AION 2 has been live for everyone since October 5. These beginner tips cover the decisions that matter most at the start: choosing your faction and class, leveling efficiently to 45, improving your gear without wasting resources, and saving Odyle Energy and Kina for the content where they matter most.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- which faction, server, and class decisions matter before your first login
- which settings you should change before your first quest
- how to level from 1 to 45 efficiently
- what systems, dungeons, and activities unlock at each level
- how to enhance gear without wasting Enhance Stones or Kina
- why you should conserve Odyle Energy while leveling
- what changes once you reach levels 30 and 45
AION 2 automates plenty of things for you, from running to quest objectives to finding dungeon groups. The decisions that really matter are still yours to make, though, and some are difficult or impossible to undo later. During the Launch Scale Test, I reached level 30 after around twelve hours at a relaxed pace and found several ways beginners can save time, Kina, Odyle Energy, and frustration during their first days in Atreia.
- Note: This guide reflects the state of the game on October 8, 2026. It’s based on around twelve hours in the Launch Scale Test, my screenshots from the test client and my time in the global version since Advanced Access. A few details come from the Korean version, and I point that out wherever it applies.
AION 2 Beginner Tips: 11 Things to Know Before You Start
| Tip | What to Do |
|---|---|
| 1. Faction & server | Coordinate with friends before creating your character |
| 2. Class | Pick for your preferred role and playstyle, not a temporary tier list |
| 3. Settings | Adjust potion auto-use, looting, and HUD options immediately |
| 4. Leveling | Prioritize the main quest and use Regional Missions to fill gaps |
| 5. Scalable content | Save most Sealed Dungeons and Strongholds for higher levels |
| 6. Unlocks | Watch the level milestones for Stigma, Expeditions, the Abyss, and more |
| 7. Pets, Wings & Titles | Collect them naturally while questing for passive bonuses |
| 8. Gear | Enhance several pieces lightly and dismantle old equipment |
| 9. Odyle Energy | Don’t spend it all on low-level Expedition rewards |
| 10. Shugo Festival | Don’t interrupt leveling for every hourly event |
| 11. Level 45 | Prepare for the Abyss, Arena, Battlefield, Sanctuary, and Spacetime Rifts |
AION 2 Faction and Server Choice: Decide Before Your First Login
The most important decision comes before you even see your first enemy. You play as either Elyos or Asmodian, and you can’t simply switch factions later. Servers are separated by faction, and each side has its own starting areas and quest routes. All eight classes are available to both factions, so your faction choice doesn’t limit your class options.
If you want to play with friends, agree on a faction and server beforehand. Anyone who ends up on the other side levels in different areas and will face you as an enemy in the Abyss. You’re not completely separated, though: When creating a dungeon room, you can apparently choose between all factions and same-faction only. Cross-faction dungeon play therefore appears to be supported, although I didn’t get to test it myself.
Each server hosts only one faction. Founder’s Pack owners started on dedicated Advanced Access servers on September 30, and new servers for everyone were added on October 5. You can also create a character on an Advanced Access server without owning a pack, as long as space is available. Full servers lock character creation from time to time, though. Dungeons support cross-server play, and server transfers start on October 14, free of charge and only within the same region and faction. From October 14 to 21, characters move between Advanced Access servers; from October 21 to 28, characters on launch servers can move to other launch servers or to Advanced Access servers. Our AION 2 Server Guide covers the EU servers, what to do when character creation is locked and what we know about transfers. If you want to start with friends, read our guide to playing AION 2 with friends first.
Checklist
- coordinate your faction with friends beforehand; switching factions isn’t currently planned
- with a Founder’s Pack: Advanced Access servers, live since September 30
- without a pack: new servers, live since October 5, or an Advanced Access server while space is available
- four character slots per server at launch
Best AION 2 Class for Beginners: Which of the Eight Classes Fits You?
Eight classes are available at global launch: Templar, Gladiator, Assassin, Ranger, Sorcerer, Spiritmaster, Cleric, and Chanter. Your class is tied to your character, and there is currently no free class-change option. If you want to switch, plan on creating and leveling another character.
