How to raise skills above level 10 in AION 2 (level 12, 16 and beyond)

From the game files: 2.0.6.0 hotfix 1

Skill points buy an active or passive skill only up to level 10 and a stigma up to level 20; every level above that is a bonus level from Daevanion skill nodes (+4 on each active skill), gear soul-binding skill effects (+1 per line) or arcana (+1 to +4). That is how an active skill reaches its level 16 specialization: points to 10, nodes to 14, and 2 more from gear and arcana; 8 classes, 96 active skills have one, and the stigmas' own specializations all open within the 20 levels points buy.

Gladiator: skills with a level 12 or 16 specialization

12 active skills. "With nodes" = skill points up to the cap plus every Daevanion node of the skill; "Still needed" = levels left for the highest specialization, from gear soul binding and arcana. The 13 stigmas open all their specializations with stigma points (0 need bonus levels).

Skill	Level 16 unlocks	Level 12 unlocks	Points to	Daevanion	With nodes	Still needed
Keen Strike	Adds [Reckless Strike] Chain Skill	-1s [Ruinous Blow] cooldown on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Rending Blow	Restores 50 MP on landing a Critical Hit	Deals up to 12% more damage when less targets are hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Leaping Slam	Changes to AoE skill and pulls in enemies	+20% PvE Damage Tolerance and +10 PvP Damage Tolerance for 3s	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Mocking Blade	Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as Multi-Hit	+1s Knockdown duration	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Overhead Slam	Remove cooldown	Critical Hit on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Sword Aura Rampage	-1s all skill cooldowns on hit	Multi-Hit on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Ankle Slice	25% chance to reset [Ankle Slice] cooldown on Block	Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as Multi-Hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Crushing Wave	50% chance to pull	Resets cooldown on landing a Critical Hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Rush Strike	+25% Knockdown Chance	-10s cooldown	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Aerial Snare	-50% [Aerial Snare] cooldown	Adds [Forced Fall] Chain Skill	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Ruinous Blow	Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as Multi-Hit	Extra damage on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Defiance	+50% PvE Damage Tolerance and +25% PvP Damage Tolerance for Tenacity duration	+2s Tenacity duration	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)

More for Gladiator: Daevanion planner, Gladiator build.

Templar: skills with a level 12 or 16 specialization

Skill	Level 16 unlocks	Level 12 unlocks	Points to	Daevanion	With nodes	Still needed
Vicious Strike	Adds [Threatening Blow] Chain Skill	-2s [Warding Strike] cooldown on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Pummel	[Punishing Strike] grants extra damage on hit	-1s [Punishment] cooldown on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Poach	50% chance to Stun for 3s	10% Max HP Protective Shield	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Shield Smite	AoE Stun	-2s cooldown	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Judgment	Remove cooldown	Critical Hit on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Flash Rampage	-1s to all skill cooldowns on hit	Multi-Hit on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Debilitating Smash	25% chance to reset cooldown on Block	Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as Multi-Hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Warding Strike	+10% PvE Damage Tolerance and +5% PvP Damage Tolerance to party members on skill use	Adds PvE Damage Tolerance and PvP Damage Tolerance increase effect when more targets hit to Warding	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Shield Rush	+25% Stun Chance	-10s cooldown	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Annihilate	Changes to AoE Skill	-10s cooldown	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Punishment	Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as a Critical Hit	Changes to mobile skill	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Defiance	+50% PvE Damage Tolerance and +25% PvP Damage Tolerance for Tenacity duration	+2s Tenacity duration	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)

More for Templar: Daevanion planner, Templar build.

