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: Massive step in the right direction with PVP TTK changes
Intensive testing? Seriously?
Two days on the PTR, one day on the alpha… we’re clearly not using the word "intensive" the same way.
Definition – Intensive Test
An intensive test is a rigorous evaluation method that pushes a system, product, or individual to its limits, in order to measure resilience, performance, or reliability under extreme or prolonged conditions.
Honestly, I don’t understand the enthusiasm around this phase. How can we talk about thorough testing when:
Some items still show up with six stat lines, despite attempted balancing.
Even then, the balancing feels very shaky. We’re seeing level 10–20 gear with absurd values. Item colors have lost all meaning—why bother going for epic gear when heroic already gives you everything?
TTK has been increased, but the method used is questionable. They just inflated numbers across the board, without setting caps, in an already complex system. Take the "Strength" stat for example: it increases Power Rating, and then there’s a separate Power Rating line below. It’s just stacking effects with no real logic behind it.
In any well-built MMO, the foundations rely on a coherent stat system. Here, to fix the TTK issue, they simply multiplied values. And the consequences are immediate:
- Mobs are no longer threatening,
- PvP is dominated by evasion and lifesteal,
- Healers can easily keep entire groups alive.
And yet people are calling this progress? I really don’t get it.
I honestly don’t see how Steven can approve this direction. If I were in his shoes, I’d be concerned. He’s funding a team that’s supposed to build solid foundations, with reliable formulas and balanced systems. But the more layers you add, the harder it becomes to maintain balance.
Once again, everything depends on having a strong foundation. Here, it feels like they’re just buying time—"look, we increased TTK"—but without any real long-term vision.
Personally, I stick with what works. You sit down, do the math, and build a clean system. When I see level 20 weapons with 2,000 physical power and 345 Strength, I have to wonder: what will things look like at level 50?
- Armor should provide defense (magical, physical, crit reduction, mitigation),
- Jewelry should offer offensive or defensive bonuses based on role (magic, physical, tank, healing),
- Weapons should give offensive stats—magical, physical, or maybe even both for future hybrid classes.
Keep stats simple, with realistic caps. For example: 15 Strength at level 10, 17 at level 11, and so on.
The enchantment system feels better now, even though it was far too strong in its earlier form. Again, the root issue was a lack of consistency.
And above all, stat separation is crucial:
- Intelligence for magic damage,
- Mentality for healing.
- Otherwise, we’ll once again end up with healers doing way too much damage.
To sum up, I’m genuinely surprised to see so much satisfaction about what’s being called an "intensive test," when we’ve seen no sieges, no large-scale PvP, no real mass combat. Three days of testing under these conditions don’t qualify as intensive by any serious standard.
Two days on the PTR, one day on the alpha… we’re clearly not using the word "intensive" the same way.
Definition – Intensive Test
An intensive test is a rigorous evaluation method that pushes a system, product, or individual to its limits, in order to measure resilience, performance, or reliability under extreme or prolonged conditions.
Honestly, I don’t understand the enthusiasm around this phase. How can we talk about thorough testing when:
- Lifesteal still works at 100%,
- Evasion stats are just as effective,
- Three-star mobs can be soloed,
Some items still show up with six stat lines, despite attempted balancing.
Even then, the balancing feels very shaky. We’re seeing level 10–20 gear with absurd values. Item colors have lost all meaning—why bother going for epic gear when heroic already gives you everything?
TTK has been increased, but the method used is questionable. They just inflated numbers across the board, without setting caps, in an already complex system. Take the "Strength" stat for example: it increases Power Rating, and then there’s a separate Power Rating line below. It’s just stacking effects with no real logic behind it.
In any well-built MMO, the foundations rely on a coherent stat system. Here, to fix the TTK issue, they simply multiplied values. And the consequences are immediate:
- Mobs are no longer threatening,
- PvP is dominated by evasion and lifesteal,
- Healers can easily keep entire groups alive.
And yet people are calling this progress? I really don’t get it.
I honestly don’t see how Steven can approve this direction. If I were in his shoes, I’d be concerned. He’s funding a team that’s supposed to build solid foundations, with reliable formulas and balanced systems. But the more layers you add, the harder it becomes to maintain balance.
Once again, everything depends on having a strong foundation. Here, it feels like they’re just buying time—"look, we increased TTK"—but without any real long-term vision.
Personally, I stick with what works. You sit down, do the math, and build a clean system. When I see level 20 weapons with 2,000 physical power and 345 Strength, I have to wonder: what will things look like at level 50?
