Content:
Key Takeaways
- What they are: Empyrean Traces (players also say Feathers) are items from fixed map spots. You resonate them at a Monolith to raise its level, and each level pays out items, titles and stats.
- The big number: a Verteron or Altgard Monolith at level 30 needs 560 traces in total, and the early levels are far cheaper per reward than the late ones.
- Where to start: the Empyrean Monolith quest is a level 16 step, and the same quest also opens the Eltnen/Morheim Monolith and Ereshkigal’s Monolith.
- Side tracks: Eltnen and Morheim top out at level 8 for 45 traces; Ereshkigal tops out at level 20 for 300 traces, and, going by Fextralife’s 1 trace per spot, the Lower Reshanta spots alone cover level 16.
- Still unconfirmed on Global: how many traces each spot gives, how far Sync reaches, and whether Middle Reshanta is open. This page says so wherever it matters.
What Empyrean Traces Are and How to Unlock Them
Empyrean Traces and Feathers are the same item under two names. You pick one up at a fixed spot marked on your map, carry it to a Monolith and resonate it there. Every time the Monolith gains a Resonance Level, you receive that level’s reward. Traces come from the map spots; we found no other source of them.
The entry point is the Empyrean Monolith quest. Several guides agree it is a level 16 step, while Fextralife says the Hero quest is already available from level 10. Treat 16 as the comfortable point and 10 as the earliest. Fextralife says Jackson at Dawn Legion Base (Elyos) and Ruins Administrator Ollen at the Altgard Monolith in Safe Haven (Asmodians) hand the quest out, and that finishing it gives your first trace and your first Revelation Amulet Enhance Scroll. If you are still short of that level, our Aion 2 leveling guide covers the road there, and the powerleveling options exist for players who would rather skip part of it.
Where you resonate depends on your faction and region. Each home region has two stones that count as one Monolith, so resonating at either one raises the same level.
| Monolith | Used by | Stone locations |
|---|---|---|
| Verteron | Elyos | Dawn Legion Base and Zumion Village |
| Altgard | Asmodians | Safe Haven and Nornir Assembly |
| Eltnen | Elyos | Lacephin Village |
| Morheim | Asmodians | Kromede’s Island (MetaBot client data; Fextralife only says Morheim) |
| Ereshkigal | Both factions | Latesran Western Root (Elyos) and Latesran Eastern Root (Asmodians), in Lower Reshanta |
Traces are tied to the region where you pick them up. Verteron, Altgard, Eltnen and Morheim traces only work at their own region’s Monolith, while Reshanta traces go to Ereshkigal’s Monolith and both factions collect them. You never need the other faction’s traces. The items are Bound and stack to 10,000, so nobody can hand you traces: the walk is the only route.
Tip: before you resonate a big batch, free some bag space. Fextralife says a full bag produces an “Insufficient Cube space” message, because the item rewards land in your inventory.
How Many Traces You Need
The home Monoliths in Verteron and Altgard have 30 levels, and level 30 needs 560 traces in total. The curve is gentle at first: 1 trace gets you level 2, 20 traces in total reach level 5, and 70 reach level 10. After that the totals climb to 140 at level 15, 235 at level 20, 375 at level 25 and 560 at level 30.
| Monolith | Levels | Traces for the top level | Spots in the region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verteron / Altgard | 30 | 560 | 560 in each home region |
| Eltnen / Morheim | 8 | 45 | 140 in each region |
| Ereshkigal | 20 | 300 | 200 in Lower Reshanta |
Do not read the 560 spots as 560 pickups worth one trace each. Fextralife lists 3 traces for each Verteron or Altgard spot, 1,680 per region, and going by Fextralife’s 3 traces per spot you would need at least 187 spots for level 30 (560 divided by 3 is 186.7, rounded up). The same premise gives 24 spots for level 10 (70 divided by 3) and 79 for level 20 (235 divided by 3). Its own numbers hang together: 1,680 minus 560 leaves 1,120, the same figure as its Power Shard conversion limit further down. Only Fextralife gives the per-spot value, so read all of this as that site’s claim, not a confirmed fact.
Some guides quote a much smaller spot count with 4 points per feather. That looks like a Korean-client figure: aion2hub’s translation of a Korean note dated 3 Dec 2025 says per-pickup collection in Verteron and Altgard went from 1 to 4 on that client, not on Global. We found nothing from NC confirming it for Global, so rely on your own Monolith counter rather than any pickup count you read.
The two smaller Monoliths use one trace per spot according to Fextralife. Eltnen and Morheim reach level 8 at 45 traces, with cumulative totals of 5 at level 2, 15 at level 4, 25 at level 6, 35 at level 7 and 45 at level 8. Ereshkigal’s cumulative totals run 1 at level 2, 85 at level 10, 200 at level 16 and 300 at level 20. MetaBot adds the three up: a full set of Monoliths for one faction takes 905 traces (560 + 45 + 300).
