Project Ascension is a Classless World of Warcraft private server set mainly in the Vanilla and Burning Crusade expansions. The unique qualities of this particular server come in the form of its classless system and seasonal content that drastically changes the gameplay with different game modes. The defining feature of these modes is always the freedom of its class system, or alternatively, classless system allowing players to create any type of character they want. Want to play a two-handed axe wielding melee hunter with a demon pet? Well, Project Ascension gives you that opportunity and a lot more!
Classless System
The classless system in Project ascension is by far the best character customization system I have ever seen in an MMORPG, handing over full control to the player to determine what they want to play. The current iteration of the system gives the player all nine classes of Vanilla WoW including all of their specializations, talents, and abilities. Every two levels you are given one point in two different pools and with these you can use to pick abilities and talents. Some talents and abilities cost more than others, leaving you to choose wisely which abilities you acquire on your journey: if you want some of the better defensive abilities such as Ice Block, Divine Shield, or Shield Wall for example they will cost you a large amount essence, while spells like Sinister Strike, Frostbolt, and Blessing of Might are significantly cheaper, only costing two ability essence and the previously mentioned defensive abilities cost six essence.
This customization doesn’t just show in the spell and talent system but the gear as well with no real class requirements present on any piece of gear you pick up, you can equip whatever, sp when considering gear not only do you now have to look at the pieces stats but armor type as well. This makes finding gear for your build a challenge, making every upgrade feel much more important. But there’s more! Gear customization doesn’t just stop there but you can further customize your character with the addition of Mystic Enchantments.
Mystic Enchantments
Mystic Enchantments are a massive part of Project Ascension allowing you to augment the abilities you pick giving them new effects, completely reworking a ability, or changing it into a brand new ability all together. These enchantments can be found in the world, harvested from gear you find, as well as being able to be purchased from the in game auction house from other players. These enchantments are a crucial to your characters build making entire characters just to play with a specific enchant is common practice, and the developers are actively adding more of them spicing up gameplay on a regular basis.
Thunder Slam is the Mystic Enchant that highlighted makes a great example of how Project Ascension is giving the players the agency with all of these tools to really make whatever class fantasy they want, as well as this is a great example of how different they can really make the gameplay of Project Ascension and make it more engaging than WoW’s current talent system we see in current retail.
Monetization
As Project Ascension is a free to play, private server. The monetization of the server is in microtransactions, which is to be expected. What you can purchase are convenience items: hearthstones to cities, looting pets, and various portable vendors. You can also purchase transmog sets and mounts from the shop, and these items can also be traded between players and bought and sold on the auction house for in game gold. This is a pretty typical cash shop, all things considered and in my opinion isn’t pay to win or pay to progress but that’s also subjective.
Closing Remarks
Project Ascension Is a unique classless journey for people who are looking for a brand new way to experience World of Warcraft in a new light, personally I have played Project Ascension for years and think it deserves to be brought more into the limelight as a WoW alternative for people. I hope you all find adventures in Azeroth as your own unique hero.