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Alpha Two testing is currently taking place five days each week. More information about Phase II and Phase III testing schedule can be found here
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Alpha Two testing is currently taking place five days each week. More information about Phase II and Phase III testing schedule can be found here
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.
Not a Tank: A Call to Redefine Ashes' Frontline Role
Takauri
Member, Alpha Two
TL;DR
Tanks in Ashes of Creation are being driven out of relevance by a combination of design friction, punishing economic systems, low PvP/PvE value, and outdated mechanics. This post consolidates feedback from numerous tank mains who believe the class needs mechanical reworks, role sustainability, and identity clarity. We offer targeted, actionable suggestions to help make tanks viable, enjoyable, and indispensable.
Context
This feedback is compiled from months of forum posts, personal playtesting, and community discussions from tank mains across Alpha Two. Our goal is to ensure tanks are viable, valued, and fun at all stages of the game.
I've played tank main almost exclusively for 20 years across all of the major MMOs, at peak endgame in most of them for PvP (specifically RvR style) and PvE
1. Economic Death Spiral – The Tank’s Tax
Tanks die more. That’s their job. But in Ashes, that job is punished:
Lose glint and harvested materials on death
Face the highest repair bills due to plate armor
Struggle to solo farm effectively
This creates a loop:
Die → lose money → need to farm → farming is slow → die more.
This is emotionally and economically crushing. Unless running in a premade group, many tanks just don’t log in.
Suggestions:
Delay glint/repair penalties until respawn at emberspring
Add solo-friendly stance or mitigation to farming cost
Provide repair cost reductions for tanks
2. XP Debt and Repair Costs Punish the Role
XP debt is fine in theory. But for tanks?
Tanks die first, die often, and die to save others
XP debt punishes them for doing their job
Repair costs and death loops mean a tank often leaves a play session worse off than they started
Suggestions:
Reduce XP debt gain on tanks
Consider death forgiveness window if rezzed quickly
Scale repair cost with damage taken, not gear tier alone
3. Shields Are Cosmetic, Not Core
Tanks give up DPS to wear shields, but the shield:
Doesn’t affect core stats meaningfully
Can be used by non-tanks for almost equal benefit
Doesn’t scale key abilities like Reflect
Suggestions:
Make shield stats part of tank base mitigation
Scale Reflect and other shield-based abilities with actual shield quality
Give passive shield bonuses to tanks only (e.g., stamina regen, block angle, CC resist)
4. Skills Lack Flow, Synergy, and Identity
Many tank skills:
Have no synergy
Require constant micromanagement (e.g., Grit spam)
Are used defensively on the tank rather than the group
Suggestions:
Let Intercept and Absorption Field apply group shields
Rework Grapple with meaningful augments (pull to ally, root, CC)
Make Vengeance’s stun courage-based, not RNG
Add group utility to Charge, Tomahawk (upgrade to net?), and Reflect
5. PvP: Irrelevant by Design
Even after TTK improvements, tanks are:
Not threatening
Not disruptive
Not protective
Suggestions:
Let Reflect block projectiles for allies via line-of-sight
Add real CC tools: group pulls, slows, battlefield zoning
Spec walls to allow ally movement or apply enemy debuffs
6. Walls, Body Blocking, and Spatial Control
Wall is a great idea:
But mobs walk through it in PvE
It has a long cast time and cooldown
Tanks should control space. Right now, they don’t.
Suggestions:
Restore promised wall customization (solid, debuff, shield variants)
Add collision mechanics or enemy AI changes
Reward body blocking (damage resistance, courage gain)
7. Spam ≠ Skill – The Active Block Trap
Grit has gone from simple stance to mandatory micromanagement.
The 20s/10s Grit change halved the buff unless you pressed it constantly
Current Grit still requires constant attention, or you die
Active Block punishes stamina, cancels skills, prevents dodge
Suggestions:
Grit should be a stance, not a rhythm game
Active Block should grant rewards (CC, counters, courage gain)
Make timing matter: well-timed blocks reduce cost or increase effect
8. What Is the Tank’s Place in the Endgame?
Tanks are vital while leveling, but then:
PvP doesn’t need them
PvE becomes DPS-centric after gear
Solo content is miserable
Suggestions:
Introduce tank-needed open world content (e.g., elite patrols, event triggers)
Rework PvP meta to include group survival mechanics
Add roles for off-tanks in raids (wound debuffs, agro transfers)
9. "Tank" Is Not a Class Name
Every other class has a name that signals fantasy. Tank is a role.
Suggestion: Rename the class to Guardian. Build the kit around:
A defensive stance (group tanking)
An offensive stance (solo viability, moderate damage)
Other MMOs nailed this. Ashes can too.
10. Closing: Let Tanks Lead
We don’t want to be immortal. We want to be respected.
We want gameplay that rewards:
Tactical decisions
Well-timed blocks
Group synergy
Positional awareness
Right now, tanks feel like slow melee DPS with a shield and a death tax.
