Sulieman Benn's five-wicket haul gave the West Indies the initiative as New Zealand were dismissed for 293 on Thursday's opening day of the third Test at Kensington Oval in Barbados.
With the series locked at 1-1, the home side closed the day at 0-32 in reply.
Continuing to carry a heavy workload, the tall left-arm spinner finished with 5-93 off 26.2 overs to restrict the Black Caps on a pitch that looked set to produce a result.
On the opening day of the 50th Test at the iconic venue, Benn had excellent support from fellow Barbadian Kemar Roach, the fast bowler claiming 4-61.
Allrounder Jimmy Neesham top-scored with 78 but his run-out typified another day for the tourists when they failed to make the most of encouraging positions.
Key batsmen Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, plus Mark Craig lower down the order, all managed to get into the 40s but were unable to go on to make Brendon McCullum more comfortable with his decision to bat first after winning the toss.
Roach removed openers Tom Latham and Hamish Rutherford in the morning session, but the Black Caps looked to be prospering with Williamson and Taylor in the early afternoon until Benn started to make a significant difference, both with the ball and in the field.
Williamson fell for 43 to a catch at slip by Darren Bravo in the third over after lunch. Taylor, on 45, then faced a delivery from Roach that took the shoulder of the bat and Benn flung himself to his right at gully to come up with the catch and give the fast bowler his third wicket.
McCullum and Neesham counter-attacked with a succession of boundaries in a 54-run fifth-wicket partnership before Benn removed McCullum for 31 via a top edge comfortably held by Bravo at slip.
New batsman Tim Southee didn't last long, bowled by Benn, but Neesham kept playing his shots and seemed set for a third hundred in four Tests before a mix-up with Craig.
The West Indies strengthened their bowling attack for this deciding Test, giving tall fast-medium bowler Jason Holder a debut at the expense of Jermaine Blackwood.
Spinner Shane Shillingford, who missed the second Test because of injury, came back into the final 11, taking the place of burly fast bowler Shannon Gabriel.
New Zealand made one change, replacing legspinner Ish Sodhi with Neil Wagner and leaving the main slow-bowling duties with offspinner Craig.
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