Progression guide, level 1 to 50

Aion 2's level cap has been 50 since Chapter 1 on 1 July 2026. It used to be 45: if you're reading guides that stop there, they predate that update.

The rule that beats every other rule#

Follow the main campaign. Story quests (yellow markers) are the fastest way to max level by a wide margin. This isn't an optimisation tip: it's the structure the game is built on.

Everything else — side quests, dungeons, exploration — is content to do while you progress the campaign, not instead of it.

The milestones that matter#

Ascension#

It arrives very early compared to the first Aion: the campaign quest sends you into the Ascension Subspace and you come out with wings. Base flight lasts roughly 60 seconds and extends with gear, titles and items.

From then on flight isn't just transport — it's a combat dimension. Spending half an hour getting comfortable with the aerial controls beats discovering them mid-fight.

The Chapter 1 regions#

Eltnen for the Elyos and Morheim for the Asmodians are the zones added in Chapter 1. Both split into two sections that unlock in sequence, so don't expect to see the whole region the moment you set foot in it.

What to do beyond the campaign#

Side quests (green markers)#

Narrative depth. Do the ones you find along the way, but don't backtrack for them: the experience doesn't justify the detour.

Sealed Dungeons and Strongholds#

Instanced challenges marked with a question mark. The important detail: they scale with your level. There's no "right" moment for them and you don't lose them by skipping them — but you don't outgrow them by coming back overlevelled either.

Citadel of the Fallen Daeva#

The expedition added in Chapter 1, with three difficulty tiers. Worth noting: Chapter 1 moved party size to 5 players, so the compositions recommended in older guides no longer apply.

Skills: the part almost everyone neglects#

Skills upgrade with skill points, and the upgrades aren't linear. There are thresholds at level 8, 12 and 16 on each individual skill, where special effects unlock — for example, casting while moving.

Practical consequence: concentrate points on a few skills instead of spreading them. Taking three skills to level 8 is worth far more than taking six to level 5.

The economy while you level#

Two post-launch changes that alter how you handle resources:

• Kinah is split in two. Tradeable Kinah comes from cubes, hunting and the broker; soul-bound Kinah from most everything else. Costs consume soul-bound first. Only tradeable Kinah can go in the warehouse.
• Auto-extraction of gear is enabled in settings and stops itself when Kinah runs low. Turn it on immediately: while levelling you pick up far more gear than you'll use.

Five mistakes that stretch the journey#

1. Grinding mobs instead of doing the campaign. Pure grinding isn't competitive with story quests.
2. Spreading skill points evenly. You miss the 8/12/16 thresholds, which are where the real power jumps live.
3. Spending advanced shards across several skills. Five skills at 21 are worth less than one at 25.
4. Hoarding materials "for later". Until 50, gear is replaced constantly. Upgrade what you're using now.
5. Overlevelling dungeons. They scale, so waiting doesn't make them easier — it just costs you the gear at the point you needed it.

Once you hit 50#

Max level opens the part of the game that actually lasts: final stigma builds, gear progression, the Abyss and sieges.