Ruby is a gem resource in AION 2 that you pull from glowing nodes scattered across the open world. It feeds gear crafting, and every pull also pushes your Essence Extraction skill forward, so it pays off even when you are not short on gems. You can also buy it from other players or pick it up as a bonus from Duty quests.
Quick answer: Harvest Ruby from the glowing nodes along rocky cliffs in Verteron and Altgard using Essence Extraction. Buy the specific rarity you need from the Market, or claim it from Duty quests.
Gather Ruby from cliffside nodes
Gathering it yourself is the most reliable supply. Ruby nodes sit along rocky cliffsides and look like large orange crystals jutting straight out of the ground, visible from both the ground and while flying overhead. You need to be at least character level 10 to extract from any node, and no special tool is required.
You know it worked when the extraction completes and a Ruby Gemstone drops into your inventory alongside Essence Extraction EXP. If an extraction fails, that node disappears and you move on to another one. Depleted nodes respawn in the same spot after a while, so an empty area is often just a timing issue.
Head for quieter corners of the map. Because nodes are shared and capped at three pulls, crowded zones drain fast and leave you with far fewer gathers.
Where Ruby nodes spawn
Ruby is gathered with Essence Extraction at the Novice grade, and there are 591 known nodes spread across four regions. The bulk of them sit in Verteron, with Altgard close behind.
| Region | Nodes | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Verteron | 196 | Most Ruby of any region |
| Altgard | 190 | Available at launch |
| Eltnen | 116 | Not open on Global at launch |
| Morheim | 89 | Not open on Global at launch |
A node lists every item it can produce rather than guaranteeing a specific drop, so the same crystal can hand you any of the four Ruby grades. Some nodes can also yield a Poko’s Skin Bundle (Bound) as a special result.
Ruby rarity tiers
Ruby comes in four grades, and each one maps to a gear rarity. Match the tier to whatever you are trying to craft before you start hoarding, since higher-rarity gear demands higher-rarity Ruby.
| Gemstone | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Ruby Gemstone | Common |
| Fine Ruby Gemstone | Rare |
| Pure Ruby Gemstone | Epic |
| Radiant Ruby Gemstone | Unique |
Buy Ruby from the Market
When you are short and do not want to grind nodes, other players list Ruby on the Market. This is the fastest way to grab a precise rarity, which matters because the four tiers are separate listings. Double-check you are buying the grade your recipe calls for, since a stack of Common gems will not help with Unique gear.
Prices swing between listings, so scan a few before committing to avoid overpaying for the same item.
Collect Ruby from Duty quests
Some Duty quests hand over Ruby when you finish them, stacked on top of their normal rewards. It is not a steady supply and you cannot count on it for a specific tier, but you are clearing these missions daily anyway, so it is worth scanning the reward lists for Ruby before you turn them in.
What Ruby is used for
Crafting gear
Ruby is a crafting material for gear. The grade you need climbs with the gear you are making, so a Radiant Ruby Gemstone goes into high-rarity pieces while Common Ruby Gemstones cover the low end. Stock the tier that lines up with your target before you start a recipe.
Essence Extraction EXP
Every Ruby you extract grants Essence Extraction EXP. Leveling that skill pays out points and Specialty Skill Points, which means time spent farming Ruby still advances your character even if you have no immediate use for the gems. That is why gathering beats buying as your default source.
Rolling higher-quality Ruby
Higher grades depend first on your skill tree, not luck. On the Essence Extraction skill page, progress along the gem profession line until the Gem Appraiser node unlocks. Once activated, it gives Ruby pulls a chance to yield a higher grade. Without this node, every node you harvest will still give you Common, regardless of how many you hit.
Those quality rolls only start paying off once your gathering level passes 50. Below that mark the appraiser perk has nothing to upgrade, so if you are leveling gathering anyway, time your serious Ruby runs for after the breakpoint to make each pull count toward the rarer grades.