Quick recommendation: Templar, Ranger, and Cleric are the most forgiving classes to look at first. The Templar is extremely durable, the Ranger offers straightforward ranged combat, and the Cleric combines self-healing with high group demand. Gladiator is a strong option for solo melee play, while Assassin, Sorcerer, Spiritmaster, and Chanter reward more specialized playstyles. I played a Spiritmaster during the test; its Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth Spirits make it flexible and fun, but it takes a little more practice to manage well.
You can read what each class can do, who it’s best suited for, and which skills it uses in our AION 2 Classes Guide.
Best AION 2 Settings for Beginners: Change These Before Your First Quest
Before accepting your first quest, spend a few minutes in the settings. These three options have the biggest immediate impact on combat, inventory management, and visual comfort:
- Combat, Auto Use: AION 2 automatically uses Life Potions, by default when you fall below 70 percent HP. Set the threshold so a potion doesn’t interrupt you at an awkward moment in the middle of combat, and remember to keep enough potions on hand.
- Combat, Looting: Here you decide which item rarities and loot types you pick up with the loot key. This keeps low-value items from clogging up your Cube, which is what AION 2 calls its inventory.
- Graphics, Camera/Display: Teleport Effect Color is set to Bright by default. If you dislike the bright flashes when teleporting, switch it to Dark.
You can rearrange the interface through HUD Edit, which is also where you’ll find UI scaling and chat font size. Everything else, including all keyboard shortcuts, is covered in our AION 2 Settings Guide.
How to Level Fast in AION 2: Reach Level 45 With the Main Quest
The global launch level cap is 45. The fastest leveling route is built around the gold-marked main quest, which gives substantially more experience than ordinary side content. Exact leveling time will vary heavily with route knowledge and how much dialogue or optional content you stop for; during the Launch Scale Test, I reached level 30 after roughly twelve hours at a relaxed pace.
Click a quest in the quest log and your character automatically runs to the objective. The quests in your tracker even have dedicated shortcuts from Alt+1 through Alt+9. It saves time, even if it feels more like a mobile game than a traditional MMORPG to me.
The main quest alone isn’t always enough, however. In the Korean version, it doesn’t completely fill the progress required for the second Ascension, which can leave you temporarily stuck. Starting at level 12, complete Regional Missions that are conveniently located along your route.
Sealed Dungeons and Strongholds, on the other hand, scale with your level. At level 45, you get better rewards from them than you do while leveling. Run them early only if you need experience for your next step and save the rest for later.
Checklist
- prioritize the gold-marked main quest
- pick up Regional Missions from level 12
- Sealed Dungeons and Strongholds are more rewarding at level 45
- Alt+1 through Alt+9 sends you to the corresponding quest via auto-navigation
AION 2 Level Unlocks: What You Get at Each Level
If you’re wondering when AION 2 unlocks Wings, Stigma, Expeditions, the Abyss, or other major systems, the in-game level guide provides the milestones. In the Launch Scale Test client, it looked like this:
| Level | Unlocks |
|---|---|
| 4 | Skills |
| 5 | 1st Ascension, Wings |
| 7 | Titles |
| 9 | Enhancement |
| 10 | Pets, Closet, Substance Morph, Gathering, Crafting |
| 12 | Regional Missions |
| 13 | Daevanion, Sealed Dungeons, Strongholds, Shugo Festival |
| 16 | Legions, Empyrean Monoliths |
| 22 | 2nd Ascension, Stigma, Pantheon, Expedition: Krao Cave |
| 25 | Abyss Supply Requests |
| 30 | Expedition: Urugugu Canyon, Daily Dungeon |
| 32 | 3rd Ascension |
| 37 | Expedition: Fire Temple |
| 45 | 4th Ascension, Expedition: Draupnir, Abyss, Transcendence, Nightmare, Arena, Arcana, Duty Quests, Ascension Trial, Sanctuary, Battlefield, Dimensional Invasion, Spacetime Rift |
The level guide lists the recommended level. According to the dungeon window, Krao Cave actually opens at level 20, Urugugu Canyon at 28, and Fire Temple at 35. The Abyss also requires an item level of 1,000 on top of level 45.
