If you are new or just about to start with Ashes of Creation, you will quickly realize that the Artisan System is a huge part of the game and a key piece of the in-game economy. You can be into gathering resources, refining them, or crafting powerful gear; however, understanding how these professions link together can really give you a head start!
Artisan System Overview
There are three main branches to the Artisan system: Gathering, Processing, and Crafting. Each one has its own set of professions you can specialize in. For a more in-depth overview of the Artisan System, make sure to check out our dedicated Artisan Guide and Profession page here.
Gathering
This is where it all starts; collecting raw materials from the world around you:
- Fishing
- Herbalism
- Hunting
- Lumberjacking
- Mining
Processing
Once you have gathered your materials, they need refining. Processing professions turn raw materials into usable components:
- Alchemy
- Animal Husbandry
- Cooking
- Farming
- Lumber Milling
- Metalworking
- Stonemasonry
- Tanning
- Weaving
Crafting
Finally, crafting lets you create finished products using your processed materials. This is where you will make everything from armor to weapons and more:
- Arcane Engineering
- Armor Smithing
- Carpentry
- Jeweler
- Leatherworking
- Scribe
- Tailoring
- Weapon Smithing
As you level up in any profession, you will progress from Novice to Grandmaster, but here is the catch: you can only reach Grandmaster in two professions per character. So, it is super important to pick your specializations carefully, especially if your goal is something specific like high-tier gear or rare items.
How Professions Connect
One thing to keep in mind is that professions do not exist in a vacuum. Some crafting professions rely on specific gathering and processing ones. For example, a Scribe might need resources from Lumberjacking and Alchemy to create their items. This means that, even if you are set on being a master crafter, you will still need to know where your materials are coming from – or have friends who can supply them!
Useful Artisan Connections Chart!
To make navigating this system easier, Raidenz258 from Reddit put together an awesome Artisan Connections Chart. It maps out how all the professions are linked, so you can see exactly what you will need to specialize in to support your favorite activities: