Ashes Of Creation: First Useful Thing Quest Walkthrough

In Ashes of Creation, early-game quests are designed not only to introduce players to the world of Verra, but also to quietly teach core systems that will matter throughout your entire journey. One of the most important beginner quests you will encounter is “First Useful Thing.” While simple on the surface, this quest serves as a foundational tutorial for gathering, crafting, NPC interaction, and early progression flow to get Ashes of Creation Gold.

This complete walkthrough will guide you through the First Useful Thing quest step by step, explain why it matters, highlight common mistakes, and show how it connects to broader systems such as professions and node development.

Overview of the “First Useful Thing” Quest

The First Useful Thing quest is an early introductory quest that typically appears shortly after completing your initial movement and combat tutorials. Its purpose is to transition players from basic adventuring into meaningful interaction with the world, particularly crafting and utility-based gameplay.

Rather than focusing on combat, this quest emphasizes usefulness—teaching you how to contribute, create, and prepare yourself for future challenges. It also subtly encourages players to engage with non-combat systems early, which is a core design philosophy of Ashes of Creation.

Where to Start the Quest

You will usually receive the First Useful Thing quest from an NPC located in your starting town or nearby settlement. This NPC is often a craftsman, quartermaster, or town worker, reinforcing the idea that usefulness comes from contributing to the community.

When you speak to the quest giver, they will explain that the settlement needs a basic item produced or retrieved. This item is not random—it is intentionally selected to teach one of the following:

Gathering a basic resource

Using a crafting station

Understanding item utility

Delivering items to NPCs

Once accepted, the quest will appear in your quest log with a clear objective.

Step One: Understanding the Objective

The quest objective typically asks you to create or obtain a simple, practical item, such as:

A basic tool

A crafted supply item

A utility resource required by the town

This is your first hint that Ashes of Creation expects players to engage with professions early. Even if you plan to focus on combat, understanding these systems is essential.

Before rushing out, open your quest log and read the full description. The game often provides subtle guidance on where to go and what system you are expected to interact with.

Step Two: Gathering Required Materials

Most versions of the First Useful Thing quest require you to gather raw materials. This might include wood, stone, fiber, or another basic resource commonly found near the starting area.

To gather materials:

Locate the appropriate resource node in the environment.

Equip the required gathering tool if necessary.

Interact with the node to collect the resource.

This step introduces you to the idea that the world itself is your resource, not just enemies or quest items. Resource nodes are shared, finite, and affected by node development over time.

Take note of how gathering feels. This is a system you may engage with hundreds of hours later if you pursue artisan progression.

Step Three: Using a Crafting Station

Once you have gathered the required materials, the quest will direct you to a crafting station within the settlement. This could be a woodworking bench, crafting table, or general artisan station.

Interacting with a crafting station introduces several important mechanics:

Crafting requires materials and sometimes gold

Items have quality tiers

Crafting stations are tied to node development

Select the required recipe from the station’s interface and craft the item specified by the quest.

If this is your first time crafting, pay attention to how recipes are organized and how crafting output is displayed. These interfaces become more complex at higher tiers.

Step Four: Receiving the Crafted Item

After successfully crafting the item, it will appear in your inventory. This is the “first useful thing” the quest refers to—an object that has practical value, not just quest significance.

This moment reinforces an important lesson: items you create can matter to the world, the economy, and other players. Crafting is not an isolated system; it feeds directly into town growth, player trade, and long-term progression.

Before turning in the quest, inspect the item. Note its description, potential uses, and quality.

Step Five: Delivering the Item

The final step of the quest is to return the crafted or collected item to the quest giver. This reinforces the loop of:

Gather

Craft

Deliver

Contribute

When you turn in the quest, you will receive rewards that may include:

Experience points

Currency

Beginner equipment

Additional quests

More importantly, you unlock follow-up quests that expand on professions, town interaction, or early specialization paths.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Many new players rush through First Useful Thing without fully understanding its purpose. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

Ignoring crafting stations and assuming combat is the only path forward.

Discarding crafted items without reading their descriptions.

Skipping dialogue that explains why the item matters to the town.

Forgetting to equip or use gathering tools correctly.

This quest is deliberately paced to slow players down and encourage exploration of systems beyond combat.

Why This Quest Matters Long-Term

Although simple, First Useful Thing introduces several core pillars of Ashes of Creation:

Player contribution matters

Professions are not optional side content

Towns rely on player activity

Utility and preparation are rewarded

As the game progresses, these concepts scale dramatically. What begins as a simple crafted item eventually becomes large-scale production chains, trade caravans, and node specialization.

Players who understand this early will have a smoother transition into mid- and late-game systems.

Connection to Node Development

Node development is one of the defining features of Ashes of Creation. Early quests like First Useful Thing are intentionally tied to nodes to show how player actions fuel growth.

By completing this quest, you are indirectly supporting the development of the local node. Over time, as more players contribute, the settlement gains access to better crafting stations, vendors, and services.

This reinforces the idea that your actions shape the world, even at the earliest levels.

What Comes After “First Useful Thing”

After completing this quest, players are typically directed toward:

Additional profession tutorials

Exploration-based quests

Combat-oriented objectives

Node-specific job systems

This marks the point where the game opens up and allows players to begin shaping their personal progression path.

You are no longer just learning controls—you are learning how to live in Verra.

Tips for New Players

Take your time with this quest.

Read NPC dialogue for world context.

Experiment with crafting interfaces.

Observe how gathering nodes respawn and behave.

Think about which professions interest you long-term.

Even if you never become a dedicated artisan, understanding these systems will make you a stronger and more informed player.

Final Thoughts

The First Useful Thing quest may not feature epic battles or dramatic story moments, but it is one of the most important early experiences in Ashes of Creation. It quietly teaches players that usefulness, contribution, and preparation matter just as much as combat prowess with cheap AoC Gold.

By guiding players through gathering, crafting, and delivery, the quest lays the foundation for the game’s interconnected systems and player-driven world.