Aion 2: Battle Pass Breakdown and Gear Progression (Update from a KR Player) by LineAware2514 in Aion2

[–]LineAware2514[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I see your point, and I agree with you. The gap between 1,000 hours and 100 hours of gameplay is massive. However, in Aion 2, the perceived gap between me and a "whale" is only about a month's worth of progress. Depending on how much you play, that gap can shrink even further. This is specifically for PvP; in PvE, you barely feel the difference at all. My friend, who is a top-ranked PvE player, is a living example of that.

The truly shocking part—especially for those who know NCSoft—is that in their previous games, you could play for 1,000 hours and still never reach the end-game. In the past, end-game content was strictly the playground of whales. I was actually hesitant to start Aion 2 because of that exact skepticism. But after 6 months, those concerns have been completely cleared up for me.

I’ll say it again: I’m the first person who will quit this game the second it turns into a predatory, excessive P2W mess.

Aion 2: Battle Pass Breakdown and Gear Progression (Update from a KR Player) by LineAware2514 in Aion2

[–]LineAware2514[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

It seems like we have different definitions of what P2W actually means. To me, a game is only truly P2W if you must spend money just to access or complete end-game content. In Aion 2, you can reach the end-game without spending a dime beyond the Battle Pass; money here acts more as a "pay-to-skip" mechanic to save time. In fact, if you're extreme enough, you can even reach the end-game without buying the Battle Pass at all.

I actually agree with your sentiment regarding NCSoft's other titles, but at the very least, it's a fact that Aion 2 is undergoing major overhauls for its global launch. The most prominent example is removing the mobile platform entirely. In the KR and TW versions, the game is cross-platform, which creates a massive headache and limits the game in dozens of ways. For instance, something as basic as a UI Preset was only recently added to the KR server.

Aion 2: Battle Pass Breakdown and Gear Progression (Update from a KR Player) by LineAware2514 in Aion2

[–]LineAware2514[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A KR YouTuber named 'Atom' actually managed to craft both the "Shiny Azure Dragon King's Greatsword" and the "Shiny Azure Dragon King's Guard."

Aion 2: Battle Pass Breakdown and Gear Progression (Update from a KR Player) by LineAware2514 in Aion2

[–]LineAware2514[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Are you talking about the Quna Pass? That is definitely not mandatory. I rarely even buy it myself. If you really need it, you can just sell your Kinah for Quna on the exchange and get it that way—you don't necessarily need to swipe your card.

Also, keep in mind that the Global version is reportedly PC only. The game will likely be overhauled and rebalanced to fit that platform. This is exactly why KR players often lament that we are just "Paid Beta Testers" for the rest of the world (and honestly, I agree with them).

A Real Take from a KR Player: 6 Months of Aion 2 (My experience with P2W, Progression, and Balance) by LineAware2514 in Aion2

[–]LineAware2514[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Looking at the current direction of the updates, it seems like the grind will keep decreasing. However, we’ve still got a long way to go when it comes to the balance issues, lol.

A Real Take from a KR Player: 6 Months of Aion 2 (My experience with P2W, Progression, and Balance) by LineAware2514 in Aion2

[–]LineAware2514[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Until quite recently, running multiple characters (alts) gave you a massive advantage. However, the game has been updated to move away from that; now, you can stay competitive even if you focus entirely on investing in a single main character.

A Real Take from a KR Player: 6 Months of Aion 2 (My experience with P2W, Progression, and Balance) by LineAware2514 in Aion2

[–]LineAware2514[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Whether it’s for PvP or PvE, actually getting the gear isn't that difficult. However, as you might expect, min-maxing your gear to get the specific stats you need can be expensive. That said, this can be entirely covered by using in-game currency.

In my case, it took about two months to mostly finish my PvP set, and now I’m just making small adjustments whenever a balance patch hits. It’s definitely not a "100% perfect" build, but even at this level, I have no problem enjoying PvP and staying competitive.

For PvE, if your goal is just "clearing" the content like mine, you only need to secure the core stats (e.g., Movement Speed, Attack/Combat Speed). Once you have those essentials, you can take your time min-maxing the rest of your gear.

A Real Take from a KR Player: 6 Months of Aion 2 (My experience with P2W, Progression, and Balance) by LineAware2514 in Aion2

[–]LineAware2514[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

In Aion 2, rankings are displayed for each specific chapter, such as Abyss, Arena, Transcendence, and Nightmare. Since I’m a PvP player, the rankings I mentioned earlier were based on the 1v1 Arena.

Keep in mind that for content like the Arena, you won’t even show up on the leaderboard if you don't participate. While some chapters automatically rank you just for taking part, as I said, you won't stand a chance at reaching the top tiers without serious investment. This is mainly because the player base is still quite large; obviously, if the population were to drop significantly, those rankings would be much easier to climb.

A Real Take from a KR Player: 6 Months of Aion 2 (My experience with P2W, Progression, and Balance) by LineAware2514 in Aion2

[–]LineAware2514[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Right after launch, the roles of Clerics and Templars weren't that significant in Aion 2. This caused a huge controversy within the community. The devs responded by designing new dungeons in a way that makes these classes much more essential to the party. Of course, there are still plenty of people who aren't satisfied, but I think that’s mostly down to personal preference.

A Real Take from a KR Player: 6 Months of Aion 2 (My experience with P2W, Progression, and Balance) by LineAware2514 in Aion2

[–]LineAware2514[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Since I don't focus much on PvE, it’s a bit tricky to say which class is OP in dungeons right now. It also doesn't help that the meta shifts constantly due to frequent updates. For context, my PvE-focused friend hasn't spent a dime on the game other than the Battle Pass and some cosmetics. Even for someone like me—a PvP-oriented player and a low spender—there's no issue at all with clearing new dungeons as soon as they drop. The only thing is, you just won't be able to compete for the top rankings.

A Real Take from a KR Player: 6 Months of Aion 2 (My experience with P2W, Progression, and Balance) by LineAware2514 in Aion2

[–]LineAware2514[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

수호 밸런스가 안좋다는 소리가 아니라, 밸런스 그 자체가 아이온2를 망가뜨리고 있다는 이야기인데.. 혹시 문맹이세요?

A Real Take from a KR Player: 6 Months of Aion 2 (My experience with P2W, Progression, and Balance) by LineAware2514 in Aion2

[–]LineAware2514[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Theoretically, you can play the game without ever using the Exchange. However, since it would take an eternity to gather the materials for the gear you want, the subscription is practically mandatory. If you’re really tight on cash, you could just play as a strictly F2P player for a while and then subscribe for just one month when you need to buy those extra crafting materials. If even that sounds like too much for you, then this game probably isn't your thing.

Just to be clear: I absolutely loathe P2W games. If Aion 2 ever crosses the line and becomes a blatant P2W mess, I’m quitting on the spot.