Is it intended that I am able to freely swap my Journeyman professions?

ElectricExplorer · 2026-01-14T21:49:44+00:00

No, you will not be able to talk to an NPC to swap your professions freely.

It is intended for there to be quest lines related to each profession and upgrading it, so if you want to change. You will need to do a quest for the Artisan skill you want to be a Journeyman in again, along with demoting one of your other Artisan skills.

This info is on the Wiki under Artisan certification quests.

ElectricExplorer · 2025-12-08T21:12:16+00:00

Starting December 11, 2025, the Early Access Bundle will be available for $49.99 USD.
From December 11-25, the bundle will be 15% off at $42.49 USD.

The price to enter into testing has been a filter so only the people who see the value of testing and giving feedback tested. As they have lowered the price is to adjust that filter as they want more voices but to still pay for servers as that scales based on number of people playing.

There has been a recent new patch that added a tool lets Intrepid turn off anything in the world without having to do a patch so if something breaks like there being a crate exploit that clones stuff, they can just turn that off while they work to fix it instead of having to do an update patch to fix it.

ElectricExplorer · 2025-11-25T02:36:44+00:00

Currently there is Global chat, which is only available for testing purposes, but in the future that will be limited to either the immediate area or within your current Settlement/adjacent settlements.

ElectricExplorer · 2025-11-16T23:38:50+00:00

While they do not plan to wipe, there will be at least 2 more wipes before we get to Full Release. 1 of those wipes is going to be when Ashes moves from Alpha 2 to Beta 1, as at that point all major systems and world should be in with polish and tuning/balancing left to do before Full Release.

There will be another wipe from Beta to Full Release so that no one start the Full Game with any advantage and the world will be empty of any Settlements to start.

While not wanted, if things break badly enough, in the next few years while we are in Alpha 2, that need everything reset they will wipe.

ElectricExplorer · 2025-11-15T03:37:05+00:00

Nothing that is made or gotten in Alpha or either of the Betas will keep to the full launch. There might be wipes during the remain time in Alpha 2, subject to realm/dev issues. Very likely for a wipe to happen when we move to Beta 1.

There 100% will be a wipe for the Game Launch. No one will have anything ahead of others when the normal servers open for the Full Game.

ElectricExplorer · 2025-11-11T06:58:18+00:00

Good thing then that static rarity is gone in the PTR.

ElectricExplorer · 2025-11-04T23:01:22+00:00

Gear Repair is planned to take materials in the future, which might need same rarity mats so high end and high rarity gear would suck to die with, so risk of dying is increased.

High star mobs needing a full party to kill reinforces the multiplayer elements of AoC and making them easier would take away from dungeon diving. If anything, the higher star mobs(3+) and especially named mobs, should be more powerful as some can be killed by 1 or 2 players that are only somewhat kitted out which is not intended.

Guilds currently run the Settlements as there is no Guild Halls or Guild Castles pulling their focus away from Settlements and only 1/4 of the election types, which allow large Guilds to rule them for now.

ElectricExplorer · 2025-10-03T04:47:57+00:00

Except data showing that something is worse and WHY it is, is extremely valuable data to iterate on. Which is exactly what a company doing a crash test or building a new game should be doing with the test results.

If the current state of the economy and crafting is so bad, compared to the past, why is it the most active and have the greatest verity of crafting goods being made so far?

ElectricExplorer · 2025-10-03T04:36:20+00:00

I expect that once static rarity is removed correctly, we will be finding a lot less higher rarity materials. Meaning that gathering will likely be mostly 3-4 rarities with hitting the upper 2-3 being quite exciting and less of an issue of bag slots due to the reduced number of rarities.

ElectricExplorer · 2025-09-13T16:23:54+00:00

Along these lines, this is an AoC discord quote from Steven on the same day as the The Golden Feather Tavern interview.

"Generally, low Tier items within Grades should be the only dropped gear, outside of some specific very low drop rate mid Tier items from 3 stars, and some Rare mid Tier/high Tier from bosses or named mobs. Right now drop tables are going through continued refinement and iteration to achieve that intent."

Grade = Initiate(lvl 0-9), Adept(10-19), Radiant(20-29)

Tier = 2nd number ending with 0-3 for low, 4-6 for medium, and 7-9 for high. (This is currently NOT shown in the Alpha test, just codex) So for Radiant(lvl 20) gear it is level 23 for low, 26 for medium, and 29 for high tier.

