AION 2 Templar guide: skills, stigmas and Soul Binding

The class and who it suits

Templar protects the party but also deals damage. Judgment is its centerpiece: after specialization, it has no cooldown while open. Shield Smite, Warding Strike, and Doom Shield each open a short window for repeated Judgments. Meanwhile, Templar holds the enemy and uses Fury to give the party a damage bonus whenever it Blocks.

This class suits players who want to stand in front and help the group without giving up damage. In PvP it has high HP and Block, control, pulls, and skills that bypass Block and Evasion.

Your job in combat

What to know first

• Fury is a major reason to bring Templar: successful Blocks boost PvE damage for you and the party. Level it first.
• Judgment is the main source of damage. With its Remove cooldown specialization, repeat it as long as a window stays open.
• Shield Smite and Warding Strike open Judgment for two seconds; Doom Shield opens it for three. Sequencing these skills is the rotation.
• Punishment grants Executor for 20 seconds: +200 Accuracy and +20% PvE Damage Boost. Use it as soon as it is ready.
• First-season dungeons can be cleared without a tank, so Templar contributes damage and Fury as well as boss control.

Active skills and specializations

Options appear in priority order. Specialization slots unlock at skill levels 8, 12, and 20. Use available choices until stronger ones open around levels 12–16, then change them.

Main damage

JudgmentActive · CD 5s · level to 20Deals 227-227 damage to a target within 4m and increases Enmity.

1. Extra damage on hit
2. Critical Hit on hit
3. Remove cooldown

Core skill. Extra damage, a guaranteed Critical Hit, and Remove cooldown work in both PvE and PvP.PummelActive · level to 20Deals 93-93 damage to up to 4 enemies within 4m and increases Enmity.

1. Deals up to 12% more damage when less targets are hit
2. Activates [Punishing Strike] 1 extra time
3. -1s [Punishment] cooldown on landing [Punishing Strike]

Main right-click strike. Up to 12% single-target damage and a follow-up hit together rival a Judgment trigger.PunishmentActive · CD 30sSelects a target within 20m and deals 1268-3805 damage to up to 4 enemies within 4m of the target and grants the Executor effect to the caster for 20s.

1. +30% Skill Speed
2. Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as a Critical Hit
3. Inflicts Damage over Time to target on hit

Strongest fully charged hit and the Executor buff. Skill Speed and a crit through Block and Evasion are essential; you can swap damage over time for its mobile version.AnnihilateActive · CD 20sDeals 719-719 damage to a target afflicted with Stun or Knockdown within 4m with a 30% chance to inflict Knockdown for 3s.

1. +100% damage to targets with Incapacitated Immunity
2. -10s cooldown
3. +50% Multi-Hit on hit

Hits stunned or knocked-down targets. It has a 5% chance against immune bosses; +100% damage against affected targets is the key option.

Skills that open Judgment

Shield SmiteActive · CD 10sDeals 145-145 damage to up to 4 enemies within 4m. Has a 60% chance to inflict Stun on the target for 3s. Triggers [Judgment] for 2s.

1. 50% chance to trigger [Debilitating Smash] on hit
2. -2s cooldown
3. Removes MP Cost and restores 200 MP on hit

Opens Judgment for two seconds and can trigger Debilitating Smash. The MP option can be swapped for longer stun.Warding StrikeActive · CD 30sDeals 353-353 damage to up to 4 enemies within 5m of the caster. Immediately restores 180-198 HP and grants Warding to the caster for 10s. Triggers [Judgment] for 2s.

1. -5s cooldown
2. +10% PvE Damage Tolerance and +5% PvP Damage Tolerance to party members on skill use
3. +100 Block during Warding

Opens Judgment for two seconds and grants Warding. Party Damage Tolerance is a strong option that eases healing.

Support and movement

Vicious StrikeActive · level to 20Deals 79-79 damage to up to 4 enemies within 4m and increases Enmity. Restores 100 MP.

1. +50% Multi-Hit on hit
2. -2s [Warding Strike] cooldown on hit
3. Adds [Threatening Blow] Chain Skill

MP-restoring basic attack. Multi-hit, reduced Warding Strike cooldown, and a fourth chain hit.PoachActive · CD 15sDeals 49-49 damage to a target within 20m and pulls them in front of the caster, with a 75% chance to inflict Root for 2s.

1. Moves to the target if target has Incapacitated Immunity
2. Resets cooldown on defeating an enemy
3. 10% Max HP Protective Shield

Pull. Move toward immune targets, reset cooldown on a kill, and gain a shield based on maximum HP. Valuable for farming and in the Abyss.Shield RushActive · CD 20sRushes to a target within 10m and deals 258-258 damage after using [Dodge] or while flying. Has a 30% chance to inflict Stun for 3s. Triggers [Judgment] for 2s.