- Armor should provide defense (magical, physical, crit reduction, mitigation),
- Jewelry should offer offensive or defensive bonuses based on role (magic, physical, tank, healing),
- Weapons should give offensive stats—magical, physical, or maybe even both for future hybrid classes.
Keep stats simple, with realistic caps. For example: 15 Strength at level 10, 17 at level 11, and so on.
The enchantment system feels better now, even though it was far too strong in its earlier form. Again, the root issue was a lack of consistency.
And above all, stat separation is crucial:
- Intelligence for magic damage,
- Mentality for healing.
- Otherwise, we’ll once again end up with healers doing way too much damage.
To sum up, I’m genuinely surprised to see so much satisfaction about what’s being called an "intensive test," when we’ve seen no sieges, no large-scale PvP, no real mass combat. Three days of testing under these conditions don’t qualify as intensive by any serious standard.
Imanek
3
Re: Mobs and bosses should not drop completed gear
Completely agree on mobs, but bosses should drop 2-3 full items, given that their respawn timer is ~24h. Anything that respawns way more frequently should have a really low chance of dropping full items.
And from my side, with the benefit of 6 months of data, I'd like to rescind my original stance. So now I say:
It's not okay for bosses to drop completed gear pieces for any purpose other than to be deconstructed, in Ashes of Creation (I had time to confirm some stuff about player incentives in Lineage, TL and Ashes).
Azherae
3
Re: Head Start
Hmm any info years later? Or is it still pay to win for those who got it?
2 days of being on a server with most content turned off is not much of a benefit.
A few years on alpha and beta servers, getting to know the game and its systems, however, is.
Noaani
2
Re: 📊 Gear & Stat Tuning Feedback Thread – Help Shape Phase II Balance
I dearly hope that the current implementation sticks at least until P3, cause from all the things I've read in the feedback so far - effective changes seem to be incredible.
Obviously things still gotta be ironed out, but so far it sounds that you're back on the right direction.
If the changes don't stick around till P3, oh well, I'll just test whatever they are then
Obviously things still gotta be ironed out, but so far it sounds that you're back on the right direction.
If the changes don't stick around till P3, oh well, I'll just test whatever they are then
Ludullu
1
Re: Feedback on TTK, Gear Changes, and Mana (Post-Patch)
I'm not entirely sure about the fleahripper. With diminishing returns on the power stat, it looks more like a trap than anything else. It's got no substats like pen to help it out so raw power with dr isn't all that great.
mage blink bugged or intended?
Right now every cc cancels the blink immediately (clip 1 and 2) or has a weird interaction where in clip 3 the tank uses his trip but the debuff never shows and the blink cancels itself out with the trip but does not apply the instant cast buff.
Clip 1: https://medal.tv/games/ashes-of-creation/clips/k4iyc2eRMhABPJEmf?invite=cr-MSxxMlosMjY4MzA5NTUw
Clip 2: https://medal.tv/games/ashes-of-creation/clips/k4j6X2SqTQCJvDJ8y?invite=cr-MSw4czIsMjY4MzA5NTUw
Clip 3: https://medal.tv/games/ashes-of-creation/clips/k4ibQPKnC7z5zec7A?invite=cr-MSxvVlYsMjY4MzA5NTUw
Are these interactions intended or just bugs? If they are intended it feels really really awful for the mage. Especially if u play vs higher skill opponents who are really good at finding the right timing. Someone could argue this is some form of skill expression like wait out the follow up cc and then blink. But in reality u either only have 1 sec to react or just die immediately (clip3) or the amount of cc thrown at you is just so much that you can not use ur cc break ability for several seconds (clip 1 and 2). From a mage POV it just feels extremely awful.
Also a 4th option where the mages gets flung away cc'ed: https://medal.tv/games/ashes-of-creation/clips/k4ipnx102lX7XLkxY?invite=cr-MSxsa0IsMjk1MzUwMDA0
I think some kind of immunity is required with blink. The ability is already heavily disadvantaged when u cant turn while cc'ed and have to blink potentially into the opponents team.
