Nightmare Altar Guide Ascension Trial
Nightmare Altar is an Ascension Trial in AION 2 where you face Divided Aponos. Start with the quick guide below (requirements, boss order and mechanics), then the map, every difficulty, the clear rewards and the loot table.
An altar where sleepless souls give nightmares as offerings. Defeat the twisted army of nightmares and the evil spell-cursed horde, and rule over this forbidden realm.
- Type
- Ascension Trial
- Min. item level
- 1,000
- Weekly counter
- 3 per week
- Difficulties
- 6
- Bosses
- 1
Nightmare Altar quick guide
The short version: what you need to enter, the bosses with their enrage timers and named skills, and the drops worth the run, all read from the game client. Boss levels are for Conquest.
Before you go
- Item level Exploration 1,000 · Conquest 1,500 · Transcendence 2,000 · Challenge 2,500 · Insane 3,000 · Hell 3,500
- Reward limit 3 per week, refills on Wednesday
- Difficulties Exploration, Conquest, Transcendence, Challenge, Insane, and Hell
Nightmare Altar boss guide: mechanics
Divided Aponos
Lv. 50 · Hero- Smite Ground1s cast · Stun (2.5s)
- Energy Cannon2s cast · Knockdown (3s)
- Energy Explosion1.2s cast
Its skills stun or knock you down, so keep a crowd-control break or a cleanse ready.
Route to this boss ↓
Skill names, cast times and status effects come from the game client's own skill data.
Run Nightmare Altar with the map open beside you
Party dungeons, raids and instances with entry rules, bosses, rewards and an interactive dungeon map.
- Interactive dungeon maps with boss pins
- Bosses, difficulties and weekly reset day
- Rewards and loot for every mode
Nightmare Altar Map: Bosses, Rooms & Route
Interactive Nightmare Altar map for AION 2 showing 1 boss and named-monster locations, 18 monster packs, portals, doors and the reward cube on the in-game dungeon map. Switch between all 6 difficulties – the spawns change with each one.
Nightmare Altar map (Conquest): numbered markers show the boss order and the dashed line traces the suggested route. Positions come from the game client.
What changes by difficulty
| Difficulty | Bosses | Monster packs | Monsters | Objects |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exploration | 1 | 18 | 93 | 10 |
| Conquest | 1 | 18 | 96 | 10 |
| Transcendence | 1 | 21 | 99 | 10 |
| Challenge | 1 | 19 | 99 | 10 |
| Insane | 1 | 19 | 99 | 10 |
| Hell | 1 | 19 | 99 | 10 |
Nightmare Altar Walkthrough: Bosses, Monster Packs & Route
Step-by-step Nightmare Altar walkthrough on Conquest: the route to the boss, 18 monster packs (96 monsters) and every chest, shrine, door and portal along the way. The boss marker matches the map above. Other difficulties change the spawns – switch the difficulty on the map above to compare.
Entrance
Start at the entrance in Nightmare Altar (Hell).
Stage 1: Nightmare Altar (Hell) – Divided AponosFinal boss
Fight through 18 monster packs – 96 monsters in total – on the way to Divided Aponos. Monsters here are Lv. 45–50. Expect mostly Void Helicoid, Distorted Dark Mage, and Distorted Elite Assault Trooper. Watch for the stronger foes mixed in: Ancient Document Protection Device (Elite). Along the way: Attack increase ×5 and Altar Door ×4. Teleport portals here: Ascension Room Entrance.
Monsters on the way
Attack increase ×5 (Rolls one of: Attack Speed increase, Max HP increase, Critical Hit increase, Reduces Skill cooldown, and Defense increase)
Ascension Room Entrance- Altar Door ×4
Divided Aponos is the final boss of Nightmare Altar; defeat it to complete the run.
Nightmare Altar entry requirements & limits
Nightmare Altar needs item level 1,000 or higher to enter. The table lists level, party size and run limits for each mode.
| Mode | Level | Min. item level | Party size | Limit | Resets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exploration | 45+ | 1,000 | Solo | 3 per week | Wednesday |
| Conquest | 45+ | 1,500 | Solo | 3 per week | Wednesday |
| Transcendence | 45+ | 2,000 | Solo | 3 per week | Wednesday |
| Challenge | 45+ | 2,500 | Solo | 3 per week | Wednesday |
| Insane | — | 3,000 | Solo | 3 per week | Wednesday |
| Hell | — | 3,500 | Solo | 3 per week | Wednesday |
Counters used: Ascension Trial Entry Count (3 per week)
Reset days follow the server's weekly schedule; the client does not state the time of day in a way we can verify, so only the weekday is shown.
