AION 2 Refining Stone, Power Shard and Soul Crystal: where to get them and what for

Three stones people mix up

AION 2 has three different items called «stones» and «crystals», and chat mixes them up all the time. Each has its own job:

Refining Stone: what it is for

The Refining Stone is a crafting material for gear. It is in the recipes of all four crafts: weaponsmithing (weapons and bracers), armorsmithing (armor), handicrafting (accessories, bows and staves) and alchemy (spellbooks and orbs).

Three ranks of Refining Stone

Refining StoneCommonFor basic recipes: Orichalcum gear, Sapphire Ring, Spellbook and Orb of TruthExpert's Refining StoneRareFor the improved «Expert» versions of itemsArtisan's Refining StoneEpicFor the best «Artisan» items

The stone rank matches the recipe rank. For example, the Sapphire Ring chain:

All recipes with Refining Stones are in the crafting section, and the stone page lists every recipe that uses it.

Where to get Refining Stones

Sources in order

1. 1. Open-world monstersStones drop from almost every monster. Rarely from normal ones, more often from Elite, much more often from Heroic (field bosses).
2. 2. DungeonsBoss and mid-boss chests in Vakron Sky Island, Krao Cave, Fire Temple, Ferocious Horn Den, Urugugu Canyon and Draupnir.
3. 3. Field eventsStones are in field event rewards for both factions. See the schedule on the event timeline.
4. 4. Season shopA Refining Stone costs 40 units of season currency, Expert's — 400, Artisan's — 4,000.
5. 5. MarketplaceUnbound stones sell for Kinah. In the first weeks they are expensive: everybody needs them.

Drop chances from the client data (approximate, per monster):

Power Shard: what it is and how to switch it on

A Power Shard is a consumable that adds damage to your attacks. It goes into its own Power Shard panel and is spent while it is on.

Power Shard types

Power ShardCommon+5% extra damage on attackSuperior Power ShardCommon+10% extra damage on attackAbyssal Power ShardCommon+10% damage, and against players it also ignores part of DEF

How to switch it on

1. PanelPress the Power Shard settings button — it shows which shards you have.
2. SlotPress the slot with a shard and drag it down — the shard is activated.
3. KeyIn the key settings there is «Activate/deactivate Power Shards» — bind a key you like.

Where to get Power Shards

Soul Crystal: genus insight

Pets in AION 2 belong to genera: Cogni, Fera, Natura, Varian and Special. Each genus has genus insight — hidden effects that work for your character. You need Soul Crystals to open them.

Soul Crystals

Soul Crystal (Bound)SpecialUniversal: works for any genusCogni Soul Crystal (Bound)SpecialCogni onlyFera Soul Crystal (Bound)SpecialFera onlyNatura Soul Crystal (Bound)SpecialNatura onlyVarian Soul Crystal (Bound)SpecialVarian only

How genus insight works

1. AnalysisEach slot analysis costs 5 crystals of that genus (or universal ones) and 1,000 Kinah. The effect is random.
2. SlotsA genus has 9 effect slots. A new slot opens with every insight level.
3. LockingYou can lock a good effect so the next analyses do not replace it. It is expensive: from 10 crystals and 2,000 Kinah for the first slot to 495 crystals and 99,000 Kinah for the eighth.

The insight level (up to 10) raises the chance of rare effects:

That is why it pays to save crystals and spend them once the insight level is high.

Where to get Soul Crystals

Sources

• «Wanted» quests — may reward a crystal of a specific genus;
• Pet collection — 100 universal crystals at 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 learned pets and then at almost every 10;
• Fafnite Amphitheater — Shulacks in the dungeon drop universal crystals;
• Silent Graveyard — dungeon rewards;
• Membership shop — the Wind Breeze merchant, special goods tab;
• Events — holiday shops.

All pets and where to get their souls are in the pets section.

Common mistakes

1. Mixing up Refining Stones and Power ShardsThe first is a crafting material, the second a damage consumable. One does not replace the other.
2. Keeping a Power Shard on all the timeIt is spent on every monster. Farming weak mobs with it on is a waste.
3. Spending Soul Crystals at low insightAt insight level 1, 90% of effects are Common. Raise the level first, then analyze.
4. Selling all Refining StonesYou need them for your own gear. Sell the surplus, not everything.