What Each Level Pays Out
The reward pattern is regular, which makes it easy to pick a stopping point. A Revelation Amulet Enhance Scroll arrives at every level from 2 to 30, with a second one at level 30. Key: Hidden Cube comes at levels 2 to 9, Soul Codex: Reset at levels 11 to 19, Amplify Stone Fragment (Unique) at levels 21 to 29, and a title at levels 10, 20 and 30.
Adding those up for the home Monolith gives 30 scrolls (28 levels with one, plus 2 at level 30), 12 keys (4 levels with 1, then 4 levels with 2), 18 Soul Codex: Reset (3 x 1 + 3 x 2 + 3 x 3), 18 fragments (the same split) and 3 titles. This table is our own arithmetic on the per-level data, showing what you hold if you stop at each round level.
| Stop at level | Traces in total | Scrolls | Other items | Titles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 70 | 9 | 12 keys | 1 |
| 15 | 140 | 14 | 12 keys, 7 Soul Codex | 1 |
| 20 | 235 | 19 | 12 keys, 18 Soul Codex | 2 |
| 25 | 375 | 24 | 12 keys, 18 Soul Codex, 7 fragments | 2 |
| 30 | 560 | 30 | 12 keys, 18 Soul Codex, 18 fragments | 3 |
Dividing traces by scrolls shows how the price per scroll changes. Again this is our own calculation from the same tables.
| Stretch | Traces spent | Scrolls gained | Traces per scroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Levels 2 to 10 | 70 | 9 | about 7.8 |
| Levels 11 to 20 | 165 | 10 | 16.5 |
| Levels 21 to 30 | 325 | 11 | about 29.5 |
The last ten levels cost several times as many traces per scroll as the first nine. That is not a reason to stop early, because the Saint title and the full stat totals only arrive at level 30, but it tells you which half of the road is worth walking first. At level 30 the home Monolith gives +6 each to Life, Destiny, Time, Space, Justice, Destruction, Freedom and Death, and +5 each to Illusion and Wisdom.
The titles differ by faction. Elyos get Verteron Inquirer, Guardian of Verteron and Saint of Verteron, while Asmodians get Altgard Inquirer, Guardian of Altgard and Saint of Altgard. Fextralife lists the Saint title effects as Defense Bonus 300, Damage Tolerance 3.0% and Block 100 when equipped. Fextralife also lists Field achievements for Monolith levels and for spots collected, paying Kinah and Resurrection Spiritstones.
Where to Collect Traces
Every spot takes a 2.5 second cast, according to Fextralife, can be used once and does not respawn. That changes how you plan: there is no loop to repeat, only a finite map to clear. Spots sit on the ground, in the air and under water, and Fextralife says Verteron has 389 ground, 121 air and 50 underwater spots, while Altgard has 442, 101 and 17.
For a first pass, go where the spots are dense.
- Verteron: Altamia Canyon has 42 spots, Eternal Isle 40 and Kraka Footpath 37.
- Altgard: Fextralife says Impetusium Square is the densest area with 57 spots.
- Eltnen and Morheim: 140 spots each, one trace apiece by Fextralife’s count, so a full clear is a short job.
- Lower Reshanta: 200 spots that both factions can use, gated by the Abyss.
Two in-game tools save you from re-walking. The Monolith window has a Collection Status list with your progress by area and overall, according to Fextralife. On the map, collected spots show a green check, and the map filter lets you hide trace icons by unticking Empyrean Trace under Content. The filter also has a Collection Complete entry.
Reshanta is a different kind of trip. The Abyss, covering Lower and Middle Reshanta, opens at level 45. NC capped accumulated Abyss entry time at 7 hours in the 14 Oct patch, and MetaBot says the time is 7 hours per layer per week after the Wednesday reset. Abyss time belongs to the character and moves with a transferred character, per NC. Plan one trace trip around that budget, and read our Abyss PvP guide for how the zone plays. If you also need Abyss Points on the side, the Abyss Points farm is one way to cover that. The daily and weekly checklist shows where the weekly reset fits.