Item level by mode
Difficulties
Each difficulty of Nightmare Altar with its recommended level, party size, death limit and boss count.
| Difficulty | Death limit | Bosses |
|---|---|---|
| Exploration | 5 | 1 |
| Conquest | 3 | 1 |
| Transcendence | 2 | 1 |
| Challenge | 2 | 1 |
| Insane | 2 | 1 |
| Hell | 2 | 1 |
Bosses and monsters
Bosses: 1. Other monster types inside: 38. Open any of them for its level and drops.
| Name | Level |
|---|---|
 Divided Aponos | 70 |
Monsters:
Altar Guardian
Altar Watcher
Altar Elite Assault Trooper
Altar Daeva Patrol
Altar Dark Mage
Altar Elite Shieldbearer
Void Helicoid
Ancient Document Protection Device
Distorted Guardian
Distorted WatcherDistorted Elite Assault TrooperDistorted Daeva PatrolDistorted Dark MageDistorted Elite ShieldbearerNightmare GuardianNightmare Daeva PatrolNightmare WatcherNightmare Elite ShieldbearerNightmare Elite Assault TrooperNightmare Dark MageFurious Daeva PatrolFurious Elite ShieldbearerFurious Elite Assault TrooperFurious Dark MageClear rewards
What the game hands out for clearing Nightmare Altar, per difficulty.
What Nightmare Altar rewards turn into
Substance Morph recipes that spend items Nightmare Altar gives out (1). Counts and Kinah costs are read from the game client.
| Result | Materials | Success |
|---|---|---|
 Amplify Stone (Unique) | 100% |
Every recipe, with its limits and requirements, is on our conversion page: all Substance Morph recipes
Score rewards
Nightmare Altar pays out by score: reach a threshold to earn that tier's rewards. The highest tier is listed first.
Loot table
The 4 items the game lists as loot for Nightmare Altar, strongest grade first. Each item page shows its full stats and other sources.
 Amplify Stone Fragment (Unique) (Bound) | Unique | Game loot list |
|---|---|---|
 Enhance Stone | Common | Game loot list |
 Growth Pet Chest (Bound) | Common | Game loot list |
 Ascension Binding Chest (Bound) | Common | Game loot list |
Nightmare Altar achievements
1 achievements involve Nightmare Altar or its bosses. Tiers and rewards come from the game client.
| Achievement | Tiers | Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Tribulation of Aponos[Ascension Trial] Clear Nightmare Altar 3 times | 3 / 7 / 10 | 2,940× Oath Coin15× Silentium (Bound) |
More Ascension Trial
| Name |
|---|
| Chamber of the Dead |
| Chamber of the Dead (Doom) |
| Depository of Fates |
| Forgotten Repository |
| Forgotten Repository (Doom) |
| Sanctum of Loathing |
| Tyrant's Hideout |
Data read from the AION 2 global client (build 0.0.4387.0). Updated for the Nov 4, 2026 patch. How we read the game files
Nightmare Altar is an Ascension Trial in AION 2 with 6 difficulty settings. The story text above is the game's own. The bosses, the 38 monster types inside and the 4 items on its loot table all come from the global client, so names and numbers match what North American and European players see. Entry needs item level 1,000. Its weekly counter allows 3 per week. 1 achievements are tied to it.
Help us maintain accuracy! If you notice incorrect stats, missing data, or any issues, your feedback directly improves the quality of our data for the entire community.
Nightmare Altar FAQ
How do you beat Divided Aponos in Nightmare Altar?
Divided Aponos is the final boss of Nightmare Altar (level 50). Its named skills are Energy Explosion, Meteor Blast, and Storm Fist; the quick guide on this page lists their cast times, warnings and status effects.
What do Nightmare Altar rewards turn into with Substance Morph?
Substance Morph turns them into: Amplify Stone (Unique) for 4× Amplify Stone Fragment (Unique) (Bound) and 2,500× Enhance Stone.
Who is the boss of Nightmare Altar?
The bosses of Nightmare Altar are Divided Aponos. Each boss page shows its level and any boss challenge tiers.
What does Nightmare Altar drop?
The game lists 4 loot items for Nightmare Altar, including Amplify Stone Fragment (Unique) (Bound), Enhance Stone, Growth Pet Chest (Bound), and Ascension Binding Chest (Bound). The loot table on this page links every item.
What difficulties does Nightmare Altar have?
Nightmare Altar has 6 difficulties: Exploration, Conquest, Transcendence, Challenge, Insane, and Hell.
Where is the final boss in Nightmare Altar?
Divided Aponos is the final boss of Nightmare Altar. It waits in Nightmare Altar (Hell) – encounter 1 of 1 on the map's suggested route.
What monsters are in Nightmare Altar?
Nightmare Altar has 18 monster packs with 96 monsters on Conquest. The most common are Void Helicoid, Distorted Dark Mage, Distorted Elite Assault Trooper, and Ancient Document Protection Device; the walkthrough above lists them stage by stage.
Are there portals or shortcuts in Nightmare Altar?
Yes. Nightmare Altar has teleport portals that move the party ahead: Ascension Room Entrance. Each one is marked on the map.
What item level do you need for Nightmare Altar?
The minimum item level for Nightmare Altar depends on the mode: Exploration 1,000, Conquest 1,500, Transcendence 2,000, Challenge 2,500, Insane 3,000, and Hell 3,500.
What weekly limits apply to Nightmare Altar?
Nightmare Altar uses the "Ascension Trial Entry Count" counter: 3 per week. The counter refills every Wednesday.
Are there achievements for Nightmare Altar?
Yes. 1 achievements involve Nightmare Altar, including Tribulation of Aponos.