Ancestral Skills
As of Erenor Eternal, 55 is no longer the end. Once you’ve hit level 55 and gotten your skillsets to 55 as well, you’ll be able to walk the path of your ancestors and begin to imbue your skills with the power of the elements. But, to attain this new rank, you’ll need Experience and Ancestral Warrior Medals.
Ancestral Skills are alternate versions of existing skills in your skill tree. By earning Ancestral Skill Points, you can choose to replace your normal skills with these alternate versions, allowing for new skill combinations, strategies, and fighting styles. Each character can get a maximum of 7 Ancestral Skill Points, allowing for up to seven alternate skills at once. These points can be re-assigned to select new skills at any time for a small fee, similar to normal skill points.
Once you’ve attained the right amount of experience and medals, you’ll receive a message that you can level up via the Ancestral tab located in your skills window.
Ancestral Level 1 – 3,777,158 experience & 8 Ancestral Warrior Medals
Ancestral Level 2 – 1,531,946 experience & 10 Ancestral Warrior Medals
Ancestral Level 3 – 1,531,946 experience & 10 Ancestral Warrior Medals
Ancestral Level 4 – 1,531,946 experience & 10 Ancestral Warrior Medals
Ancestral Level 5 – 1,914,932 experience & 12 Ancestral Warrior Medals
Ancestral Level 6 – 1,914,932 experience & 12 Ancestral Warrior Medals
Ancestral Level 7 – 1,914,932 experience & 12 Ancestral Warrior Medals
At Ancestral Levels 1, 4, and 7, a number of your basic skills from your chosen skillsets will become available for augmentation, and you’ll be able to infuse a single skill with one of 8 elements of ArcheAge – Lightning, Quake, Wave, Gale, Life, Mist, Stone, and Flame.
For the Ancestral skills shown below, only the differences have been listed. All other aspects of the alternate skill are the same as the original, unless otherwise noted.
Ancestral Battlerage
Lightning Triple Slash
- Increases attack speed, but only affects one target for all three attacks.
Quake Triple Slash
- Mana Cost increased from 9 -> 12
- Melee Attack coefficient increased from 130% -> 230%
- Reduces attack speed, but each attack affects all enemies within 3m of the primary target.
Gale Precision Strike
- Cooldown changed from 21sec -> 30sec
- Killing a target with this skill instantly resets the cooldown.
Wave Precision Strike
- Increases Melee Critical Rate when attacking targets under 30% max health. (Normally increases Melee Critical Rate when backstabbing)
Lightning Tiger Strike
- Range reduced from 20m -> 12m
- Base damage reduced -36%
- Melee Attack coefficient reduced from 280% -> 180%
- Attack the same target three times in a row. (Normally attacks up to 5 targets one time each)
Life Tiger Strike
- Cooldown increased from 18sec -> 28sec
- Grants immunity to all harmful effects while using Tiger Strike.
Ancestral Witchcraft
Lightning Earthen Grip
- Cast Time reduced from 1sec -> 0.5sec (It means the Illusion’s Favor passive will make it instant-cast)
- Range reduced from 20m -> 15m
Quake Earthen Grip
- Mana Cost increased from 132 -> 176
- Range is now an 8m radius around the caster. (Normally a 20m range)
- Snares all enemies within 8m. (Normally only snares 1 target)
Gale Bubble Trap
- Range reduced from 20m -> 12m
- Cooldown reduced from 39sec -> 21sec
Mist Bubble Trap
- Now has a 4m radius area of effect at the target location. (Normally on affects one target)
- Summons a mist at the target location for 15 seconds, affecting all enemies within a 4m radius. Enemies caught within the mist’s area of effect are trapped in Bubble Traps for 9.4sec.
- (If a Bubble ends naturally or is burst due to an attack, the target will often fall back down into the mist. This means it is possible to catch an enemy multiple times with the same casting of Mist Bubble Trap)
- This skill no longer combos with Burning or Shocked targets.
Mist Banshee Wail
- Now has a 5m radius area of effect at the target location. (Normally 5m around caster)
- Summons a Phantasm at the target location for 6 seconds, inflicting fear on all enemies within 5m every second. Affected enemies are Feared for up to 4.3sec, then Stunned for 2sec afterward.
