Chanter

The Chanter fights in melee with a staff and makes the whole party stronger at the same time: a buffer and a backup healer that every group wants. Don't expect top damage — with equal gear Chanter and Cleric are the two lowest damage dealers — but the party hits harder, dies less and gets its debuffs cleansed.

How Dark Crush works: it can only be used for a short time after a ranged skill — 2 seconds after Spinning Strike or Impactful Crush, 3 seconds after Marchutan's Wrath. At skill level 16 its own cooldown disappears, so inside that window you press it again and again. Everything in the build is about keeping that window open.

The PvE mode follows Arthars Gaming's Chanter starter guide for the global launch (video, September 26; eight months on the class on the Taiwan server), read frame by frame. Leveling follows TitanTheF's sheet.

Patch Season 1. The build is checked against guides from the global servers: 4 stigmas, cap 20.

Global servers open on October 5, 2026 (Founder's early access from September 30). What that means for the Chanter:

Active skills and passives are identical in the global and KR/TW data; stigmas lose their level-25 tier.

Only three skill levels matter: 12, 16 and 20 — that is where a new specialization or slot opens; a level in between adds almost nothing. Skill points give 10, Daevanion +4, the two rings +2, arcana the rest. Get the key skills to 16 first.

• 
  Dark Crush 16 20

  Your main damage and the first skill to take to 16: without the cooldown removal the class doesn't work. At 20 add the guaranteed crit — then every Dark Crush gets the full Wind's Promise bonus.

  • 12Adds [Piercing Strike] Chain Skill
  • 16Removes [Dark Crush] cooldown

  All specializations

  • 8Absorbs 0.7% HP
  • 8Deals extra damage on attacking a target afflicted with Impact-type status
  • 8Critical Hit on hit
  • 12Adds [Piercing Strike] Chain Skill
  • 16Removes [Dark Crush] cooldown
• 
  Onslaught 16 20

  Basic attack you weave between everything: restores MP, shortens Spinning Strike's cooldown, and at 16 adds Storm Chain. The third pick at 20 is yours: damage or the HP absorb.

  • 12-1s [Spinning Strike] cooldown on hit
  • 16Adds [Storm Chain] Chain Skill

  All specializations

  • 8+20% MP restored
  • 8Absorbs 0.7% HP
  • 8+50% Multi-Hit on hit
  • 12-1s [Spinning Strike] cooldown on hit
  • 16Adds [Storm Chain] Chain Skill
• 
  Spinning Strike 16 20

  One of your hardest hits: stacking +15% Critical Damage for 30s, and it opens Dark Crush. At 20 add the pick that ignores Block and Evasion and always crits. Skip the heal boost — you are not the main healer.

  • 8-5s cooldown
  • 8Up to +20% damage when less targets hit

  All specializations

  • 8-5s cooldown
  • 8+10% Heal Boost (up to 20%)
  • 8Up to +20% damage when less targets hit
  • 1240% chance to inflict Seal for 3s
  • 16Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as a Critical Hit
• 
  Incandescent Blow 16

  The filler while Dark Crush is closed: +12% on a single target and Multi-Hit. No good third pick exists, so 16 is enough.

  • 8Deals up to 12% more damage when less targets are hit
  • 16Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as Multi-Hit

  All specializations

  • 8-20% MP consumed
  • 8+200 Block while using skill
  • 8Deals up to 12% more damage when less targets are hit
  • 12-200 enemy Accuracy for 3s on landing Bursting Blow
  • 16Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as Multi-Hit
• 
  Recuperation 12

  Your only heal outside stigmas, and your cleanse. 12 is enough (notXeon, WallyJTV): +5% HP — the base heal is a flat number — and a second charge. Swap the charge for the two-debuff cleanse on debuff-heavy fights; go to 16 for −3s only if you are the only healer.

  • 8+1 consecutive use and Heal over Time can stack up to 2 times
  • 12+5% HP restored

  All specializations

  • 8+1 consecutive use and Heal over Time can stack up to 2 times
  • 8Removes up to 2 debuffs
  • 8+4s healing duration
  • 12+5% HP restored
  • 16-3s cooldown
• 
  Defiance 16

  CC break: +2s Tenacity with 50% damage tolerance for the whole time — seven seconds in which you can stand in mechanics.

