This Aion 2 leveling guide covers the level cap, EXP totals, the route for both factions and the steps after level 45. The launch cap is 45. The client holds EXP rows up to 60, but you cannot reach them. All hours are estimates, not measured by us.
Aion 2 level cap and EXP needed
Level 45 is the Global launch cap. Level 46 and 50 do not exist yet. NC's own notices point the same way: Duties unlock at 45, and Halloween shop items list a purchase level of 45.
| Milestone | Cumulative EXP |
|---|---|
| Level 10 | 89,148 |
| Level 20 | 1,811,975 |
| Level 30 | 20,704,499 |
| Level 40 | 227,879,947 |
| Level 45 | 754,816,909 |
Client-data Source Level 44 to 45 alone costs 160,765,875 EXP. Levels 40 to 44 take about 70% of the total.
| Reward | Total |
|---|---|
| Skill points | 203 |
| Stigma points | 29 |
| Stigma slots | 4 (at levels 22, 27, 32, 37) |
| Daevanion Crystals | 136 |
Fastest route to level 45
Follow the main-story Episode quests. Below level 45 they pay about 97% (Elyos) and 99% (Asmodian) of the EXP you need. Regional quests pay under 2%, so skip detours. Some green side quests can still fill the progress bar that gates a chapter, so do the ones the story asks for.
| Level | Elyos | Asmodian |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 9 | Poeta | Ishalgen |
| 10 to 14 | Cantas Valley (10 to 13), Ellun River area (14 to 18) | Dredgion Crash Site and Calderon Canyon |
| 15 to 22 | Ellun River area, Verteron Fortress Ruins (19 to 22) | Silent Hill and Moslan Forest (15 to 21), Uruthumheim (22 to 28) |
| 23 to 35 | Tolbas Forest and surroundings (23 to 31), Altamia (32 to 38) | Uruthumheim, Dranactus (29 to 32), Battlescar Mound and Basfelt Ruins (32 to 35) |
| 36 to 45 | Altamia, Kraka and Drana (39 to 42), Nahid Brigade Fortress and Garden of the Illusion God (43 to 45) | Gribade Highland (35 to 40), Black Claw Village, Lagta Fortress and Impetusium Square (41 to 45) |
Client-data Source Elyos use Verteron from level 10 to 45. Asmodians use Altgard from level 10 to 45. You become a Daeva with wings at level 5 (Elyos) or 6 (Asmodian).
- Episode EXP is weakest at levels 30 to 39 (about 70% of what you need). Fill the gap with sealed dungeons.
- Elyos story checkpoints: the Fire Temple expedition at 37, "Where the Drana Flows" at 40, Draupnir at 45.
- Common and Rare gear stops at item level 35 and Epic at 45. Unique starts at 36. Do not over-invest in leveling gear.
- The 31 Regional quests recommended at 45 pay about 100 million EXP per faction, roughly half of the level-45 bar. Save them for the end.
NC's 4 October maintenance made quest-progress objects respawn faster. The Quest Tracker also got a teleport button to Verteron or Altgard during the Poeta and Ishalgen hero quests. Official 2026-10-14 Source
How long leveling takes
Editorial 2026-10-14
Plan for 10 to 15 hours of focused main-story play. Expect 20 hours or more if you do side content and sealed dungeons. This is our estimate. We have not measured it, and NC has published no time.
Most of the time sits at the end. Levels 40 to 44 hold about 70% of the EXP, so the last stretch feels much slower than the first 30 levels.
Sealed dungeons and party dungeons while leveling
Each faction map (Verteron or Altgard) has 61 sealed dungeons for levels 10 to 45. On your own faction's map, every clear gives:
- 15,000 Kinah and 1,250 Enhance Stones.
- 2 Daevanion Crystals and 2 Wisdom Stones (skill points).
- 2 Sealed Wing Featherdown and 2 Statue Scraps, plus a title.
- Exception: the level 45 Ruins of the Ancient City of Roah (3 bosses) pays 20 Featherdown and 20 Statue Scraps.
Clearing all 61 on your map gives 122 Daevanion points and 122 skill points. See the Daevanion guide.
| Dungeon | Level | Item level to enter |
|---|---|---|
| Krao Cave | 20 | 200 |
| Urugugu Canyon | 28 | 300 |
| Fire Temple | 35 | 500 |
Client-data Source See the dungeons guide for more.
