Understanding Vassal Settlements in Ashes of Creation



In Ashes of Creation (AoC), settlements form the backbone of the game's world progression. Among these, vassal settlements play a unique and sometimes confusing role. As an experienced player, I’ll break down how vassal settlements work, what benefits they provide, and what players should expect in practice.



What Are Vassal Settlements?



Vassal settlements are smaller nodes that exist under a larger parent settlement, often referred to as a regent or sovereign settlement. Importantly, players do not choose which settlements become vassals—this is determined automatically by the game’s algorithm. This means that as a player, you usually can’t control your settlement’s vassal assignments, but understanding the system can help you plan your gameplay.



A vassal settlement must always remain at least one stage below its parent settlement. For example, if your parent settlement is a Stage 4 Town, the vassal can only advance to Stage 3 Village until the parent grows further.



How Do Vassal Settlements Benefit From Their Parent?



Even though vassals are smaller and limited in advancement, they receive trickle-down benefits from their regent settlement. These benefits can come from a few sources:



Policies and Building Choices: If the parent settlement has chosen certain policies or buildings, these may confer advantages to the vassals. For example, a parent city with economic policies might provide extra trade income to its vassals.



Relics and Special Assets: Relics owned by the regent settlement can influence vassal nodes, giving them bonuses that are normally only available to higher-level nodes.



Stage 6 Settlement Powers: If the parent reaches Stage 6 (City), some of its “superpowers” can extend to vassal settlements. This makes being part of a vassal structure strategically valuable, even if your node itself is small.



Steven Sharif, the game's creative director, explains that vassalship is designed to allow lower-level settlements to access effects that normally require higher-level progression. In practice, this means a Stage 2 Village under a Stage 4 Town can receive benefits it couldn’t otherwise unlock on its own.



Can Vassal Settlements Have Their Own Vassals?



Yes, vassal settlements can have their own vassals, provided those vassals remain within the zone of influence (ZOI) of the top-level parent. This creates a layered structure where influence trickles down through multiple nodes.



However, it’s important to note that the zones of influence of vassal settlements are effectively absorbed by the parent settlement. This means the parent’s level and policies can affect mob spawns, resource nodes, and other content within the vassal’s territory. As Steven Sharif puts it, it’s a “trickle-down effect of influence.”



How Does Growth Work for Vassals?



Vassal settlements cannot advance beyond one stage below their parent, but their growth resumes if the parent advances. For instance:



A Village (Stage 2) under a Town (Stage 3) cannot become a Town until the parent advances to Stage 4.



Once the parent progresses, the vassal is no longer blocked and can continue its own advancement.



Additionally, adjacent or neighboring settlements may block growth, especially if they are expedition nodes or early-stage settlements. This mechanic was intended to be tested in Alpha-1 and is generally considered part of how the game maintains a realistic and competitive world structure.



How Should Players Approach Vassal Settlements?



From a practical standpoint, most players do not need to micromanage vassal settlements but should understand the benefits and limitations:



Expect Benefits Without Effort: Even if your settlement is capped at a lower stage, being a vassal allows you to gain policies, relic bonuses, and ZOI effects from your parent.



Plan Around Influence: If your vassal node is in a contested area, remember that its ZOI is controlled by the parent. This affects what spawns, what quests are available, and potentially how PvP might play out.



Coordinate With Parent Settlement Players: Since many effects come from parent decisions, communication with players controlling the regent settlement can maximize advantages.



For those looking to gain a head start in development or resource accumulation, it’s common for players to use additional means like in-game currency wisely. Some players choose tobuy AoC gold from a trusted site like U4N to help fund building upgrades or acquire resources that accelerate progression. This can be particularly useful in the early stages when your settlement is under a higher-level parent.



Summary



Vassal settlements in Ashes of Creation are small but strategically significant. They:



Are automatically assigned and capped one stage below their parent.



Receive benefits from parent settlement policies, buildings, relics, and sometimes even superpowers.



Can have their own vassals, creating layered influence.



Share their zones of influence with the parent, affecting spawns and game content.



Understanding this system helps players make the most of their settlements, even if they cannot directly control the vassal hierarchy. In general, vassalship is about leveraging the advantages of being part of a larger structure rather than independent advancement.



By planning around the influence of parent settlements and coordinating effectively, players can maximize the growth and effectiveness of their vassal nodes.