  • 12+2s Tenacity duration
  • 16+50% PvE Damage Tolerance and +25% PvP Damage Tolerance for Tenacity duration

  All specializations

  • 8Adds [Crushing Strike] Chain Skill
  • 8Restores 1000 Stamina on using [Defiance]
  • 8Restores 10% HP on using [Defiance]
  • 12+2s Tenacity duration
  • 16+50% PvE Damage Tolerance and +25% PvP Damage Tolerance for Tenacity duration
• 
  Impactful Crush 12

  Ranged skill that opens Dark Crush; mobile and faster. 12 is enough — the level-16 pick is for PvP.

  • 8Changes to mobile skill
  • 12+30% Skill Speed

  All specializations

  • 8Changes to AoE damage
  • 8+1s [Impactful Crush] Stun duration
  • 8Changes to mobile skill
  • 12+30% Skill Speed
  • 16+20% [Impactful Crush] Stun Chance
• 
  Wave Blow 12

  −15% boss damage for 10s and a 10m reach. Its animation weaves badly: press it only when there is a gap, never instead of Dark Crush.

  • 8+6m Range
  • 12-15% target's PvE Damage Boost and -7.5% PvP Damage Boost for 10s

  All specializations

  • 8Multi-Hit on hit
  • 8+6m Range
  • 8+1s Knockdown duration
  • 12-15% target's PvE Damage Boost and -7.5% PvP Damage Boost for 10s
  • 16-5s cooldown
• 
  Rushing Smash 12

  Gap-closer that resets on a kill — dash from pack to pack. Never take the charge pick: charged skills are a damage loss.

  • 850% chance to trigger [Heat Wave Blow] on hit
  • 12Resets cooldown on defeating an enemy

  All specializations

  • 8-20% target's Impact-type Resist for 5s
  • 8Changes to Charge Skill, dealing up to 200% more damage
  • 850% chance to trigger [Heat Wave Blow] on hit
  • 12Resets cooldown on defeating an enemy
  • 16Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as Multi-Hit
• 
  Tremor Crush 12

  Dodge that pays its stamina back and a 20m gap-closer.

  • 8Restores 300 Stamina on hit
  • 8+10m [Tremor Crush] range

  All specializations

  • 8Restores 300 Stamina on hit
  • 8+10m [Tremor Crush] range
  • 8+50% Multi-Hit on hit
  • 12Adds [Surging Strike] Chain Skill
  • 16+25% [Tremor Crush] Stun Chance
• 
  Heat Wave Blow 12

  Hits hard, but you rarely have a moment for it in PvE now that Dark Crush carries the rotation.

  • 8Up to +20% damage when more targets hit
  • 12Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as Multi-Hit

  All specializations

  • 840% chance to inflict Stun for 3s
  • 8+20% Seal Chance
  • 8Up to +20% damage when more targets hit
  • 12Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as Multi-Hit
  • 1625% chance to reset [Heat Wave Blow] cooldown on Block
• 
  Gust Rampage 0–8

  Only on Staggered targets, and a boss is staggered two or three times a fight — not worth the points in Season 1.

  All specializations

  • 8Absorbs 5% HP
  • 8Restores 120 MP
  • 8Changes to mobile skill
  • 12Multi-Hit on hit
  • 16-1s all skill cooldowns on hit

There are enough skill points to max almost every passive. Gear lines are scarce, so put them on the first three.

Passive	Priority	Why
Attack Preparation	1 · max	Flat PvE Damage Boost, Defense and Accuracy — always works.
Inspiring Spell	2 · max	Critical Hit and Perfect Chance. Wind's Promise only pays off on crits, so this comes first (notXeon, WallyJTV).
Wind's Promise	3 · max	Critical Damage Boost and extra damage; pairs with Dark Crush's guaranteed crit. No level gate — max it as soon as you have it.
Impact Hit	4 · max	Double Chance — a straight damage increase.
Protection Circle	max	A big shield when your HP drops below half and a small one for the party on every hit — the best defensive passive and the first one after the damage ones.
Earth's Promise	5	−PvE Damage Tolerance on the target, but it is up about half the time and overlaps with the Cleric's Chain of Torment.
Blessing of Life, Survival Willpower	points only	Free to max with skill points; don't spend gear lines on them.
Crossguard, Raging Spell	skip	Do next to nothing in PvE — reroll them off your gear.

Season 1 has five cards and two sets. Arthars' pick is three Primal Vigor cards plus the Bell and the Mirror from Magic Armor; four Primal Vigor cards (+150 PvE Attack) work too.