AION 2 Pets, Wings, and Titles: Collect Passive Bonuses While Leveling
Starting at level 10, you can collect Pets through the souls of defeated monsters. Pets grant an Owned Effect, meaning you receive stats simply for unlocking them. The Pets themselves don’t fight alongside you, but you can ride them. On top of that, they form a collection and progression system, a bit like a Pokédex that rewards you for every entry.
Wings work in a similar way. Wings earned through gameplay provide stats, while Wings from the shop are purely cosmetic. Titles unlock at level 7, and you can equip three effects at once, each providing its own bonus.
For me, the Pet system is one of the most complex systems in the entire game. My advice for beginners: Don’t actively grind Pets while leveling. Collect whatever you encounter naturally while questing and occasionally check the Pets menu (Alt+X) to see how far you’ve progressed.
AION 2 Gear Enhancement Tips: Don’t Waste Enhance Stones or Kina
Starting at level 9, you can enhance your gear with Enhance Stones and Kina. The maximum enhancement level depends on the item’s grade, and each level requires more stones.
Beginner rule: While leveling, you replace gear constantly, so don’t pour everything into a single item. It’s better to raise several pieces by one level than push one temporary piece up several levels. Don’t throw away old gear, either. Dismantle it. You’ll need large quantities of the resulting fragments later.
Belts and amulets are an exception, including the Noble Belt, Revelation Amulet, and Fierce Battle Amulet. You’ll use these pieces for a long time. Once you enhance them to +10, you can use Substance Morph to upgrade them to the next grade, with a 100 percent success rate in the test. Enhance Stones are well spent here.
From level 16 onward, Empyrean Monoliths help you improve your amulets. Collect Empyrean Traces while exploring and bring them to your region’s Monolith, for example the Altgard Monolith for Asmodians or the Verteron Monolith for Elyos. Its rewards can be used to enhance your amulets.
Checklist
- enhance several pieces evenly instead of investing heavily in one
- dismantle old gear instead of throwing it away
- raise belts and amulets to +10, then convert them
- collect Empyrean Traces while exploring
AION 2 Odyle Energy: Save It for Level 45 Expeditions
Your first group content comes in the form of Expeditions, dungeons for up to five players. Krao Cave opens at level 20 and requires an item level of 200, shown by the helmet icon below your character level. With a random group, I cleared it in five minutes. The important beginner lesson is not the clear time, though. It’s how carefully you spend the Odyle Energy required to claim rewards.
Claiming the reward Cube at the end costs Odyle Energy: 20 points in Krao Cave and 30 to 40 in higher-level Expeditions. Odyle Energy regenerates over time, but it’s limited. Don’t burn through all of it in beginner dungeons whose gear you’ll quickly replace. If possible, keep a healthy reserve for level 45 content, where the rewards become more relevant to long-term progression.
Before entering, you also select a guaranteed reward: a specific piece of equipment. Pick whichever slot you need most.
Keep an eye on your weekly participation count. The game tracks how many times you complete each dungeon per week and server, according to the in-game text, and once you cross certain thresholds, the Odyle Energy Cubes award less Kina. In Krao Cave on Exploration difficulty, the test client showed the following:
| Weekly Clears | Kina |
|---|---|
| 0 to 6 | 100 percent |
| 7 to 13 | 60 percent |
| 14 to 20 | 20 percent |
| 21+ | 0 percent |
On the harder Conquest difficulty, which unlocks at level 45, the first threshold didn’t kick in until 84 clears during the test. If you want to farm Kina, you’re better off doing it there.
AION 2 Shugo Festival: Don’t Interrupt Leveling for Every Event
The Shugo Festival unlocks at level 13. During the test, the minigame event ran every hour and featured games such as Jump Jump and Hidden Lugi. You can spend the event currency in the Festival Shop on rewards including Daevanion Crystals, Stigma Shards, Wings, and even a Pet.
