In Ashes of Creation, progression of your character isn’t just about combat. The world’s economy is deeply intertwined with artisan systems — and Processing sits at the heart of that. Processing is the step between gathering raw materials and crafting finished goods. Whether you want to Ashes of Creation Gold make weapons, armor, potions, or food, understanding how to refine materials is crucial.

What Is Processing?

Processing is the act of taking base materials you’ve gathered from the world — like ore, wood, hides, plants, or animal carcasses — and transforming them into usable components for crafting. Without processing, raw resources are mostly useless: blacksmiths can’t forge metal, tailors can’t sew cloth, and cooks can’t prepare meals. Processing typically happens at specialized stations found in settlements and freeholds.

For example, raw logs from lumberjacking become timber at a lumber mill. Ores mined from veins become ingots via metalworking. Animal hides become leather through tanning. And herbs collected in the wild can be powdered or distilled in alchemy stations. Learning which processing skill to use for each resource is essential to succeed.

Processing Stations & Skills

There are several major processing professions available to players, each associated with a unique station:

Weaving: Converts raw fibers like cotton and flax into thread and cloth — foundational for tailoring and bag crafting.

Stonemasonry: Refines stone and cuts gems for use in crafting or jewelcrafting.

Metalworking: Smelts ore into ingots — a cornerstone for weapon and armor crafting.

Tanning: Turns animal carcasses into leather, bones, and fat.

Lumber Milling: Processes wood into timber or woodchips — essential for many crafting chains.

Farming: Turns plant and animal byproducts into mulch and seeds for crop production.

Cooking: Converts raw meat and ingredients into food that provides buffs and sustenance.

Alchemy: Creates potions, salves, and powders used for healing, buffs, and other effects.

Animal Husbandry: Processes animal parts into mounts or tames for caravans and transport.

Understanding these professions helps you pick your focus early. You’ll want to choose processing professions that synergize with your gathering and crafting goals.

How Processing Works & Tips

Processing doesn’t happen instantly. When you use a station, you queue jobs that take real time to complete, depending on resource quantity and station fuel requirements. While tasks run, you can log off or continue adventuring — processing doesn’t require you to remain at the station.

Every time you process materials, you gain artisan experience, helping you level up your processing skill. Higher skill levels unlock better recipes and refine materials more efficiently. Many players queue multiple stations in different nodes or freeholds to process large batches at once without waiting idly.

Why It Matters

Processing is vital for the player‑driven economy of Ashes of Creation. Crafting high‑tier gear requires refined components from processors. Selling processed goods can be lucrative, especially early on before nodes are fully developed. And since stations are tied to buy Ashes of Creation Gold nodes’ stages and player freeholds, mastering processing can make you an indispensable part of your server’s economy and community.