AION 2 Gladiator PvE Build: Stigmas, Rotation & Arcana
AION 2 Gladiator PvE build for Global: boss stigmas, skill levels and specialties, the boss opener, macro rotation, Arcana cards, passives and stat priority.
Simple, sturdy melee damage that holds boss aggro through damage alone.
- Role
- Melee DPS, off-tank
- Weapon
- Greatsword
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Patch
- Global Season 1
What is the best Gladiator PvE build?
Max Lunge Stance first, then fill the other three slots with Focused Block, Rage Burst and Zikel’s Blessing. Spend skill levels on Overhead Slam and Rending Blow until both hit 20, and bring Ruinous Blow to 16. This is the setup most Global Gladiators run for dungeons, Nightmare and raids. For PvP and leveling see the Gladiator build overview.
Boss / dungeon
- 1 Lunge Stance Lv 20
- 2 Focused Block Lv 5
- 3 Rage Burst Lv 5
- 4 Zikel's Blessing Lv 10
About 100 stigma shards to reach these levels from scratch.
Leveling / AoE farming
- 1 Wrath Wave
- 2 Rage Burst
- 3 Zikel's Blessing
- 4 Blade Toss
Why these four stigmas?
- Lunge Stance (20) is the Gladiator’s core damage buff and the only stigma worth maxing early. Put every spare shard here first.
- Focused Block (5) blocks a big hit. Use it on the boss’s first attack, and it also feeds Experienced Counterstrike.
- Rage Burst (5) is a strong hit you keep at the bottom of the main macro line, so it fires every time it comes off cooldown.
- Zikel’s Blessing (10) is a self-buff you cast with Lunge Stance at the start of every burst window.
| Stigma | Target level | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lifestealing Blade | 20 | For organized parties |
| Blade Toss | — | Replaces Zikel's Blessing when you semi-tank in a group |
At 100 shards for the full set, plan your farming with the stigma calculator.
Which skills should a Gladiator level for PvE?
| Skill | Target level | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Overhead Slam | 20 | Level 16 specialty removes the cooldown |
| Rending Blow | 20 | Restores MP on critical hits |
| Ruinous Blow | 16 | Opens your damage window |
Support skills
| Skill | Target level | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Leaping Slam | 12 | Main gap-closer and opener |
| Mocking Blade | 12 | Knockdown with a heal |
| Rush Strike | 12 | |
| Keen Strike | 12 | MP filler while leveling; drop it once Overhead Slam and Rending Blow reach 16 |
| Defiance | 16 | If you have spare points |
Which passives matter most?
- Attack Preparation
- Experienced Counterstrike
- Murderous Burst
- Impact Hit
- Gladiators hold boss aggro through damage, not a taunt. Keep your damage steady when you tank.
- Experienced Counterstrike gives you and your party a PvE damage boost on every successful block.
Destructive Impulse is a late pick that helps during stagger windows.
What is the Gladiator boss rotation?
Gladiator macro setup
Stack each line on one hotbar slot. Top to bottom as listed; the bottom slot has the highest priority.
Main line RMB
- 1 Rending Blow
- 2 Overhead Slam
- 3 Rage Burst
Ruinous line E
- 1 Lifestealing Blade
- 2 Ruinous Blow
Buff line R
- 1 Zikel's Blessing
- 2 Lunge Stance
In-game macro (10 ms between steps)
- Main line
- Ruinous line
- Buff line
Own keys: Focused Block · Leaping Slam · Mocking Blade · Defiance
Opener: Lunge Stance → Zikel's Blessing → Leaping Slam → Ruinous Blow → Hold the macro
- Hold the macro key for the whole fight and hold basic attack (LMB) with it.
- Use Focused Block on the boss’s first attack.
- Knockdown punish: Mocking Blade, then Overhead Slam, then Aerial Snare.
- Opener: Lunge Stance and Zikel’s Blessing, then Leaping Slam into the boss.
- Ruinous Blow next. It gives a PvE damage boost, so everything after it hits harder.
- Hold the macro with basic attack. The main line keeps Rage Burst, Overhead Slam and Rending Blow cycling.
- Focused Block the boss’s first big attack.
- On a knockdown: Mocking Blade, then Overhead Slam, then Aerial Snare.
Over a one-minute fight, most of your damage comes from Overhead Slam, then Rending Blow, then Ruinous Blow.
What Arcana should a Gladiator use?
| Card | Roll for |
|---|---|
| Parchment of Vigor | Overhead Slam, Ruinous Blow |
| Compass of Vigor | Rending Blow (Freedom version for Accuracy) |
| Chalice of Vigor | Whichever key skill is still short of 20 |
| Passive cards | Attack Preparation, then Experienced Counterstrike, Murderous Burst, Impact Hit |
Sets: 4-piece Primal Vigor. Switch to 2-piece Magic Armor if you keep running out of MP.
Read the Arcana guide for how cards, sets and Transcendence work.
What is the Gladiator PvE stat priority?
- Accuracy (fix this first if you miss)
- Critical Hit
- Combat Speed
- Weapon Damage Boost
- Critical Damage Boost
- Attack
Upgrade your weapon before anything else; it adds the most damage. Then work through the level-cap dungeon set. The enchanting guide explains how far to push each piece.
Gladiator Daevanion path for PvE
- Blue skill nodes for Overhead Slam, Rending Blow and Ruinous Blow first.
- Then the orange nodes on each board.
- Stats last. Finish Nezekan, Zikel, Vaizel and Triniel before Azphel in PvE.
- PvP: blue nodes for Overhead Slam, Mocking Blade, Defiance and Aerial Snare.
FAQ
What is the best Gladiator rotation for bosses?
Should Gladiator use Lifestealing Blade in PvE?
Is Keen Strike worth leveling for Gladiator?
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