- The duration of this skills Fear effect is not affected by the caster’s passive skills.
- (The Phantasm is a stationary summoned unit that can be killed)
Stone Banshee Wail
- Now reduces affected enemies’ Move Speed -40% for the duration.
- Affected enemies are no longer stunned after the fear ends.
Ancestral Defense
Gale Shield Slam
- Base damage reduced -20%
- Melee Attack coefficient reduced from 130% -> 50%
- Cooldown reduced from 18sec -> 4sec
- This skill now Interrupts the target, canceling all Cast Time, Channeled, and Ongoing skills.
- No longer stuns the target.
Quake Shield Slam
- Mana Cost increased from 138 -> 183
- Now affects all enemies in a 6m cone in front of the caster. (Normally only affects one target)
- Cooldown increased from 18sec -> 45sec
- Swings your shield in an arc, stunning all enemies in a 6m cone for 2.6sec.
Gale Redoubt
- Cooldown reduced from 1min -> 18sec
- Raises a shield around the caster for 6sec, increasing Block Rate +38% and decreasing Move Speed -10%. (Normally lasts 20 seconds)
Life Redoubt
- Strengthens the caster’s defenses for 20sec, increasing Physical Defense +40% and decreasing Move Speed -10%. (Normally increased Block Rate and decreases Move Speed)
- This skill does not require a shield to use.
Mist Imprison
- Summons a 20m-wide impenetrable wall of mist directly in front of the caster for 12sec. (Normally summons a 5m radius circle around the caster)
Wave Imprison
- Summons a magical circle for 8sec that allows anyone to enter but prevents them from escaping. (Normally creates an impenetrable circle for 12sec)
- (The magic circle still breaks line of sight)
Ancestral Auramancy
Mist Thwart
- Grants Greater Inspire to all allies in a 6m radius. (Normally grants one stack of Inspire to the caster only)
- Greater Inspire:
- Attack Speed +65
- Vicious Implosion Damage +52%
- Antithesis Cooldown -0.6sec
- Mend Cooldown -2.1sec
- Fervent Healing Cooldown -1.2sec
- This effect does not stack.
- Does not inflict Shaken.
Stone Thwart
- Increases received damage +20 on all enemies within a 6m radius.
- Does not inflict Shaken.
Flame Spell Shield
- Reflects 32% of received Magic Damage and decreases Received Healing -32% for 5sec. (Normally decreases magic damage and lasts 8sec)
Mist Spell Shield
- Cooldown increased from 30sec -> 50sec
- Range has been changed to 20m (Allows targeting of allies. Normally caster only)
Flame Protective Wings
- Grants the Phoenix Feather buff to a random ally within 20m every 05.sec. This buff lasts 4sec, reducing incoming magic damage -29% and reflecting 70% back to the attacker.
- No longer grants immunity to magic damage at the caster’s location.
Mist Protective Wings
- Range is now 20m, with a 5m radius area of effect. (Normally caster only)
- Grants immunity to magic damage for all affected allies in the target location.
Ancestral Occultism
Wave Mana Stars
- Each consecutive Mana Star now increases he caster’s Move Speed +2%, up to a max of +20%. (Normally increases damage, not Move Speed)
Quake Mana Stars
- Mana Cost increases from 6 -> 12
- Range reduced from 20m -> 8m
- Gained an Effect Range of 6m
- This skill now triggers a reduced Global Cooldown when used. (Note: This is the shorter Global Cooldown, like the one between each hit of Triple slash or Rapid Strike)
- Each Mana Star deals damage to all enemies within 6m of the primary target.
- When using the Caster’s Enrichment Passive, this skill grants a stack of Burning Brand for each enemy hit.
Flame Hell Spear
- Base Damage increased +66%
- Magic Attack coefficient increased from 279% -> 469%
- Summons burning Hell Spears in a 6m radius around the caster after a 2sec delay. (Normally the spears appear instantly)
Mist Hell Spear
- Mana Cost reduced from 710 -> 528
- Range increased to 15m (Normally caster only)
- Summons a single Hell Spear at the target’s location. (Normally appears in an area around the caster)
Mist Summon Wraith
- Base Damage increased +100%
- Magic Attack coefficient increased from 140% -> 240%
- Range increased to 15m. (Normally caster only)
- Now has a 7m radius area of effect at the target location. (Normally 7m around caster)
- Summons a corporeal Wraith at the target location, dealing a single burst of damage to all enemies in a 7m radius. (Does not deal damage over time)
- Inflicts Wraith Curse on enemies in the area for up to 9sec, reducing Movement Speed, Attack Speed, and Cast Speed.