What to Do at Your Stage
Players ask the same question at different points: what should I do now, and what can I skip? Match your situation to a row.
| Situation | Do this first | Skip for now |
|---|---|---|
| Not yet at the quest level | Pick up spots you pass naturally and keep bag space free. Sources split on hoarding: GameRant says wait, Selphie says collect anyway. | Long detours for air or underwater spots |
| Quest done, Monolith still low | Resonate early and often. Levels 2 to 10 cost about 7.8 traces per scroll, the cheapest stretch. | Walking to distant zones before the nearby ones are clear |
| Behind on traces around level 20 | Open Collection Status and go to the dense areas with gaps, such as Altamia Canyon (Verteron) or Impetusium Square (Altgard). | Re-walking areas that already show a green check |
| Finishing level 30 | Clear the last spots and keep bag room for the 2 scrolls at level 30. Afterwards leftover traces can be morphed into Power Shards. | Side tracks until the home Monolith is done, unless you want a short win |
| Level 45 and Abyss ready | Do the Lower Reshanta spots for Ereshkigal; the Ereshkigal section below shows how far they go. | Counting on the last four levels, which depend on Middle Reshanta |
| Alt on the same server | Use Sync Progress at the Monolith (Gamerblurb says it lifts the alt to your best progress on that server). | Walking the whole route again |
| Short on time | Eltnen or Morheim: 8 levels, 45 traces, one trace per spot per Fextralife. | Chasing every title at once |
If walking 560 traces’ worth of spots is not how you want to spend your evenings, the Empyrean Traces farm is available in the shop. Leveling is the other lever, and the beginner guide covers the early game.
Eltnen, Morheim and Ereshkigal
Eltnen (Elyos) and Morheim (Asmodians) are the short track. Levels 2 to 8 pay 5 scrolls, 15 keys and 6 Soul Codex: Reset in total, with +5 each to Life, Destiny, Time, Space, Justice and Destruction. They also raise Stamina, but the two sources we compared give different amounts per level, so we print no figure.
Ereshkigal’s Monolith is the PvP track. It gives PvP stats, Daevanion Crystal: Azphel and Amplify Stone Fragments (Unique). Two titles come with it: the Guardian title first, the Saint title at the end. Fextralife quotes the crystal text: each Azphel crystal gives 1 Azphel Daevanion Point. The table below is our own sum of the per-level data, with the working shown after it.
| Stop at level | Traces in total | Azphel crystals | Amplify fragments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 200 | 36 | 26 |
| 20 | 300 | 52 | 36 |
Level 16 adds up as Azphel 4 x 1 + 4 x 2 + 4 x 3 + 3 x 4 = 36 and fragments 4 x 1 + 4 x 2 + 4 x 2 + 3 + 3 = 26, plus the Guardian title. Level 20 totals PvP Defense +225, Accuracy +35, Evasion +30, Block +30 and Attack +20.
Here is the catch worth planning around. Going by Fextralife’s 1 trace for each Reshanta spot, the 200 Lower Reshanta spots give exactly the 200 traces for level 16. Fextralife also lists 100 more spots in Middle Reshanta, which would cover the final four levels. Client data lists Middle Reshanta stones too, but we found no NC or Steam notice saying those spots are live, so we cannot tell you they are open.
Note: the Elyos stone sits at Latesran Western Root and the Asmodian one at Latesran Eastern Root. Both feed the same Ereshkigal level, and the Middle Reshanta stones listed in client data share that level with the Lower one.
Revelation Amulet and Leftover Traces
The Monolith is the supply line for Revelation Amulet Enhance Scrolls, one per level. Each plus level on the amulet costs one scroll plus Enhance Stones and Kinah, and at +10 the amulet moves to the next quality through Substance Morph (Rare, then Epic, then Unique). Unequip the amulet before the morph and equip it again afterwards. Selphie says it is not added to new equipment presets automatically, so check after a preset change.
Space4Games says the 30 Monolith scrolls are exactly what three rounds of +10 need. Its German-client test, dated 3 Oct, spent 4,080 Enhance Stones, one scroll and 102,000 Kinah on an Epic amulet going from +2 to +3, with 100% success in its attempts. Treat that as one data point, not a price list. The same site says Noble Belt scrolls come from Strongholds instead, at 2 scrolls and 15,000 Kinah per Stronghold in its test, so the belt does not draw on your traces. For gear and collection items beyond the amulet, see the Aion 2 collections in the shop.
After level 30 on a home Monolith, leftover traces can be turned into Power Shards through Substance Morph. Fextralife says 1 trace becomes 10 Power Shards at 100% success, up to 1,120 times per character, and that Eltnen, Morheim and Reshanta traces have no such morph. It quotes the Power Shard text as: when activated, attacks deal 5% additional damage. The Korean client had a different recipe, turning 1 trace into 50 Enhance Stones according to aion2hub, and GameRant says that morph is not available on Global.
Alts, Sync and Server Transfers
NC’s server transfer Q&A of 9 Oct says the Monolith and collected Empyrean Traces transfer as they are, and that Sync Empyrean Traces keeps working after a transfer. The 28 Oct patch notes ended the transfer period and removed the Server Transfer tab from the shop, so this question only matters if you already moved.
