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What is Defiance and Why is it Important?

Defiance is a critical survival skill that players use to recover from downed states or to break out of crowd-control effects. Whether you're being knocked down by an enemy in PvP or caught in a CC in a PvE dungeon, activating Defiance can be the difference between life and death.

The key benefit of Defiance is that it helps you recover from being knocked over or frozen, which would otherwise leave you vulnerable for an extended period. In both PvP and PvE, this can give you a crucial window to retaliate, heal, or escape.

Since crowd control abilities are common in both types of gameplay, leveling up Defiance is a must if you want to minimize downtime and improve your damage mitigation.

How Do You Level Up Defiance?

Leveling up your skills in Aion 2 is a straightforward process, but it requires a bit of attention and strategy. Defiance, like many other abilities, can be leveled up in several different ways. Let's break it down.

1. Skill Points

The most basic way to level up Defiance is by spending Skill Points. As you level up your character and progress through the game, you'll earn Skill Points that can be spent in the Skills Menu (press K to open it). These points are usually earned as you level up, and you can also get additional points from using the Stone of Wisdom.

When it comes to Defiance, you’ll want to focus on reaching its soft cap. For most players, this will be around level 10. After that, other methods will be required to further increase your skill’s effectiveness.

2. Daevanion Board

Once you've hit the soft cap with Skill Points, you need to turn to the Daevanion Board to take Defiance to the next level. The Daevanion Board (press U to open it) allows you to unlock specialized nodes, which are essentially ways to enhance your abilities beyond the basic skill levels.

To unlock these Daevanion nodes, you'll need Daevanion Crystals, which are earned through a variety of activities in the game. These could include PvP matches, high-level PvE content, or special events. Once you have enough Daevanion Crystals, you can unlock nodes on the Daevanion Board that will push Defiance past level 10.

3. Gear & Arcana

At the highest levels of Aion 2, your gear and Arcana cards will play a crucial role in further enhancing Defiance. Through equipment "Soul Imprinting," you can add bonus levels to specific skills, including Defiance. This can help you push your skill levels even higher.

Arcana Cards also come into play here. These cards can be equipped to boost the level of certain abilities. If you're aiming for the true endgame maximum for Defiance, which could be somewhere around level 20+, Arcana cards will be an essential part of the process. Keep an eye out for equipment and cards that can directly increase your skill level for maximum effectiveness.

What Happens When You Level Up Defiance?

When you level up Defiance, several things happen that enhance the skill's utility and effectiveness in combat.

1. Unlocking Specializations

At specific thresholds in your Defiance leveling process, you'll unlock enhancement slots that allow you to modify the skill's behavior. These enhancements can significantly improve your survivability and effectiveness during combat. Two key thresholds are at level 8 and level 12, which unlock specializations for Defiance.

The three most common specializations are:

HP Restoration: This upgrade enables you to restore health when you activate Defiance. This is a high-priority upgrade for players who want to not only escape crowd control but also heal themselves during the process.

Tenacity Duration: This upgrade extends the window of time that you are immune to further crowd control effects after activating Defiance. It's particularly useful in PvP situations where enemies try to chain multiple CC effects on you.

Damage Tolerance: This upgrade has seen recent buffs, increasing your Damage Tolerance from 30% to 50% while Defiance is active. It’s a great addition for players who need to mitigate incoming damage as they recover from CC effects.

These enhancements provide you with more options on how to use Defiance, allowing you to tailor it to your playstyle or the specific needs of your group or solo activities.

How Do You Use Defiance in Combat?

Defiance is a reactive skill, meaning it’s best used when you find yourself in a downed or crowd-controlled state. Here’s how it works:

Activation

To activate Defiance, you simply need to press the Space key when you're knocked down. This is a quick and easy way to recover from being immobilized, allowing you to get back into action much faster. Timing is key, as activating it at the wrong moment could leave you vulnerable for longer than necessary.

Combos and Synergies

One of the powerful aspects of Defiance is its synergy with other skills. For example, once you activate Defiance, it can trigger follow-up abilities like Blessing of Regen, which heals you over time. These synergies can give you an additional layer of healing or support after you've escaped a dangerous CC effect.

Crowd Control Expansion

As of the latest patches, Defiance can be used to break out of additional crowd control types. It can now break Freeze, Fear, Root, Sleep, and Seal effects. This broadens the range of CC you can escape from and makes Defiance even more valuable, particularly in high-level PvP or group content.

What Are the Best Ways to Maximize Defiance’s Effectiveness?

To make the most out of Defiance, it's essential to combine it with other skills and strategies. Here are a few tips to ensure you're getting the most value out of this ability:

Use Defiance in combination with your healing skills: If you have other healing abilities like Blessing of Regen, make sure to use them after Defiance to maximize your recovery.

Focus on leveling up Defiance early: Even before you get to high-level gear and Daevanion Crystals, leveling Defiance to at least level 10 will make a noticeable difference in your survivability.

Look for Aion 2 Kinah marketplace deals: If you're looking for better gear or Arcana Cards to boost your skills, don’t forget to check the Aion 2 Kinah marketplace. You might find good deals that can help you level up more quickly.

Consider group synergy: In group content, Defiance can work well with other players’ crowd control abilities, so timing your use of the skill alongside your team's strategies can provide an extra layer of protection.

Leveling up Defiance is essential for maximizing your survivability in Aion 2, whether you're in PvP or PvE. By using Skill Points, the Daevanion Board, and equipment upgrades, you can take this skill to new heights and unlock powerful specializations that suit your playstyle. Remember to activate it at the right moments, and don’t forget to synergize it with other healing and defensive abilities to stay in the fight longer. Keep an eye on the Aion 2 Kinah marketplace for upgrades, and always stay ready to react when the fight gets intense.

kinah | TW Elyos & Siel