As some of our more observant followers noticed, a top secret, critical meeting just took place between our European and North American offices. This meeting was held in parallel with a press conference with over 60 invited journalists that took place at the same time in NCsoft’s Korean headquarters.

Unfortunately, we don’t have a transcript of the meeting to share. Security precautions for the meeting were aggressive—including the use of lava pits and muscular bulls—which made leaking the information during the meeting an uninviting option. The objective of the meeting was to nail down the patch notes of the upcoming version 1.9 patch for Aion.

We don’t know whether it was because of our tactful dialogue with the parties involved, our supreme abilities of persuasion, or perhaps Kinslon’s affinity for chocolate, but we were able to procure permission to publish some highlights about what was discussed in spite of the meeting’s confidential nature.

• New skills for every class (including new skills specifically for countering stun attacks)

• Dozens of daily quests with different objectives and rewards

• New quests, increased quest rewards, and increased instance drop rates

• Dredgion enhancements

• Max item enchantment increased to +15

• An increase in experience gain (including a new experience bonus system: Energy of Salvation)

• Soul Healing, Soul Binding, and Flight Transportation cost decreases

• A mechanic that allows two two-handed weapons to be combined to create one more powerful two-handed weapon

• Looking for group (LFG) functionality improvements

• Numerous user interface improvements

1. There is now a high chance of obtaining class Stigma crystals from defeating the boss in the Fire Temple, Raged Judge Kromede.

2. Changed the drop rate of class Skill Books in the Aetherogenetics Lab and Alquimia Research Center.
– Slightly increased the drop rate from monsters in the Instanced Dungeons.
– Greatly increased the drop rate from the final bosses in the Instanced Dungeons.

3. Changed the movement speed of certain bosses in Dark Poeta.
– Increased movement speed of Vengeful Spirit of Forest Protector Noah

– Increased movement speed of Vengeful Spirit of Elim Elder.
– Increased movement speed of Spaller Insect Echtra.

4. Lowered the difficulty of Steel Rake Hutkin, the final boss of the Steel Rake.
– Lengthened the summoning cycle of minion monsters.
– Lowered the level and stats of minion monsters.

5. Changed the system message that displays when the food/water supply unit inside Hutkin’s Safe in the Steel Rake fails to activate.
– Displays system message, “It will be difficult to do this alone. I need one more person to help me push it!” when a character tries to activate the food/water supply unit alone.

6. Stats of all monsters stationed in Dark Poeta have been changed.

– By decreasing Elemental Defense, Magical Attacks will deal more damage.

– Physical Defense has been slightly increased.

– HP of all monsters except for some boss monsters has been decreased.

7. Damage from Tahabata Pyrelord, the ultimate boss monster of Dark Poeta, has been decreased.

8. The difficulty in attacking the Steel Rake Ship has been decreased.

– Some monsters’ levels have been decreased.

– Some monsters have been repositioned for an easier battle in a dungeon and the battle behaviors have been changed as well.

– Food and Drink acquired in Hutkin’s Safe area appear only around the door, and two people can acquire it, rather than three.

9. When defeating the boss monster of the Steel Rake Ship, Golden Eye Mantutu, Engineer Lahulahu, or Captain Hutkin, there’s a high probability of acquiring a Stigma Stone.

10. Madame Bovariki, who is at the bar in the middle layer of the Steel Rake Ship, can drop the Loot Depository Key at any time.
– When you defeat Madame Bovariki, you acquire the key to the second floor of the bar.

11. In the second floor of the Sea Song Tavern in the middle layer of the Steel Rake Ship, there is now an additional treasure chest.

12. You can go between the lower and middle layers of the Steel Rake Ship using the elevator.

– Elevator activation equipment is now available to move from the lower layer to the middle layer.

13. The price of the “Captain’s Treasure Chest Key”has been decreased. You can purchase it from the general goods merchant Pegureronerk in the lower layer of the Steel Rake Ship.

14. For safety around the Dredgion exit, quard NPCs have been rearranged.

15. The stats of monsters in the Abyss Fortresses have been adjusted.

The first reward package will contain an Expand Cube Ticket to expand your inventory space, a Pop Legend dance emote to get funky with, four Lodas Amulets to boost your experience gain, and four Revival Stones to bring life and light when things look grim.