For alts, Gamerblurb says feather progress is shared between characters on the same server: at the Monolith, an alt uses Sync Progress to reach the highest progress any character on that server has. Per Gamerblurb, a character on another server should not expect it. NC has not stated the scope, so check your alt’s Monolith before you plan a long walk. The practical advice does not change: do the full route once, then sync.
Where Sources Disagree
Fextralife and GameRant belong to the same publisher, so we count them as one voice. NC’s official patch notes and what you see in-game carry the most weight. Where the sources below disagree, we show both sides and print no verdict.
| Question | One source says | Another says | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traces per spot | Fextralife lists 3 per Verteron or Altgard spot. | aion2hub’s translation of a Korean note says per-pickup collection went from 1 to 4 on the Korean client. | Check the in-game Monolith counter after a few spots. |
| Sync scope | Gamerblurb says same server only. | NC confirms Sync exists and survives a transfer, with no scope stated. | Test on one alt first. |
| Eltnen/Morheim Stamina | Fextralife lists one amount per level. | MetaBot lists a much smaller amount per level. | Ignore Stamina when planning. |
| Collect before the quest | GameRant says traces take bag slots, so wait. | Selphie says start collecting anyway. | Your bag space decides. |
| Middle Reshanta | Fextralife lists 100 spots there; Fextralife and MetaBot list its stones. | No NC or Steam notice says they are live. | Plan around what your own client lets you reach. |
| Level gate on Monolith levels | Space4Games saw “17 / 20” at character level 33 and says levels unlock gradually. | Fextralife and MetaBot list 30 levels and mention no gate. | Do not rely on a gate; keep leveling if your cap looks low. |
What Changed Since Launch
Nothing in the 7, 14, 21 and 28 Oct patch notes changed a Monolith level, threshold or reward; we searched the full text of each. These are the dated items that touch the system.
| Date | What happened | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Nov | NC announced maintenance for 3 Nov 22:30 PST / 4 Nov 07:30 CET, lasting 3 hours, with details “at a later time”. No Monolith or trace change had been announced by 22:46 UTC. | If the 4 Nov notes mention the Monolith, they override this page. |
| 28 Oct | Patch: Hidden Cubes spawn more frequently. The transfer period ended. | More uses for the keys the Monolith pays. |
| 21 Oct | Patch: traces blocked by Halloween decorations at Dawn Legion Base and Zumion Village moved to reachable spots. | Verteron players could finish those spots. |
| 14 Oct | Patch: accumulated Abyss entry time capped at 7 hours. | Limits one Reshanta trip. |
| 9 Oct | NC Q&A: Monolith, traces and Sync survive a server transfer. | Moving server does not reset progress. |
| 5 Oct | Global launch; Advanced Access servers were live from 30 Sep. | The data above comes from this build. |
Mistakes That Waste Traces
- Reading 560 as a pickup count: it is the trace total. Going by Fextralife’s 3 per spot you would need at least 187 spots, not 560, and nobody has confirmed pickup values on Global.
- Carrying traces to the wrong Monolith: region traces only work at their own region’s stone, and Reshanta traces belong to Ereshkigal.
- Resonating with a full bag: the reward needs inventory room, so free some space first.
- Following Korean or Taiwan advice: the Enhance Stone morph is not on Global according to GameRant, and skill-point claims have no neutral source we could open.
- Forgetting to re-equip the amulet: after Substance Morph, and after a preset change, check that it is on.
- Skipping Eltnen or Morheim: 45 traces is a small cost for a second set of scrolls and keys.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Feathers and Empyrean Traces the same thing?
Yes. Feathers is the nickname, and Empyrean Trace is the item name.
How many traces do I need to finish the Monolith?
A Verteron or Altgard Monolith needs 560 traces in total for level 30. Eltnen and Morheim need 45 for level 8, and Ereshkigal needs 300 for level 20.
At what level can I start the Empyrean Monolith quest?
Fextralife says the Hero quest is available from level 10. Several guides treat it as a level 16 step, so 16 is the safe answer.
Do I need to collect traces again on an alt?
Gamerblurb says an alt on the same server can use Sync Progress to reach your highest progress there. NC has not stated the scope, so test it before relying on it.
What can I do with traces after level 30?
Fextralife says leftover Verteron or Altgard traces can be morphed into Power Shards, 1 trace for 10 shards, up to 1,120 times per character.
Can I finish Ereshkigal’s Monolith right now?
Going by Fextralife’s 1 trace per spot, the Lower Reshanta spots alone cover level 16. The last four levels depend on Middle Reshanta, which we cannot confirm is open as of 3 Nov.
Can I trade traces?
No, they are Bound and cannot pass between players.