In New World, Aeternum is full of mystical resources — from Azoth-laced plants to ancient motes that New World coins pulse with elemental energy. But few materials are as sought after in the endgame as Ethereal Essence, a shimmering, spectral substance tied to powerful magical crafting and high-tier upgrades. Whether you’re refining your Arcana skills, enhancing elemental gear, or unlocking high-level mutations, Ethereal Essence is an invaluable resource.

This guide will teach you everything you need to know about how to collect Ethereal Essence in New World: where to find it, which enemies drop it, the best farming routes, and how to make the most of every shard you gather.

What Is Ethereal Essence?

Ethereal Essence is a rare crafting material introduced in New World’s post-Season 5 updates, primarily used in endgame alchemy, equipment upgrades, and crafting ethereal infusions. It’s classified as a Tier V magical essence, representing the purified form of the elemental motes scattered across Aeternum.

You can think of it as the “condensed soul energy” of elemental creatures and corrupted spirits — a blend of raw Azoth and elemental life force.

Used for:

Crafting Ethereal Infusions (used to upgrade legendary armor or weapons)

Creating Arcana potions and Azoth dust reagents

Refining Ethereal Shards for mutation keys

Forging Void-imbued weapons and tools

Because of its rarity, farming it efficiently requires preparation, strategy, and the right gear.

Ways to Obtain Ethereal Essence

There are three main ways to collect Ethereal Essence in New World:

Defeating specific elemental enemies and spirits

Gathering from rare Ethereal Nodes

Salvaging high-tier infused essences

Let’s break each method down in detail.

1. Defeating Elemental and Spirit-Type Enemies

The most consistent method of acquiring Ethereal Essence is by slaying Ethereal or elemental-themed enemies scattered across Aeternum. These creatures are often found near corrupted zones or areas where Azoth energy is most unstable.

Here are the best enemy types to farm and where to find them:

Ethereal Wraiths – Elysian Wilds / Edengrove

These spectral beings are your top source of Ethereal Essence. Each kill can drop up to three essences, and they respawn quickly in the Elysian Basin area. They’re tough but worth the effort — use weapons with Void or Nature damage for faster clears.

Void Wolves – Northern Great Cleave

Found near the icy cliffs north of the Great Cleave settlement, these beasts drop Ethereal Essence alongside Void Residue, a crafting material for high-tier infusions. Their spawn rate is moderate, making them ideal for sustained farming routes.

Ancient Wisps – Shattered Mountain Ruins

These glowing spirits float around the ruins of ancient temples. They don’t hit very hard but can swarm in groups. The drop rate is slightly lower than Wraiths, yet the fast respawn rate makes them excellent for solo players who prefer constant action.

Lost Spirits – Mourningdale

Commonly found near graveyards and haunted fields, Lost Spirits occasionally drop Ethereal Essence, though the drop rate is on the lower side. They’re easy to kill in bulk, so players with AoE builds can farm large numbers efficiently.

Abyssal Dryads – Brimstone Sands (Abyssal Grove)

These corrupted plant creatures are dangerous but lucrative. In addition to Ethereal Essence, they drop Corrupted Sap, another rare crafting reagent. The Abyssal Grove area offers some of the best high-level farming opportunities, especially for grouped players.

Each of these enemies emits a faint blue or violet glow — a telltale sign of their ethereal nature. Equip gear with Luck bonuses or Luck trophies to increase your drop rate; a full Luck build can boost your yield by up to 25%.

2. Gathering from Ethereal Nodes

Another reliable method is mining Ethereal Nodes, luminous crystal deposits found in high-level zones like Elysian Wilds, Reekwater, and Brimstone Sands.

Node Characteristics:

Appear as glowing white-blue crystals with drifting motes

Require Mining Skill 200+ to harvest

Yield 1–4 Ethereal Essences per node

Occasionally drop Ethereal Shards (a crafting upgrade material)

Top Ethereal Node Locations:

Elysian Wilds (Prime Farming Area):

Head to the Wispfen Basin in the northern sector.

Follow the ridge paths between Ancient Beacon and Elysian Rise.

You’ll find dense clusters of 5–7 nodes close together.

Reekwater – The Eternal Pool:

East of the settlement, follow the Eternal Pool Pathway.

Ethereal Nodes often spawn near waterfalls and cliffsides.

Mobs are moderate-level, making it manageable for solo players.

Brimstone Sands – Abyssal Grove:

High-risk, high-reward zone.

Each node yields higher essence amounts, but enemies hit hard.

Bring corruption resistance consumables.

Mining nodes may not give the fastest yield per minute, but combining this method with mob farming creates an optimal balance of stability and volume.

3. Salvaging Infused Essences

If you’re a crafter or alchemist, you can also collect Ethereal Essence by refining or salvaging infused materials.

At an Arcana Station (Tier V), you can break down:

Infused Air Essence

Infused Death Essence

Infused Life Essence

When salvaged using an Arcana skill of 200+, these yield small amounts of Ethereal Essence (1–2 units per essence).

Conversion Example:

3x Infused Life Essence → 1x Ethereal Essence

While this isn’t as fast as farming mobs, it’s a great passive method if you already gather lots of elemental essences from motes and wisps during regular gameplay.

Best Farming Route (Solo Player Friendly)

If you’re aiming to farm Ethereal Essence efficiently, here’s a loop route optimized for drops and safety:

Route: Elysian Wilds – Twilight Hollow Loop

Start at the Elysian Outpost fast travel shrine.

Move east into the Twilight Hollow area. Defeat Ethereal Wraiths and Lost Spirits along the path.

Gather Ethereal Nodes that appear along ridges and cliffs.

Circle south toward the Ancient Beacon, clearing Void Wolves and Dryads.

Return to the outpost to reset the route (roughly 10–12 minutes per loop).

Each run typically nets:

10–20 Ethereal Essences

3–6 Ethereal Shards

Extra motes and elemental materials

Doing this loop for one hour yields around 80–100 Ethereal Essences, making it one of the most efficient farming circuits currently available.

Tips for Faster Farming

Use Azoth Staff Rank 5: Increases resource detection and node visibility radius.

Buff with Gathering Potions: Proficiency Booster (+15% yield) lasts 30 minutes per potion.

Run Light Armor Builds: Easier mobility between node clusters and mobs.

Party Up: Small groups (2–3 players) clear faster and share loot efficiently.

Check Trading Posts: Prices fluctuate daily — sometimes cheaper to buy than grind.

Trading and Economy Value

Ethereal Essence is a high-demand trade good, often selling for 500–800 gold per unit on populated servers. Its value spikes during major content patches or mutation rotations involving void or corrupted modifiers, since players rush to craft infused reagents and keys.

If you have surplus essence, selling it during event weeks can fund powerful upgrades, housing, or crafting projects.

Final Thoughts

Collecting Ethereal Essence in New World is a rewarding but challenging pursuit. Whether you prefer hunting spectral foes in the Elysian Wilds or mining luminous nodes in Brimstone Sands, the key is efficiency — combining gathering routes, luck perks, and consistent farming habits.

Master these methods, and you’ll soon have more Ethereal Essence than you know what to do with — ready to infuse your weapons, craft legendary gear, and channel Aeternum’s mysterious power to its fullest.

The spirits of the world are restless — claim their essence, and cheap New World coins let their power flow through you.