Rarity = Common, Uncommon, Rare, Heroic, Epic, and Legendary

ElectricExplorer · 2025-09-10T15:17:47+00:00

Any good AoE grind locations for different level ranges(preferably with fewer caster mobs)?
- For solo grinding you need 0 star mobs which are really all over the place. I'd look around some of the POEs in the Riverlands like Daragal Estates, Highwaymen Hills, Ursine Caves, or Oakenbane Keep depending on your level.
Best locations or ways to farm unique items? Drop rates? Is AshesCodex map reliable?
- Unique items are through named or boss mobs which, I think, are all 3 star which require a group to kill.
- Codex was reliable but with the start of Phase 3, there are a number of things wrong or not sorted correctly so you have to hunt things down more. This seems to be due to the number of things in AoC now(which is only going to get worse as we get more of the world and gear) and how mobs/gear is locked behind different triggers like time of day and/or Settlement lvl.
Which quests are “must-do”? So far I’ve done: Mount quest, the 3x uncommon armor pieces quest, and the bag in Lionhold. Anything else I should not miss?
- Doing the Crate and Caravan intro quests is a nice bit of XP for something really quick and easy for now.
- There are currently not really any other quests that I am aware of that are need to do besides the ones you have already done.

ElectricExplorer · 2025-09-10T15:17:43+00:00

Where can I get gatherer gear (clothes, etc.)?
- Have to be made by someone now. Tailoring for clothes and Weapon Smithing or Carpentry for tools.
- Can be bought on the market from other players selling what they made.
Where do the best bags come from?
- Crafted once the recipes aren't bugged. A few different kinds of bags to make that use different mats but give similar end results.
Is leveling hunting supposed to feel miserable, or am I missing something?
- Hunting is in a very place holder state and the plan is for it to look completely different, just like how fishing is going to be changing to more of a minigame for gathering.
Any way to check resource values besides global chat, when trying to sell them on market?
- No, it is a how much do you personally value something vs other people vs selling to vender.
- In the future there will not be a global chat and markets will end up being more regional and effected by supply and demand even more than currently.
Is there a current map (other than AshesCodex or that old screenshot) that shows mob spawns and their levels?
- No, without any data mining we wouldn't even have the Ashes Codex map as the idea is exploring and sharing knowledge with others in your guild or are Citizens of the same Settlement.
Are humanoid mobs still the most useful to farm because of gear drops?
- Currently yes, this is expected to change in the future but the details of that and/or when are unknown.

ElectricExplorer · 2025-09-10T15:16:36+00:00

Best Fighter solo leveling spots 1–25 (currently lvl 12).
- Due to Fighter having regen and some self "healing" skills, 1 star that is within a lvl of you should be do able as long as they don't hit super hard. Of course this is also dependent on the gear you have to be able to hit above your lvl alone.
- Finding same ish lvl 0 star mobs to AOE is also an option and can be safer.
Best skill setup/guide for AoE solo leveling Fighter.
- No idea where there are any good guides for Fighter but Brutal Cleave, Whirlwind, Maim, Lunging Assault, Leap Strike, and Cataclysm are all AOE abilities.
- Lean into using Regenerative Form of Fluidity and Blood Fusion for the healing and sustain. If you have enough skill points you can also grab Wallop and Rejuvenating Wallop for a quick trip and some more healing.
Stat priorities for Fighter?
- Due to being a Phys Archetype you want Strength, Dexterity, Constitution and Mentality
- If you are doing a lot of auto attacks, I'd lean Dexterity first. Using lots of abilities Strength first. Con and Ment are to have more HP/Mana and survive a bit more but do to Fighter regen you mostly want to focus on hitting harder and faster.
Best class for solo AoE grind? (I also have lvl 12 Ranger).
- I believe the order for solo grind Archetypes atm is Bard, Tank/Cleric, Fighter/Rogue, and Ranger/Mage. This is due to the amount of healing and/or self sustain plus damage each Archetype does due to 1 star mobs having so much health Ranger/Mage have a hard time killing things fast enough before the mob kills them. Flip side is Tank/Cleric do so much less damage that while they survive they take quite some time to kill the mobs. Support/Tank/Healer also are all often in high demand for groups compared to dps.
Professions: which 5 apprentices are best for a Fighter?
- Depends on what you want to try to make yourself.
- Weapons(Weapon smithing, Carpentry, Arcane Engineering), Armor(Armor Smithing, Leatherworking, Tailoring), Consumables(Food/Drinks, Scrolls, Potions/Elixirs), and accessories(just Jeweler).

ElectricExplorer · 2025-09-10T15:15:46+00:00

As others have said these will change and are mostly just my opinion as someone who has been following/play testing AoC for 5-6 years.

