What Are Freeholds?
Freeholds are large pieces of land, roughly 1.5 acres in size (about 100m x 60m), available in the Zone of Influence (ZOI) of villages and higher-tier settlements. They are fully part of the open world, meaning anything you build there is visible to everyone around you—it’s not instanced or hidden in a separate phase. This open-world placement allows your Freehold to serve as a representation of you as a player and a character.
Most players use Freeholds to:

• Build houses and place furniture.
• Grow crops like wheat, corn, and tomatoes.
• Raise livestock such as cows, pigs, chickens, and sheep.
• Process gathered resources into higher-tier crafting materials.
• Offer business services to other players.

Because of these capabilities, Freeholds are not just a status symbol—they are central to the game’s crafting economy and social interactions.
How Do You Get a Freehold?
Acquiring a Freehold is a significant accomplishment. Here’s how it generally works:

1. Complete a Freehold Quest: Ownership requires finishing a quest tied to Freehold eligibility.
2. Purchase or Auction: Once eligible, you can buy a Freehold from another player or obtain one via an auction. Some auctions may require settlement-specific currencies, while others are conducted with gold.
3. Account Limits: Each account can only own one Freehold, making them rare and highly sought-after.

It’s important to note that Freeholds are not restricted to only the most combat-focused or leveling-focused players. The system is designed to reward top performers across different playstyles, including crafting, trading, or social gameplay.
Why Freeholds Are Valuable
High-Level Crafting and Processing
Freeholds provide the best processing capabilities in the game. Processing is the step between raw materials gathered in the wild and the final crafted item. While some processing can be done in nodes, the most advanced and efficient methods require a Freehold. This makes Freeholds a key component of the crafting economy.
Business Opportunities
Players can use Freeholds to run various types of businesses. Placement matters here—having your Freehold near popular hunting grounds or questing areas increases traffic and potential customers. This aspect makes Freeholds more than just personal space; they can actively contribute to a player-driven economy.
Roleplay and Personalization
Because Freeholds exist in the open world, they offer a unique opportunity for roleplay. Players can design their property, arrange furniture, and create a living space that reflects their character’s story. Most players also enjoy using their Freehold as a social hub for friends and guildmates.
Practical Considerations
Costs and Upkeep
Freeholds are subject to settlement taxes. Taxes are calculated based on the number of building permits issued, and additional upkeep applies to certain structures. Blueprints are required for buildings, especially those used for processing resources. Owning a Freehold is a long-term investment that requires planning and resource management.
Limitations

• Terrain cannot be altered; sloped terrain will result in structures being placed on stilts.
• Events or world corruption do not target Freeholds.
• Only one Freehold per account is allowed.
• The number of Freeholds on a server is limited, usually in the low thousands, depending on how players develop nodes in the world.

Getting Started Without a Freehold
Not every player needs a Freehold. Ashes of Creation offers apartments, inns, and static settlement housing that provide a space for decorating and roleplay, though without the advanced processing capabilities.
Freeholds in Development
The Freehold system is being released incrementally, with features being tested and refined during Alpha-2. Early livestreams showcased prototypes, but the final system includes interactive furniture, resource processing, and integration with the game’s dynamic world systems. The developers have emphasized that while the early assets look similar to those shown in livestreams, the full functionality takes time to implement properly.
This incremental approach ensures that when Freeholds are fully live, they are both functional and scalable, capable of handling thousands of players interacting with their properties simultaneously.
Tips for Aspiring Freehold Owners

1. Plan Your Playstyle: Decide if your Freehold will focus on crafting, farming, or business services. This affects location choice.
2. Prepare Resources: High-level processing requires a steady supply of raw materials.
3. Engage in the Node System: Freeholds are tied to settlement growth. Contributing to node development can increase your chances of securing a desirable plot.
4. Consider Auctions Carefully: Some auctions use gold, while others require special currencies. Choose the approach that aligns with your gameplay strategy.
5. Think Long-Term: Freeholds are a commitment, but the rewards—prestige, crafting advantages, and social opportunities—make them worth the effort.

For players looking to get started with gold to participate in Freehold auctions or other in-game activities, the best place to buy Ashes of Creation gold is U4N. This can help accelerate access to high-value opportunities like Freeholds while still enjoying the game’s progression systems.
Freeholds are a core part of the Ashes of Creation experience. They provide space for creativity, high-level crafting, business ventures, and social interaction. While acquiring a Freehold takes effort, strategy, and resources, the rewards are substantial. Most players find that owning a Freehold enhances both their gameplay options and their connection to the world of Verra.
Even if you don’t own a Freehold, the game offers plenty of alternatives, from apartments to inns, so you can still enjoy decorating, farming, and roleplaying. Freeholds represent the ultimate goal for many players, combining prestige, functionality, and immersion in a single in-game asset.