1. +10m Range
2. -10s cooldown
3. Restores 300 Stamina on hit

Second rush with range and cooldown improvements. In PvP it can draw out enemy dashes and stamina.Debilitating SmashActive · CD 10sDeals 336-336 damage to up to 4 enemies within 4m and inflicts Debilitate for 5s on Block.

1. Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as Multi-Hit
2. +3s Debilitate duration
3. 30% chance to inflict Stun for 3s

Follows a Block and lowers target Defense. In PvP, swap stun chance for 60% reduced healing received.DefianceActive · CD 60sRemoves Stun, Knockdown, Airborne, Grab, Frost, and Fear from the caster and grants Tenacity for 5s.

1. Restores 20% HP on using [Defiance]
2. +50% PvE Damage Tolerance and +25% PvP Damage Tolerance for Tenacity duration
3. +2s Tenacity duration

Break control. Keep the HP recovery and Damage Tolerance options.

Flash Rampage helps only very early when MP is scarce. Later, spend those points on Judgment.

Active skill leveling order

1. Judgment
2. Pummel
3. Punishment
4. Vicious Strike
5. Annihilate
6. Shield Smite
7. Warding Strike
8. Poach
9. Debilitating Smash
10. Shield Rush
11. Defiance
12. Flash Rampage

Passive skills

Passive priority

FuryPassiveIncreases Front Attack Damage Boost by 0.3% for the caster, and increases PvE Damage Boost by 5.5% and PvP Damage Boost by 2.75% for 20s for the caster and party members…Main tank passive: a party-wide PvE damage bonus on Block. Raise it first.Punishing BenedictionPassiveIncreases the caster's Critical Hit by 100 and grants Punishing Benediction for 10s when landing an attack.Critical Hit and a chance of extra damage on each hit.Impact HitPassiveIncreases the caster's Impact-type Chance by 11.2% and Double Chance by 0.3%.Impact-type Chance and Double Chance for both PvE and PvP.Insulting RoarPassiveIncreases Enmity Boost by 100% for the caster and increases Attack by 5.5% for 5s on landing a Front Attack.Attack after a frontal attack, an almost constant bonus.Enhance HealthPassiveIncreases the caster's HP by 250. Increases Max HP by an additional 7.5% and Incoming Heal by 6%.Maximum HP and healing received.Survival WillpowerPassiveIncreases the caster's Status Effect Resist by 17%. Increases PvE Damage Tolerance by 12% and PvP Damage Tolerance by 6% for 5s when afflicted with Stun, Knockdown,…Control resistance and Damage Tolerance while controlled. It also rises without dedicated investment.

Other passives, Warding Shield, Ironclad Defense, Guarding Seal, and Block Pain, add modest defense. Leave them at base level.

Stigmas

Core set

Empyrean Lord's PunishmentStigma · CD 60sSelects a target within 20m and deals 939-939 damage to up to 4 enemies within 4m of the target. Has a 50% chance to inflict Stun for 3s.Ranged stun with high damage and stagger-bar damage. After +15 it adds 10% PvE damage, making it one of the best stigmas.Doom ShieldStigma · CD 30sRushes to a target within 20m and deals 1254-1254 damage. Has a 75% chance to inflict Knockdown for 3s. Grants a Protective Shield that blocks damage equaling 5% Max HP…Rush, knockdown, and three seconds of Judgment. +5 resets Annihilate; +15 resets Doom Shield on a kill, a key milestone.Executing BladeStigma · CD 45sDeals 1335-1335 damage to up to 4 enemies within 4m and reduces Defense by -30% for 5s. Deals 20% more damage on attacking a target inflicted with Impact-type status.Lowers target Defense; at +10 applies Exposed, reducing Block and Evasion. Useful for finishing a durable opponent.Battlefield BannerStigma · CD 90sIncreases Attack proportional to Defense for 10s.Attack that scales with Defense. Strong at +15, but with a long cooldown; level after the first three.Nezekan's ShieldStigma · CD 60sGrants a Protective Shield that blocks damage equaling 41% of Max HP for 3s to the caster and nearby party members within 40m.Party shield. At +20 it restores 20% maximum HP when it ends.Second SkinStigma · CD 90sIncreases PvE Damage Tolerance by 30% and PvP Damage Tolerance by 15% for 10s.Damage Tolerance for 10 seconds when heavy damage is coming.