Assassin: skills with a level 12 or 16 specialization

Skill	Level 16 unlocks	Level 12 unlocks	Points to	Daevanion	With nodes	Still needed
Quick Slice	Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as a Critical Hit	-1s [Insignia Explosion] cooldown on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Savage Roar	Pulls nearby targets on using [Savage Smash]	-1s [Shadowstrike] cooldown on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Shadowstrike	Changes to AoE Skill	50% chance to inflict Root for 5s on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Ambush	+2 consecutive uses	50% chance to trigger [Whirlwind Slice] on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Heart Gore	Resets [Heart Gore] cooldown on landing a Critical Hit	Multi-Hit on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Storm Rampage	-1s all skill cooldowns on hit	Multi-Hit on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Whirlwind Slice	25% chance to reset [Whirlwind Slice] cooldown on Evasion	+20% Stun Chance	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Flash Slice	50% chance to rotate and inflict Stun for 3s on hitting a target afflicted with Blind	+1 consecutive use	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Infiltrate	+20% [Infiltrate] Blind Chance	Adds [Dark Strike] Chain Skill	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Shadow Fall	Can be used on targets afflicted with Blind	+1s Knockdown duration	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Insignia Explosion	-3s cooldown	+1s Stun duration	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Defiance	+50% PvE Damage Tolerance and +25% PvP Damage Tolerance for Tenacity duration	+2s Tenacity duration	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)

More for Assassin: Daevanion planner, Assassin build.

Ranger: skills with a level 12 or 16 specialization

Skill	Level 16 unlocks	Level 12 unlocks	Points to	Daevanion	With nodes	Still needed
Snipe	Adds [Tempest Arrow] Chain Skill	-1s [Deadshot] cooldown on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Tempest Shot	+20% Skill Speed	5% chance to inflict Knock Back on Critical Hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Snare Shot	+2s Slow and Root duration	Adds [Shackling Arrow] Chain Skill	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Marking Shot	Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as a Critical Hit	+1 consecutive use	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Drill Dart	Activates [Drill Dart] 1 extra time	Multi-Hit on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Arrow Scattershot	-1s all cooldowns on hit	Multi-Hit on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Gale Arrow	-10s cooldown	Increases Combat Speed, PvE Damage Boost, and PvP Damage Boost when less targets hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Explosion Trap	+1 consecutive use	+20% Stun Chance	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Burst Arrow	25% chance to reset cooldown on hit	Up to +20% damage when less targets hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Suppressing Arrow	25% chance to reset cooldown on hit	+20% Stun Chance	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Deadshot	[Deadshot] grants extra damage on hit	Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as Multi-Hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Defiance	+50% PvE Damage Tolerance and +25% PvP Damage Tolerance for Tenacity duration	+2s Tenacity duration	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)

More for Ranger: Daevanion planner, Ranger build.

Sorcerer: skills with a level 12 or 16 specialization

Skill	Level 16 unlocks	Level 12 unlocks	Points to	Daevanion	With nodes	Still needed
Flame Arrow	Reset [Blaze] cooldown on landing [Pyroclasm]	+5% Fire Damage Boost for 10s on activating [Pyroclasm]	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Ice Chain	5% chance to inflict Frost for 2s on landing [Cold Wave]	-1s [Winter's Shackles] cooldown on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Firestorm	+15% damage per fireball, up to +75%	-2s [Hellfire] cooldown per fireball	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Bittercold Wind	-1s [Frost] cooldown on hit	Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as a Critical Hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Blaze	-3s [Wish of Concentration] cooldown on hit	Multi-Hit on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Flame Scattershot	-1s all skill cooldowns on hit	Multi-Hit on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Frost	+1s Frost duration	+25% PC target Frost Chance	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Winter's Shackles	-15s [Winter's Shackles] cooldown	Adds [Winter's Illusion] Chain Skill	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Frost Burst	50% chance to reset cooldown	Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as a Critical Hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Wish of Concentration	-10s all skill cooldowns	+10% Combat Speed	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Hellfire	-15s cooldown	Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as Multi-Hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Defiance	+50% PvE Damage Tolerance and +25% PvP Damage Tolerance for Tenacity duration	+2s Tenacity duration	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)

More for Sorcerer: Daevanion planner, Sorcerer build.

