

Upgrades to armor, weapons and perks can only be purchased by experience points. Paid-for loadouts will be available to the user instantly, while those who choose to unlock them through playing will have a much longer wait. Loadouts may be acquired either through an upfront payment, or through playing the game and earning experience, which can be used to purchase classes, weapons, perks and upgrades. Players can select which loadout to use either when first joining a game, respawning or at an inventory station.

There are three possible sizes of armor to choose: light, medium and heavy, with 3 loadouts in each weight group, for a total of 9. Each loadout supports two in-hand weapons, a set of belt items such as grenades or mines and a pack.

Each loadout specifies what type of armor the player has, along with what weapons and items they carry. Tribes: Ascend features a class-based loadout system.
