| Races | | | | not using a shield. Are Gladiators able to tank raid |
| There are two playable races in Aion: The Tower | | | | content or hard named? No, not likely. Can |
| of Eternity. These are the Elyos and the | | | | Gladiators tank in 75% of tanking situations? Most |
| Asmodians if you have not already seen them. | | | | definitely. Gladiators can keep high threat through |
| The Elyos live in Elysium, the lower half of Atreia. | | | | their damage, but they do have the ability to |
| After the Epic Cataclysm, they ended up on the | | | | taunt as early as Level 10. I personally play a |
| surface exposed to bountiful amounts of sun light. | | | | Gladiator, and combined with the fact that I play |
| Over the 750 years that have passed, their | | | | along with a Cleric, we are near unstoppable in |
| bodies have transformed into a marvel of beauty. | | | | most scenarios. |
| This result has caused the Elyos to become | | | | Templar: Templars are the pure tanks of the |
| arrogant and believe that they are blessed by | | | | Warrior class and of the entire game really. |
| Aion, whereas the Asmodians are cursed in | | | | Templars use swords or maces as their primary |
| darkness. Their main traits consist of being | | | | weapon and a shield to go along with it. They are |
| friendly and comforting amongst one another. | | | | masters at building threat and mitigation. There |
| Once Daeva, Elyos are blessed with angelic wings. | | | | isn't much to say about the class other than what |
| The Asmodians live in the cold and dark regions | | | | I've already stated, but I will say that if your goal |
| of the world hidden from sun light. After 750 | | | | for your character is to tank in all situations and |
| years, their bodies have transformed significantly. | | | | be able to handle incoming damage the best, then |
| The nails on their hands and feet have turned into | | | | the Templar is for you. |
| claws, their skin has been drained of its flesh | | | | Scout |
| color, and they have grown a small mane on their | | | | Assassin: Assassins are the masters of stealthed |
| backs for warmth in their desolate environment. | | | | DPS. They are just as they sound. The primary |
| Unlike the Elyos, they do not feel blessed and are | | | | weapons for Assassins are daggers and swords. |
| aware of their daunting history. However, when | | | | The bulk of their abilities revolve around stealthing, |
| the opportunity presents itself, the Asmodians will | | | | applying poisons to their weapons, and disabling |
| not hesitate to show their loyalty and pride for | | | | their opponent through stuns. If an Assassin |
| their own kind. Once Daeva, Asmodians are | | | | draws the attention of an opponent, they are the |
| blessed with black wings. | | | | most evasive class in the game which makes |
| Classes | | | | them incredibly hard to hit with most abilities. |
| Once you have chosen your race, the next step | | | | Assassins are also the best at parsing high DPS |
| is to decide on your class. There are four main | | | | over a duration, making them appeal to many |
| classes in Aion and then each class has two | | | | people. If you enjoy playing rogues or assassins in |
| sub-classes (which will be discussed later on). The | | | | other games, enjoy stealthing, and enjoy doing |
| four main classes in Aion are the Warrior, Scout, | | | | damage, then an Assassin is what you are looking |
| Priest, and Mage. Each will be broken down below: | | | | for. |
| Warrior: Warriors can wear up to chain armor | | | | Rangers: Rangers are the long-ranged masters of |
| from levels 1 to 10 and then up to plate armor | | | | physical damage. Their primary weapon is a bow, |
| afterwards. This grants them with the most | | | | although they use swords and daggers for melee. |
| physical defense in the game. Warriors use | | | | Rangers, unlike most other games, are entirely |
| polearms, greatswords, swords, and maces as | | | | dependent on keeping their opponent at a long |
| their primary weapons. They can also use shields. | | | | distance. They use traps and snare abilities to do |
| Out of all four classes, Warriors are the only class | | | | so. When playing a Ranger solo, the main form of |
| meant to tank. Throughout leveling, no matter | | | | killing each mob is through kiting. Unlike WoW, |
| which sub-class you choose, Warriors learn the | | | | where Hunters had pets, Rangers do not. |
| most abilities to mitigate damage. In addition to | | | | Rangers, however, are experts with the bow and |
| their physical defense, this makes it no question | | | | can deal large amounts of damage. If you enjoy |
| which class should be tanking. Below, I will go over | | | | kiting, launching arrows from a distance, and using |
| both sub-classes for the Warrior, as they are not | | | | lots of tactics to defeat your opponent, then the |
| both for simply tanking. | | | | Ranger class will be enjoyable for you. |
| Scout: Scouts can wear up to leather armor and | | | | Priest |
| use swords, daggers, and bows as their primary | | | | Chanter: Chanters are the DPS version of the |
| weapons. Scouts, unlike Warriors (excluding | | | | Priest class. The actual difference between |
| Stigmas), can dual-wield weapons. Scouts also are | | | | Chanters and Clerics is not significant, but |
| incredibly evasive, which gives them some tanking | | | | significant enough to make some people choose |
| capabilities, but not much since their mitigation is | | | | one over the other. Chanters use staffs as their |
| very poor. Regardless of the sub-class you | | | | primary weapon, but can also use a mace and |
| choose, Scouts are meant to deal damage | | | | shield, and have the most buff abilities out of any |
| without being the focus of their target's hate. The | | | | class. They are built for two-handed melee, but |
| majority of a Scout's abilities is based around | | | | can still heal effectively. As they advance, their |
| stealthed DPS and long ranged DPS. | | | | statistics are shifted more towards defense, |
| Priest: Priests can wear up to leather armor from | | | | survivability, and HP. Similar to the Gladiator's |
| levels 1 to 10 and then up to chain armor | | | | tanking abilities, Chanters can main heal most |
| afterwards. They use maces and staffs as their | | | | situations in the game. However, when it comes |
| primary weapons. They also are the only other | | | | to tough areas or raids, they simply cannot |
| class, other than Warriors, to be able to use a | | | | manage. If you want to play a healing class in |
| shield. This grants them the ability to be the | | | | Aion but do not want to be stuck as a class that |
| second best tanking class in the game, but I | | | | deals little damage, then the Chanter would be a |
| would hardly call them a tank. Their armor and | | | | perfect choice. |
| shield is more for survival, as Priests are the only | | | | Cleric: Clerics, quite simply, are the main healing |
| class able to heal and that paints a large bull's-eye | | | | class of the game. They have the best and most |
| on their chest. As such, Priests are one of the | | | | versatility when it comes to healing abilities and |
| most useful classes in the game since most any | | | | are sought after for most groups. They use a |
| scenario requires a healer. The Priest sub-classes | | | | mace as a primary weapon and a shield in their |
| are mainly to tilt the scale either towards healing | | | | off-hand. This grants them great survivability |
| or damage dealing. | | | | when their healing draws too much attention. |
| Mage: Mages can wear only cloth armor and use | | | | Clerics also receive a short duration roots and |
| spell books and orbs as their primary weapons. | | | | stuns to temporarily create distance between |
| Mages are the most fragile class in the game but | | | | their opponents. If you want to play the best |
| they can deal the most burst damage by a long | | | | healer in the game, then play a Cleric. |
| shot. When going all out, Mages sometimes can | | | | Mage |
| simply one-shot another player if they get lucky | | | | Sorcerer: Sorcerers are built to DPS. Their |
| hits. It is because of this reason that they are so | | | | primary weapon is either a spellbook or an orb. |
| fragile. Mages do get abilities for crowd controlling, | | | | Sorcerers are long-ranged magic damage dealers |
| a root ability to get away from opponents, and a | | | | and they can do so with fury. As a Sorcerer |
| snare ability to keep distance, but once someone | | | | reaches higher levels, they have some |
| catches up with them they are in trouble. | | | | tremendous damage dealing abilities. Sorcerers |
| Now that you have been introduced to the four | | | | also have in their possession lots of crowd control |
| main classes of Aion, I will now cover each class' | | | | abilities. However, they are incredibly vulnerable |
| sub-classes. Sub-classes can be chosen at Level 9 | | | | and have very low amounts of HP. They do have |
| after completing your Ascension quest. Upon | | | | absorption shield buffs which absorb a large |
| reaching Level 9, you are automatically given the | | | | amount of damage before it dissipates, but they |
| Ascension quest. The quest typically takes under | | | | have little to no physical defense (excluding the |
| 10 minutes to complete and will give you up to | | | | Plate Stigma). If Sorcerers can keep distance |
| 99.9% of your experience for the level, maxing | | | | between their opponents, they are deadly. If they |
| out your experience bar. Upon reaching Level 9, | | | | cannot, they are dead. If you enjoy having an |
| immediately begin your Ascension quest and do | | | | arsenal of nukes and dealing high burst damage, |
| not take any actions to gain experience | | | | then the Sorcerer will be your favorite class. |
| otherwise. | | | | Spiritmaster: Spiritmasters are the pet class in the |
| Sub-Classes | | | | game. They are the only class able to have a pet. |
| Once you complete your Ascension quest, you | | | | Spiritmasters primarily use a spellbook or an orb |
| are simply asked which sub-class to choose. The | | | | as their weapon. As the only pet class, they rely |
| following are Aion's sub-classes: | | | | on their pets to help them defeat their opponents. |
| Warrior | | | | Spiritmasters use 4 main pets who's abilities all |
| Gladiator: Gladiators are the DPS side of the | | | | vary. The key to using the pets is figuring out the |
| Warrior class. Gladiators use either polearms or | | | | situation and deciding quickly on which pet would |
| greatswords as their primary weapon (can also | | | | work best. Other than having pets, a Spiritmaster |
| dual-wield through the use of a Stigma) and are | | | | is very similar to a Sorcerer. The differences are |
| masters of close-ranged melee through pure | | | | that they also rely on the use of DoT's, whereas |
| strength. The bulk of their abilities are for dealing | | | | Sorcerers rely more on simply nuking their |
| high amounts of melee damage and to stun their | | | | opponent down and kiting. Spiritmasters do have |
| opponent. However, their ability to wear plate | | | | the advantage over Sorcerers when it comes to |
| armor grants them with high amounts of physical | | | | soloing. If you want to be a nuking class but want |
| defense. This, combined with the fact that | | | | more in your arsenal than just high powered |
| two-handed weapons have high amounts of | | | | nukes, then a Spiritmaster will probably fit best. |
| parry, allows them to be suitable tanks despite | | | | |