AION 2 Leveling Guide: Story, Dungeons and Gear Score Checkpoints

This is the route I follow on a new character. It is written for the global client and works for both factions (Elyos zones first, Asmodian zones after the slash). Each stop lists what to finish before moving on and the gear score (GS) that opens the next content. Tips under each stop are mine from playing it.

The two things that block progress are a missing character level and an unfilled Ascension gauge. EXP fixes the first. Regional quests and sealed dungeons fill the second. Nothing else does, so do them as you pass through, not later.

Stop 1: Levels 1 to 22 (Poeta and Verteron / Ishalgen and Altgard)

• Follow the Episode (main story) quests. They carry you to about level 10 on their own.
• After level 10 slow down. Clear every regional quest and every sealed dungeon in the zone before you leave it. Each regional quest is 1 Daevanion Crystal (1 GS). Each sealed dungeon is 2 crystals, Wisdom Stones and Enhance Stones on first clear.
• Pick up every feather (Empyrean Trace) you see on the map. If you skip them now you come back for them later.
• Kill monsters and collect their souls as you go. You need them for pets.
• Start gathering (Essence Extraction) early: Orichalcum, Raydam, Azpha, Odyle. Some nodes are in the sky.
• Open Hidden Cubes (red glowing boxes) with the keys you start with. 1,000 Soul Crystals and 10 Silentium each.
• Level 22: first Ascension gate, "The One Who Hears the Voice". If it is locked, finish the regional quests you skipped.
• Tip:

Stop 2: Levels 22 to 32 (Tolbas Forest / Uruthumheim and Dranactus)

• Same loop: story first, then every regional quest and sealed dungeon in the zone.
• Do the accessory quests when they show up. Elyos get a bracelet around level 16 and earrings around level 30. Asmodians have matching quests in their zones.
• Strongholds give less gauge than sealed dungeons but hand out Noble Belt enhancement scrolls. Do them if they are on the way.
• Level 32: second Ascension gate, "The One Who Dreams".
• Tip:

Stop 3: Levels 32 to 45 (Altamia and Nahid / Battlescar Mound and Black Claw Village)

• Story to 45. The required Exploration Expeditions (Krao Cave, Draupnir) come up in the story; do them when asked.
• Keep clearing regional quests and sealed dungeons for crystals. The crystal count from a full zone is the cheapest GS you will ever get.
• Level 45: final Ascension gate, "The One Who Witnesses the Nightmare". The level 45 quest also gives your faction bracelet (Pilgrim / Liberator) plus a Wisdom Stone, a crystal and 100,000 Kinah.
• Open Duty quests (J) at 45. They give Enhance Stones, Ascension Trial tickets, Odyle Energy and cube keys.
• Tip:

Checkpoint: 700 GS

Opens: Krao Cave Conquest, Draupnir Exploration and Conquest.

• Push your story weapon to +10 with Growth. Gold gear is 100% to +10, so there is nothing to lose until then.
• Enhance the story guard and bracelet too. Spend Enhance Stones only on pieces you will keep for a while.
• Manastones: two green lines on gear you will replace. Save good stones.
• Tip:

Checkpoint: 1,000 GS

Opens: the Abyss (Chaotic Lower Reshanta), Ascension Trial (Easy). This is also where the main story ends.

• Fill every empty accessory and rune slot from regional quest rewards before you spend anything.
• Take the belt and amulet to Epic.
• Start the Abyss feather hunt. Feathers feed the Monolith, which pays out crystals.
• Ascension Trial uses tickets. Upgrade gear before spending them, and watch the weekly reset.
• Tip:

Checkpoint: 1,400 GS

Opens: Vakron Sky Island and Urugugu Canyon Conquest.

• Finish the Pilgrim / Liberator set.
• Buy crystals from the shops: Nightmare Trade Shop and Shugo Festival Shop both sell 50. Spend festival currency on board crystals and Stigma Shards first, not Soul Crystals.
• Spend Abyss Points (Battlefield, Trade Shop, Growth) on board upgrades and Stigma Shards.
• Vakron item level 70 gear beats Draupnir rewards. Chest first, then boots or gloves.
• Tip:

Checkpoint: 1,600 GS

Opens: Transcendence stage 1. Your five Arcana card slots open here.

• Fill all five card slots with anything before you worry about quality. Each card is 20 GS (Common), 40 (Rare), 60 (Epic), 80 (Unique).
• Craft the Chalice first. It can roll any Active or Passive skill.
• Do not feed cards into EXP early. Spare cards go into the cards you keep, or get crushed for crystals toward your first gold card.
• Bracelets to +10.
• Tip:

Checkpoint: 1,900 GS and 2,100 GS

Opens: Transcendence stage 2 (1,900), then Ferocious Horn Den and Fire Temple Conquest (2,100, item level 86 gear).

• Expect Rare cards at stage 2 with a shot at Epic.
• Crafting takes over from drops here: True Dragon Lord / Star Dragon Lord at item level 62, then 70, 78, 86, 94, 102. Accessories first (necklace, earrings, rings), then weapon.
• Tip:

After 2,100

• Transcendence 3 at 2,200 and 4 at 2,500. Stage 4 is the farm for gold Unique cards.
• Ascension Trial Hard at 2,000, top difficulty at 2,500.
• Ludra (10-player raid) at 2,800.
• Tip:

Don'ts

• Don't leave a zone with regional quests or sealed dungeons undone.
• Don't skip feathers.
• Don't spend Enhance Stones on gear you will replace in a week.
• Don't burn cards for EXP.
• Don't spend festival or Nightmare currency on Soul Crystals while you are chasing a GS target.