Aion 2 · Guides
Elyos or Asmodian in Aion 2: what your faction changes
NCSOFT / AION 2 official Steam screenshots
TL;DR
- Neither faction is stronger. Both get the same eight classes, the same stats and the same character creator.
- Your faction sets your home region, your main story, your field bosses and the names of your crafted gear.
- Servers are split by faction, so your friends must pick the same faction and server to play the open world with you.
- Put every alt on the same server and faction as your main. Shared storage and other server-wide progress depend on it.
- Dungeons and raids are cross-server, so your faction does not limit who you run PvE with.
At a glance
| Same on both sides | Different by faction |
|---|---|
| The eight classes | Home region and main story |
| Stats: no racial bonuses, no faction skills | Field bosses, their achievements and titles |
| Character creator options | Crafted gear names |
| Dungeons and raids, which are cross-server | Servers: each belongs to one faction |
What is the same
Anders and Grobs agree that the choice has no effect on power. The original Aion gave Asmodians a different look, with claws and talon feet. Anders says that is gone: the character creator offers the same options on both sides.
Creator tip
There is nothing an Asmodian can make that an Elios can't and the other way around. Pick the side you want to play, not the look you want to have.
Aragon calls the choice "ultimately just thematics". Pick the side whose story and world you would rather spend your leveling in.
What is different
Home region and story
In the game data the Elyos side is Light and the Asmodian side is Dark. Each has its own region for the launch content, with its own towns, quests and Monolith. The two factions meet in the Abyss, Chaotic Lower Reshanta.
Anders calls the story the most meaningful difference. The main story is different for each faction, so you only see the other one by making a character there. Grobs finds the Elyos side brighter and more colorful and the Asmodian side darker, and says that is personal taste.
Field bosses
Anders notes that each faction has its own field bosses, with their own names, spawn points, kill achievements and titles. You only need your own side's bosses for those titles.
Crafted gear names
Crafted gear is the same on both sides, but it carries a different name. Anders warns that this confuses players who follow a crafting guide made on the other faction. The game data confirms it: the Light and Dark versions of each tier have the same item level and base stats.
| Item level | Elyos (Light) | Asmodian (Dark) |
|---|---|---|
| 62 | True Dragon Lord Greatsword | Star Dragon Lord Greatsword |
| 78 | White Dragon Lord Greatsword | Dark Dragon Lord Greatsword |
| 94 | Wise Dragon Lord Greatsword | Ebony Dragon Lord Greatsword |
The greatsword is one example; the same prefixes apply to the other weapons, armor and accessories. Each tier also has a Splendent version eight item levels higher.
Creator tip
So, if you're following a crafting guide made by someone on the other faction, match the tier, not the name. The stats remain the same regardless of prefix.
Servers are split by faction
This is the change Anders expects returning players to like least. In the original Aion both factions shared a server. In Aion 2 every server belongs to one faction, and after you pick your faction you choose from that faction's servers. Anders says each server is paired with an opposing server for the Abyss, and on Korean servers those pairings change every few weeks.
That makes two decisions important on day one:
| Decision | Why |
|---|---|
| Agree with your friends | Aragon says it is very important that your friends choose the same faction. Open-world content only works with players on your own server |
| Keep alts together | Grobs and Aragon put every alt on the main's server and faction. Server storage is shared there, and Grobs adds that a membership bought on one server covers your other characters on it |
Creator tip
Putting your alts on different servers would remove a lot of the reasons for having those alts in the first place. 100% keep them together. So, same server and also same faction.
The alts guide covers which progress is shared across a server.
Dungeons are cross-faction
Faction matters much less for instanced content. Grobs explains that dungeons and raids work across servers, so you can party with players from other servers and the other faction. Anders says most players do not mind which faction their dungeon group is.
Creator tip
For PvE content, your faction does not matter unless you want to roleplay.
You will visit the other side anyway
Spacetime Rifts let you cross into the other faction's region for a limited time. The community timetable on our timers page shows them opening every three hours, and Kanon says space is limited, so be quick. Anders and Kanon both send you over to clear the Sealed Dungeons and Strongholds there. Anders adds that some monsters for your pet collection only live on the other side.
The Monolith is the exception. The game says you cannot resonate with a Monolith on the enemy faction's continent, so Empyrean Traces go to your own.
Next steps
- Beginner guide: your first days, from level 1 to 45.
- Should you level alts?: what extra characters on the same server give you.
- Which class should you play?: the class choice, which matters more than the faction.
- Server choice: picking a server.
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Sources
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