Chase the yellow main quest. Nothing else gives real XP.~7 h for a veteran, 2–4 days for a first character. Field grinding and side quests are slow. Alt+1 auto-paths to the current quest. There is no auto-hunt.
But do the "?" content from level 13 to 36Sealed dungeons, garrisons and green regional missions. They scale to your level and give ~400 Daevanion points, titles and stigma shards. Skipping them is the #1 mistake: you hit 45 weak and have to come back anyway.
Collect as you walk, never as a tripExtract the appearance from every quest reward (100% chance, permanent stats). Pick up monoliths and Empyrean traces on your path. Pet souls drop from the mobs you are killing anyway.
Don't invest in levelling armourOnly the weapon gets stones: +3–5 early, then +5–7 on the Krao Cave weapon (~24). Extracting refunds the stones but not the Kinah. Spend Kinah freely on teleport scrolls (1,000 each); save the rest for 45.
Build toward endgame from level 1Skill and stigma resets are free (or almost free), so there's no penalty for spending points hard now.
Hoard Odd Energy until 45It does not gate XP. It only opens dungeon reward chests (40 each). It stops regenerating at the cap, so from 45 on you spend it daily.
Day 1 · before you move
Combat modeClassic, not Action
Combat controls → Skill QueuingON
Key settings → Skill Macroright-click
Macro delay10 ms · ping <50 / 40–50 ms · ping 80+
Targeting for macrotop target
Why Classic: Action mode stops auto-attacks, and auto-attacks are how a Sorcerer refills MP and cancels animations. The in-game macro beats a mouse macro because it works with Skill Queuing on.
Where is what · the screen
Drawn from the English client (NCSOFT's official scale-test stream). Numbers match the list below.
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1Menu iconsTop edge, right. Every system menu lives here (or press Esc). Badges with numbers mean something is ready to claim.
2MinimapZone name on top. ? marks are bonus spots (sealed dungeons). The moon and clock show the day/night cycle.
3XP barThe red bar under the minimap, with your % to the next level.
4Quest trackerYellow ◆ = main story, which is the one to follow. Each tracked quest shows its distance and a shortcut: Alt+1 auto-walks to the top one, Alt+2 to the second.
5ChatBottom left. NPC dialogue lines also appear here.
6HP · level · MPRed HP on the left, blue MP on the right, your level in the emblem between them. Watch MP: Sorcerer passives switch off below 50% and 25%.
7Consumables rowF1–F8 for potions and scrolls, plus a separate potion key. Put the combat-speed scroll here before bosses.
8Skill bar1–8, Q, E, R. Each icon shows its skill level ("Lv. 2"). The wings icon at the left end is V (fly), the horse at the right end is C (mount).
9Key hintsBottom right: a live cheat sheet of the movement keys. You can hide it once you know them.
Keys to know
ShiftDodge / sprintSEEN
SpaceJump · double-tap mid-air to glideSEEN
VFly (take off / land)SEEN
CMount (your pet)SEEN
Alt+1Auto-walk to tracked questSEEN
AltShow mouse cursor (hold)SEEN
/Switch control modeSEEN
NumAuto-runSEEN
.Rest (regenerate)SEEN
TabLock targetWIKI
KSkills & StigmasWIKI
UDaevanion boardWIKI
IInventory / gearWIKI
NEnhancementWIKI
Alt+TTitlesWIKI
BScrolls & buffsWIKI
GBattle passWIKI
EscMain menu · HUD EditWIKI
SEEN = read off the English client in NCSOFT's official scale-test stream. WIKI = from English wikis, probably right. The full list is under Settings → Key Settings. Map, quest log and market keys aren't documented anywhere in English yet.
Reading the map
Yellow diamond: Episode (main story). The only marker you must follow.
Green diamond: Regional quest. Less XP, but it pays gear and Daevanion points. Do the ones on your path.
Teal diamond: other tracked quests (side and NPC errands). Optional. Do them before 22 to fill the awakening gauge.
Red: Ancestry quest (level 25).
?Bonus spots: sealed dungeons. Short solo instances that give Daevanion points and titles. Also listed on the map under the Exploration tab.
⌂Campfire: garrison. Clear it for a guaranteed belt scroll.
Purple tags are what unlocks in that bracket. The checkboxes are what to do about it. Levels come from the Korean launch and should hold within ±1 on global.
1–10
Tutorial zone
Poeta · Ishalgen
4Skills51st Awakening · wings7Titles9Enhancement10Pet = mount · gathering · crafting
Gear checkpoint
GrabWings (drop from 5, give HP and attack). Any attack title at 7. The free main-quest pet at 10.
EnhanceNothing. The game is easy here.
SkipSoul imprinting (it binds gear to you for no gain yet).
