What is Shield Rush, and Why Should I Level It Up?
Shield Rush is a gap-closing ability that lets you charge toward your enemies, dealing damage and potentially knocking them down. In Aion 2, upgrading Shield Rush is vital because it not only boosts its damage but also unlocks secondary effects like knockdowns and utility bonuses. As you level it up, it becomes a much more reliable tool in both PvP and PvE content.
How Do I Level Up Shield Rush?
Manual Leveling (Skill Points)
To level up your skills like Shield Rush, you need skill points. These are mainly gained by leveling up your character or using Stones of Wisdom, which you can acquire in various ways (quest rewards, purchases, etc.). Once you have enough skill points, you can go to the skills menu (default key 'K'), where you’ll find Shield Rush listed with its current level and upgrade options.
Leveling up the skill is straightforward:
Open the Skills Menu.
Select Shield Rush from your skill list.
Click the upgrade button to use your available skill points.
It’s worth noting that you get skill points at regular intervals as you level up. You’ll need to carefully manage these points, especially as you progress, since higher-level skills require more points to upgrade.
What Are Threshold Bonuses for Shield Rush?
At certain levels, Shield Rush unlocks powerful Threshold Bonuses that can significantly boost its effectiveness. These bonuses usually come with additional features like enhancement slots or extra effects. The three key thresholds to keep an eye on are:
Level 8: Unlocks the first enhancement slot.
Level 12: Unlocks the second enhancement slot.
Level 15+: Unlocks the third enhancement slot.
Each of these levels provides a power spike, which is a major reason to focus on leveling up your Shield Rush early. Unlocking the first enhancement slot at Level 8 is especially crucial, as it can add utility such as self-healing or even allow you to move while casting the ability.
What is the Daevanion System, and How Does It Affect Shield Rush?
The Daevanion System in Aion 2 allows you to go beyond the normal skill level caps using Daevanion Crystals. These crystals can be obtained through Sealed Dungeons or as level-up rewards. Once you have Daevanion Crystals, you can use them to unlock nodes on the Daevanion Board, which in turn boosts your active skill levels beyond their standard caps. This is particularly useful for leveling up Shield Rush, as it provides additional ways to make your skill more powerful.
The main benefit of the Daevanion System is that it lets you enhance your abilities beyond the usual level limits, which can result in greater overall combat performance, especially in tougher content like dungeons or PvP.
How Can Gear & Arcana Help Me Boost Shield Rush?
Besides manual leveling and the Daevanion System, there are a couple of other ways to boost your Shield Rush. Gear Imprinting and Arcana Cards are two powerful systems in Aion 2 that can provide additional skill-level boosts.
Soul Imprinting (Gear Enchanting)
Soul Imprinting is a system where you enchant your gear to gain random bonuses, including skill level enhancements. These bonuses can directly affect your Shield Rush, increasing its damage or effectiveness. It’s a good idea to prioritize gear with Soul Imprint bonuses that increase skill levels, as this will give you an edge in combat.
Arcana Cards
Arcana Cards are another way to enhance your skills. By equipping sets of five Arcana cards obtained from Transcendence Dungeons, you can unlock powerful buffs for your skills. For Shield Rush, having a complete set of Arcana cards can boost your skill levels even further, potentially making your abilities stronger and more reliable. Keep an eye on these cards as you progress, as they are a significant source of skill enhancement.
How Does Shield Rush Actually Work in Combat?
In practice, Shield Rush serves as a gap-closing ability, meaning it’s primarily used to close the distance between you and an enemy quickly. It’s a great skill for both PvE and PvP situations, but how it works in practice depends on a few factors:
Activation: You trigger Shield Rush by activating it during your combat rotation. It’s often used after a dodge or to immediately close the gap when your target tries to retreat. This makes it a great tool for chasing down enemies.
Damage: When you activate Shield Rush, it deals decent damage. The skill’s damage can scale with your level and the enhancements you unlock through leveling it up.
Knockdown Effect: One of the key features of Shield Rush is its high chance to knock down enemies, with a base 50% chance at lower levels. This can make it a valuable tool for crowd control, particularly in group combat where you need to disable enemies quickly. The higher the skill level, the more reliable the knockdown.
When Should I Prioritize Leveling Shield Rush?
If you’re serious about combat effectiveness in Aion 2, you’ll want to prioritize leveling Shield Rush as soon as possible. Here’s why:
Level 8 unlocks the first enhancement slot, which adds valuable utility like self-healing or movement while casting.
Level 12 opens the second enhancement slot, which can bring additional utility or damage bonuses.
Level 15+ lets you unlock even more potential, with third-tier enhancements and a larger damage boost.
Additionally, the fast Aion 2 Kinah delivery system makes it easier to get the materials or upgrades you need to speed up your skill leveling. This allows you to focus more on refining your combat style instead of grinding for resources.
In Aion 2, Shield Rush is an essential skill for Gladiators and Templars, providing the ability to quickly close gaps, deal damage, and control enemies. Leveling it up should be a priority if you want to unlock its full potential. Focus on using skill points efficiently, unlocking enhancement slots at key thresholds, and utilizing systems like the Daevanion System, Soul Imprinting, and Arcana Cards to boost its power even further. With careful progression, Shield Rush will become a powerful tool in your arsenal for both PvE and PvP combat.