Please let us fulfill the fantasy of being the frontline protector. Give us:
A name
A purpose
A reason to stay logged in past level 15
Tanks in Ashes of Creation are being driven out of relevance by a combination of design friction, punishing economic systems, low PvP/PvE value, and outdated mechanics. This post consolidates feedback from numerous tank mains who believe the class needs mechanical reworks, role sustainability, and identity clarity. We offer targeted, actionable suggestions to help make tanks viable, enjoyable, and indispensable.
Context
This feedback is compiled from months of forum posts, personal playtesting, and community discussions from tank mains across Alpha Two. Our goal is to ensure tanks are viable, valued, and fun at all stages of the game.
I've played tank main almost exclusively for 20 years across all of the major MMOs, at peak endgame in most of them for PvP (specifically RvR style) and PvE
1. Economic Death Spiral – The Tank’s Tax
Tanks die more. That’s their job. But in Ashes, that job is punished:
Lose glint and harvested materials on death
Face the highest repair bills due to plate armor
Struggle to solo farm effectively
This creates a loop:
Die → lose money → need to farm → farming is slow → die more.
This is emotionally and economically crushing. Unless running in a premade group, many tanks just don’t log in.
Suggestions:
Delay glint/repair penalties until respawn at emberspring
Add solo-friendly stance or mitigation to farming cost
Provide repair cost reductions for tanks
2. XP Debt and Repair Costs Punish the Role
XP debt is fine in theory. But for tanks?
Tanks die first, die often, and die to save others
XP debt punishes them for doing their job
Repair costs and death loops mean a tank often leaves a play session worse off than they started
Suggestions:
Reduce XP debt gain on tanks
Consider death forgiveness window if rezzed quickly
Scale repair cost with damage taken, not gear tier alone
3. Shields Are Cosmetic, Not Core
Tanks give up DPS to wear shields, but the shield:
Doesn’t affect core stats meaningfully
Can be used by non-tanks for almost equal benefit
Doesn’t scale key abilities like Reflect
Suggestions:
Make shield stats part of tank base mitigation
Scale Reflect and other shield-based abilities with actual shield quality
Give passive shield bonuses to tanks only (e.g., stamina regen, block angle, CC resist)
4. Skills Lack Flow, Synergy, and Identity
Many tank skills:
Have no synergy
Require constant micromanagement (e.g., Grit spam)
Are used defensively on the tank rather than the group
Suggestions:
Let Intercept and Absorption Field apply group shields
Rework Grapple with meaningful augments (pull to ally, root, CC)
Make Vengeance’s stun courage-based, not RNG
Add group utility to Charge, Tomahawk (upgrade to net?), and Reflect
5. PvP: Irrelevant by Design
Even after TTK improvements, tanks are:
Not threatening
Not disruptive
Not protective
Suggestions:
Let Reflect block projectiles for allies via line-of-sight
Add real CC tools: group pulls, slows, battlefield zoning
Spec walls to allow ally movement or apply enemy debuffs
6. Walls, Body Blocking, and Spatial Control
Wall is a great idea:
But mobs walk through it in PvE
It has a long cast time and cooldown
Tanks should control space. Right now, they don’t.
Suggestions:
Restore promised wall customization (solid, debuff, shield variants)
Add collision mechanics or enemy AI changes
Reward body blocking (damage resistance, courage gain)
7. Spam ≠ Skill – The Active Block Trap
Grit has gone from simple stance to mandatory micromanagement.
The 20s/10s Grit change halved the buff unless you pressed it constantly
Current Grit still requires constant attention, or you die
Active Block punishes stamina, cancels skills, prevents dodge
Suggestions:
Grit should be a stance, not a rhythm game
Active Block should grant rewards (CC, counters, courage gain)
Make timing matter: well-timed blocks reduce cost or increase effect
8. What Is the Tank’s Place in the Endgame?
Tanks are vital while leveling, but then:
PvP doesn’t need them
PvE becomes DPS-centric after gear
Solo content is miserable
Suggestions:
Introduce tank-needed open world content (e.g., elite patrols, event triggers)
Rework PvP meta to include group survival mechanics
Add roles for off-tanks in raids (wound debuffs, agro transfers)
9. "Tank" Is Not a Class Name
Every other class has a name that signals fantasy. Tank is a role.
Suggestion: Rename the class to Guardian. Build the kit around:
A defensive stance (group tanking)
An offensive stance (solo viability, moderate damage)
Other MMOs nailed this. Ashes can too.
10. Closing: Let Tanks Lead
We don’t want to be immortal. We want to be respected.
We want gameplay that rewards:
Tactical decisions
Well-timed blocks
Group synergy
Positional awareness
Right now, tanks feel like slow melee DPS with a shield and a death tax.
Please let us fulfill the fantasy of being the frontline protector. Give us:
A name
A purpose
A reason to stay logged in past level 15
Guild Leader, Radiant Knights
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