GrabThe Revelation Amulet and Noble Belt from the main quest. They're yours forever. Clear every garrison (campfire icon) on your path: each is a guaranteed belt scroll. The cheapest manastone in every socket. Accessories from green regional missions.
EnhanceWeapon to +3–5, and only if fights start feeling slow.
TrapMid-quest you get a blue Battle Amulet. That's PvP. Keep the green Revelation Amulet. Dismantling it can't be undone.
WallsTyrant Tasin (~20): a pattern check, not a gear check. Stay close and dodge at the edge of the yellow wave. Gauss (Kaisinel's Seal quest): be level 21 first.
GrabKrao Cave (~24) is the one farm stop worth making: Legendary weapons and armour drop often. Run it until you get a weapon. At 30, Urugugu Canyon if Krao didn't give one. The daily dungeon gives stones.
EnhanceThe Krao weapon to +5–7. It carries you most of the way to 45. Armour stays at +0 to low single digits.
WallsKrao boss Berk's Whirlwind one-shots you in melee range, so dodge far out. Before his room there's a fall-death gap: double-tap Space to glide.
32–45
The finale
Krao Cave · campaign end
353rd Awakening · Fire Temple37XP jump45Everything endgame
Gear checkpoint
GrabFire Temple first clear (a Unique drop). One run only, don't farm it.
EnhanceNothing new. Your +5–7 weapon is enough.
WallsFinal boss (Kaisinel for Elyos, Hystan/Zikel for Asmodians at ~44): pop the 5-minute combat- and movement-speed scrolls, an elixir and food. Save your dodges for the three big patterns. Still failing? Detour for Daevanion points until ~1,000 combat power.
Sorcerer build
✦
Sorcerer · Spellbook
Glass cannon. Slow and fragile for the first hours, then the fastest pack-clearer in the game once AoE is online.
How skill points work
Levels 2–41 pt each
Levels 5–72 pts each
Levels 8–104 pts each
Above 10Daevanion · gear · Arcana only
A skill reaches 8 for 13 points and 10 for 21. At 45 you have ~238–258 points, enough for about 12 skills at 10, so you cannot max everything. The spikes come from skill level, not character level: 8 = 1st specialization, 12 = 2nd, 16 = 5th option (+10–20% damage per skill), 20 = 3rd.
Priority order
1
Flame Arrow & Ice Chain, always capped불꽃 화살 · 얼음 사슬. Left and right click. Arrow first for MP.
2
Flame Harpoon + Flame Burst → 10불꽃 작살 · 불꽃 폭발. Harpoon is your most-pressed levelling nuke.
3
Robe of Flame → 10, never cut불꽃의 로브. Mandatory passive. If short on points, take them from other passives, never this one.
4
Fire Mark, Robe of Earth, Vitality Evaporation → 10The other passives worth maxing.
5
Prayer of Concentration toward 16+집중의 기원. At 16 it cuts every cooldown by 10 s. This is the endgame engine.
Specialization picks while levelling
Flame ArrowMP restore → multi-hit/mark
Ice ChainMP + damage (options 1, 2)
Flame Burstlife drain · delayed dmg
Frigid Wind+1 s summon · resist shred
Prayer of Concentrationattack + combat speed
Frostresets Frost Burst · −5 s CD
Frost Burstlife drain · slow
Hellfire+30% skill speed (farming)
Life-drain build = no potions. Taking the drain options on Flame Burst and Frost Burst lets you level without buying consumables. Swap to the Winter's Bind damage setup once your gear is in.
Pulling packs
Fill MP with autos → Ice Chain to tag → Frigid Wind pulls them in and roots them → Delayed ExplosionFlame HarpoonHellfire → Frost if anything breaks loose.
Pull to your control budget, not your damage: the pack you can lock down is the pack you can safely delete. Dodge has invulnerability frames, but you can't dodge mid-cast, so on anything dangerous trade some damage to stay mobile. Steel Barrier doubles as a speed buff.
Endgame cycle (after 45)
Delayed Explosion before the tank pulls (it doesn't draw aggro) → Elemental Enhancement → Fire Wall + Frost Storm → Frigid Wind → Winter's Bind once Frigid Wind is multi-hitting → Hellfire at 3 charges → Prayer of Concentration to reset cooldowns. Fill with autoautoFlame Burst cancels.
Always apply Frigid Wind's resist shred before Delayed Explosion. Harpoon drops out at endgame: the trend is Prayer of Concentration to 20 instead.
Stats
Accuracy and crit first, then attack. Wisdom raises Strike chance (Strike hits for at least 2× crit damage). Special stats worth chasing: Strike, Damage Amplification, Combat Speed. Target 28.8%+ cooldown reduction. MP is a damage stat: Grace of Enhancement needs MP above 25% and Robe of Earth needs it above 50%, so keep Flame Arrow and Flame Burst in your loop.