Spiritmaster: skills with a level 12 or 16 specialization

Skill	Level 16 unlocks	Level 12 unlocks	Points to	Daevanion	With nodes	Still needed
Cold Shock	10% chance to remove 1 buff on landing [Earth Tremor]	+2% Attack on landing [Earth Tremor] (Up to 5 stacks)	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Combustion	Adds [Ashy Call] Chain Skill	+20% Skill Speed	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Summon: Fire Spirit	+20% Fire Spirit Stats	5% chance to inflict Knockdown for 3s on landing Fire Spirit attack	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Summon: Water Spirit	+20% Water Spirit Stats	5% chance to inflict Root for 2s on landing Water Spirit attack	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Jointstrike: Curse	[Jointstrike: Curse] ignores Block and Evasion and lands as a Critical Hit	-2s cooldown	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Rapid Scattershot	-1s all skill cooldowns on hit	Multi-Hit on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Summon: Earth Spirit	+20% Earth Spirit Stats	5% chance to restore 5% of Spirit HP when landing Earth Spirit attack	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Dimensional Control	30% chance to inflict Root for 3s on hit	Pull in nearby targets	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Summon: Wind Spirit	+20% Wind Spirit Stats	5% chance to reduce enemy Attack Speed by 30% for 10s on landing Wind Spirit attack	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Soul's Cry	+2s Fear duration	-10s cooldown	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Elemental Fusion	25% chance to regain Four Elements	Changes to Charge Skill, dealing up to 200% more damage	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Defiance	+50% PvE Damage Tolerance and +25% PvP Damage Tolerance for Tenacity duration	+2s Tenacity duration	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)

More for Spiritmaster: Daevanion planner, Spiritmaster build.

Cleric: skills with a level 12 or 16 specialization

Skill	Level 16 unlocks	Level 12 unlocks	Points to	Daevanion	With nodes	Still needed
Earth's Retribution	Ignores Block and Evasion	-7s [Bolt] cooldown on landing [Discharge]	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Judgment Thunder	Activates [Divine Punishment] 1 extra time	10% chance to inflict Root for 2s on landing [Divine Punishment]	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Debilitating Mark	Ignores Block and Evasion and reduces Damage over Time interval by 50%	+10% PvE Damage Boost reduction and +5% PvP Damage Boost reduction	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Divine Aura	-10s cooldown	+3s [Divine Aura] duration	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Chain of Torment	Ignores Block and Evasion and reduces Damage over Time interval by 50%	+10% PvE Damage Tolerance reduction and +5% PvP Damage Tolerance reduction	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Lightning Strike Scattershot	-1s all skill cooldowns on hit	Multi-Hit on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Light of Regeneration	+5% PvE Damage Tolerance and +2.5% PvP Damage Tolerance during healing	+5% Move Speed during healing	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Condemnation	Multi-Hit on hit	Resets cooldown on landing a Critical Hit with [Condemnation]	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Healing Light	-2s cooldown	+2% HP restored	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Radiant Recovery	+5% HP restored	+10% Incoming Heal for 10s	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Bolt	Critical Hit on hit	Up to +20% damage when less targets hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Defiance	+50% PvE Damage Tolerance and +25% PvP Damage Tolerance for Tenacity duration	+2s Tenacity duration	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)

More for Cleric: Daevanion planner, Cleric build.

Chanter: skills with a level 12 or 16 specialization

Skill	Level 16 unlocks	Level 12 unlocks	Points to	Daevanion	With nodes	Still needed
Onslaught	Adds [Storm Chain] Chain Skill	-1s [Spinning Strike] cooldown on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Incandescent Blow	Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as Multi-Hit	-200 enemy Accuracy for 3s on landing Bursting Blow	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Rushing Smash	Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as Multi-Hit	Resets cooldown on defeating an enemy	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Impactful Crush	+20% [Impactful Crush] Stun Chance	+30% Skill Speed	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Dark Crush	Removes [Dark Crush] cooldown	Adds [Piercing Strike] Chain Skill	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Gust Rampage	-1s all skill cooldowns on hit	Multi-Hit on hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Heat Wave Blow	25% chance to reset [Heat Wave Blow] cooldown on Block	Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as Multi-Hit	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Recuperation	-3s cooldown	+5% HP restored	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Tremor Crush	+25% [Tremor Crush] Stun Chance	Adds [Surging Strike] Chain Skill	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Wave Blow	-5s cooldown	-15% target's PvE Damage Boost and -7.5% PvP Damage Boost for 10s	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Spinning Strike	Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as a Critical Hit	40% chance to inflict Seal for 3s	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)
Defiance	+50% PvE Damage Tolerance and +25% PvP Damage Tolerance for Tenacity duration	+2s Tenacity duration	10	+4	14	2 (to 16)

More for Chanter: Daevanion planner, Chanter build.

