In Aion 2, Gear Score (GS, also shown as Item Level) decides which dungeons you can enter, while Combat Power (CP) measures how strong your character actually is. On the global servers the key GS steps are 1,000 for the Abyss, 1,400 for Vakron Sky Island, 2,100 for Fire Temple, 2,500 for Transcendence stage 4 and 2,800 for the Ludra raid.
Aion 2 Gear Score thresholds on global servers
These thresholds come from global client data compiled by Corpus, with the 1,000 to 2,100 steps also listed by Raid Relay. Aion 2 launched worldwide on October 5, 2026 with a level cap of 45.
| Gear Score | What it unlocks |
|---|---|
| 700 | Krao Cave Conquest, Draupnir Exploration and Conquest |
| 1,000 | The Abyss, Ascension Trial (Easy) |
| 1,400 | Vakron Sky Island, Urugugu Canyon Conquest |
| 1,500 | Ascension Trial (Normal) |
| 1,600 | Transcendence stage 1 |
| 1,900 | Transcendence stage 2 |
| 2,000 | Ascension Trial (Hard) |
| 2,100 | Ferocious Horn Den, Fire Temple Conquest |
| 2,200 | Transcendence stage 3 |
| 2,500 | Transcendence stage 4, highest Ascension Trial |
| 2,800 | Abyssal Forge: Ludra, the 10 player raid |
Corpus notes that the Ludra raid was temporarily removed on global servers pending an updated version, so 2,800 is a target for now rather than a door.
Gear Score vs Combat Power
The two numbers sit next to each other under your level, and you can switch which one is displayed. They measure different things.
- Gear Score is roughly the sum of the item levels on your equipped pieces. It is set by equipment grade and enhancement level, and it gates content.
- Combat Power is calculated from your character's actual stats. It decides how fast you clear and how much you survive.
Timesaver's CP guide lists eight systems that feed Combat Power: gear and enhancement, the Daevanion Board, Stigma skills, Arcana, skill levels, pet Genus Insight, wings and feathers, and titles. Only the first is fully captured by GS.
A higher Gear Score can hide a weaker character. Timesaver quotes one player at about 90,000 CP with 1,945 GS, against another around 2,096 GS with only about 80,000 CP because their secondary systems were empty. GS tells you where a character may go; CP tells you what it does once inside.
How Gear Score goes up
Raid Relay's global guide lists six main routes. Most players use all of them in parallel after level 45.
- Enhancement. Each enhancement level adds roughly 1 GS. NC has not published official global success rates, and community guides describe a riskier band above +10.
- Substance Morph. Transmutes equipment up the grade track from Rare to Epic to Unique.
- Daevanion Crystals. Spent on the Daevanion Board, about 1 GS each.
- Socket engraving. Manastones and Soulstones add 1 to 4 GS per line depending on rarity.
- Arcana cards. Equipping and levelling cards adds 20 to 80 GS per card by grade.
- Conquest gear. Farming Vakron, Urugugu Canyon and Fire Temple drops higher item level equipment.
Raid Relay also advises holding Odyle Energy until 1,400 GS, since later dungeons pay about 50 percent more Kina for the same energy.
Global vs Korean numbers: a common mix up
South Korea and Taiwan run their own Aion 2 services, separate from the global release, and many guides still quote those clients. Corpus flags that some early estimates differed from global game data for later stages, and treats the global client as authoritative.
Krao Cave is a clear example. Aion2Hub reports that global Krao offers Exploration at 200 GS and Normal at 700, while Korean and Taiwanese client data from September 2026 shows Normal at 1,000 and a Hard tier at 2,400. If a guide or listing promises "Krao Hard ready" on a global server, it is quoting the wrong client.
What Gear Score means when you look at an account
For anyone comparing characters, GS is the fastest first filter because it maps directly onto content. In the public account listings we track for the global launch, asking prices step up with GS: the median for characters at 2,300 GS and above sits at about twice the median for 1,600 to 1,999 GS, and well above characters under 1,600.
- Under 1,600 GS: Transcendence is still locked. Treat it as a levelled character, not a geared one.
- 1,600 to 2,099 GS: Early Transcendence and Ascension Trial (Hard). Solid for new players catching up.
- 2,100 to 2,499 GS: Fire Temple and Transcendence stage 3 open.
- 2,500 GS and up: The top current tier, with stage 4 and the highest Ascension Trial.
Then check CP. A healthy 2,300 to 2,500 GS character in early October listings typically shows around 100,000 CP or more, with feathers and Daevanion progress listed. Our Aion 2 class guide covers which roles benefit most from each system.
Will these numbers last?
No, and that is normal for a new MMO.
The global client is still settling: Ludra is paused, and Corpus notes that early estimates for later stages did not match global game data. As more players pass 2,000 GS, what counts as a high Gear Score will move up. Read thresholds as of October 2026 and recheck after each major update on the Aion 2 hub.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good Gear Score in Aion 2?
On global servers in October 2026, 2,100 GS opens Fire Temple and Ferocious Horn Den, and 2,500 opens the highest current Transcendence stage. Anything above 2,500 is top tier for now.
Is Gear Score the same as Combat Power?
No. Gear Score sums your item levels and gates content. Combat Power comes from your stats, including Daevanion Board, Stigma, Arcana, pets, wings and titles, and decides how strong you are.
What GS do you need for Krao Cave on global servers?
Exploration needs 200 GS and Normal needs 700. To reach 700, fill every slot with level cap gear and enhance it. There is no Krao Hard tier on global servers yet.
What GS is needed for Ludra?
Abyssal Forge: Ludra, the 10 player raid, requires 2,800 GS. On global servers it was temporarily removed in early October 2026 pending an updated version.
Why do guides list different GS numbers?
Many quote the Korean or Taiwanese clients, which run separate services with different thresholds for some content. Krao Cave Hard at 2,400 GS, for example, comes from that data and is not on global servers.
Sources
- Corpus: Aion 2 gear score guide, every item level threshold
- Raid Relay: Aion 2 progression guide, gear score from level 45 (Global)
- Timesaver: Aion 2 Combat Power explained
- Aion2Hub: Elyos levels 40 to 45 and Krao Cave
- Aion Strategies: Aion 2 Steam availability
Prefer to start with the gear already earned? Browse Aion 2 accounts on METAMMO. Every account is hand checked before listing and comes with a lifetime warranty against recovery by the previous owner.
