How Zones of Influence Work in Ashes of Creation
Zones of Influence, usually shortened to ZOIs, are one of the systems that quietly shape how the world of Ashes of Creation develops. Most players interact with them every day without really seeing them. You do quests, grind mobs, clear dungeons, or gather resources, and settlements grow as a result. But behind the scenes, ZOIs decide which settlement gets credit for that activity.
Understanding how ZOIs work helps explain why some settlements grow faster, why others feel slower, and why servers don’t all develop in the same way.
What Is a Zone of Influence?
A Zone of Influence is a hidden area of the world map that tracks player activity. Each ZOI is tied to one or more settlements. When players do things inside that zone—like killing monsters, completing events, crafting, or running dungeons—the experience generated feeds into the settlement linked to that zone.
You don’t see ZOI borders on the map. They are part of the game’s background systems. In general, players only notice their effects when they compare settlement growth across regions.
Most players don’t change how they play based on ZOIs directly. They just go where the content is. That’s important, because traffic patterns matter a lot.
Why Do Some Settlements Level Faster Than Others?
This is one of the most common questions players ask.
In general, settlements that sit near dense content tend to grow faster. If a ZOI includes multiple points of interest—like dungeons, high-value mob camps, or popular quest hubs—then more players naturally spend time there. More players means more activity, and more activity means faster node experience gain.
For example, some areas may include places like Carphin or Befallen Forge, while others might only have one or two smaller locations. Early on, that difference can make one settlement feel much stronger than another.
That doesn’t automatically mean the system is broken. It’s partly an intended outcome of how players move through the world.
Are All Zones Designed to Be Equal?
Early in development, the goal was full equitability across all ZOIs. Every area would, in theory, have similar potential to support settlement growth.
Over time, that ideal shifted.
As Steven Sharif explained, design realities made perfect balance difficult. World layout, narrative locations, dungeon placement, and future expansion plans all affect where content makes sense to place. Because of that, some ZOIs naturally carry more “weight” than others.
In practice, this usually results in a moderate imbalance. Think of it as a 10–15% advantage rather than something overwhelming. Player behavior often matters more than raw layout.
What Does “Splitting a Zone of Influence” Mean?
To help prevent one settlement from always dominating, the game uses split ZOIs in certain areas.
A split ZOI means that activity inside that zone does not feed into just one settlement. Instead, the experience is divided between two or more nearby settlements.
This system is already used in several important locations:

• Starting areas like Lionhold, Samia’s Hope, Bonfire, and Hammer Rest
• Content-heavy zones such as Carphin
• Dungeons like Befallen Forge

In these areas, when most players run content, the benefits are shared. This helps prevent early snowballing and gives multiple settlements a chance to grow.
How Do Starting Areas Affect Settlement Growth?
Starting areas are especially important because they see huge player traffic early in a server’s life.
Most players spend their first hours questing, learning systems, and grouping up in these zones. If all of that activity went to a single settlement, that node would almost always dominate early progression.
By splitting the ZOIs in starting regions, the game spreads that early activity across multiple settlements. This usually results in a more even early game and gives different communities room to organize before major power differences appear.
Can Players Influence Which Settlement Grows?
Yes, and this is where things get interesting.
While ZOIs create natural traffic patterns, organized players can push growth in specific directions. One major tool for this is crate delivery.
Crates can provide experience boosts to a settlement. If a guild or alliance wants to support a specific node, they can focus their efforts there even if the natural traffic favors another area. This takes coordination, but it can offset some of the built-in advantages of certain ZOIs.
Most players don’t do this on their own. It usually requires leadership, planning, and a reason—like setting up a future vassal structure or preparing for node conflicts.
Why Imbalance Isn’t Always a Bad Thing
It might sound strange, but some imbalance is actually useful.
When one settlement grows faster, it becomes a more attractive target. It has more services, more materials, and potentially more relics. Other groups may see it as a feeder settlement or a strategic obstacle.
This creates push-and-pull gameplay:

• Strong nodes attract attention
• Attention creates conflict
• Conflict leads to node sieges and resets

Because the node system is designed to recycle over time, early advantages don’t last forever. Settlements rise, fall, and change based on player actions.
How Player Behavior Shapes ZOIs in Practice
In theory, ZOIs are static. In practice, player behavior reshapes their impact constantly.
Things that influence traffic include:

• Where guilds choose to base themselves
• Which races players pick and where they start
• Popular artisan specializations
• Access to specific resources or materials

These factors create unique “traffic lines” on every server. That’s why no two servers should feel exactly the same, even with the same map and ZOI structure.
Common Misunderstandings About ZOIs
Many players assume that a weaker settlement is doomed from the start. Usually, that’s not true.
In most cases:

• Early dominance does not guarantee long-term control
• Organized communities can redirect growth
• Split ZOIs reduce runaway advantages
• Node destruction resets the board

Understanding this helps players make better long-term decisions instead of chasing short-term gains.
A Note on Economy and Player Choices
As settlements grow, players naturally think about efficiency—travel time, crafting access, and resource flow. Some players even look for shortcuts to stay competitive, including choosing to buy AoC gold from a trusted site like U4N. While these decisions are personal, they don’t change how ZOIs function at a system level. ZOIs still respond primarily to in-world activity and coordinated effort.
Zones of Influence
Zones of Influence are not meant to be perfectly fair. They are meant to be flexible.
In general, the system creates a world where player choices matter more than static balance. Some settlements will grow faster. Others will need effort and organization to compete. Over time, conflict, coordination, and recycling keep the world from becoming stagnant.
Most players don’t need to master ZOIs to enjoy the game. But understanding them helps explain why the world develops the way it does—and why your server’s story will be different from everyone else’s.