Gear enhancement in AION 2 is one of those systems that most players interact with constantly but rarely stop to fully understand. In general, you can reach the level cap without thinking too much about gear, but once you hit that point, enhancement becomes unavoidable if you want to keep progressing.
This guide answers the questions players usually ask once they reach late game and start paying attention to gear level, enhancement costs, and priorities.
What Is Gear Level and Why Does It Matter?
In AION 2, your character power is not judged only by your character level. The level cap is 45, and most players reach it naturally by following the main story. At that point, character level stops being the main gatekeeper.
The second system is gear level, often called item level or GL. Each piece of equipment has its own gear level value. These values are added together to form your total gear level.
In practice, gear level matters more than character level once you hit 45. Many dungeons, instances, and other late-game activities either recommend or require a certain gear level. If your gear level is too low, enemies take longer to kill, incoming damage feels higher, and access to content becomes limited.
Most players finishing the main story without rushing end up around 900–1000 gear level. From there, enhancement is how you push higher.
When Do You Actually Need to Start Enhancing Gear?
Most players don’t need to enhance gear heavily while leveling. Gear upgrades from quests and dungeons are usually enough to carry you through early and mid-game.
Enhancement becomes important after:

• You reach level 45
• Main story progression slows down
• New content starts showing gear level requirements

At that stage, raw gear drops alone are usually not enough. Enhancing existing gear is the most reliable way to raise your total gear level.
What Materials Are Required to Enhance Gear?
In general, enhancing gear always requires two basic resources:

• Kina
• Enhancement Stones

These are earned naturally by playing the game. Quests, dungeons, strongholds, and other activities reward both, so most players accumulate them without targeting them specifically.
Some gear pieces require additional items:

• Revelation Amulet
• Noble Belt

These two items also need a specific Enhancement Scroll. Because these slots contribute meaningful gear level, most players prioritize enhancing them once they have the required scrolls.
How Does the Enhancement Process Work?
The enhancement process itself is straightforward.
From the main menu:

1. Open the Enhance All option.
2. This opens a screen showing all your equipped gear and items in your cube.
3. Select the item you want to enhance.
4. If you have the required resources, you can confirm the enhancement.

Each successful enhancement increases the base gear level of that item. The increased value immediately raises your total gear level, which directly affects your combat performance and content access.
In practice, most players enhance items one by one, watching their total gear level increase gradually rather than dumping all resources at once.
Is Enhancement Risky or Permanent?
Enhancement in AION 2 does not work like classic fail-based systems where items can break. However, there are still things to keep in mind.
If you later extract an enhanced item:

• Enhancement Stones are refunded
• Kina is not refunded
• Manastones and Theostones are not refunded

This means enhancement is not completely reversible. Most players avoid heavily enhancing temporary gear unless they know they will use it for a while.
What Gear Should You Enhance First?
This is one of the most common questions, and the answer is usually based on efficiency rather than personal preference.
Weapons
Weapons give a noticeable power increase per enhancement level. Most players enhance their main weapon early because it directly affects damage output and clears content faster.
Revelation Amulet and Noble Belt
These pieces are often prioritized because:

• They provide good gear level gains
• They are not replaced as frequently as early armor pieces

Since they require special scrolls, players usually enhance them when materials allow, not immediately.
Armor Pieces
Armor enhancement matters, but in general, players enhance armor after weapons and key accessories. Chest and leg pieces are usually higher priority than gloves or boots.
How Much Should You Enhance Before Replacing Gear?
In practice, most players enhance gear incrementally rather than pushing items to maximum immediately.
A common approach:

• Enhance gear a few levels
• Use it to unlock the next tier of content
• Replace gear when better drops become available
• Repeat the process

Over-investing in gear that will be replaced soon is a common beginner mistake. Experienced players usually wait until they have gear they expect to keep for a while.
How Does Enhancement Affect Late-Game Progression?
Once you are past the main story, enhancement becomes the main way to move forward.
Higher gear level:

• Unlocks additional dungeons
• Makes group content smoother
• Reduces pressure on healers and tanks
• Increases overall efficiency in farming content

In general, players who ignore enhancement often feel stuck, while players who manage it steadily progress without hitting hard walls.
How Do Most Players Manage Resources?
Most players don’t farm enhancement materials aggressively at first. They:

• Play daily content
• Clear available dungeons
• Complete strongholds and quests

Over time, Kina and Enhancement Stones accumulate naturally. Only when pushing specific gear level requirements do players start paying closer attention to resource usage.
You’ll sometimes see discussions comparing different ways to manage resources, including references to things like the trusted U4N Aion 2 cash shop, but in practice, most progression comes from consistent gameplay rather than shortcuts.
Common Mistakes Players Make with Enhancement
Based on general player behavior, these mistakes show up often:

• Enhancing low-level gear too much
• Ignoring accessories
• Spending Kina without tracking future costs
• Extracting gear without realizing what resources are lost

Avoiding these mistakes usually makes progression smoother and less frustrating.
Final Thoughts from a Player Perspective
Enhancing gear in AION 2 is not complicated, but it rewards patience and planning. Most players who take time to understand gear level and enhancement priorities progress steadily without feeling forced into grinding.
If you focus on long-term gear, enhance key slots first, and use resources carefully, enhancement becomes a tool rather than a hurdle. In general, that approach keeps the game feeling balanced and enjoyable well into late game.