What unlocks while you level
| Level | Unlocks |
|---|---|
| 4 | Skills |
| 9 | Achievements, Enhancement |
| 10 | Substance Morph, Crafting, Gathering, Daeva Pass, Attendance, Item Extraction |
| 12, 20, 30, 40, 45 | Daevanion boards (Nezekan, Zikel, Vaizel, Triniel, Azphel) |
| 22 | Stigma. All 13 class Stigma skills unlock. Slots open at 22, 27, 32, 37. Base skills are all learned by 25. |
| 30 | Daily Dungeon |
See the Stigma guide for shard costs. For the Daeva Pass, the weekly cap is 50,000 Pass EXP per character. That is Pass EXP, not character EXP.
What to do after level 45
After the Episode finale the chain turns into a placeholder, so story EXP stops. From here you progress through item level, not character level.
| Content |
|---|
| Nightmare, Abyss, Rank, Market |
| Season and Season Mission, Arcana, Arena and Battlefield |
| Transcendence, World Level, Ascension Trial, Sanctuary |
| Azphel Daevanion board |
- Spacetime Rift regional quests send you into the other faction's map. Growth dungeons (Silent Graveyard) and Nightmare open.
- Endgame loop: the Ascension quest chain, Expedition Exploration and Conquest, Transcendence (item level 1,600 and up), Sanctuary raids (2,800 and up), the Nightmare boss ladder and the Abyss.
| Tier | Item level |
|---|---|
| Tier 1 (Draupnir, Krao Cave) | 700 |
| Tier 2 | 1,400 |
| Tier 3 | 2,100 |
| Tier 4 | 2,800 |
| Tier 5 | 3,000 |
The 14 October patch caps stored Abyss entry time at 7 hours. It also adds Abyss Entry Stone rewards to two weekly Season Missions: spend 1 hour in the Abyss, and defeat Guardian Lord Nahma once. Official 2026-10-14 Source
The Transcendence Dungeon Leaderboard runs 5 October to 2 November (Early Access servers from 30 September). Top rankers are announced 9 November. Dungeons: Deus Research Base and Shattered Arkanis. Official 2026-10-14 Source
Events with level 45 requirements: Halloween (to 3 November PST) and Conquerors of the Abyss (to 27 October PDT). Use the rift timer to catch rifts and the daily and weekly checklist for resets. Level 50 would unlock Growth Support and Conquest Tier 6, but you cannot reach it at the 45 cap.
Not confirmed yet
These points have no reliable Global source yet. Do not plan around them.
- Measured hours to level 45 on Global. All numbers are estimates.
- Community time claims: one preview guide says about 10 to 15 hours for a first run, and other guides range from a practiced 4 hour speedrun to 20 to 25 hours with side content. These are second-hand and not verified.
- Whether any official level boost exists. None was found in NC's notices.
- Whether levels past 45 arrive in Season 2. The client has rows to 60, but NC has said nothing.
- Whether quest EXP in game matches the client tables.
- Wikily lists 1,000 item level to enter the Lower Abyss. Not confirmed by NC.
Related guides and tools
Aion 2 leveling guide FAQ
What is the Aion 2 level cap?
45 at Global launch. The client has EXP rows to 60, but they cannot be reached. Level 46 and 50 do not exist yet.
How long does it take to reach level 45?
We estimate 10 to 15 hours of focused main-story play and 20 hours or more with side content. This is an estimate, not measured.
What is the fastest way to level?
Follow the main Episode quests. They give about 97% (Elyos) or 99% (Asmodian) of the EXP you need. Fill levels 30 to 39 with sealed dungeons.
When do Stigmas unlock?
At level 22, with slots at levels 22, 27, 32 and 37.
What level is the first party dungeon?
Krao Cave at level 20, with an item level 200 entry requirement.
What do I do after level 45?
Work through the Ascension quests, Conquest, Transcendence, Sanctuary raids, Nightmare and the Abyss. These depend on item level, not character level.
Can I pay to skip levels?
No official level boost was found in NC's notices as of 14 October 2026.
Is the Abyss open before level 45?
No. It unlocks at level 45.