In New World: Aeternum, the art of hunting and gathering resources is an essential aspect of gameplay that allows players to craft, trade, and upgrade their gear. Among the many trade skills available, Tracking and Skinning are two crucial skills that enable players to hunt down animals, gather their resources, and craft various useful items. If you’re looking to master this skill and ensure that you’re fully prepared for the challenges of Aeternum, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know about tracking and skinning animals in the game.

What is Tracking and Skinning?

In New World, Tracking and Skinning go hand in hand. Tracking allows players to locate animals, while Skinning enables them to collect valuable resources from the bodies of slain creatures. This duo of skills is particularly valuable for players who are focused on gathering, crafting, and upgrading their gear, as animal parts like hides, meat, and other resources are necessary for creating leather armor, consumables, and more.

The key to this trade skill is knowing how to track the animals and how to efficiently skin them to gather the resources you need.

How to Unlock Tracking & Skinning in New World

To begin tracking and skinning in New World: Aeternum, players first need to unlock the Tracking & Skinning Trade Skill. Here’s how to get started:

Access the Trade Skill Tab: Open your Character Menu (default “K” key on PC) and navigate to the Trade Skill tab.

Track Your Progress: In the Trade Skill section, locate the Tracking & Skinning skill. You’ll see your current progress, the level of the skill, and the animals you can hunt at your current level. It’s important to note that Tracking and Skinning both level up together, meaning you won’t be able to track certain animals until you have leveled up enough to skin them.

Get the Right Tools: To skin an animal, you need a Skinning Knife. This tool is required to collect resources from slain animals. Ensure you have one equipped before heading out to hunt.

Level Up: The more you hunt and skin animals, the more your skill levels up. Higher skill levels unlock new types of animals to track, as well as more efficient ways to gather resources.

How Tracking Works

Tracking in New World is a skill that enables you to identify and locate animals that can be skinned. As you level up the Tracking skill, more creatures will become available for you to hunt. This process starts with smaller, easier prey and scales up to larger and more dangerous animals. Here’s a breakdown of the animals you can track and how to do so:

Tracking Early Game Animals: When you first unlock Tracking, you’ll begin by tracking small prey such as:

Rabbits

Hares

Boars

Turkeys

Tracking Mid-Game Animals: As your skill progresses, you’ll be able to track and hunt larger animals, including:

Wolves

Bears

Lynxes

Deer

Tracking Late-Game Animals: Eventually, you’ll unlock the ability to hunt even larger and more dangerous creatures, such as:

Moose

Buffalo

Other high-level beasts

The key to finding these animals is using your Tracking skill to identify their location. Once you unlock a new tier of animals, their locations will be marked on your map and your compass at the top of the screen. Keep an eye out for these indicators, as they will guide you to your prey.

The Skinning Process: How to Skin an Animal

After you’ve tracked and hunted your target, the next step is to skin it for valuable resources. Skinning an animal is a straightforward process, but there are a few important things to keep in mind:

Approach the Animal: After killing an animal, it will remain on the ground for a short time, glowing to indicate that it can be skinned. Animals that can be skinned, mined, or logged will stay on the ground, while those that cannot will disappear after death.

Press the Appropriate Button: To skin the animal, approach it and press the following button, depending on your platform:

PC: Press the “E” key

PS5: Press the “Triangle” button

Xbox: Press the “X” button

Collect Resources: After pressing the button, your character will perform a skinning animation. Once it’s complete, you’ll be able to gather valuable resources such as:

Meat

Animal Parts (like bones, teeth, or tusks)

Leather/Hides

These resources can then be used for crafting items, cooking recipes, and upgrading gear. Leather, in particular, is crucial for crafting armor, while meat can be used for cooking and trading.

Tips for Efficient Tracking & Skinning

To maximize your efficiency when tracking and skinning, here are a few helpful tips:

Bring the Right Weapons: When hunting, it's important to use weapons that offer precision damage. Some prey, like rabbits, deer, and moose, are known to flee when threatened. Weapons like the Bow, Musket, or Hatchet are ideal for hunting because they deal good damage and allow for accurate shots. Additionally, these weapons scale with Dexterity, a stat that also boosts your efficiency with Skinning.

Level Up Dexterity: Since Dexterity is directly related to your skill with weapons like the Bow and Musket, leveling up this stat can make your hunting and skinning experience more efficient. It will help you deal more damage to animals that like to run and make skinning easier as well.

Use Your Compass: Always keep an eye on your compass. As you level up your Tracking skill, the animals you can hunt will be marked on your compass, making it easier to find your prey.

Take Advantage of MMOEXP: While tracking and skinning are rewarding in New World, some rare items and higher-level resources can be difficult to obtain on your own. If you’re looking to complete your collection of skins or obtain rare animal parts, MMOEXP is a great resource. They offer items,cheap New World Gold,New World Coins, and boosting services, which can help you get what you need for your crafting and trading endeavors.

Crafting with Skinned Materials: Once you’ve gathered your materials, consider using them for crafting. Leather and animal parts are often required for making armor, tools, and other useful items. Having a steady supply of these materials will help you craft better gear, which is crucial for surviving tougher encounters.

Advanced Skinning: Rare Materials and High-Level Animals

As you progress in New World, you’ll encounter more advanced skinning opportunities. Some rare materials can only be obtained from high-level creatures or through specific conditions. Here are some tips for handling these:

Hunt Rare Creatures: Some animals drop rare resources such as Rare Hides or Legendary Materials. These creatures may require more strategy to defeat, so be sure to equip yourself with the best gear available and consider bringing allies along.

Use MMOEXP for Rare Materials: If you find it difficult to hunt rare creatures or gather difficult-to-find materials, MMOEXP can help. Their services include a variety of in-game items and gold that can assist you in your tracking and skinning endeavors.

Skinning for Crafting: Higher-level skins are needed for crafting advanced armor sets and accessories. As you gain experience in skinning, you’ll unlock new crafting recipes that allow you to use rare animal parts for top-tier crafting.

Conclusion

Tracking and skinning in New World: Aeternum is a rewarding and necessary skill for any player looking to gather resources, craft gear, or simply enjoy the outdoors of Aeternum. With the right approach, tools, and knowledge, you can become an expert tracker and skilled skinner, capable of gathering a wealth of resources from the creatures of the land. Keep leveling up your skills, hunt efficiently, and make use of helpful resources like MMOEXP when necessary, and you’ll be well on your way to mastering this trade skill.