The rewards are strong, and that’s exactly the trap for beginners. During the test, I kept interrupting my questing because I didn’t want to miss a round. The rewards scale with your level, though, so you don’t need to stop leveling for every Shugo Festival. It becomes much more worthwhile once you’re closer to level 45.
AION 2 Membership and Trading: What You Can Do Without a Subscription
Direct trading between players is disabled in the global version as a measure against bots, so player commerce runs through the Market. Using the Market and the Kina-to-Quna exchange requires Membership, which costs €12.75 for 30 days. Every Founder’s Pack includes 30 days of Membership.
If you don’t plan on subscribing, don’t stockpile equipment in the hope of selling it later. Dismantle anything you don’t use and put the materials back into your own gear instead. Membership also raises your maximum Odyle Energy to 840.
What to Do at Level 45 in AION 2: Abyss, Arena, Sanctuary, and Rifts
At level 30, you unlock the Daily Dungeon, a timed score-chasing activity in the Daeva Bio-Research Base with selectable combat effects. During the test, you had 14 entries that replenished over the course of the week. Level 45 is the major endgame breakpoint: the Abyss, Arena, Battlefield, Transcendence, the weekly 10-player Sanctuary, and several other activities become relevant here. NC temporarily removed the Sanctuary raid Ludra for the global launch; a new date is due by October 16.
Spacetime Rifts also open at level 45. These portals take you to the opposing faction’s continent. Once there, you can clear Sealed Dungeons and Strongholds that you normally can’t access, but you also risk running into enemy players. A rift opens every three hours on the hour, each time at a different location, and you can stay on the other side for one hour. Watch for the vortex icon on the map and the system message that appears when a rift opens.
Checklist
- from level 30: Daily Dungeon, with entries replenishing weekly
- from level 45: Abyss, Arena, Battlefield, Transcendence, Sanctuary (Ludra temporarily removed)
- Spacetime Rifts lead into the opposing faction’s territory, with the risk of PvP
With that, you’re prepared for the decisions that matter most during your first days in AION 2: coordinate your faction and server, pick a class you actually enjoy, follow the main quest, avoid overinvesting in temporary gear, and conserve Odyle Energy and Kina where possible. Once you reach level 45, the focus shifts toward the Abyss, Expeditions, competitive modes, and long-term progression. See you in Atreia!
AION 2 Beginner FAQ
What Is the Level Cap in AION 2?
The global launch level cap is 45. Many endgame systems, including the Abyss and additional competitive and group activities, become relevant at that point.
What Is the Best AION 2 Class for Beginners?
Templar, Ranger, and Cleric are the most forgiving classes to consider first. Templar offers high survivability, Ranger provides straightforward ranged combat, and Cleric can heal itself while remaining highly useful in groups.
When Do You Unlock Stigma in AION 2?
In the Launch Scale Test client, Stigma unlocked at level 22 alongside the second Ascension.
Should You Save Odyle Energy in AION 2?
Yes. You can spend Odyle Energy on Expedition reward Cubes while leveling, but low-level gear is replaced quickly. Keeping a reserve for higher-level and level 45 content can give the resource more long-term value.
More Guides on AION 2
- We collect all our other guides, dates, and key information in our AION 2 guide hub with all tips and walkthroughs at a glance.
- AION 2 Hands-On: Great Combat, but the World Feels Strangely Solitary
- AION 2 Classes Guide: All 8 Classes & Which Is Best for You
- AION 2 Best Settings: Graphics, FPS, Controls & Keybinds
- AION 2 Elyos or Asmodian: Which Faction Should You Choose?
- AION 2 Server Guide: EU Servers, Factions & Transfers Explained
- AION 2 Pay to Win? Shop, Membership & Daeva Pass Explained
- AION 2 Level 45: What to Do Next in the Endgame
Update Log
- 10/10/2026: Updated rift timing, Monolith location, membership price and Odyle Energy cap to the global version, added character slots per server, the two transfer phases, the Abyss item level requirement and pets as mounts, and matched item and menu names to the English client.
- 10/08/2026: Updated the introduction, note and server section to the post-launch state, added links to the server and friends guides and a note on the Sanctuary raid, unified terminology.