- (The Wraith is a stationary summoned unit that can be killed)
Wave Summon Wraith
- Base Damage reduced -20%
- Magic Attack coefficient reduced from 140% -> 120%
- This skill allows the caster to move while it is in effect, but has a weaker Wraith Curse effect than regular Summon Wraith.
- Counts as an Ongoing spell, but is canceled if another skill is used.
Ancestral Archery
Flame Charged Bolt
- Range reduced from 20m -> 12m
- Deals +20% bonus damage to targets within 8m. (Normally deals -20% damage)
Gale Charged Bolt
- Base Damage reduced -50%
- Ranged Attack coefficient reduced from 200% -> 100%
- Cooldown reduced from 10sec -> 6sec
Flame Concussive Arrow
- Ranged Attack coefficient increased from 450% -> 1200% (If channeled for maximum cast time)
- Cast time increased from 1.5sec -> 4sec (Can be released early for less damage)
- Using this skill begins a 4sec channeled cast time. The longer you channel, the more damage will be dealt. Use the skill again while channeling to release the arrow early.
- No longer combos with Bleeding targets.
- Staggers all affected enemies, briefly stopping movement and canceling all Cast Time and Channeling skills.
Mist Concussive Arrow
- Range reduced from 20m -> Caster Only
- Damage reduced from 450% -> 300%
- Cast time reduced from 1.5sec -> Instant
- Fires a smoke bomb that explodes directly in front of the caster, dealing damage in a 6m area and propelling the caster 8m backwards.
- Staggers all affected enemies, briefly stopping movement and canceling all Cast Time and Channeling skills.
Flame Missile Rain
- Range reduced from 50m -> 30m
- Effect Range reduced from 7m -> 4m
- Ranged Attack coefficient increased from 196% -> 294%
- Cast Time increased from 2.8sec -> 4.2sec
- This skill deals much greater damage than regular Missile Rain, but has reduced range, cast speed, and area of effect.
Mist Missile Rain
- Mana Cost reduced from 1546 -> 1104
- Range reduced from a 50m target location to 20m cone in front of the caster
- Cast time reduced from 2.8sec -> Instant
- Fires a 10 volleys of arrows over 2sec, spreading in a 20m cone in front of the caster.
- Knocks back affected enemies within 8m. (But still also deals -20% damage inside 8m)
Ancestral Sorcery
Flame Flamebolt
- Damage increased from 209% -> 313%
- Cast Time increased from 1sec -> 1.5sec
- Fires a single powerful Flamebolt at the enemy. (Normally allows up to 3 Flamebolts)
- No longer combos with Enervate.
- No Cast Time if used while under the effects of Drop Back.
Lightning Flamebolt
- Mana Cost increased from 16 -> 24
- Magic Attack coefficient reduced from 209% -> 80%
- Cast Time reduced from 1sec -> Instant
- Cooldown increased from 0sec -> 2sec
- Fire three bolts of electricity at a single target. (Unlike normal Flamebolt, all three lightning bolts are fired from one cast of this spell)
- Bolt 1: Inflicts Shock for 8sec
- Bolt 3: Returns 20% of damage dealt to enervated targets as mana.
- All three bolts do +12% additional damage to Shocked targets.
- No Cooldown if used while under the effects of Drop Back.
Flame Chain Lightning
- Inflicts Consuming Flames on a single target, which deals damage after a 2 second delay and then travels to another enemy within 5m. This effect repeats up to 4 times, inflicting 25% greater damage each time.
- Inflicts an additional +30% damage on targets under freezing effects. (Normally combos with impaled targets)
Wave Chain Lightning
- Shoots a ball of ice that deals damage to the primary target and then shatters, damaging and snaring enemies in a 5m ring around the target. (This counts as a freezing effect)
- Inflicts an additional +30% damage on targets burning targets. (Normally combos with impaled targets)
Lightning Meteor Strike
- Magic Attack coefficient reduced from 900% -> 540%
- Cast time reduced from 5sec -> Instant
- Summons a massive thunderbolt at the target location, dealing damage to all enemies within its area of effect. Also inflicts Greater Shock on all affected enemies, dealing additional damage over time and dramatically slowing their move and attack speeds for 8sec.
