If you’ve been playing Ashes of Creation, you’ve probably noticed that gear choices can get a bit overwhelming. There are so many items, grades, and stats to consider, especially when it comes to off-hand gear like foci. In this guide, I’ll break down how the Ashbrand Focus works, what most players use, and how it fits into leveling and general gameplay.
What is the Ashbrand Focus?
The Ashbrand Focus is a type of off-hand gear, usually equipped by magic users like mages or healers. It’s classified as Adept grade, which means it’s accessible fairly early in the game and provides a solid step up from starting gear.
Here are its key stats at a glance:

• Mag Power: 95–98
• Mag Crit Chance: 33–34
• Intelligence: 7–8
• Mentality: 129–132
• Crit Defense: (varies slightly)
• Required Level: 10
• Item Level: 13
• Max Durability: 17

The focus has a crafting recipe that requires Apprentice ArcaneEngineering, and the main materials include Western Larch Boards and Daffodil Powder. In practice, players usually pick up these items either from basic gathering or the in-game market, depending on convenience.
Most players describe it as a “slow and steady” off-hand, not flashy, but reliable. Its strengths come from stable mental stats and consistent magic power, which is important for early dungeons or PvP skirmishes.
How Does the Ashbrand Focus Work in Practice?
In general, players equip a focus like Ashbrand when they want to boost their spellcasting efficiency. Here’s how it usually affects gameplay:

1. Spell Damage and Crits: The Mag Power and Mag Crit Chance directly increase damage output. In early zones, this is enough to carry you through quests without constantly switching gear.
2. Survivability: Mentality and Crit Defense are key for reducing the chance that enemy spells or attacks will critically hit you. Most players notice that the higher these stats, the less likely they are to die in random open-world encounters.
3. Durability Considerations: With a max durability of 17, you’ll want to repair frequently. In general, players schedule repairs after a few dungeons or long grinding sessions to avoid the focus breaking mid-combat.

Off-hand gear is especially useful for hybrid builds. For example, if you’re a caster who sometimes uses melee weapons, you might switch between a focus and a shield depending on whether you need more damage or more defense.
Where to Get and Craft Ashbrand Focus
Most players go one of two routes:

1. Crafting it themselves: This requires Apprentice ArcaneEngineering. The recipe calls for items like Western Larch Boards and Daffodil Powder. You’ll also need access to the correct biome type for certain resources, usually TabletopMountains, and the item drops are tied to nodes at the Village level. In practice, this means you’ll need to invest a bit of time in gathering and node development before you can craft it.
2. Buying from other players: While it’s possible to trade with others, most players tend to craft their own, especially early on, because it’s cheaper and ensures you have the stats you want.

A tip: some players will occasionally buy Ashes of Creation gold for leveling on U4N to speed up the process of acquiring crafting materials or upgrading nodes, especially if they want to skip some of the grind for early gear like this focus. It’s not necessary, but it’s a method that a few in the community use for convenience.
Common Alternatives and Upgrade Paths
Once you reach higher levels, the Ashbrand Focus may start to feel underpowered. In general:

• Upgrade to higher-grade foci as soon as your character level allows it. Most players look for Expert or Master-grade foci because they offer significantly higher Mag Power and Mentality.
• Focus set bonuses: Some players prefer foci that synergize with their main weapon set, providing buffs to critical damage or cooldown reduction.
• Stat balancing: If your character relies heavily on spells, prioritize Mag Power and Mentality. If you occasionally tank or face high PvP damage, Crit Defense is more important.

Tips for Using Off-hand Gear Effectively

1. Know your stats: Most players overlook how much Crit Defense matters early on. Even if your Mag Power is high, a single crit from an enemy can wipe you in a low-level zone.
2. Switch depending on context: In dungeons, you may want more offense, while in open-world grinding, more defense is safer.
3. Check durability often: Foci break faster than main weapons because they have lower durability caps. Set reminders or use repair kits preemptively.
4. Crafting efficiency: If you plan to craft multiple foci, focus on developing nodes that provide the materials. Most players find that early node investment saves time in the mid-game.

In general, the Ashbrand Focus is a reliable choice for early-game casters. It’s not the most exciting piece of gear, but it provides the stats you need to safely level, perform in dungeons, and start experimenting with different builds. Most players will replace it after a few levels, but understanding how it works and how to craft or acquire it gives you a good foundation for managing your off-hand gear as you progress.
It’s also a good introduction to the crafting system and node mechanics, which become increasingly important later in Ashes of Creation. For players who want to optimize early-game efficiency, managing these foci and knowing when to upgrade is just as important as picking the right weapon.
U4N is popular among players who buy AoC gold often: https://www.u4n.com/ashes-of-creation/gold