have the gear equipped while doing this, and you can only change the attributes once per item. Be careful not to apply the wrong seal, as the change is permanent. Also, gems slotted in the gear will be destroyed when you switch attributes, so make sure to slot gems afterward. Once you apply the seal, the gear is finalized, and you won’t be able to change its attributes again, so double-check everything before crafting.

Companies

Companies are player-run organizations in New World: Aeternum, similar to guilds or clans in other games. They enhance collaborative gameplay in several ways. They must align themselves with one of the three factions (Covenant, Marauders, or Syndicate). This alignment dictates which faction’s territory they can claim and the type of PvP engagements they can participate in.

Companies within a faction can work together to conquer enemy territories and defend their own. The success of a company in claiming and holding territory contributes to the faction’s overall power and influence in the game.

These are the perks of being part of a company:

• Collaboration: Companies allow players to work together on resource gathering, crafting, and PvP activities.
• Structure: Each company has a leader and ranks for members, creating a structured hierarchy.
• Territory Control: Companies can claim territories, engaging in wars for control over regions, which directly impacts access to resources and trade routes.
• Resource Sharing: Members can share resources with one another, facilitating collective goals and enhancing gameplay.
• Events: Companies often organize events such as PvP battles, expeditions, and crafting sessions, fostering camaraderie and community interaction.

Company Hierarchy

Hierarchy in a company can determine a member’s role as well as what special permissions they can enjoy in the company. These ranks are:

Governor

The Governor is the highest rank in a Company. Whoever starts the Company automatically becomes its Governor. If the Company takes control of a Territory, the Governor also assumes control of that Territory. Governors can launch Town Projects to upgrade the Settlement and handle Territory Upkeep, which involves paying dues to the faction the Company belongs to. To cover these costs, Governors can adjust taxes and fees in their Settlement, so travelers and residents contribute through crafting, trading, and homeownership. By focusing on specific upgrades, they can make the Settlement more appealing to different types of players.

Consul

The Consul is the Governor’s second-in-command and can have nearly all the same permissions and powers as the Governor. Companies can appoint as many Consuls as they want. However, Consuls cannot change the daily treasury withdrawal limit.

Officer

Officers have the authority to invite new members to the Company and can remove players with the Settler rank. However, they cannot promote other players because promoting a Settler would give them the same rank as the Officer, which isn’t allowed.

Settler

Settler is the lowest rank in any Company. Players at this rank can chat with the Company and make treasury deposits, but their permissions are limited. This rank is best suited for newer members or anyone you aren’t sure about trusting yet.

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That’s it for my guide on How To Join a Faction in New World: Aeternum. If you have any other questions or need information on certain stuff, please check out our Beginner Guide as well as our Wiki to learn more.