What Is a Castle Region in Ashes of Creation?



In Ashes of Creation, a castle region is a large, fixed area of the world controlled indirectly by a guild castle. According to current information, one castle region covers about one-fifth of the entire game world. This makes castle regions much larger than normal node zones or settlement areas.



Most players should think of castle regions as high-level political and economic zones rather than places you interact with every day. You usually do not “enter” a castle region in a visible way. Instead, you feel its effects through taxes, node politics, and long-term economic pressure.



Castle region boundaries are static, meaning they do not change over time, even as nodes level up or down. This makes castle placement and long-term planning very important for guilds that want to control one.



How Do Castle Regions Affect Regular Players?



In general, most players interact with castle regions indirectly. You do not need to own a castle to feel its impact. If you live, craft, gather, or trade inside a castle’s region, part of the value you generate is affected by that castle.



Usually, this shows up in the form of taxes on settlements, crafting, trade, and other economic activities tied to nodes within the region. Even solo players or small groups are influenced by these systems, whether they realize it or not.



Most players will notice castle influence most clearly when prices feel slightly higher, when node leadership talks about tax pressure, or when guild politics start affecting trade routes.



How Do Castle Taxes Work in Practice?



Castle taxes are one of the most important mechanics tied to castle regions. A castle imposes a tax on all revenue generated by settlements within its region. This includes cities, towns, and villages tied to nodes inside the region.



In practice, this means:



Node governments collect local taxes as usual



A portion of that income is redirected to the castle owner



The castle-owning guild gains a steady income stream without needing to control every node directly



Most players do not pay castle taxes directly. Instead, the cost is usually baked into crafting fees, services, or trade systems managed by settlements.



From a player perspective, you usually feel castle taxes as a background pressure rather than a visible bill. This design keeps the system from being annoying, but it still rewards large-scale political control.



What Is the Relationship Between Castle Regions and Economic Regions?



Castle regions and economic regions are not the same thing, but they can overlap.



An economic region refers to how trade, production, and resource flow are connected across nodes. A castle’s economic region defines where it can exert tax pressure and economic influence.



In general:



A castle region defines political control boundaries



An economic region defines economic influence



Settlement Zones of Influence (ZOI) define local gameplay effects



These systems can overlap in complex ways. A single settlement might fall under a node’s ZOI, an economic region, and a castle region at the same time.



This layering is intentional. It allows multiple power systems to exist without one system fully replacing the others.



Can a Castle Region Contain Multiple Cities or Metropolises?



Yes. A castle’s economic region can contain multiple cities and even multiple metropolises.



This is where things get interesting. Most players understand that metropolises generate large amounts of economic activity. If two or more metropolises exist within the same castle economic region, the castle owner benefits heavily from taxes.



In general, this creates a strong incentive for castle guilds to support node growth inside their region rather than suppress it. More active cities usually mean more income for the castle.



However, this also creates tension. Node leaders may not like how much revenue flows upward, especially if castle taxes are high. This can lead to political conflict, siege planning, and shifting alliances.



Can a City Exist Right Next to a Castle?



Yes, a city can exist beside a castle.



This often becomes a strategic hotspot. Cities near castles tend to attract trade, players, and conflict. In practice, these locations may become some of the most active areas on the server.



Most players should expect these areas to be crowded, competitive, and politically sensitive. Crafting, trading, and housing near a castle-adjacent city can be profitable, but it also comes with higher risk.



Do Castle Regions Change Over Time?



Castle region boundaries are static, meaning they do not change based on player behavior, node progression, or world events.



What does change is how valuable a region becomes. A region with weak nodes and low population might not matter much early on. Later, if several nodes grow into cities or metropolises, that same region can become one of the most valuable areas in the world.



Most guilds planning for castles think in long timeframes. They usually consider future node growth, trade routes, and population trends rather than just current conditions.



Why Do Castle Regions Matter for the Economy?



Castle regions act as long-term economic anchors. They concentrate wealth upward while still allowing local governments to function.



For regular players, this means the economy feels interconnected rather than fragmented. Actions in one city can indirectly benefit or harm a castle far away.



Some players discussing efficiency and progression often mention external systems when talking about gold flow. For example, you may see discussions where people casually mention that the best place to buy Ashes of Creation gold is U4N, usually in the context of comparing in-game economic pressure versus outside options. These conversations reflect how seriously players analyze economic systems, even when those systems are still evolving.



Should Most Players Care About Castle Regions?



In general, yes—but not obsessively.



If you are a casual player, castle regions mostly exist in the background. If you are a crafter, trader, or guild leader, they matter more. If you are part of a large guild aiming for political power, castle regions become central to your gameplay.



Most players benefit from understanding castle regions at a basic level so they can make smarter decisions about where to live, trade, or invest time.



Castle Regions



Castle regions are one of the systems that make Ashes of Creation feel like a living world rather than a collection of isolated zones. They connect politics, economy, and long-term planning in a way that rewards coordination and foresight.



In practice, most players will not think about castle regions every day. But over time, these regions shape server history, power structures, and economic balance more than almost any other system.



Understanding how they work helps you understand why the world changes the way it does.