Mistakes to avoid
Playing in Action mode (kills autos and MP refill)
Copying a max-level player's skill levels instead of their order
Pressing Harpoon at endgame without its damage specialization
Enhancing levelling armour, or doing armour breakthrough at all
Trusting guides older than a month (weekly balance patches)
Skill names aren't standardised in English. Every site translates differently, so match on the Korean in the grey text. All numbers here are Korean-server values. Confirm in the global client on day one.
How the game works
Every system in one line, with what to do about it. Tap to open. GLOBAL = confirmed for our version. KR = Korean numbers that may differ.
LvLevels, skills & DaevanionThree separate power tracks
Character level caps at 45 on global (KR is 50 since July). Skill levels are bought with skill points up to 10. Extra points come from Wisdom Stones, which you trade Empyrean Traces for at Monoliths. Daevanion boards are skill trees: gold nodes = stats, blue = +1 active skill level, green = +1 passive. Nodes cost Daevanion points (an item you must use) plus crystals, and every crystal spent also raises your Item Level. Boards open in order: Nezakan (12), Zikel (20), Vaizel (30), Triniel (40), Ariel (45).
Do: rush blue nodes while levelling. At 45 copy an optimised board from a guide instead of clicking gold nodes at random.
StStigmasExtra skills you choose, from level 22
Not socketed stones like the original Aion: they're picked talents with their own levels. Shard cost per level: 1 up to 5, 2 up to 10, 4 up to 15, 8 up to 20 (75 shards for one stigma at 20). A new perk every 5 levels. Shards come from sealed dungeons, the level-20 stigma quest, and Abyss Points (20 shards per 500 AP). Global test cap was 20. KR
Do: push 1–2 stigmas to their 5/10/15/20 breakpoints. Endgame set: Elemental Enhancement, Fire Wall, Delayed Explosion, Frost Storm (all 20) plus Steel Barrier.
iLItem Level & Combat PowerThe number content is gated by
Item Level is gear, enhancement, rarity and Daevanion crystals added up. Finishing the story leaves you around 900–1,000. Global test reports say gates are lower than KR's. KR
Draupnir (free Unique weapon)900
Abyss · Nightmare · Krao Conquest1,000
Transcendence 1–31,200
Bakron's Sky Island1,600
Transcendence 4–61,800
Transcendence 7–10 · Fire Temple push2,400+
Do: treat Item Level as your real progress bar. Combat Power is mostly a display number that legions recruit on.
GeGear & enhancementNothing ever breaks
Weapon, armour, and accessories (amulet, belt, bracelet, earrings, necklace, rings, runes), with 3 gear presets. +1 to +10 always succeeds. After that success rates fall (~66% at +11 down to ~20% at +15), but a failure only costs materials, never the item. Enhancement level and soul imprint carry over to new gear. Potential, manastones and godstones don't. Soul imprint binds an item to you and rolls its substats, which you can then tune one at a time. The belt (from garrisons) and Revelation Amulet (from Monolith feathers) are yours for life. Global test build: green caps at +5, blue at +10. KR
Do: at 45 go weapon ~+12 → guard → accessories → armour ~+5–6. Take everything to +3 for cheap Item Level first. Buy un-imprinted gear and imprint it yourself.
CrCrafting & gatheringFrom level 10 · five professions
Gathering (Essence Extraction) is a 3-roll minigame at world nodes and gives a little XP. Crafting at city stations covers Blacksmithing, Armoursmithing, Handicrafting (jewellery), Alchemy (potions, manastones, flight refills) and Cooking. Crafted yellow gear can compete with dungeon gear, and global Season 1 may lack Heroic drops, which makes crafting matter more. Once a week at cap: craft the unique Arcana (Chalice). Selling crafts needs membership. KR
Do: gather nodes on your quest path, not as a detour. Pick Alchemy first (your own potions and flight refills). Skip armour crafting until 45.
PePets = mountsFrom level 10 · 200+ pets, no gacha
Almost any monster can become a pet: collect 10 of its souls by killing it. Pet understanding levels 1–5 per monster family give permanent stats. Level 3 unlocks gliding, 5 unlocks transformation. Auto-loot is a timed Kinah ticket. Global caps pets per player (3 reported). KR
Do: pick up souls passively while questing. At cap, lock Strike or Damage Amplification ≥1.5% on pet lines 3 and 9, and damage resistance on line 6.
