TL;DR
- Gear Score (GS) is an entry requirement for dungeons and zones in AION 2.
- The fastest GS gains come from the Daevanion Board, Clash Runes, Belt and Amulet upgrades.
- Enhance gear evenly — don’t dump all resources into one piece.
- Key milestones: 1,000 → 1,400 → 1,600 → 1,900 → 2,100 GS.
- Finish permanent progression (Feathers, Sealed Dungeons, Strongholds) before spending heavy resources.
What Is Gear Score in AION 2?
Gear Score (also called Item Level) is a number that reflects how powerful your equipped items are. It is different from Combat Power. Gear Score is a gate — you need a minimum number to enter dungeons, zones, and higher-level content. Combat Power measures how hard you actually hit.
You can have high Combat Power but still be locked out of content if your Gear Score is too low. So knowing how to raise GS efficiently is one of the most important things you can learn at level 45 endgame.
Gear Score Progression Milestones
Here is a quick overview of the major GS checkpoints and what they unlock:
- 700 GS – Early Level 45 Conquest Expeditions
- 1,000 GS – Access to Krao Cave and early endgame dungeons
- 1,400 GS – Vakron Sky Island 2-star Conquest, level 70 gear
- 1,600 GS – Mid-game content, Transcendence unlocks
- 1,900 GS – Advanced farming zones
- 2,100 GS – Fire Temple and Ferocious Horn Den Conquest tier
Each milestone unlocks better gear, which then fuels the next push. Think of it as a loop — not a single race.
How to Increase Gear Score in AION 2
There are many ways to raise your GS. Some give huge jumps. Some give small but steady gains. Below is everything you need to know, ranked by impact.
1. Upgrade Your Belt and Amulet Rarity First
This is one of the biggest and fastest GS spikes in the game. Raising your Belt and Amulet rarity — for example, from blue to yellow — gives a large jump in Gear Score immediately.
Many players ignore these slots early on, which is a big mistake. Even getting your belt to +3 early pays off. Collect Empyrean Trace Feathers throughout the map. Submit them to Monoliths to earn Amulet Scrolls. Then use Substance Morph to raise your Amulet to the next rarity tier.
If you are still working on your accessories, check out this Stigma guide for more gear system tips.
2. Spend Daevanion Crystal Points on the Board
The Daevanion Board is one of the highest-value Gear Score sources in AION 2. Every Daevanion Crystal you spend on the board adds Gear Score directly. It also gives permanent stat bonuses and skill levels — so nothing is wasted.
Open the board with the Y key by default. Spend your available points. Higher quality nodes cost more points but give larger GS gains.
Daevanion Crystals drop from Sealed Dungeons and Strongholds. This is one more reason to not skip those activities while leveling. The board unlocks at Level 12 and stays relevant all the way into endgame.
You can learn more about how this system works in our leveling and progression guide.
3. Equip and Enhance Clash Runes
Just equipping two Clash Runes gives you a large Gear Score boost — around 60 GS per rune — even before you enhance them. Enhancing them further adds even more value over time.
You can pick up Clash Runes through regional quests. As soon as you get them, equip them immediately. Do not wait.
4. Enhance Your Gear Evenly
Gear Enhancement adds +1 GS per enhancement level. It costs Kina and Enhancement Stones, which drop from quests, dungeons, and strongholds.
The key mistake players make is over-enhancing one piece and ignoring the rest. Instead, raise all gear a little at a time — go from +1 to +2 to +3 across the board before pushing any single item higher.
Safe enhancement cap is +10 for most content. Yellow (Unique) gear goes up to +15. Orange (Heroic) gear goes up to +20. When gear reaches +10, use Breakthrough (Substance Morph) to push it to the next tier — Green to Blue, Blue to higher — which gives a sharp GS spike.
If you are not sure what to do with your old gear after upgrading, see our guide on what to do with old gear in AION 2.
5. Socket Manastones and Soulstones
Adding Manastones to your weapons and armor increases both your stats and your Gear Score. Soulstones go into accessories and work the same way.
At minimum, socket Lesser Manastones on blue gear to activate set bonuses for extra GS. For endgame gear, roll Superior Manastones — these add stronger stat lines. Just avoid spending Superior stones on gear you plan to replace soon, since they do not carry over on transfer.
Manastones also drop from Strongholds, so clear those every time they are available.
6. Socket Theostones (Weapon and Guard Bonus)
Theostones add special effects to your weapon and guard slot. They are another easy layer of Gear Score that many beginners miss. Add them as soon as you have access, even if the effect is minor.
7. Complete Sealed Dungeons and Strongholds
These activities are marked on the map by question marks (for Sealed Dungeons) and fort icons (for Strongholds). Clearing them gives you:
- Enhancement Stones for gear upgrades
- Daevanion Crystals for the board
- Manastones to socket into gear
- Belt upgrade scrolls from Strongholds
- Skill points and progression rewards
Do not skip these while doing the main story. They are some of the most resource-efficient activities in the game, especially before Level 45.
Looking for all the hidden content in the map? Check our AION 2 hidden cube locations guide.
