Novel metallic matrix composite materials for wear resistant coatings based on the Fe-Cr-C-NbC system were developed using a laser assisted rapid-alloy-prototyping technique based on variable powder feed rate laser cladding. After a preliminary phase of materials design and development a Fe-15wt.%Cr-0.25wt.%C matrix reinforced by NbC carbide particles was chosen for the composite. The criteria for the selection of matrix composition and reinforcement particles are presented and discussed. To understand the influence of the carbide volume fraction, composite coatings with continuous variation of NbC were produced by a variable composition laser cladding process. Three-body abrasive wear tests and dry sliding wear tests were performed on the coatings. An optimum volume fraction of reinforcement particles between 20 and 30% was found for dry sliding wear conditions. Conversely, for the case of three-body abrasive wear tests the wear rate increases with increasing volume fraction of NbC particles. These results are analyzed and discussed on the basis of the microstructure of the coatings an on the observation of wear grooves.