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Of Ash and Steel

Of Ash and Steel is a third-person open-world action RPG developed by Fire & Frost Studios and published by tinyBuild, released for Windows on November 24, 2025. The player controls Tristan, a young cartographer who is shipwrecked on the island of Grayshaft and has to work his way into the island's walled capital with nothing but a surveyor's kit and whatever he can loot. It is built deliberately in the old Piranha Bytes mould: no quest markers, no minimap, five attributes that gate weapons and dialogue checks, and trainers instead of classes, so progression comes from finding the right teacher rather than from a menu. Combat is stamina-driven melee with parry, dodge and three battle stances, and the island's politics force an early allegiance choice between the knightly Order of the Seven and the Free Hunters. Console versions for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, along with the Shattered Faith expansion, were announced in September 2026.

• Faction allegiance — early in the story Tristan picks a benefactor, either the knightly Order of the Seven (heavy armour, shields, defensive play) or the Free Hunters (lighter gear, mobility and ranged play), which locks the other faction's quests and rewards.
• Five attributes — Strength, Dexterity, Endurance, Insight and Fortitude. They gate weapon requirements, stamina and health, and are also used as dialogue checks, so the build also decides which conversation options open.
• Trainer-based progression — there is no class system and no level-up skill menu; new combat skills, crafting recipes and utility abilities are taught by specific NPC trainers found across the island.
• Stamina-driven melee — attacks, dodges and blocks all spend stamina, weapons can be parried, and three battle stances change reach, damage and defence. Rapiers and light blades get free dodge and parry nodes, heavy two-handers trade speed for stagger.
• Crafting and Legend forging — weapons and armour are crafted at workbenches and improved by sharpening, and late-game 'Legend' crafting produces a custom legendary weapon with chosen stat bonuses.
• Markerless exploration — there is no minimap and no quest markers. The world map has to be found or bought in the world, and NPCs give directions by landmark instead of pointing at icons.