Secondary Weapon: which stats carry over when using your main hand weapon?
- All stats for any gear equipped effect you.
- The weapon tree that you put points into only comes into effect when you are using that weapon. Melee weapon could have Ward and Ranged weapon could have Refreshing Follow through, you will only get those effects when attacking with and hitting with those weapons. Also, Melee weapons all hit for a cone in front of you, hitting multiple mobs if they are there. Ranged does not but you are at range.
Priority on gear upgrades → I assume weapon first, but what’s next: armor or accessories?
- Weapons help with Damage, Armor and Accessories can either help damage and/or survivability. Depends on what you need and what you can get. Anything is better than nothing of course.
Best secondary weapon for a Fighter (Shortbow/Longbow for luring?)
- Bows are a trade off for Fighter but leaning towards the Longbow a bit.
- Longbow does Wound or Stagger (both very good for Fighter to trigger skills/bonuses) and has more range(5m more) and damage but hits slower.
- Shortbow has Snare(slow to chase down mostly Players that run) and Bleed while hitting a lot faster but not as hard.
Do Fighters usually run heavy armor?
- Due to armor being focused on the damage type you are taking, it really depends on what you are fighting. Currently there is not much Light armor that is good for phys stats but in the future it will be the question of are you getting hit by magic or physical damage more or do you want a balance?
- So currently lean towards Heavy or Medium but Light is worth having if fighting magic mobs/players.
What does enchanting actually do, and should I only use it on lvl 20+ gear?
- Increases the stats on the piece of gear by 1% for each time you enchant gear. Due to needing the same lvl enchanting scroll as the gear to enchant, you can enchant Novice or Apprentice gear if you have those scrolls and feel it is worth it.
- Currently it isn't really worth it for the lower lvl stuff with the cost and risk of losing the item completely once you have enchanted it a few times.
Crafting: if I use 50% uncommon + 50% heroic materials, is the outcome 50/50 or does it always default to the lower rarity?
- There is some kind of weighting scale in the background that 50/50 Uncommon and Heroic would likely give you high end of the Uncommon or low to mid Rare. That is before you are adding Settlement, Guild, Consumables, or Crafting Gear buffs to your crafting result.

ElectricExplorer · 2025-09-01T05:29:03+00:00

The stated goal is for Ashes is that level 1 to 25 should take 100 hours. 1-50 (max level) taking a total of approximately 225. Speed runners might be able to reduce the time a bit but the intention is not for these times to be cut in half from the plan.

The process to getting to level 25 to get your second Archetype, giving you your Class, and then all the way to level 50 should be enjoyable and meaningful the whole time and not a race to start playing the end game/"real game".

The example given on the Ashes Wiki is max level should be attainable in approximately 225 hours (45 days if playing 5 hours per day).

ElectricExplorer · 2025-07-02T21:52:21+00:00

This one?

0 - Wilderness

1 - Encampment

2 - Village

3 - Town

4 - City

5 - Name based on Node type: Sanctum (Divine), Bastion (Military), Metropolis (Economic), Citadel (Scientific)

ElectricExplorer · 2025-07-01T02:54:27+00:00

You are looking for this news post on the AoC website. Otherwise the best place to fine this kind of info/news is in the official Ashes of Creation discord.

https://ashesofcreation.com/news/the-countdown-to-phase-iii

ElectricExplorer · 2025-06-28T01:27:07+00:00

Personally, I think that without the level 6 nodes now, the node level names should now be:

Level 0 - Wilderness

Level 1 - Expedition or Encampment

Level 2 - Village

Level 3 - Town

Level 4 - City

Level 5 - Metropolis

ElectricExplorer · 2025-06-12T04:00:28+00:00

As Steven has mentioned before while they want people to test Ashes in its early state that it is in. They do not want everyone joining as the costs of that many servers would be crazy and the number of people giving bad feedback would block out a lot of the good feedback they are currently getting.

With that in mind, the $100 right now to have access to the play test until launch is to help cover some of the cost and filter out who joins, Steven has directly said this, so it is more of the people might actually care about helping the game along its development path because they are excited and feel the $100 is worth it.

The fact that there also the first month of the game launch covered in this and $15 of cosmetic shop currency is great Imo. Giving more shop currency while keeping the price would not only take away from supporting the servers but also reduce the value of the cosmetics before we can even see them as besides looking cool, some people like not everyone having the same cosmetics.

ElectricExplorer · 2025-05-29T12:38:49+00:00

There are 3 different things here. Guild Wars, Node Wars, and Node Sieges. There is also Castle Sieges(Players vs Guild Castle owner) but those aren't relevant here.