Where bonus levels come from

The rule is the same for every active skill. The odds are our calculation from Item and ItemEquipSubstatSkill, the same as on the skill pages: a piece's stats and the class's skills form one list picked one after another, never the same one twice, each pick re-sharing the rest. NCSOFT's probability notice gives the first-pick shares and states that order for arcana; for gear the order is our reading.

Points: levels 1–10

Skill and stigma points (SkillAcquireData) end at the points cap. The tables hold levels up to 40 for an active skill, and the client stores no other cap on bonus levels.

Daevanion skill nodes: +4 per active skill

Each of the 96 skills has its own node on the boards and each adds a level. They sit on different boards: see the Daevanion planner.

Gear soul binding: +1 per line

1,313 items (Guard, Greatsword, Longsword, Dagger, Bow, Spellbook…) carry the line. Soul binding grants 1–5 properties depending on the piece, and each can be a skill effect instead of a stat (20% of the first pick); a skill effect picks one of the class's active skills (8.33–8.34% for a given one), never the same skill twice, and adds +1 level.

Properties	Items	Grades	Item level	Chance one binding gives a given skill
1	112	Common	13–20	1.67%
2	208	Rare	15–30	3.39–3.40%
3	482	Epic 442, Unique 40	23–102	5.16–5.21%
4	271	Unique	36–102	7.00–7.10%
5	240	Unique	62–102	8.91–9.08%

Ranges: the chance moves a little with the piece's stat list and with the skill's share of its class's skills (8.33–8.34%). Each skill page gives its own figures.

Arcana: +1 to +4 per effect

Binding gives a card 1 (Common), 2 (Rare), 3 (Epic) or 4 (Unique) skill effects, never the same skill twice, each at +1; the chance that one of them is a given active skill is 4.54–16.67%, 9.08–33.34%, 13.62–50.01% and 18.16–66.67% in that order (it depends on the card's kind: each kind has its own list of skills). Each enhance level then adds a new skill effect at +1 until the card has 4, and after that raises one of its effects (not all of them) by +1, the game picking which with equal chance, up to +4 — the client's arcana enhance guide. A card's skill levels add up to +1 per effect and +1 per upgrade.

Skill level questions

How do I get skills to level 16 in AION 2?

Skill points stop at level 10. Daevanion skill nodes add +4 to each active skill (→ level 14) and the remaining 2 levels come only from gear soul binding (+1 per line) and arcana (+1 to +4).

Can skill points raise a skill above level 10?

No. Skill points buy active and passive skills up to level 10 (the SkillAcquireData table ends there); the tables list levels up to 40, but those levels only come from bonus sources.

What does level 12 and level 16 unlock on an active skill?

Each active skill has specializations that open at skill level 8, 12 and 16. Level 8 options open with points; levels 12 and 16 need bonus levels, and what they give is different for every skill (see the table of your class).

How likely is a soul-binding line that raises a skill?

The line comes from soul binding on Guard, Greatsword, Longsword, Dagger, Bow, Spellbook, Orb, Mace, Staff and Ring (1,313 items). Soul binding grants 1–5 properties depending on the piece, and each can be a skill effect instead of a stat (20% of the first pick); a skill effect picks one of the class's active skills (8.33–8.34% for a given one), never the same skill twice, and adds +1 level. The chance that one binding gives a given skill is 1.67% on 1-property pieces (112 Common items), 3.39–3.40% on 2-property pieces (208 Rare), 5.16–5.21% on 3-property pieces (442 Epic, 40 Unique), 7.00–7.10% on 4-property pieces (271 Unique) and 8.91–9.08% on 5-property pieces (240 Unique). This is our calculation: the piece's stats and the class's skills form one list picked one after another, each pick re-sharing the rest; NCSOFT's probability notice gives the first-pick shares, the order is our reading.

Levels 12 and 16 are the highest specialization levels in the tables (SpecializedSkillParts). From the game files: client 2.0.6.0 hotfix 1 (Steam build 25800038, 2026-10-09).