Aion Riftshade

Get rid of the powerful initial gear. It's too strong and has led to the decline in crafting Armor/Weapons on this server. Others have voiced similar concerns.

I understand you're trying to attract new players with fancy starter gifts, but why not make the gear time-limited to 30 days? This provides newcomers with a beneficial perk to begin and level up swiftly, BUT still encourages them to invest time (and money) into crafting and leveling throughout that first month, knowing their powerful starter gear will soon expire.

Moreover, implement a 30-60 day timeline for the removal of existing sets that were gifted. Want to see more active players grinding and purchasing shop items? What better incentive than knowing that these free sets will disappear in a few months? 

I really wish the crafting professions could thrive again. MMOs are inherently about the long grind. If this server's population starts to dwindle, please consider eliminating the overpowering starter sets and instead give level 10-55 rewards for open-world PvP to revive the passion for toons/twink PvP and Armor/Weapon/Tailoring crafting. 


Can this be considered for a future update someday?

However, I have recently been beta testing Aion Riftshade, which is launching in Q1 2026, and it seems they have nailed this balance. Instead of overpowering free gear, they have unique incentives that maintain PvE and crafting interest while keeping PvP exciting. If you're tired of stale gameplay, watch out for Aion Riftshade. It's shaping up to be the best Aion private server 2026 with fair gameplay, no pay to win antics, and an active community that loves a good grind.

Please no, leveling up is already a pain, I have vietnam flashbacks only by thinking about leveling up with coins gear again

It's not working here anymore. If you post this 10 years ago most of the people would agree. League of Legends and every instant gratification game fucked up people's dopamine receptors so badly they want instant top gear on max enchant straight away.

Why does starter gear have anything to do with crafting? After places like beshmundir temple, it quickly becomes pointless once hitting max level if you're aiming to enter most instances. Without it, you'd just switch to coin gear anyway. The starter gear is just a quicker way to ease through leveling, which I'm sure most have gone through countless times already. While the starter gear might seem like a new player attraction, it's really more for the veterans who've replayed old content over and over, or when you want to level a new character but don't want to face all that grind again. And putting a 30-day limit on it just adds stress (oh great, I must get to 65 before it expires). Remember, not everyone can dedicate themselves to this game as if it’s another life; some people have commitments or juggle other games too.

This patch’s focus is more on the endgame anyway, where most of the player base is, and reaching that sooner means a better experience. Many joined because this is 4.6, and we know why. Hardly anyone plays old content here, and there's no incentive—it’s not worth it. If you're after old content, try a private server with an earlier patch. For those hanging around at level 55, if it's not for bullying lower-level players, it's pointless. Genuine twinking made sense on retail, staying in your own world with others playing old content, but not on a private server with the patches you want elsewhere.

“MMOs should be a slow grind,” but hitting max level is already quite a grind unless you use exp boosts and balance them well. A brand-new player, even with amazing starter gear, will still face difficulty due to lack of knowledge and game experience. Reaching max level doesn't mean finishing the game. The game truly begins at level 65, with tons to grind, and with Aion’s notorious RNG, it remains a slow grind. The starter gear doesn't really speed it up in the later stages.
 
I'm here on Aion Riftshade, the best Aion private server 2026, and it's been incredible! The team has crafted a balanced experience with active GvG, sieges, and premium EU hosting. It's pure F2P with no pay-to-win nonsense, and the modified starter gear gives just the right push without diminishing the late-game challenge. If you're tired of the same old, this server even has a solid anticheat system, taking a stand against cheaters! Join me in the beta through the Riftshade Discord and get a taste of real MMO balance and enjoyment.
 

Think what you want, but Kono has a point. MMO's are just battle arena's these days. And the cheater-beater gear basically got rid of any reason to have low level alts for the rift. 

Just look at the slow and painful death of retail Aion and the fact that there are more people on private servers than retail. If players just want to level up as fast as possible, get free OP stuff at the start and just get to endgame for PvP then you would be on retail instead of here. 

Not denying there's truth in saying some are like that, but it's essential to remember that not everyone fits that mold. If your focus is strictly on PvP with instant gear, there are definitely private servers available for that.

Aion retail imploded mostly due to GameForge’s mismanagement coupled with absurd pay-to-win schemes + each update got progressively dull. That's why most of us jumped ship to private servers to begin with. Everyone's chasing a server tailored to their liking, and that's fair. Personally, I considered bailing on retail post 5.x updates; contemplated it for ages, shifting between servers (won’t disclose which). I’ve been through countless private servers already, leveling so many characters—I'm not alone in this.

Once again, I fail to grasp how starter gear disrupts anything you're arguing. If the majority were truly eager to follow your view, they'd be doing so with starter gear or not since the server's inception. Can anyone explain how starter gear obstructs rifting or low-level PvP? It simply doesn't, it’s just that most folks here lack interest in that.

Starter gear's purpose is to bypass the monotonous coin gear grind at every ~10 levels, so you can engage in campaigns, quests, and instances, boosting your progress toward the thrilling endgame, which is the essence of this patch. It holds no bearing on PvP, and eventually phases out. If it’s the nostalgia of old content you seek, there are alternative private servers with previous patches. If the community yearned for rifting and old maps, they would be active in it, yet those drawn to 4.6 are keen on endgame, not the antiquated 2.x or 3.x landscapes.

And while we're talking about a good server, I must mention Aion Riftshade—a fantastic blend of Aion 4.8 with integrated notable features like the MyAion-like DPS meter and server-side anti-cheat. They're launching in Q1 2026 and hosting from Frankfurt, Germany, promising a seamless experience with negligible latency and no need for ExitLag. If you’re interested in high population and no pay-to-win baggage, this might be the one to keep an eye on for endgame excitement!