What the faction choice actually changes
| Area | Changed by faction? | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Starting zones and quest lines | Yes | Elyos and Asmodians begin in different territories and follow different story chains. |
| Field bosses and open-world content | Yes | Each side has its own outdoor objectives and world boss rotation. |
| Gear names and itemisation flavour | Yes | Equivalent gear exists on both sides but is named and themed differently. |
| Class availability | No | Every global launch class is playable on both factions. |
| Combat power of a class | No | There is no faction-wide damage, healing or survivability bonus. |
| Auction economy | Indirectly | Prices follow population, and population is never split evenly. |
How to decide in under a minute
- If your friends already play, pick their faction. Nothing else on this page outweighs playing with people you know.
- If you are solo, pick the faction with the healthier population on your server, because the underdog side has a thin market and struggles to form groups.
- If you care about the story, pick the side whose starting territory and tone you prefer; the two campaigns are genuinely different.
- If you intend to PvP in the Abyss, check who holds the fortress objectives on your server before committing.
- If you cannot decide, the Elyos territory is the more thoroughly documented one in English, which makes the early game easier to cross-check.
Server pairing matters as much as faction
Faction and server are chosen together. Worlds are grouped into region and faction pairings, and the pairing decides which opposing population you meet in the open world. Joining a world where your faction is the minority is the most common source of new-player frustration, and it is easier to avoid than to fix: transfers are restricted and were only offered free during an early window in mid October 2026.
Can you change faction later
There is no general faction change available at launch. World transfers exist under rules published by the publisher, but switching sides is not part of that offer. Treat the choice as permanent for that character. If you are genuinely torn, the cheapest experiment is to level a second character on the other side in a later season rather than abandon a main you have already invested in.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Do Elyos and Asmodians have different classes?
No. All eight global launch classes are available to both factions, and the class choice is independent of the faction choice.
Which faction is stronger in AION 2?
Neither. There is no documented faction-wide power difference. Server population balance matters far more than which side you pick.
Can I play with friends on the other faction?
You can share a world, but the two factions are hostile in open-world PvP zones and do not share quest progression.
Does the faction choice change my class skills?
No. Both factions use the same class kits, the same Daevanion trees and the same weapon families. What changes is the territory you play in, the story you follow and the names attached to equivalent gear.
Sources checked for this page
- Faction differences breakdown:https://www.iggm.com/news/aion-2-elyos-vs-asmodians-faction-guide-differences-in-story-maps-gear-servers
- Faction decision guidance:https://aion2wiki.com/guides/factions