Glorious Alpha Two Testers!
Alpha Two Phase III testing has begun! During this phase, our realms will be open every day, and we'll only have downtime for updates and maintenance. We'll keep everyone up-to-date about downtimes in Discord.
If you have Alpha Two, you can download the game launcher here, and we encourage you to join us on our Official Discord Server for the most up to date testing news.
Alpha Two Phase III testing has begun! During this phase, our realms will be open every day, and we'll only have downtime for updates and maintenance. We'll keep everyone up-to-date about downtimes in Discord.
If you have Alpha Two, you can download the game launcher here, and we encourage you to join us on our Official Discord Server for the most up to date testing news.
Best Of
Re: Verra: When Bigger Isn’t Always Better
I really think the map size is great (and I'm looking for more!!) and highlights the potential for so many players to be on the same server yet not feel crowded. The copy/paste and other esthetic aspects can atleast be improved and polished as development occurs, but the map size is awesome and should be worth the wait.
Caww
3
Asymmetrical piercings?
In the character creator, will we be able to place individual piercings rather than a set of piercings? ie: choosing a specific piercing for one ear and a different one in the other ear, eyebrows, lips, nose, etc.?
Re: PvP arena in cities (like a colosseum)
Always the same few people against any competitive gameplay 😂
Pyrolol
1
Re: Roads are too smooth
They showed their plans for the Roads system in a livestream a while back. They started off as little more than dirt tracks, then over time became proper actual roadways. It was pretty cool.
Re: Not a Tank: A Call to Redefine Ashes' Frontline Role
I don't agree with every point on this list, but I sure as heck agree with the vast majority. +1
The main points I don't necessarily agree with are related to 3/4/5.
Regarding shields, I'm in agreement that they're in a bad spot and feel rather useless. What I don't agree with is incorporating them directly into the tanks skills or mitigations. Surely I'd like to see improvements, and for the class to enjoy benefits from wielding a shield, but the second it becomes a mandatory part of every tank's kit I think we went too far. Choice in weapon and gearing should always be priority imo, otherwise you're creating a role and not a class.
As for skill synergy, I don't agree that it's nonexistent. There is quite a bit of built in flow to the way tank plays, and I frankly really enjoy it. Especially related to Punish, as many skill flows like Grapple->Tomahawk/Forceful Tremors -> Pulverize feel absolutely fantastic. Having the option of playing a Tank as a sort of crit-power-focused juggernaut instead of just being a front-line was a marvelous experience. However, I do understand the sentiment as there is a lot of room for improvement. I frankly would like to see shields (the hp kind and not the equipment) become a bigger part of the kit. Both in a team-support way as was previously mentioned, or in a sacrifice-shields-for-damage kind of way. I wouldn't want the stuff that is good, or otherwise feels good currently, to go by the wayside but rather cleaning up the stuff that isn't all that great at the moment.
And finally, I have had a pretty different experience in PvP post TTK. Especially with decent gear, playing a tank in PvP can feel fantastic both with a Defensive oriented build (mitigations/hp stacking), as well as with a power oriented build (power rating + crit pow). Ive tried both, felt great both ways. You're a force to be reckoned with, assuming you can convince your opponents to care about you.
However, I do think your points are valid about tanks being relatively easily ignored in PvP. Its a little too easy to just walk away from tanks, and there's really no valid reason to ever damage one if you can help it. Plus, with the only hard ccs in a tank's kit being trips and a very tiny stun, its pretty hard to lock anybody down. Doubly so if any other members of your party also have trips.
If I had to give my own personal suggestions, trying to blend the great suggestions of the post with my own preferences, I would attempt the following:
- Give an explicit benefit for wearing a shield as a tank. This can be baked into passive skills.
- This bonus shouldn't require having a shield, but reward tanks that do.
- More cc on tanks for pvp. Pushes/pulls and Incaps especially. Give tanks a direct way of controlling fights.
- Alternatively, let tanks be really efficient at shielding allies. Give enemies a reason to want to kill them before anybody else.
The main points I don't necessarily agree with are related to 3/4/5.
Regarding shields, I'm in agreement that they're in a bad spot and feel rather useless. What I don't agree with is incorporating them directly into the tanks skills or mitigations. Surely I'd like to see improvements, and for the class to enjoy benefits from wielding a shield, but the second it becomes a mandatory part of every tank's kit I think we went too far. Choice in weapon and gearing should always be priority imo, otherwise you're creating a role and not a class.
As for skill synergy, I don't agree that it's nonexistent. There is quite a bit of built in flow to the way tank plays, and I frankly really enjoy it. Especially related to Punish, as many skill flows like Grapple->Tomahawk/Forceful Tremors -> Pulverize feel absolutely fantastic. Having the option of playing a Tank as a sort of crit-power-focused juggernaut instead of just being a front-line was a marvelous experience. However, I do understand the sentiment as there is a lot of room for improvement. I frankly would like to see shields (the hp kind and not the equipment) become a bigger part of the kit. Both in a team-support way as was previously mentioned, or in a sacrifice-shields-for-damage kind of way. I wouldn't want the stuff that is good, or otherwise feels good currently, to go by the wayside but rather cleaning up the stuff that isn't all that great at the moment.
