Ashes of Creation Zone of Influence Explained: How Player Activity Shapes the World

In Ashes of Creation, settlements do not grow automatically or on a fixed timeline. Instead, their development is tied directly to what players do in the surrounding world. This system is called the Zone of Influence, usually shortened to ZOI.

Most players hear about ZOI early on, but many do not fully understand how it works in practice. This article breaks it down from a player’s perspective, focusing on how ZOI actually affects settlement growth, competition, and everyday gameplay.

What Is a Zone of Influence in Ashes of Creation?

Every settlement in Ashes of Creation controls a predefined geographic area called its Zone of Influence. You usually do not see ZOI borders on the map, but they exist in the background and are always active.

In general, any player activity that happens inside a settlement’s ZOI contributes to that settlement’s advancement. This includes:

• Questing

• Killing mobs

• Gathering resources

• Crafting

• Completing raids

• Contributing to settlement construction projects

Most players are affecting a settlement’s growth even when they are not trying to. If you are leveling, farming materials, or running content in a certain area, that activity is being counted toward a specific node.

How Player Activity Inside a ZOI Is Counted

Player actions inside a ZOI generate experience not only for your character, but also for the settlement tied to that area. This is one of the main differences between Ashes of Creation and more traditional MMOs.

In practice, this means:

• Killing enemies adds XP to the settlement

• Completing quests adds XP to the settlement

• Crafting items inside the zone adds XP

• Large group activities like raids can push a settlement forward faster

Most players do not need to “opt in” to this system. The ZOI is always listening in the background, tracking activity automatically.

Why Some Settlements Grow Faster Than Others

Not all ZOIs are equal in terms of content density. Some areas naturally attract more players because they have:

• Better leveling routes

• More popular dungeons

• High-value gathering zones

• Important quest hubs

In general, settlements with heavier natural traffic tend to advance faster, especially early in a server’s life. For example, a ZOI that includes multiple dungeons or popular farming spots will usually gain experience more quickly than a quieter zone with limited content.

This does not mean weaker settlements are “bad design.” The developers expect some imbalance, especially at the start. Over time, player organization and targeted effort can shift which nodes become dominant.

Can Players Influence Which Settlement Advances?

Yes, and this is where ZOI becomes interesting.

Most players casually feed experience to the nearest or most convenient settlement. However, organized groups can intentionally push a specific node forward by focusing their activity inside its ZOI.

In practice, this often looks like:

• Guilds choosing one settlement as their home

• Players funneling quests and farming routes into one area

• Organized delivery of crates or materials that boost node experience

This allows communities to counter natural traffic patterns. Even if a settlement has less default content, coordinated players can still help it grow.

Settlement Growth, Scarcity, and Locked Progression

One important rule is that settlements compete for space.

As settlements advance, they expand their ZOI. Higher-level settlements require more “elbow room,” meaning they can prevent nearby settlements from progressing. In some cases, an advancing settlement can absorb or block neighboring ZOIs entirely.

In general:

• Only a limited number of settlements can exist at higher tiers

• Advancing one settlement may slow or stop another

• Growth creates scarcity, not balance

Most players will see this play out naturally. Over time, a few major settlements emerge, while others remain smaller or become vassals.

How Vassal Settlements Fit Into the ZOI System

Vassal settlements always exist within the ZOI of a parent settlement. Any land controlled by a vassal is still considered part of the parent’s overall influence.

In practice, this means:

• Vassals contribute indirectly to the parent settlement’s power

• Parent settlements gain strategic value from their vassals

• ZOI is layered, not isolated

Most players living in vassal settlements are still shaping the parent node’s future, even if they rarely interact with it directly.

What Are Split Zones of Influence?

Some areas in Ashes of Creation do not feed experience into a single settlement. Instead, their ZOI is split between multiple settlements.

This is usually done for balance reasons. High-value locations like:

• Starting areas

• Major dungeons

• Key points of interest

may distribute experience evenly to two or three settlements instead of one.

In general, split ZOIs help prevent one settlement from becoming too dominant just because it owns a popular dungeon or leveling zone. Players still generate experience, but the impact is shared.

Are All Zones Meant to Be Perfectly Balanced?

No. According to developer explanations, early designs aimed for strict balance across all ZOIs. Over time, that idea shifted.

In practice, the system allows some imbalance. Certain settlements may have a 10–15% advantage due to layout, content placement, or player behavior. This is intentional.

Most players will experience servers where:

• Some settlements naturally grow faster

• Others require more coordination to advance

• Community decisions shape the world more than design symmetry

This flexibility creates different outcomes on each server, rather than identical maps every time.

How ZOI Affects Long-Term Server Identity

The Zone of Influence system is one of the main reasons each server develops its own identity.

Over time, player choices determine:

• Which settlements become political centers

• Which nodes turn into trade hubs or military powers

• Which areas remain quiet or contested

In general, ZOI ensures the world reacts to player behavior rather than following a scripted path.

Even activities that seem unrelated, like farming gold or crafting gear, still feed into this system. Some players who want to save time on progression may choose options like buy Ashes of Creation gold from U4N, but regardless of how players prepare, it is still in-world activity that ultimately pushes settlements forward.

What Most Players Should Keep in Mind About ZOI

For most players, ZOI is not something you need to micromanage every day. However, understanding it helps you make better long-term choices.

In general:

• Where you play matters

• Repeated activity shapes settlement growth

• Organized groups have more influence than solo players

• ZOI decisions affect taxes, services, and access later

If you care about your home settlement’s future, paying attention to its ZOI is usually worth the effort.

Zone of Influence in Ashes of Creation

Zone of Influence is a background system that quietly controls much of Ashes of Creation’s world evolution. You rarely see it, but you feel its effects everywhere.

Most players will shape the world simply by playing the game. Others will deliberately steer settlement growth through coordination and planning. Either way, ZOI ensures that the world changes based on real player behavior, not static design.

Understanding how it works helps you choose where to live, where to fight, and where to invest your time.