AION 2 Founder’s Pack early access opens today, September 30, and the free to play global launch follows on Monday, October 5. Before we log in, the GamingBroject team went through Korean community boards, the Steam community and European coverage to answer the question everyone is asking: which class should you pick? Here is our class tier list, the opening times for your country, the server where you will find us, and our honest first impressions.
Early access opens today, not the official release
Today is Founder’s Pack early access only. It runs until October 5, then the servers go down for maintenance and the game opens to everyone, free to play, on October 5. Both start at the same clock time, 13:00 UTC. NC lists the three Founder’s Packs on Steam at 24.99, 49.99 and 99.99 US dollars, and every tier includes the five days of early access plus 30 days of membership. AION 2 is on PC only, through Steam and NC’s PURPLE launcher. New to the game? Start with our AION 2 Before You Play guide.
| Region | Opening time (Sep 30 and Oct 5) |
|---|---|
| USA, Pacific (Los Angeles) | 6:00 AM PDT |
| USA, Mountain (Denver) | 7:00 AM MDT |
| USA, Central (Chicago) | 8:00 AM CDT |
| USA, Eastern (New York) | 9:00 AM EDT |
| Brazil (São Paulo) | 10:00 AM |
| UTC | 13:00 |
| UK, Ireland, Portugal | 14:00 |
| Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Poland (CEST, UTC+2) | 15:00 |
| Greece, Cyprus, Romania (EEST, UTC+3) | 16:00 |
| Japan | 22:00 |
Where to find GamingBroject: Siel (EU), Elyos
We are playing on Siel, Europe, on the Elyos side. In AION 2 every server holds one faction, and Siel is paired with the Asmodian server Israphel, so that is who we will meet in the Abyss. Careful when you create your character: the name Siel exists in every region, so pick Europe first, then Elyos, then Siel. The full list for every region is in our AION 2 Advanced Access servers article.
Want to play with us? Join the GamingBroject Discord and find a group: discord.gg/RjCXf5fK4F
The eight classes at launch
- Templar: the main tank, and the only true tank in the game
- Gladiator: melee damage that can also off tank
- Assassin: melee burst damage
- Ranger: physical ranged damage
- Sorcerer: magic ranged damage and crowd control
- Spiritmaster: summoner with damage over time and debuffs
- Cleric: the pure healer, and the only class with resurrection
- Chanter: the buffer, with mantras, shields, heals and real melee damage
The ninth class, the Brawler, was added in Korea in July 2026, but it is not part of the global launch, and NC has not given a date for it.
GamingBroject AION 2 class tier list
How we built it: AION 2 has been live in Korea and Taiwan since November 2025, so there is almost a year of real data. We looked at Korean class boards and party finder posts on Inven and Arca.live, Korean class population numbers, the recent Korean balance patches, the Steam community and the September scale test impressions. The global version starts from its own build, so treat this as our starting point for launch, not a final verdict.
| Tier | Classes |
|---|---|
| S | Cleric, Chanter |
| A | Templar, Gladiator, Sorcerer |
| B | Ranger, Spiritmaster, Assassin |
| C | None at launch |
No class is bad enough for C tier right now. The real gap in AION 2 is between the roles every party needs, healer, buffer and tank, and the damage dealers who compete for the remaining seats.
S tier: Cleric
The Cleric is the only pure healer and the only class that can resurrect, so every 5 player dungeon and every 10 player raid wants one. Korean players rate it as mandatory in PvE, and after the September patches they also call it one of the strongest classes in 1v1 PvP. It is also relaxed to level solo thanks to its self healing. The catch: it is the second most played class in Korea at around 18 percent, so you will not be the only Cleric on the server.
S tier: Chanter
The Chanter is the only real buffer in AION 2. Its mantras work as auras around the party, it adds shields, cleanses debuffs and heals, and it still does damage that Korean players describe as close to a real damage dealer. In late September it was tied with the Cleric as the most requested class on Korean party boards, and raid groups there usually fill their last seat with a Chanter. The weak spot is 1v1 PvP, where opinions are split, and its mantras only work if you stay close to your group.
