What is Punishment?
Punishment is a Templar charge skill that targets up to four enemies within 5 meters and deals significant damage. It also has a crowd control (CC) component, dealing 20 Stagger Gauge Damage. This makes it a reliable tool for both dealing with groups of enemies and maintaining threat on multiple targets. As you level the skill, you unlock more powerful effects and synergies with your other abilities.
How Do You Level Up Punishment?
There are several ways to level up your Punishment skill in Aion 2. These include earning skill points, using the Daevanion Board, and benefiting from certain gear or soul imprinting effects.
Skill Points (Levels 1–10)
When you first start using Punishment, you can level it up through Skill Points. You gain Skill Points in two ways:
Character Leveling: As you level up your Templar, you will automatically gain Skill Points that you can use to upgrade your abilities.
Wisdom Stones: These are items that can be obtained by exchanging Empyrean Traces at the Monolith. Wisdom Stones provide a more direct way to level up your skills.
With Skill Points, you can level Punishment up to level 10, but no further. This brings us to the next important system for leveling the skill.
Daevanion Board (Levels 11+)
Once you hit level 10 for Punishment, you'll need to invest Daevanion Points to continue progressing the skill. This is where the Daevanion Board comes in. By accessing the Daevanion Board (press the “U” key), you can invest points into blue nodes to bypass the level 10 cap and continue upgrading your abilities, including Punishment.
The Daevanion Board is a significant part of character progression after level 10, so make sure to allocate Daevanion Points efficiently. The skill levels you unlock here will continue to enhance the potency of Punishment, allowing you to use it more effectively in different combat scenarios.
Gear & Soul Imprinting
Another less direct but useful method for upgrading your skills is through gear and soul imprinting. Certain items in Aion 2 can provide bonus levels to your skills through specific attributes or by imprinting your soul into the gear. For example, you may equip an item that grants a bonus to your Punishment skill.
While this method isn't as customizable as Skill Points or Daevanion investments, it can still be useful in giving you that extra edge.
What Are Skill Breakpoints and Specialties?
As you level up Punishment, you'll reach certain milestones that unlock Specialties—additional effects that make the skill more powerful or versatile. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect at each level:
Level 8
At level 8, you unlock the first set of Specialties. The choices at this stage are significant:
Absorb 10% of Damage as HP: This gives you extra sustainability, especially in longer fights where you need to survive incoming damage.
Damage over Time (DoT): Adds a lingering damage effect to your Punishment, which is helpful for keeping up pressure on enemies.
Increase Skill Speed by 30%: This boosts the rate at which you can use Punishment, enhancing your overall damage output and threat generation.
These options provide some solid early-game benefits, but the real power of Punishment comes at higher levels.
Level 12
At level 12, you'll have access to even more powerful Specialties. These enhancements are typically more refined and can further complement your playstyle. If you’re focused on maximizing damage, this is where you'll start to see notable improvements.
Level 16
Level 16 is a critical milestone for Templars. At this stage, Punishment can unlock a game-changing specialty that allows it to ignore Block and Evasion. This is especially useful for Templars who need to maintain threat (aggro) against high-level bosses or enemies with high evasion rates. By bypassing the block and evasion mechanics, you ensure that your damage consistently lands, which is crucial for tanking difficult encounters.
The ability to bypass Block and Evasion is one of the most important reasons why leveling Punishment to this point should be a priority for any Templar focused on endgame content.
How Does Punishment Work in Practice?
In real-world gameplay, Punishment serves two key functions: damage and aggro management.
Damage
At its core, Punishment is a damage skill, designed to deal significant single-target or AoE (Area of Effect) damage. The ability's charge mechanic allows you to stack up to three charges, meaning you can use it multiple times in quick succession once it’s fully charged. The more you level it, the higher the damage per charge, making it a reliable option for dealing with both groups of enemies and bosses.
Additionally, its Damage over Time option can be highly effective when paired with other abilities that apply debuffs or require sustained damage.
Aggro Management
Templars are primarily known for their ability to generate and maintain aggro. Punishment plays a big part in this, especially once you unlock the specialty that bypasses Block and Evasion. High-level bosses often have evasive maneuvers, making it difficult for your typical attacks to land. However, with this specialty, Punishment guarantees that your damage will connect, helping you maintain control over the enemy’s attention.
This ability is key in group content where the Templar is responsible for keeping enemies focused on them, rather than letting other players (especially damage dealers) draw attention.
How Can I Get More Kinah for Skill Improvements?
Upgrading Punishment and other skills can be resource-intensive, especially when you need to gather items like Wisdom Stones or Daevanion Points. If you're looking to speed up your progress, you might consider purchasing Kinah, the in-game currency. You can buy Aion 2 Kinah with credit card easily, which can then be used to purchase materials, gear, or even items that help level up your skills faster.
Leveling up Punishment is a rewarding journey that directly impacts your effectiveness as a Templar in both solo and group play. By understanding how the skill upgrades work, and knowing when to invest in the various systems—Skill Points, Daevanion Points, and gear—you’ll be well on your way to unlocking its full potential.
Whether you’re focused on maximizing damage, improving survivability, or maintaining aggro in tougher content, Punishment is a skill that can make a big difference. Make sure to level it up wisely, and don’t forget to check for gear and soul imprinting options to further boost its power.