Card	Stat	Set	Roll for
Chalice	Time (Combat Speed)	Primal Vigor	Whatever key skill is still short of 20
Parchment	Life	Primal Vigor	Dark Crush, Onslaught, Spinning Strike
Compass	Freedom (Accuracy)	Primal Vigor	Incandescent Blow, Recuperation; Defiance is fine
Bell	Destruction (Attack)	Magic Armor	Attack Preparation
Mirror	Wisdom (Double Chance)	Magic Armor	Impact Hit, Wind's Promise

Leveling a card adds up to +4 to its skills at random — plan for about +2. That is enough: 10 from points, 4 from Daevanion and 2 from a card make 16, and the ring lines go to other skills.

Don't overspend on these cards: they are replaced as soon as Season 2 brings new ones. Illusion (cooldowns) on the Mirror is the full-support alternative to Wisdom.

Daevanion takes your skills from 10 to 14 and adds stats. Each blue node gives +1 level to its skill.

The route on the boards

The real global boards from the game data. Gold marks the cheapest path from Start to the nodes this guide takes — the blue nodes of the priority skills and the orange nodes; hover any node to see what it gives.

NezekanLv 12 · 64 ptsZikelLv 20 · 64 ptsVaizelLv 30 · 66 ptsTrinielLv 40 · 85 ptsAzphelLv 45 · 0 pts

279 points in total skill levels

Dark Crush +4Incandescent Blow +4Onslaught +4Spinning Strike +4

on the way:Protection Circle +2Earth's Promise +2Raging Spell +2Tremor Crush +2Crossguard +1Heat Wave Blow +1Blessing of Life +1Wave Blow +1Attack Preparation +1Impactful Crush +1Wind's Promise +1Impact Hit +1Rushing Smash +1Survival Willpower +1

stat · 1 passive · 2 skill · 3 special · 4 stat · 2–3 route

NezekanLv 12 · 63 ptsZikelLv 20 · 64 ptsVaizelLv 30 · 57 ptsTrinielLv 40 · 87 ptsAzphelLv 45 · 110 pts

381 points in total skill levels

Wave Blow +4Defiance +4Impactful Crush +4

on the way:Protection Circle +3Wind's Promise +3Blessing of Life +2Inspiring Spell +2Attack Preparation +2Incandescent Blow +2Dark Crush +2Impact Hit +2Heat Wave Blow +1Earth's Promise +1Crossguard +1Survival Willpower +1

stat · 1 passive · 2 skill · 3 special · 4 stat · 2–3 route

Boards and costs come from the global client data (questlog.gg); the path is calculated, not taken from a video. Stat values may still change at launch — check the in-game board before committing a full route.

Three are locked in; the fourth is a choice. Level them in this order — Undefeated Mantra to 20 comes before everything else.

• 
  Undefeated Mantra Lv 20

  The reason a party takes a Chanter: PvE damage and tolerance, Critical Hit, Accuracy, Critical Damage and Double Chance for everyone. First to 20, and it never leaves your bar.

  • 5+100 Critical Hit
  • 10+100 Accuracy
  • 15+5% Critical Damage Boost
  • 20+5% Double Chance

  All specializations

  • 5+100 Critical Hit
  • 10+100 Accuracy
  • 15+5% Critical Damage Boost
  • 20+5% Double Chance
• 
  Marchutan's Wrath Lv 1

  A third ranged skill that opens Dark Crush for 3 seconds — it nearly doubles your Dark Crush time. One point is enough: the higher tiers are for PvP.

  All specializations

  • 5Up to +20% damage when less targets hit
  • 1050% chance to inflict Stun for 3s
  • 15-70% Incoming Heal and Potion Recovery
  • 20+25% additional Stun Chance
• 
  Focused Defense Lv 5

  A block with two charges at level 5. Underrated: it lets a melee stay on the boss through most attacks instead of running out.

  • 5+1 consecutive use

  All specializations

  • 5+1 consecutive use
  • 10Changes to mobile skill
  • 15+20% Move Speed for 3s on Block
  • 20Restores 5% HP once on Parry
• 
  Sprint Mantra Lv 10

  Move speed, +10% incoming heal and stamina regeneration, so the party can dodge almost without limit — notXeon runs it in dungeons and while farming, and takes it off in PvP. Its healing is negligible — don't level it past 10.

  • 5+10% Incoming Heal
  • 10+30% Natural Stamina Regen

  All specializations

  • 5+10% Incoming Heal
  • 10+30% Natural Stamina Regen
  • 15+50% amount restored when HP is 50% or less
  • 20+10% Restoration
• 
  Power of the Storm Lv 5 20

  +20% Combat Speed and −20% cooldowns for 10s (the party gets +20% and −10%). notXeon takes it in every kind of content: while nobody has Combat Speed it is one of your biggest damage buffs. Level 5 cuts its cooldown by 30s; 20 adds Attack for you and the party.

