How to Reach Item Level 1,000 in Aion 2 (Abyss, Draupnir & Forgotten Commander)

How to Reach Item Level 1,000

Item Level 1,000 is the gate to the Abyss. You need it, plus character level 45, to use the Abyss Portal, and the level 45 story stops there until you have it. Elyos hit the wall at Draupnir in Verteron, Asmodians at Forgotten Commander in Altgard. Most players reach level 45 at around 900 item level, so you need roughly 100 more.

The fastest way to close the gap, in order:

1. Finish your Regional quests for level 43 gear, Daevanion Crystals and two Clash Runes.
2. Fill every gear slot with the best piece you have. An empty slot is lost item level.
3. Enhance evenly. Each enhancement level is +1 item level, so several pieces at a few levels beat one maxed piece.
4. Spend Daevanion Crystals on your board as soon as you get them.
5. Equip both Clash Runes and fill every Manastone and Soulstone slot.
6. Clear Strongholds for Belt and Amulet upgrades.
7. Run Draupnir (it opens well below 1,000) for armour drops.

Already at 1,000 as Elyos? See where the Abyss Portal is in Verteron.

Where Item Level Comes From

Your item level is the sum of several systems, not just your gear. The rough split at this stage:

• Equipped gear: each piece's base item level. This is the bulk of the 1,000.
• Enhancement: +1 item level per enhancement level, on every piece.
• Daevanion boards: nodes on the PvE boards add item level.
• Runes, Belt, Amulet and stones: smaller amounts each, but they add up.

Item level isn't the same as Combat Power. Some upgrades raise one and not the other, so watch the item level number on your character screen, not CP.

1. Gear: Regional Quests and Draupnir

• Regional quests give item level 43 gear (the Liberator set) and jewellery. They also hand out Daevanion Crystals and your two Clash Runes, so finish them before anything else.
• Draupnir Expedition opens well before 1,000. It's a 1 to 5 player dungeon with three bosses and a 60 minute limit. Runs drop armour pieces, and opening its reward cube uses Odyle Energy. After a few runs you also get a one-time chest with a better chest piece.
• Story rewards (Campaign weapon, Guard and Bracelet) are safe things to enhance early, since you'll keep them for a while.

2. Enhancement: Spread It Out

Every enhancement level adds +1 item level, and the first levels are the cheapest and safest. You can see it in the screenshot at the top: a +10 Spiritforged Staff shows Item Level 45 (+10), and the character's total, under the level badge, is 1,027. Bring all your pieces up a few levels before pushing any single piece high. Enhancement Stones come mainly from the Daily Dungeon, so run it every day.

Guides differ on the exact targets, from "+3 everywhere, then +7" to "+4, then +6 to +8". Both agree on the idea: even upgrades first, and don't spend stones on a piece you're about to replace.

3. Daevanion Boards

Spend Daevanion Crystals as soon as you get them. Hoarding them is wasted item level. You get them from Regional quests and Sealed Dungeons (each one on the map is worth a visit), and later from the Shugo Festival and with Abyss Points.

Not every node adds item level: some only add stats. Guides disagree on the exact values, so check the item level number after each node. Plan your board on the Daevanion planner.

4. Runes, Strongholds and Stones

• Clash Runes: equip both from your Regional quests. Upgrading them to +1 is enough for now.
• Strongholds: clearing them gives materials for your Belt and Amulet. Find every one on the Strongholds guide and the interactive map.
• Monolith: resonating Empyrean Traces raises your Monolith, which also feeds the Amulet track.
• Manastones and Soulstones: fill every slot, even with cheap stones. Armour and weapons take Manastones, jewellery takes Soulstones.

Common Mistakes

• Enhancing one piece very high instead of spreading it out.
• Enhancing gear you're about to replace. Upgrade it once you know you're keeping it.
• Sitting on Daevanion Crystals or leaving stone slots empty.
• Watching Combat Power instead of item level for the 1,000 gate.
• Using Theostones too early. Save them for the better weapon and Guard from the level 45 story.