- No longer inflicts Burning or Trip on targets.
- Inflicts an additional +30% damage on Impaled targets. (No longer combos with targets under freezing effects)
Wave Meteor Strike
- Effect range increased from 4m -> 10m
- Base Damage reduced by 84%
- Magic Attack reduced from 900% -> 500%
- Summons a barrage of giant hailstones to obliterate an area. Each hailstone does damage where it lands.
- Inflicts Deep Freeze on enemies struck by 5 or more hailstones, causing them to sleep for 20sec. (Duration reduced -50% in PvP)
- Does not damage enemies further once they are in Deep Freeze. (Note: this means it will not damage enemies at ALL if they are already in Deep Freeze before you cast the spell)
- Inflicts an additional +30% damage on Burning targets. (No longer combos with targets under freezing effects)
Ancestral Shadowplay
Flame Overwhelm
- Cooldown increased from 18sec -> 26sec
- If used while backstabbing, grants +100% to all Critical Rates for the next skill used.
Lightning Overwhelm
- Range reduced from 10m -> 6m
- Triggers a leap directly over an enemy’s head, dealing damage as you pass and then continuing on to and 10m past them.
Mist Drop Back
- Triggers a forward leap to escape a dangerous area of close the distance between you and an enemy.
Wave Drop Back
- Grants the Wave Drop Back buff, eliminating the Cast Time for Concussive Arrow, Mend, and Critical Discord for 2.5sec when used. (Normally grants a buff for Flame Bolt, Earthen Grip, and Sunder Earth)
Lightning Shadowsmite
- Range increased from 4m -> 6m
- This skill no longer inflicts Shackle.
- Teleports behind an enemy within 6m and attempts to backstab them with a normal Shadowsmite attack.
Mist Shadowsmite
- This skill trips provoked targets. (Normally trips stunned targets)
Ancestral Songcraft
Wave Critical Discord
- Charms an enemy for 24sec, making them more susceptible to other Songcraft effects. (Normally stuns for 2sec, then charms for 28sec)
Life Startling Strain
- Magically improves the Perform skills of the caster or a chosen ally, increasing their song’s beneficial effects +30% for 28sec. (No longer charms or stuns enemies)
Wave Healing Hymn
- Plays a revitalizing song that instantly restores a party member’s mana +278. This effect can travel to another 2 party members within 10m, excluding you and pets. Can continue to be transferred up to 3 times.
- No longer heals allies.
Stone Healing Hymn
- Plays a beguiling song that Charms an enemy for 8sec, making them more susceptible to other Songcraft skill effects. This effect can travel to another 2 enemies within 10, excluding pets. Can continue to be transferred up to 3 times.
- No longer heals allies.
Stone Alarm Call
- Cast time changed from Instant -> Channeled
- Play an entrancing song, inflicting Sleep on all enemies within a 9m radius for up to 9sec.
- Spell ends early if channeling is canceled or the caster moves, instantly awakening its targets.
- (Awakened enemies will be immediately put back sleep if the spell is still being channeled. But be careful: repeatedly waking/sleeping an enemy in this manner will quickly grant them Sleep Immunity)
Life Alarm Call
- Removes 1 harmful effect every 3sec from every party member within a 9m radius. Lasts 15sec.
- Counts as an ongoing spell, but is canceled if another skill is used.
Ancestral Vitalism
Quake Antithesis
- Mana Cost increased from 315 -> 420
- Healing Power coefficient reduced from 440% -> 320%
- Base Healing reduced -37%
- Base Damage reduced -40%
- Instantly restores Health to all allies within a 6m radius of the primary target, and deals damage to enemies in the same area.
Life Antithesis
- Range increased from 25m -> 30m
- This skill has a longer range than regular Antithesis, but cannot be used to damage enemies.
- No longer combos with Charm.
Flame Skewer
- Mana Cost reduced from 1232 -> 840
- Summons skewers to impale all enemies within a 5m radius at the target location. (Does not summon overlapping circles like regular Skewer)
- Can be used up to 3 times in a row without casting delay, but the damage is reduced on consecutive casts.