FlWings & flightFly anywhere, on a gauge
Full flight in every region, plus underwater. GLOBAL Flying drains a gauge set by your Flight Power stat, and at zero you fall (Alchemy potions refill it). V takes off. Wings are gear: each has an equip effect plus a permanent "owned" effect, and they enhance from +1 to +10. Cash-shop wings have no stats; stat wings drop in-game. KR
Do: fly between quest objectives to skip pathing. Keep a flight potion on your bar before crossing gaps.
CoCollections & titlesFree permanent stats
Closet: every appearance you collect permanently raises base stats. Extract chance is 100% on quest and shop gear, 25% on normal drops, 10% on boss drops. Titles (Alt+T): equip 3 (offence, defence, other), but every owned title gives stats. Many titles come from sealed dungeons. Global test build lowered title stats. KR
Do: extract appearances from everything you'd otherwise sell. It's the cheapest stat source in the game.
DuDungeonsLoot is capped weekly, entry isn't
Expedition (5-player, Exploration or Conquest), Transcendence (5-player ladder that drops Arcana), Sanctuary (10-player raid), Nightmare (solo boss, 2/day, difficulty 1–10), Daily dungeon (lvl 30+, 7 entries/week, enhance stones), Sealed dungeons (solo while levelling). Global parties are 5 and raids 10. GLOBAL To earn loot you must deal ≥5% of the boss's HP. Cross-faction PvE grouping works through Party Finder. KR
Do: don't join groups while levelling beyond each dungeon's quest clear. It's slower than the main quest.
EnOdd Energy & resetsThe daily limiter
Entering dungeons is free. Opening the reward chest costs Odd Energy: 40 (Expedition, Transcendence), 60 (hard Conquest), 80 (Sanctuary or double reward). It regenerates 15 every 3 h (120/day), and stops regenerating at the cap. Resets on KR are daily at 05:00 and weekly on Wednesday at 05:00 server time. KR The global server time hasn't been published.
Do: never sit at the energy cap once you're 45. Spend it on whatever drops your next upgrade.
AbThe Abyss & PvPLevel 45 + Item Level 1,000
Reshanta is an open zone where the two factions fight each other and monsters. Time inside is limited per week. Abyss Points (AP) buy PvP gear, stigma shards, runes and PvP manastones, and raise your rank. Battlegrounds are 10v10 with normalised stats, so gear doesn't matter there. GLOBAL There's no "War Mode" toggle: PvP happens where PvP zones are. No fortress sieges at launch (they're on the roadmap).
Do: dip in weekly for AP. Stigma shards alone make it worth it, even if you don't love PvP.
Kinah = in-game gold. Quna = premium currency (real money). AP = PvP currency. Plus enhance stones, Centuryroot tokens (Shugo Festa shop) and Dream Fragments (Nightmare shop). No player-to-player trading, only the Market, and the Market plus the Kinah↔Quna exchange need membership ($15/mo). GLOBAL Without it you can't sell anything to anyone.
Do: in your Founder's 30 days, buy cheap blue level-59/67 gear on the market to cross the 1,000 Item Level gate (200–500k Kinah in KR).
LgLegions, pass & shopWhat's worth money, what isn't
Legions (guilds, up to 128 members, one faction) have no levels or buffs. Their value is people for 5- and 10-player content and the Abyss. Daeva Pass is a per-character battle pass with free and Quna tracks. The shop on global is cosmetics plus consumables obtainable in-game. GLOBAL
Do: join an active legion by the time you hit 45. You'll need a 5-player group for everything that drops Arcana.
Making Kinah · by server age
How Korean players made money from launch day. All of it comes from the Korean launch (Nov 2025) KR. The one lesson that held throughout: Kinah is worth the most in the first two weeks and loses value after that. Materials keep theirs. By September 2026, Kinah on the Korean servers had lost 85–90% of its January value.
How the Market works
Accessmembership only (buy and sell) · Founder's = 30 days
Field-mob Kinahcapped (KR: 1M/day); drops shrink past it
Quest, mission and vendor Kinah became bound in Korea in March 2026: you can spend it but can't trade it. Global's numbers aren't published, so check the tooltip before relying on any of these.
Week 1
The gold rush
Supply is low, so everything sells
Weeks 2–4
Supply requests & crafting
Early 45s arrive and demand gear
Month 2+
Hold materials, not Kinah
Kinah inflates, materials climb
What gets you banned. Any macro, including gaming-mouse macros, is a permanent ban (8,000+ accounts in the first month). Moving Kinah between servers is a permanent ban. Real-money trading gets a permanent ban on the first offence. NCSOFT has also sued macro users twice. Exploits get rolled back, so don't build a plan on one.
Know your server's prices. Open the Market and press Ctrl+Shift+M: the coach saves the prices it sees for your server, and the chat uses them when you ask "what should I sell?".
At 45 · the order
Daily
Resets at 05:00 your time. Global server time is unpublished, so this is an assumption.