Clip 1: https://medal.tv/games/ashes-of-creation/clips/k4iyc2eRMhABPJEmf?invite=cr-MSxxMlosMjY4MzA5NTUw
Clip 2: https://medal.tv/games/ashes-of-creation/clips/k4j6X2SqTQCJvDJ8y?invite=cr-MSw4czIsMjY4MzA5NTUw
Clip 3: https://medal.tv/games/ashes-of-creation/clips/k4ibQPKnC7z5zec7A?invite=cr-MSxvVlYsMjY4MzA5NTUw
Are these interactions intended or just bugs? If they are intended it feels really really awful for the mage. Especially if u play vs higher skill opponents who are really good at finding the right timing. Someone could argue this is some form of skill expression like wait out the follow up cc and then blink. But in reality u either only have 1 sec to react or just die immediately (clip3) or the amount of cc thrown at you is just so much that you can not use ur cc break ability for several seconds (clip 1 and 2). From a mage POV it just feels extremely awful.
Also a 4th option where the mages gets flung away cc'ed: https://medal.tv/games/ashes-of-creation/clips/k4ipnx102lX7XLkxY?invite=cr-MSxsa0IsMjk1MzUwMDA0
I think some kind of immunity is required with blink. The ability is already heavily disadvantaged when u cant turn while cc'ed and have to blink potentially into the opponents team.
Re: TRUTHFUL feedback about TTK changes
Thank you for a well-written, thoughtful, and coherent comment.
I feel the same way. I’ve been frustrated all morning seeing what we were given—and wondering why such major changes only stayed two days on the PTR.
Changes like this need to be handled carefully, with proper planning and objective analysis.
Right now, it just feels like a temporary patch. Nothing about it seems coherent or built to last.
I feel the same way. I’ve been frustrated all morning seeing what we were given—and wondering why such major changes only stayed two days on the PTR.
Changes like this need to be handled carefully, with proper planning and objective analysis.
Right now, it just feels like a temporary patch. Nothing about it seems coherent or built to last.
Imanek
1
Re: Mobs and bosses should not drop completed gear
I agree that right now it's going to be a problem.
My solution would be:
Leave level 0 gear the way it is, because there will be no economy for players to acquire crafted gear before the node levels.
After level 0, remove any gear dropped from mobs from common to rare rarities. You can leave heroic+ as it's a very rare chance to drop, and players won't be able to rely on that to gear up. They will need to rely on crafting. Heroic+ drops just keep the possibility of a rare drop, and that feel-good moment.
My solution would be:
Leave level 0 gear the way it is, because there will be no economy for players to acquire crafted gear before the node levels.
After level 0, remove any gear dropped from mobs from common to rare rarities. You can leave heroic+ as it's a very rare chance to drop, and players won't be able to rely on that to gear up. They will need to rely on crafting. Heroic+ drops just keep the possibility of a rare drop, and that feel-good moment.
Imnotkio
2
Re: Subject: Feedback on Recent Stat and TTK Changes
LMAO you gonna hit me with "This aint the right patch!" cope. Wanna go there, okay fine, 2003 source material;
Still scale with level enchant, what are you gonna use for coping now Mr.OG?
LMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAO you are dumb as rocks mate
That is literally what I posted. Notice that that is an S tier weapon. It gets +5 atk per enchant and after +4 enchanting it starts going up +10. That value is not +, its the atk.power of the weapon. Just like my initial image showed
The only difference is the % chance, which is probably an older patch. But even then, if your source is not just plain wrong, you still get less and less % gain power per enchant every time, while becoming more difficult to achieve
I cant believe you thought that was a zinger
Imnotkio
2
Re: Subject: Feedback on Recent Stat and TTK Changes
no it wasn't. again no, stop talking about things you know nothing about or are getting too old to remember properly.
Go look back at the old source material of the 2 MMOs that Ashes is inspired of.
This is the Lineage 2 power progression philosophy: The Higher you go into levels and tiers, the harder it is to get that, and the smaller the percentual upgrade. By the time you were chasing power cap, you were grinding literally hundreds of hours for one small weapon upgrade. That design philosophy worked for the entire game.
You can see, first weapon upgrade gave you a whopping 33% upgrade in power, while the last weapon upgrade gave you incredible 5% upgrades
This was how enchantment worked: You had fixed values for enchantment gains (like we do now). Every enchantment got progressively harder but gave less and less percentual gains while increasing effort.
The only time you got a percentual increase in the curve was when you went past the over-enchanting level. After that tho, we wen't back to reducing percentual gains and exponential increase in effort.
By the time you had the strongest weapon, the first enchant would give you a 1.7% power upgrade. Fourth enchantment would give you a 3.2% power upgrade, and a +10 enchant would give you a 2.6% power upgrade while requiring 10x more attempts.
Not to mention Ashes has more gear pieces to enchant, increasing even further the power gap possible for enchanting.
Imnotkio
3