And finally, I have had a pretty different experience in PvP post TTK. Especially with decent gear, playing a tank in PvP can feel fantastic both with a Defensive oriented build (mitigations/hp stacking), as well as with a power oriented build (power rating + crit pow). Ive tried both, felt great both ways. You're a force to be reckoned with, assuming you can convince your opponents to care about you.
However, I do think your points are valid about tanks being relatively easily ignored in PvP. Its a little too easy to just walk away from tanks, and there's really no valid reason to ever damage one if you can help it. Plus, with the only hard ccs in a tank's kit being trips and a very tiny stun, its pretty hard to lock anybody down. Doubly so if any other members of your party also have trips.
If I had to give my own personal suggestions, trying to blend the great suggestions of the post with my own preferences, I would attempt the following:
- Give an explicit benefit for wearing a shield as a tank. This can be baked into passive skills.
- This bonus shouldn't require having a shield, but reward tanks that do.
- More cc on tanks for pvp. Pushes/pulls and Incaps especially. Give tanks a direct way of controlling fights.
- Alternatively, let tanks be really efficient at shielding allies. Give enemies a reason to want to kill them before anybody else.
Bribzy
1
Re: Roads are too smooth
Theres a bunch of different roads/paths and some fit very well but the one posted above just seems so perfect 
) this below is more of what I had in mind for it
) this below is more of what I had in mind for it
Shaylaru
2
Re: "Unable to Play" - "Waiting for character data validation..."
did you all ever figure this out? im having the same problem.
Re: "Unable to Play" - "Waiting for character data validation..."
Yeah ive been having the same problem no luck with fixing it no matter what i do either 
tylla
1
Re: Questing
This a dev topic about this.
https://forums.ashesofcreation.com/discussion/67611/dev-discussion-77-let-s-talk-quests#latest
My probably unpopular opinion on quests rewards.
Quests should only reward coin, glint, materials. Enough to warrant the effort to complete. EXP shouldn't be rewarded from quests. It turns the game into a quest hub hopping snooze fest. There will be an optimal questing path that everyone will take to hit max if they reward EXP from quests. I understand people like that because it's a known fast track to max level. It'll have everyone starting their character in Riverlands to level via this fast track because it's known. If anything keep the EXP rewards to a minimum.
I don't think any gear should be rewarded from quests. It makes crafting a max level system only. If I can gear myself enough through drops and quests why would I ever waste time getting materials and crafting that'll take 10X longer or more?
Rewarding coin and glint are the best options. Adding in some materials eases some of that gathering time and gives "questers" something to throw on the market as they level.
I think this comes down to what you think quests are for. Are they a boost to getting to max level? Or are they are an boost to the enjoyment in the leveling process? I sit in the latter camp. When I'm just collecting ? and turning in ! I get bored, but I'm forced to do it because it's soooo much faster to actually level that way. No one is reading the quests, no one really cares about the NPCs or the mobs they're killing, the things they're collecting, or why they're even doing it. Maybe ashes isn't the MMO to fix this since it's PvX, but I still see no benefit to the game if they leave it in.
https://forums.ashesofcreation.com/discussion/67611/dev-discussion-77-let-s-talk-quests#latest
My probably unpopular opinion on quests rewards.
Quests should only reward coin, glint, materials. Enough to warrant the effort to complete. EXP shouldn't be rewarded from quests. It turns the game into a quest hub hopping snooze fest. There will be an optimal questing path that everyone will take to hit max if they reward EXP from quests. I understand people like that because it's a known fast track to max level. It'll have everyone starting their character in Riverlands to level via this fast track because it's known. If anything keep the EXP rewards to a minimum.
I don't think any gear should be rewarded from quests. It makes crafting a max level system only. If I can gear myself enough through drops and quests why would I ever waste time getting materials and crafting that'll take 10X longer or more?
Rewarding coin and glint are the best options. Adding in some materials eases some of that gathering time and gives "questers" something to throw on the market as they level.
I think this comes down to what you think quests are for. Are they a boost to getting to max level? Or are they are an boost to the enjoyment in the leveling process? I sit in the latter camp. When I'm just collecting ? and turning in ! I get bored, but I'm forced to do it because it's soooo much faster to actually level that way. No one is reading the quests, no one really cares about the NPCs or the mobs they're killing, the things they're collecting, or why they're even doing it. Maybe ashes isn't the MMO to fix this since it's PvX, but I still see no benefit to the game if they leave it in.
Volgaris
1
Next Livestream - Friday, June 27, 2025 at 11AM Pacific
Glorious Ashes of Creation Community!
Our next livestream will be Friday, June 27, 2025 at 11AM Pacific! (Click here to convert this to your local time) Join us as we discuss upcoming changes to our plans leading up to Phase III, and new content coming to Phase III including new starting area, node, PvP, and guild systems updates, and the econ and stat revamp!
During this stream, we will spend time answering some of your questions live from Twitch chat, Discord, and social media platforms. Stay tuned to our social channels for announcements on any upcoming Q&A livestreams!
We'll see you soon for our development update livestream! twitch.tv/ashesofcreation
🗣️ In case you missed it, our latest livestream dived into the upcoming Alpha Two Phase III, covering a new starting area, races, nodes, PvP, guild systems, and an econ & stat revamp!
https://youtu.be/6BG0kkSkNaQ 
Vaknar
2