Life Skewer
- Mana Cost reduced from 1232 -> 867
- Healing Power coefficient reduced -47%
- Cast Time reduced from 2.1sec -> Instant
- Cooldown increased from 18sec -> 28sec
- Summons four skewers within a 20m circle at the target location, impaling enemies for 2.6 seconds and restoring Health to allies. Skewers heal twice as much where they overlap.
- Impales enemies, but no longer damages them.
Flame Fervent Healing
- Mana Cost increased from 116 -> 488
- Healing Power coefficient reduced from 140% -> 40%
- Base Healing increased +55%
- Cast Time increased from Instant -> 4sec (At maximum channeling time)
- Cooldown increased from 10sec -> 30sec
- Restores Health every second for up to 25sec for you or an ally.
- Using this skill begins a 4sec channeled cast time. The longer you channel, the longer the healing effect will last once the spell is cast. Use the skill again while channeling to cast the spell early.
Lightning Fervent Healing
- Mana Cost increased from 116 -> 155
- Cooldown removed
- Instantly restores Health to your or an ally.
- This skill has no Cooldown, but the Mana cost increases by +50% of the base Mana cost per cast.
- Mana cost resets 10 seconds after the most recent cast.
Basic Skills
Changes shown assuming lv55 skill trees.
Shadowplay
Wallop
- Attack animation reduced from base 1.6sec -> base 1sec.
Songcraft
Critical Discord
- Range reduced from 20m -> 15m.
Startling Strain
- Range reduced from 20m -> 15m.
Ode to Recovery
- Healing Power Coefficient reduced from 38% -> 10%.
- Base Healing increased +53%.
- Now increases Received Healing +21-33% for all affected allies.
Defense
Shield Slam
- No longer combos with enervate.
Shield of Steel
- Increases Physical Defense by +6% (Previously increased by a flat amount)
Witchcraft
Magic Detection
- Increases Magic Defense by +5% (Previously increased by a flat amount)
Vitalism
Holy Bolt
- Range reduced from 30m -> 25m.
- Combo effect heals the caster for 50% less than normal.
Skill-Related Changes
Dual Weapons Buff
- Attack Speed bonus increased from 111 -> 177
- No longer increases the skill damage for Triple Slash, Whirlwind Slash, Rapid Strike, or Overwhelm.
Two-Handed Weapon Buff
- Now reduces Cast Time -7% (Previously reduced General Cooldown)
- No longer grants Magic Defense Penetration
- No longer Reduces Global Cooldown
Plate Armor Set Buff
- Partial plate set now grants +3% Health.
- “Grade buffs” (Arcane through Eternal) no longer grant a flat defense bonus for Plate armor.
- The Defense for all Plate equipment has been improved +20%.
Cloth Armor Set Buff
- Complete Cloth set now grants +3% move speed.
Added a handful of new keywords and explanatory text to the skill tooltips in this update. You will notice them in many existing skills, as well as a few new Ancestral Skills.
Ongoing Skills: These are skills that must be actively maintained, but do not require channeling. The most well-known examples of Ongoing skills are probably the Songcraft Perform skills, but others exist: Float, Crippling Mire, and Alarm Call, to name a few.
Ongoing skills are unique in that they often allow the caster to move or use additional skills while maintaining them, but they will end early if interrupted by a disabling effect like trip, stun, or fear. This puts them in a different category than normal buffs or debuffs, which last for their entire duration regardless of what happens to the caster.
Stagger: While not a true debuff, Stagger briefly stops the target’s movement and cancels all Cast Time and Channeling skills. This effect can currently be inflicted using Wallop, Dahuta's Breath, Boneyard, or Concussive Arrow (both the regular and Ancestral versions)
Interrupt: Applies a 1sec debuff that cancels all Cast Time, Channeled, and Ongoing skills. This effect will not interrupt movement (like Stagger does), but it will cancel Ongoing skills, which Stagger cannot.
Interrupt often appears in skills with other disabling effects, like Leech or Stillness. But when using those skills, it is important to remember that each debuff applies separately. (Meaning even if someone is immune to Sleep, you can still use Leech to inflict Interrupt and cancel a skill mid-cast)