Fury of the Depths: Conquering Admiral Blackpowder in New World
In this guide, we’ll walk through:
Preparing for the fight
Blackpowder’s mechanics and abilities
Group roles and positioning
Phase strategies
Rewards and loot
Whether you’re a first-time explorer or a seasoned dungeon crawler, mastering this encounter is key to advancing through New World’s PvE content.
Getting to Admiral Blackpowder
Before facing Blackpowder, your group must first defeat Commander Thorpe, the corrupted elite captain and the first major boss in The Depths. Once Thorpe falls, your group will fight through several pirate-themed encounters and cannon-heavy sections. Prepare to clear waves of Corrupted enemies and disable explosive devices before reaching the final arena—a wide open room with shipwrecks, explosive barrels, and a cannon-laden platform.
Blackpowder awaits at the far end, overseeing his cursed fleet and eager to drag you under.
Fight Overview
Admiral Blackpowder is a multi-phase boss with a mixture of ranged cannon attacks, AoE explosives, summoned adds, and heavy melee strikes. The fight consists of two key phases:
Phase One – Ranged cannon attacks, targeted AoE, and minor adds.
Phase Two – Increased aggression, multiple adds, bomb summons, and AoE death zones.
Blackpowder’s greatest strengths are area denial and chaotic pressure—making this fight a DPS and awareness check.
Recommended Party Composition
A balanced group is crucial. Here's the ideal party setup:
1 Tank (Sword and Shield or Greatsword)
1 Healer (Life Staff)
3 DPS (Mix of ranged and melee preferred; Bow/Musket and Great Axe/Hatchet are common picks)
Key perks to bring:
Corrupted Ward/Protection (Reduces damage from Corrupted enemies)
Refreshing (Reduces cooldowns—critical for healers and tanks)
Keen Awareness (Crit chance boost—great for ranged DPS)
Phase One Mechanics
Cannon Salvos
Blackpowder frequently uses the Cannon Fire ability, launching AoE shells into random areas. These hit hard and leave lingering damage zones.
Strategy: Stay mobile and watch the ground for red telegraphs. Use rolls and dodges to avoid the shells. Ranged players should kite along the backline.
Powder Kegs
Explosive barrels appear randomly on the field. If not avoided, they can detonate and deal devastating AoE damage.
Strategy: Don’t engage near barrels. Tanks should pull Blackpowder away from these to avoid accidental chain reactions.
Minor Add Summons
In Phase One, Blackpowder occasionally summons corrupted pirates—low-health enemies meant to distract.
Strategy: DPS should quickly burn adds down. A melee DPS with cleave (Great Axe or Spear) is ideal for controlling them.
Group Roles in Phase One
Tank:
Hold aggro and position Blackpowder away from the barrels.
Block heavy melee combos—especially Cleave Slam, which deals burst frontal damage.
Keep the boss in the center or slightly off to one side for healer LOS.
Healer:
Prioritize area healing (Sacred Ground + Beacon).
Keep a cleanse ready for any DoT effects (Splash of Light).
Don’t get tunnel-visioned—avoid cannon AoEs!
DPS:
Ranged players should strafe to avoid cannon fire while maintaining damage uptime.
Melee players must time dodges carefully and be ready to back off during AoE overlaps.
Focus adds the moment they spawn.
Phase Two Mechanics
At 50% HP, Blackpowder enters Phase Two, shouting as corrupted power surges around him. He becomes more aggressive and adds new abilities.
Bombardment Barrage
The arena is targeted by a rapid series of cannon explosions. This is Blackpowder’s signature AoE phase.
Strategy: Spread out and keep moving. This phase can easily wipe clustered groups. Use movement abilities to stay ahead of AoEs.
Bomb Summons
Floating bombs appear and slowly drift toward players. They explode in wide AoE bursts if not avoided or destroyed.
Strategy: Ranged DPS should prioritize bomb adds. Use single-target abilities like Penetrating Shot or Power Shot to destroy them from afar.
Elite Add Spawns
Two elite pirate lieutenants spawn at 30% HP. They can stun, bleed, or stagger players.
Strategy: Tank should pick up one elite, while melee DPS kite the other. Focus fire them down before reengaging Blackpowder.
Advanced Tips & Tricks
1. Stagger Lock with Hatchet
If your team includes a Hatchet user, they can help stagger-lock Blackpowder with Feral Rush and Raging Torrent combos. Just be careful not to overextend during AoE phases.
2. Cleave Bombs with Spear Sweeps
The Spear’s sweep attack can push bombs away from allies or combo-kill several minor adds.
3. Kite Adds with Musket Traps
Musket players can lay Traps at key spawn points to slow elite adds or block bomb progress toward the group.
Rewards & Loot
Defeating Admiral Blackpowder rewards players with high-quality Expedition gear, including:
Named Drops:
Blackpowder’s Blunderbuss – A powerful ranged weapon with perks like Keen and Leeching Shrapnel Blast.
Corsair’s Jacket – Light armor with Corrupted Ward and Constitution.
Boots of the Depths – Medium boots offering Stamina Recovery and Refreshing.
Other Rewards:
Tuning Orbs (if applicable)
High-tier crafting mats (Runestones, Gems)
Expedition Codex pages (lore collectors take note!)
After the Battle
Once Blackpowder is defeated, The Depths Expedition is complete. Be sure to:
Gather all chests—several hidden containers can be looted in the final room.
Complete any Expedition-specific quests—such as faction missions or named boss kills.
Repair and regear—this fight drains resources, especially potions and buy New World gold repair parts.
Conclusion
Admiral Blackpowder is a dynamic, punishing boss that rewards smart positioning, awareness, and coordination. His use of cannon salvos, explosives, and chaos-heavy mechanics make him one of the more unique bosses in New World.
Mastering this fight means:
Communicating with your team
Avoiding AoE patterns
Managing adds and bombs
Executing cooldowns precisely
Once defeated, Blackpowder not only drops top-tier loot but also clears a major milestone in your PvE journey.
So grab your sword, ready your spells, and sail into the storm—you’re ready to face the Fury of the Depths.