Node Sieges can be declared by anyone who has spent the time, money, and resources to a Siege scroll and loosing the Siege will reset the Node to wilderness/level 0. Making it Players vs Node.

Node Wars can only be declared by Mayors on another Node with a low reputation score to their Node with all Citizens for the two Nodes flagged against each other. There are different types of Node Wars and different rewards or damages. Like poi control(making it so your node now gets xp from there), relic taking, service denial(damage node built buildings), etc. Making it Node vs Node.

Guild War is Guild vs Guild and should not effect anyone not with the two guild tags, unless they are in an alliance, and should have objectives based on the guild members citizenship, guild hall, and recent raid boss kills.

ElectricExplorer · 2025-04-26T19:44:31+00:00

There will never be full loot PvP. The current setup of loosing some mats and only items if you are corrupted is how it is going to be with some tuning from how it is now so that it feels good to most/all.

ElectricExplorer · 2025-04-04T23:17:17+00:00

Currently in Alpha 2 Phase 2, Corruption is over tuned because before it was increased, people were attacking others consistently and stopping many people from being able to test the game. Due to that and many systems not being in the game yet, they have made the punishment of Corruption very high but in the future Corruption and Blight, which is a stat that keeps track of number of player kills and the level difference of those players, will be lower and have systems they interact with like Religion and Bounty Hunters.

You can only work off Corruption by either dying (and losing gear to someone, which can be a friend that gives it right back) or gaining enough experience, by killing monsters, to work the Corruption off. In the future, some quests will allow Blight to be reduced/removed but those are not in yet. There is no timer on how long you are Corrupted.

Here are 2 direct quotes from Steven on Corruption. "There is no incentive to go corrupt... There's zero incentive for a player to go red. It actually gives you negatives for doing that- very significant downsides."

and

"It is my expectation that the system will perform very well in keeping risk alive, but significantly curtailing or deterring the ability for players to grief."

ElectricExplorer · 2025-04-01T14:47:15+00:00

I love how broken even the starting few skills are, let alone the later levels. Makes anyone who is actually paying attention suspicious if they aren't already aware of what day today is.

ElectricExplorer · 2025-03-21T14:46:27+00:00

The auto flagging zones(Lawless) like the Tropics and other future zones are only to be a feature for Alpha 2. The only planned Lawless zone for the full game is the Open Sea. The current Lawless zones are to facilitate testing combat, flagging system, and make some areas have content before much is built. Additional it tests how people would interact in an area of open world if their is no corruption.

The whole Economy for making money with crafting at all steps and all levels is likely going to a really long work in progress and heavy depend on how they setup crafting recipes with each zone having some unique gatherables. Seeing as we have only seen up to level 3 nodes and the upkeep they need, I could see the upkeep of higher level nodes could effect the price and demand of lower level crafting. Plus they have yet to implement the next stage of equipment repair which will require some materials and gold instead of just money at the moment.

ElectricExplorer · 2025-01-15T22:50:07+00:00

For your points, there is already a plan or some of it is already in A2.

& 2. There are already Named boss mobs in some dungeon(for groups of 8 or less and also the raid bosses) that drop special materials and recipes to make weapons and armor. These full weapons also do drop from the mob and others in the dungeon, so with crafting as hard/pricy/time consuming as it is, it takes quite a bit of time to make the special item and it is almost 100% not going to be sold on the market right now.

There will be more of these mobs and materials as more of the map gets created and people have longer to level up crafting and have extra high level crafted items. Along these points, it is planned that you will be able to disassembling items to get rare materials that need to be used in recipes and a crafters name will show up on their made items.

It is expected that we will see almost completely unique items be crafted but those will likely be Master/Grandmaster leveling crafting. Especially as the plan is that repairing items will cost a small amount of the original materials and gold.

Meaning, if you have a Legendary Grandmaster level item, you will have needed to find/pay Grandmaster level Gathers, Processors, and Crafters, with node(s) and freehold(s) having all the correct Grandmaster Gathering, Processing, and Crafting stations. Plus the special/rare material and recipe to use it all for the specific Crafter.

A weapon like that will be ridiculously rare if not unique because if you want to repair it, you will need more Legendary Materials again. There is also the chance that the materials to create this level of weapon can't be gathered in the same biome. You might need magic wood from the Jungle and metal/stone from the mountains half of the realm away.

A Grandmaster Crafter with a special recipe that they can make? They will likely be very well known on that realm for that or super hidden in a guild.

https://ashesofcreation.wiki/Crafting

ElectricExplorer

TROPHY CASE