Season 9 of New World Aeternum, titled Season of the Banner, is on the horizon—and with it comes a fresh wave of PvP content, elite rewards, and meta shifts. Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or just getting your feet wet in Aeternum, proper preparation is key to dominating the new season. In this guide, we’ll break down four essential things you should prepare to gain a competitive edge heading into Season 9. From gear and PvP builds to territory control and economy moves, here’s how to get ahead in the Season of the Banner.

1. Optimize Your PvP and PvE Loadouts for Banner Combat

Season 9 introduces new territory-driven objectives, with the Banner system playing a central role in PvP wars and open-world skirmishes. This means your gear needs to be optimized for mobility, burst, and objective control. Here’s how you can stay ahead:

PvP Loadout Tips:

Heavy Meta (War/Banner): Use a Sword and Shield + Great Axe or War Hammer combo for frontline durability. Go for resilience and freedom perks to resist crowd control and survive burst.

Mobile Assassin (Objective Control): A Rapier + Bow or Musket setup is great for backcapping or banner stealing. Stack Shirking Energy and Refreshing Evasion to sustain through scrappy fights.

Healer (Support Role): The Life Staff + Void Gauntlet combo is crucial for sustaining your team at Banners. Use gear with Revitalizing Beacon, Blessed, and Fortifying Sacred Ground.

PvE Prep:

Banner zones are often hotbeds of PvE mobs and elite patrols. You’ll want a PvE loadout for solo banner quests or farming rare drops:

Use Greatsword + Fire Staff or Hatchet + Great Axe for AoE clearing and survivability.

Stack Ward perks against relevant enemy types (Corrupted, Angry Earth, etc.) for elite zones like Brimstone or Elysian Wilds.

Action Item: Farm or craft gear sets with PvP perks now—before demand spikes when Season 9 launches.

2. Stockpile Azoth, Territory Influence Tokens, and PvP Salt

Season of the Banner will revolve around Banner Conquests—a new system where factions compete for influence by capturing banners across contested territories. This means Azoth, Faction Tokens, and PvP Salt will become more valuable than ever.

Why These Matter:

Azoth is crucial for fast travel between banner points.

Faction Tokens allow you to buy PvP caches, infuse banners, and boost influence.

PvP Salt is used to purchase PvP gear, perks, and unique Season 9 cosmetics.

How to Farm Efficiently:

Run Outpost Rush and 3v3 Arenas daily.

Turn in PvP Missions in high-conflict zones for double rewards.

Complete daily faction missions and territory control events (like Influence Races).

Action Item: Set a daily goal for PvP Salt and Faction Tokens—aim for at least 10k Salt and 100k Tokens pre-season.

3. Join or Coordinate with a Dedicated Company

Banner Wars in Season 9 will demand coordinated teams, not just solo queue heroes. If you aren’t already in an organized Company (guild), now’s the time to fix that.

Benefits of Being in a Company for Season 9:

Coordinated Banner Defense/Attack

Territory War Access and Rewards

Company XP and Season Track Progress Boost

Economy Control (Crafting Taxes, Trading Posts)

Many Companies are recruiting ahead of Season 9 to dominate the new Banner mechanics. Joining one not only gets you into war rosters, but also grants better access to Legendary Crafting Benches, buffs, and exclusive Discord coordination.

How to Join the Right Company:

Look for active PvP Companies on your server.

Join Discord servers and world chat to find open recruitment posts.

Choose Companies with consistent War signups, organized callouts, and a community-first mindset.

Action Item: Join a PvP-focused Company this week and start running group content to secure your spot.

4. Farm or Craft Best-in-Slot Items Before Prices Skyrocket

With the new Banner system arriving, the meta will shift and the demand for PvP and war gear will skyrocket. You can get ahead by either crafting or flipping best-in-slot (BiS) items before everyone else jumps in.

What to Focus On:

Legendary PvP Trinkets with perks like Health, Stamina Recovery, and Invigorated Punishment.

Ward/Refreshing Gear for both PvP and PvE Banner engagements.

Elemental or Weapon-specific gems for key matchups (like Slash Protection or Flame Attunement).

Runestones and Infused Health Potions will also rise in value—craft and store them now.

Trade Post Tip:

Start buying undervalued gear and materials now and resell at peak when Season 9 kicks off. Focus on:

Protective Reeds, Infused Leather, and Asmodeum

Perk Craft Mods like Resilient or Shirking Fortification

Cooldown-reliant craft mats (Smolderhide, Runic Leather)

Action Item: Build a stash of meta-relevant items and monitor your server’s Trade Post for spikes.

Bonus: Unlock the Season 9 Track Early

Don't sleep on the Season Pass Track. Unlocking the premium version will give you:

Exclusive Banner-themed Cosmetics

PvP Salt and Tokens

Azoth Vials, Boosters, New World Coins and Gear Score Enhancers

To unlock rewards early, start completing Season Journey tasks and prep high-efficiency PvP routes.

Final Thoughts

New World Aeternum: Season 9 - Season of the Banner will reshape faction wars, introduce fresh PvP mechanics, and heavily reward strategic preparation. Whether you’re a bruiser, assassin, or support main, preparing now means winning later.

By focusing on your gear, resources, Company coordination, and economy readiness, you’ll be in the best possible position to dominate banners, rack up PvP wins, and climb the Season Track fast.

Now’s the time to sharpen your weapons, rally your faction, and ride into Season 9 ready to claim Aeternum’s banners for your own.