Situational stigmas

Shield of ProtectionStigma · CD 20sTemporarily increases Block Damage Reduction by 100% and guarantees Block. Restores 110 MP and Stamina once on Block.Guaranteed Block and thus guaranteed Fury. At high levels, normal Blocks become rare; this can replace Nezekan's Shield if you know boss mechanics. Its brief window is easy to waste.TauntStigma · CD 30sDeals 888-888 damage to a target within 20m and increases Enmity by 20000. Inflict Shrink for 15s on hit and has a 50% chance to inflict Taunt for 3s if the target is a…Enmity and reduced enemy damage. Usually unnecessary in a high-damage group.GrappleStigma · CD 90sSelects a target within 20m and deals 1045-1045 damage to up to 4 enemies within 7m of the target, pulling them in front of the caster. Inflicts Root for 3s.Pulls a group, useful in PvP and large fights.

Take Doom Shield to +15, Empyrean Lord's Punishment to +15, Executing Blade to +10 and eventually +20, then Battlefield Banner and defensive stigmas.

Rotation

PvE

1. Step 01 — setupBattlefield Banner, build Enmity, then Empyrean Lord's Punishment. Poach to the boss and immediately fully charge Punishment.
2. Step 02 — Judgment windowShield Smite and Warding Strike open Judgment. Repeat it, weaving Pummel and Annihilate between windows.
3. Step 03 — extendDoom Shield grants another three seconds of Judgment. Shield Smite returns during that time and the cycle repeats. Use Executing Blade at the end.

Prioritize Punishment whenever it is ready. The fully charged hit and damage over time remain among your strongest attacks despite its 30-second cooldown.

PvP

1. Step 01 — engagePoach or Doom Shield, then Shield Smite, and move behind the opponent.
2. Step 02 — damageRepeat Judgment and Pummel, then fully charge Punishment.
3. Step 03 — finishEmpyrean Lord's Punishment stops a retreating enemy. Against low HP, use Executing Blade with Exposed and Debilitating Smash to counter healing.

Macros

Templar needs two buttons. On the first, right-click macro, put Doom Shield, Annihilate, and Pummel. In the open world and Abyss, kills reset Doom Shield so you can move quickly between monsters. On the second, prioritize Judgment, then Shield Smite and Warding Strike to keep its windows open. In duels, keep Doom Shield on a separate key. See the skill macro guide for ping-specific delays.

Stats

The main stats are Might, which raises all Attack by a percentage, and Precision, which provides Accuracy and Critical Hit. Without Accuracy you miss evasive opponents; without Critical Hit damage drops. Do not seek Willpower on gear: the Pantheon, Arcana, and Daevanion already provide Status Effect Resist.

Among divine stats, Space provides Movement Speed and Block chance, which feeds Fury; Time gives Combat Speed; Freedom gives Accuracy and Evasion. Destruction, Illusion, and Wisdom also help. See the stats guide for each one.

Soul Binding

Perfect Chance and Double Chance are the best damage rolls wherever available. Stack Accuracy in slots without Precision. Keep Evasion or Block rolls if you get them: Freedom raises Accuracy and Evasion together.

Arcana

Lock Fury on the Bell. If an Arcana upgrade raises the wrong skills, replace the card instead of investing more. Raise Judgment, Pummel, and Fury as high as possible.

Daevanion

Route toward Punishment, Judgment, and Pummel, collecting nearby gold nodes and bonus Attack. Damage first, defense second. See the Templar boards in Daevanion.

Titles

For Attack, use Unbound by Genus from full Genus Insight or Golden Glow. For defense, choose a title with Damage Tolerance such as Saint of Altgard. For the utility slot, use Combat Speed or Cooldown Reduction, such as Empty Closet.

PvE and PvP

Build one equipment set for both modes; mainly the runes and amulet differ. Two sets with ideal options cost a great deal, while PvE damage remains important.

In PvP, prioritize Accuracy, Weapon Damage Tolerance, Critical Hit Resist, and Block Penetration to fight other Templars and Clerics. Block and Evasion help against Assassins.

Common mistakes

1. Judgment without a windowWithout Shield Smite, Warding Strike, or Doom Shield to open it, Judgment waits on cooldown.
2. Block without FuryAn unleveled passive costs the party its damage buff.
3. Unnecessary pausesBlocking when you could attack loses damage.
4. Two gear sets at onceIdeal rolls consume twice the resources.
5. Uncharged PunishmentA full charge deals much more damage.

Checklist for harder content

Templar ready

• Judgment, Pummel, and Punishment at level 20;
• Judgment set to Remove cooldown and guaranteed Critical Hit;
• Fury leveled and locked on the Bell;
• Doom Shield at least +15;
• macro prioritizes Judgment;
• Defiance and movement skills on separate keys.