Ascendancies
An ascendancy is a specialization hidden inside the passive tree. Each vocation has two, each a different fantasy. You pick one per character once you pass the first trial (Ascendancy trials).
| Vocation | Ascendancy | Fantasy |
|---|---|---|
| Knight | Bastion | An unmoving wall: every block heals you and strikes back |
| Knight | Warlord | A two-handed juggernaut: huge slams and leech |
| Paladin | Deadeye | A patient sniper with lucky crits and unceasing volleys |
| Paladin | Templar | The support path: heals and an aura for the whole party |
| Sorcerer | Archmage | Fire and lightning feeding each other |
| Sorcerer | Hexer | Occult attrition: curses, leech and bursting kills |
| Druid | Glacier | Physical turned to ice; slowed enemies shatter |
| Druid | Herbalist | A living apothecary: flasks that rarely run dry and closing wounds |
| Monk | Cobra Fist | Fast jabs, each critical unleashing a second strike |
| Monk | Way of Equilibrium | Virtues always up, free critical spells, balanced life and mana |
Structure. Each ascendancy is a small sub-tree: one entry, three notables, a capstone and five smaller nodes. Every node costs one ascendancy point, and the four trials give 8 points in all, so you can fill 8 of its 9 nodes. Ascendancy nodes use their own points (Ascendancy trials), never tree points. Its notables may grant conditional "more" damage or special triggers.
Where it lives on screen. After you choose, the ascendancy's wheel appears inside the centre disc of the passive tree.
Changing. Respecing the nodes of your ascendancy refunds a point for one Orb of Regret each, and your first complete reset is free. Choosing a different ascendancy is free once; later changes cost 5 Orbs of Regret plus gold per allocated node. Only in a hub. You choose in the passive tree window once Trial 1 is done.
Lore. Each order is drawn by your Shardbreaker Mark. Bastion comes from the Thais guard, Warlord from Kazordoon, Deadeye from Carlin's Amazons, Templar from Edron's council, Archmage from Yalahar's Academy, Hexer from the ruins of Drefia, Glacier from the ice-witches of Svargrond, Herbalist from Ab'Dendriel, Cobra Fist from Kilmaresh and Way of Equilibrium from the Temple of Equilibrium.
Related: The passive tree, Keystones.