  • 5-30s cooldown
  • 10+200 Accuracy
  • 15+200 Critical Hit
  • 20+20% Caster Attack and +10% party member Attack

  All specializations

  • 5-30s cooldown
  • 10+200 Accuracy
  • 15+200 Critical Hit
  • 20+20% Caster Attack and +10% party member Attack
• 
  Healing Touch no Cleric

  Strong emergency heal: more at low HP, and at 15 it removes five debuffs. Take it when you are the only healer or the fight is heavy on debuffs.

  • 5+20% amount healed when HP is 50% or less
  • 10Restores 1000 Stamina
  • 15Removes 5 debuff(s)

  All specializations

  • 5+20% amount healed when HP is 50% or less
  • 10Restores 1000 Stamina
  • 15Removes 5 debuff(s)
  • 20+5% HP restored
• 
  Impeding Authority progression

  A shield for the party — more effective HP while the group is still learning a fight.

  • 5+15% Defense
  • 10+10% Incoming Heal
  • 15+10% PvE Damage Tolerance, +5% PvP Damage Tolerance

  All specializations

  • 5+15% Defense
  • 10+10% Incoming Heal
  • 15+10% PvE Damage Tolerance, +5% PvP Damage Tolerance
  • 20Restores 7% of Max HP when Protective Shield ends or is broken
• 
  Guardian Blessing no slot

  ×1.5 Wind's Promise at 15 is a real damage gain, but with four slots there is no room for it in Season 1.

  • 5+10% Status Effect Resist
  • 10x1.5 [Crossguard] effect for the duration
  • 15x1.5 [Wind's Promise] effect for the duration

  All specializations

  • 5+10% Status Effect Resist
  • 10x1.5 [Crossguard] effect for the duration
  • 15x1.5 [Wind's Promise] effect for the duration
  • 20+10% Incoming Heal
• 
  Obliterate stagger

  AoE knockdown for packs while leveling. WallyJTV keeps it at the cap for bosses with a stagger check: 50 Stagger Gauge Damage when the group needs it.

  • 5Up to +20% damage when more targets hit

  All specializations

  • 5Up to +20% damage when more targets hit
  • 10+20% Skill Speed
  • 15Critical Hit on hit
  • 20+25% Knockdown Chance

Mantras are toggles: switch them on once and keep them out of any macro — a second press turns them off. Barrier Spell, Ensnaring Mark, Fracturing Blow and Assault Shock have no place in PvE.

AION 2 has two separate tools:

• Hotbar line — several skills stacked on one hotbar button. Pressing it casts the highest-priority skill that's ready, and in AION 2 the bottom slot has the highest priority. The cards show each line top to bottom as in the game.
• In-game macro — while you hold its key, it presses your hotbar buttons in order and cancels animation tails. Skills on cooldown are skipped.

1. Hotbar line

Keep Marchutan's Wrath off this line. On its own key it is your reserve: a way to open Dark Crush when both ranged skills are on cooldown, or right after you had to step away from the boss. On the line it would push Incandescent Blow out of the rotation.

Before Dark Crush reaches 16 its cooldown breaks this line: the macro spends the openers while Dark Crush is still cooling down, and the 3-second window goes to waste. notXeon's fix until then: keep one opener on its own key and press it yourself the moment Dark Crush is ready again.

2. In-game macro

Two steps, 10 ms each, on a key you can hold all the time (most players use RMB):

1. 1Dark Crush line10 ms
2. 2Onslaught10 ms

3. What you actually press

• HoldThe macro key.
• SpamOnslaught on LMB and the Dark Crush line itself — the macro alone is not enough, your own presses land between its steps. A keyboard or mouse macro can do the spamming for you.
• By handMarchutan's Wrath when Dark Crush is closed, Focused Defense on big hits, Recuperation to cleanse or top up, Wave Blow only in a gap, the gap-closers.

Where the damage comes from in Arthars' test: Dark Crush and its Piercing Strike follow-up about 40%, then Bursting Blow, Storm Chain, Incandescent Blow and Spinning Strike at about 10% each. That is why Dark Crush goes to 16 first and Onslaught needs Storm Chain.

While leveling, before Dark Crush reaches 16, TitanTheF's simpler setup works from level 1: the Crush line on RMB, Onslaught on LMB and the in-game macro (Power of the Storm → Onslaught → Wave line → Onslaught) on the middle mouse button. Early build at 1–45: Onslaught, Incandescent Blow, Spinning Strike and Rushing Smash to 12, everything else to 8.

Starting build 1–45 (aion2t) → · 45+ goal build →