A tier: Templar
The only true tank, and in Korea only about 9 percent of characters play it, which makes tanks the scarcest role in the game. Expect fast queues and a spot in every serious group. Korean players prefer a Templar over a Gladiator for the hardest 5 player content. Why not S? It is only average in PvP, it lost some party buffs in the Korean patches, and Korean Templar players are the least happy group on the forums.
A tier: Gladiator
The safe all rounder. It heals itself on hits, can off tank, does solid damage and is strong in PvP. It was the big winner of the Korean August patches, and it is the class we would suggest to a new player who wants to level alone. In the very hardest group content, Korean parties now lean towards a Templar instead.
A tier: Sorcerer
In late September the Sorcerer was the class Korean PvP players complained about the most, thanks to high damage, paralysis effects and an easy setup. In PvE it is a normal ranged damage seat. Western players are less sure about it, because it has to stand still to cast and it is fragile, so it rewards good positioning.
B tier: Ranger
The easiest class and the most played one in Korea, at almost 20 percent of characters. It is reliable PvE damage and good in large Abyss fights, but it ranks near the bottom in 1v1 PvP. Because so many people play it, you will compete with a lot of other Rangers for the damage seats in groups.
B tier: Spiritmaster
The class with the biggest split. Korean players rank the Spiritmaster among the best in PvP, but its PvE damage is low even in content that suits it. It is the least played of the original eight classes, so it is a good pick if you love summoners and mostly want to fight other players.
B tier: Assassin
The highest burst damage in the game, but also the biggest fall. In May Korean players called it broken, by August and September it sat near the bottom of the Korean PvE damage charts, and it is only average in PvP. It needs good reflexes and positioning, so it is not a beginner class.
What players are saying
In Korea, the standard 5 player group in late September is a tank, a Cleric, a Chanter and two damage dealers, and 10 player raid groups usually fill their last seats with a Cleric or a Chanter. That is why supports sit at the top of our list. Korean players also talk a lot about balance fatigue after a year of big patches, and some already say the global version will become the main one.
In the West, players who joined the September scale test praised the flying, the open world, the combat feel and the very deep character creator. The main worries are the monthly membership, which NC’s own pack description ties to market access, the removal of direct player trading as an anti bot measure, priority queues for members, and a game that often feels built for mobile, with auto pathing to quests and one button skill macros.
Our first impressions: why it feels so mobile
We have not played the global version yet, so this is not a review. These are our first impressions from the official gameplay videos and from everything we read.
“Personally, I feel the game leans very much towards mobile, and I do not like that. Still, I will try it with my friends from our Discord, and I believe I will play it for sure for one or two months to give it a real chance.”
Galanos, GamingBroject
As a team, the gameplay videos we have seen did not blow us away. The graphics are OK, but the effects are nothing special. What pulls us in is the nostalgia of the original AION: the wings, the Elyos and Asmodian war and the Abyss. So we are going in, on Siel, to see if the nostalgia is enough.
Official AION 2 gameplay videos
![[AION 2] | NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 In AION 2](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eDeC7XvvCZ4/hqdefault.jpg)
NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 in AION 2, in engine footage (September 2026)
![[AION 2] | Gamescom 2026 Trailer](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FGZHZGvQNLE/hqdefault.jpg)
Gamescom 2026 trailer (August 2026)
![[AION 2] Gameplay Spotlight: Flight](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6KseWr32prs/hqdefault.jpg)
See you in Atreia
Early access opens today at 15:00 in Germany, France and Italy, 16:00 in Greece, 14:00 in the UK and 9:00 AM on the US East Coast. Find us on Siel (EU), Elyos, and come play with us on the GamingBroject Discord.
You can find more details and add the game to your wishlist on the official AION 2 Steam page.
These are first impressions based on official footage, the Korean and Taiwanese live servers and community research, not a scored hands on review. Class balance in the global version may change after launch.
AION 2 release date and platforms
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