8. Collect Feathers and Use Monoliths
Feathers are scattered across every zone. Submitting them to Monoliths rewards you with stat bonuses and Amulet Scrolls. The Abyss also has its own feathers and Monolith — this one gives PvP bonuses and Gear Score from point allocation.
Feathers seem small when you first find them, but the cumulative reward is meaningful. Pick them up whenever you pass through an area.
9. Farm the Highest Conquest Level You Can Clear
Once you hit Level 45, start farming Conquest Expeditions at the highest tier you can reliably complete. This replaces weaker gear with Unique Rarity items. Swapping even one piece — like replacing a blue cloak with a yellow Vakron cloak — gives 20–30 extra GS plus an extra Manastone slot.
At 1,400 GS, target Vakron Sky Island 2-star Conquest for level 70 gear. Focus on enhancing the best pieces you get from this content rather than spending more on old quest gear.
Read more about early farming priorities in our guide on what to farm first in AION 2.
10. Invest in Arcana Cards (Transcendence System)
The Transcendence system runs in parallel with your gear. Arcana Cards are unlocked through this system and provide a significant Gear Score boost.
- Stage 2 unlocks blue Arcana Cards
- Stage 3 upgrades blue to yellow Arcana Cards
Do not rush heavy spending on gear enhancement if you can push Transcendence stages instead. A stage upgrade can give more GS than several individual enhancement levels.
11. Use the Abyss Board Points
The Abyss has its own separate progression board. While it focuses on PvP stats, allocating points there still increases your overall Gear Score. If you are active in PvP content, this is a natural and free GS gain on top of your PvE progression.
Curious about the PvP side of things? Check out Elyos vs Asmodians in AION 2.
Gear Score vs Combat Power – Quick Clarification
A lot of players confuse these two. Here is the simple version:
- Gear Score = the number you need to enter content. It is a gate.
- Combat Power = how strong you actually are in a fight.
You can meet a GS requirement and still feel weak because your Combat Power is low. That is why horizontal systems like the Daevanion Board, Stigmas, and Skill builds matter. They raise your Combat Power even when your Gear Score stays the same.
Want to go deeper into building your character? See our character sharing board guide and the full ascension gauge guide.
Step-by-Step: How to Reach 1,000 Gear Score
- Complete the Main Story — it naturally pushes your GS toward 1,000.
- Equip any better gear from your quest bag that you have not used yet.
- Enhance gear to at least +3, starting with your weapon.
- Submit collected Feathers to Monoliths for Amulet Scrolls.
- Upgrade your Amulet using Substance Morph.
- Socket Lesser Manastones to hit set bonuses.
- Spend Daevanion Crystals on your board.
See also: AION 2 Beginner’s Guide for a full overview of starting systems.
Step-by-Step: How to Reach 1,400 Gear Score
- Clear all remaining Sealed Dungeons and Strongholds on the map.
- Enhance Liberator gear to +3 and any Unique gear to +10.
- Equip Clash Runes and enhance them to at least Level 1.
- Socket Manastones on all gear slots that have openings.
- Check if your Belt or Amulet rarity can be upgraded — this is a large jump.
- Farm Conquest Expeditions at the highest tier you can clear.
- Spend remaining Daevanion Crystal points on the board.
Step-by-Step: How to Reach 1,600–2,100 Gear Score
- Farm Vakron Sky Island 2-star Conquest for level 70 gear.
- Enhance level 70 gear pieces toward +10.
- Push Transcendence to Stage 2 for blue Arcana Cards.
- Continue Abyss activities for PvP board points and GS.
- At 1,900 GS, target Stage 3 Transcendence for yellow Arcana.
- Replace any remaining low-item-level gear slots.
- At 2,100 GS, Fire Temple and Ferocious Horn Den Conquest open up.
For a full endgame breakdown, visit our AION 2 Endgame Guide.
What NOT to Do When Increasing Gear Score
- Do not over-enhance one piece while leaving others at +0. Spread enhancements evenly.
- Do not socket Superior Manastones into gear you expect to replace soon. They do not transfer.
- Do not skip Sealed Dungeons and Strongholds. They provide the most consistent material income.
- Do not spend tickets or upgrades on pet rerolls if your immediate goal is hitting a GS requirement. Upgrades that raise GS come first.
- Do not ignore the Belt slot. Leaving your belt at +0 is free Gear Score thrown away.
Speaking of pets — if you want to understand the pet system better without wasting resources, check out the pet selection chest guide and the full list of all pets in AION 2.
Quick Summary: Best Ways to Increase Gear Score
| Method | GS Impact | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Daevanion Board (Crystal Points) | High – direct GS + stats | ★★★★★ |
| Clash Runes (equip 2) | High – ~60 GS per rune | ★★★★★ |
| Belt & Amulet Rarity Upgrade | Very High – large spike | ★★★★★ |
| Gear Enhancement (+1 per level) | Steady and reliable | ★★★★☆ |
| Manastones and Soulstones | Medium – stacks across slots | ★★★★☆ |
| Arcana Transcendence Cards | High at later stages | ★★★★☆ |
| Theostones | Low-Medium | ★★★☆☆ |
| Abyss Board Points | Low-Medium (PvP focus) | ★★★☆☆ |
Ready to Start Playing?
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