Aion is a
game that not only allows for multi-dimensional combat, but encourages it to the
point where players may never again want to return to strictly land bound
gaming.  Having never...

Aion is a
game that not only allows for multi-dimensional combat, but encourages it to the
point where players may never again want to return to strictly land bound
gaming.  Having never played a game quite like Aion, I was very anxious to make
my way to ascension and earn my wings so I could get my taste of freedom and
find out what all the hype concerning Aion flight has been all about.  I have
found that flight is not at all overstated and while the best way to get to know
flying is to learn the system hands-on, we want to give you a running head start
with some quick facts that will make mastering flight a lot quicker and easier!

How is
flight in Aion possible?

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Enjoy views unlike anything you have seen before!

Aion’s
lore tells us that prior to the world shattering, flight was common in Atreia
and Elyos and Asmodians alike enjoyed this powerful gift as thoughtlessly as we
enjoy drawing breath.  After the world split, flight had been somewhat forgotten
for a time until the discovery of the shards of Aion that were found scattered
across the lands.  Elyos and Asmodians reclaimed their gift of flight through
ascension and Daevas once again soared through the skies of Atreia.

It is
amongst these shattered pieces of Aion that we find our ability to fly, and
while flight isn’t possible in all parts of the world, it is in many major areas
throughout the world and within the Abyss.

When
will I get to start flying?

There is
no flight through your first 9 levels.  The ability is granted once you have
completed your ascension quests and you join the ranks of the Daevas.   Your
first real introduction to flight will be the cities after you have left the
newbie area.  It is here that you will learn about maneuvering, fighting, and
gathering while in the air.  It can get a little tricky though, so I strongly
suggest flying around as much as possible at first to get the hang of it. 

Where can I fly?

Pieces of
Aion need to be present in order for players to have the ability to fly.  The
Abyss highlights aerial combat so you may plan on using flight as part of your
strategy here.  Around the rest of the world, the best way to tell if flight is
possible is to glance at your UI.  There is a button on the lower right hand
corner that shows a wing graphic when you’re in an area where you can fly and
turns black when you cannot fly.  This flight indictor will be your best friend
whenever you fly.

How do I fly?

You can
take off by hitting your “Page Up” key and land by hitting the “Page Down” key
on your keyboard.  I personally did not like the location of those keys but
luckily the game also provides a hotkey icon that you can find in your skills
window under the actions tab.  Drag and drop the icon from this tab to your
hotbar where you can use it to take off or to land.  If you prefer mouse control
over keyboard, you can also click the flight button on the lower right hand
corner of your UI.

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Learn to use your UI flight tools.

Flight
movement is controlled by your mouse and arrow keys.  Use your forward key
(either the up arrow if you use the arrow keys, the W key if you use WASD for
movement, or the Num Lock for auto-forward) to propel yourself through the air. 
To maneuver, hold down your right mouse button and mouse look in the direction
you wish to travel!  Pushing the mouse away from you makes you fly up and
pulling it down towards you brings you back down to the ground.  You can fly in
either first person or third person camera view and Aion’s key mapping allows
for customization of the keys you use in game so if the default doesn’t work for
you, you have plenty of options to work with.

Are there limits to flight?

Other than
the previously mentioned limits to where you can fly, there is another
significant limitation that you will always need to keep in mind.

Flight has
a time limit.  I learned this lesson the hard way in the middle of playing with
my flight controls and ended up respawning in my bind location before I even
realized what had hit me!

Aion has
falling damage and if you are hovering miles above the ground when time runs
out, you will die when you hit the ground.   That nifty little flight indicator
button that we have already talked about also has a timer around it.  This ring
around the button has 16 bubbles that tick down while you fly and turns red and
angrily flashes when it gets down to 4 bubbles to indicate time is almost up. 
That is generally enough time to find a place to land assuming you haven’t
gotten yourself somewhere rather dangerous.  You can land in out of the way
places like ledges, cliffs, on top of buildings and other structures so even if
you aren’t near the ground,  finding some place (any place!) to stand while you
wait for your flight bubbles to tick back up again is totally okay!

Is there any way to augment flight?

Because
flight is a key feature in Aion, there are ways to boost your flight
capabilities.  Skills and consumables have the ability to raise both your flight
time and your flight speed.  If you are questing, early on you will likely
receive flight time extension potions that will come in handy as you are
learning this new aspect of gameplay.

Will there be class skills that are dependent upon flight?

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Fall from this distance and you will die!

Most
skills follow the same rules as ground combat, but there are class skills that
are focused on aerial combat.  So far the only skills that I have come across
are passive flight skills, but it is clear that some class skills will be more
effective while in flight than others.

Is
there anything else I need to know about flight in Aion?

Flight is
a fun factor in PvE gameplay and it will quickly become a favorite form of
travel the very first time you find that you don’t have to walk around anything
and instead can fly right over.  Many of the PvE zones don’t allow for flight,
so it generally ends up being more of a convenience skill than anything but it
does make scouting for mobs and adventuring a lot nicer!

In PvP
flight becomes a strategy, a hindrance or a blessing, and a whole new level of
combat that most players have never experienced before.  The Abyss is a
dangerous place and each player will need to utilize flight in order to stay
competitive on the battlefield.  Learn your controls early and play with them
often to master this element of gameplay that could very well be the edge in
winning!


To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our Aion Game Page.

Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

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