An alternative way to boost your chances? With experience you can make advances! -- Bonzz
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Search Bonzz's Site by typing a keyword(s) in the box below.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Alternate Advancement (AA) was introduced with the Shadows of Luclin expansion.
They have also known as 'Ability Points,' which is the term you see in-game when you earn one.
However, Players know them as Alternative Advancement Points aka AA's.
- Alternate Advancement has been generally added to, in one way or another, in every subsequent expansion.
- So much so, that the AA Window once grew into (10) Tabs / Tiers (General, Archetype, Class, Planes of Power Advancement, Planes of Power Ability, Gates of Discord, Omens of War, Depths of Darkhollow, Veteran and The Serpent Spine)!
- In July 2007, a patch merged the (10) tiers into four (4) tiers, which actually made a lot of sense.
- After all, in the original tiers, there were lines of AA that were simply continuations of AA from previous tiers.
- For instance, all of the "Innate" AA were combined into just one category (from the Original General Tier and the Planes of Power Ability Tier)... and so on.
- In doing this, there were many changes made to include AA Names, AA requirements and so forth. There were also AA's added, that were not there before.
- The Secrets of Faydwer expansion further changed AA with a few more modifications (example, Lay On Hands became an AA rather than an innate ability).
- Over time AA's, many times, have since been merged, removed (with AA's refunded), renamed, revised / revamped and so forth... usually via a patch.
- In most cases, the merger of AA's was logical and sensible.
- However, there have been some that were not well received by the player base, particularly when it affected class strategies, game play and abilities.
- Such as when certain AA's were combined, that were on separate timers, and Players had been using them in conjunction with each other (Necromancer pulling ability took a significant hit).
- In other cases, some classes actually benefited from them, such as Paladins, who could not battle rez for 96%, were now able to do so via an AA.
NOTE: The following listings do not include Refresh Timers because this timer can be artificially reduced by higher Levels of the same AA... or other AA's. Nor are Ability Timer Numbers listed. However, you can see both of these number in-game, via your AA Window.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
AA CATEGORY / TYPES CURRENT AA MAXIMUM TOTAL AA DEFINITIONS THINGS TO KNOW
GENERAL AA'S ARCHETYPE AA's CLASS AA's SPECIAL AA's FOCUS AA's MERCENARY AA's
BACK TO MAIN ALTERNATE ADVANCEMENT PAGE
--------------------------------------------------------------------
- AA's usually have a minimum Level Requirement, which can increase Level by Level of said AA.
- Some AA's also have a 'previous ability' requirement, meaning you need to have previously purchased other AA's.
- Each AA Level grants an increased benefit and / or additional benefits over the previous Level of the same AA.
- Some AA's are actually spells or abilities that you all ready had, but have been converted into an AA.
- Some classes may have what is essentially the same AA, but it may have a different name (such as the escape aggro AA's).
- Some Classes have variant AA's of the same name that other classes also have.
- They may vary by Levels of the AA they can have.
- They may vary by the benefit(s) the AA provides.
- Some AA's can actually change name Level to Level.
- The AA names listed on this site are for the highest Level known of the AA.
- Lower Level AA names are noted, however.
- Most AA have an automatic ('innate') effect, meaning you merely have to buy it order to benefit from it.
- Other AA's have to be 'activated' and there are two (2) ways to activate them.
- Activated AA's can be activated in two ways:
- A typed command is /alt act 0000 (where 0000 is the 'Ability Activation ID' number noted in AA Window);
- A Hot Button created from the AA Window. Put the AA Hot Button on one of your on-screen Hot Bars.
-
- Activated AA's have a re-use timer (how long before you can use it again).
- Activated AA's are:
- ...essentially an AA Based Spell;
- ...have a variable duration (due game mechanics factors) that is noted in the AA Window.
- ...have a Re-Use (Refresh) Timer, with the Ability Timer Category (a number) noted in the AA Window.
- ...AA's with the same Ability Timer can not be used at the same time (due the timer).
- ...some AA's need mana and / or endurance to cast, which does not always seem to be cited in the AA Window.
- ...some are expendable and have to be re-purchased once used.
- AA MODIFICATIONS: Many AA's modify the the base amount of whatever they apply to (raw, unenhanced, non-boosted).
- AA ACHIEVEMENTS: You will also get Achievements for 'landmark' levels of AA expenditures (Total AA's Assigned).
- In the early stages you will gain new titles from AA expenditures (up to the point that you spend 24 AA's or so).
- You will get notice of this, in game.
- In the early stages you will gain new titles from AA expenditures (up to the point that you spend 24 AA's or so).
- AA PURCHASE: AA's are acquired in multiple ways.
- Alternate
- AA Points are earned by way of gaining in-game alternative advancement experience (just like Levels).
- Purchasing AA is done by simply highlighting the AA Ability you want, and clicking the "Train" Button (Or the "Buy All" button, to buy as many levels as you have AA to buy).
- Some Alternate Advancement Abilities are granted free, as Achievement Rewards (such as via Progression).
- Some AA's might not appear in your AA Window, until you actually earn them.
- Such AA's are often referred to as 'hidden AA's.'
- Some AA's, while they have to be purchased, are free to buy (no AA Points are required buy them).
- These AA's may not be available until a certain Character Level, however.
- Some AA's are acquired, and progressed, via items 'click' (activated) items.
- These AA's are normally listed as in 'Item AA' in the 'Special' tab of your AA Window.
- Simply click such an item and the AA is added / awarded, or progressed up more Level(s).
- Generally speaking, all Item AA's can be acquired by All Classes... IF they can find an item they can click (some click items may not usable by their class).
- If you select 'Auto Grant' in the AA Window, certain AA's will be awarded to your Character, for free, up to a set Character Level.
- Autogrant will only run automatically if one of the following conditions is met:
- The first time a character logs in after a monthly patch.
- The first time a persona is swapped to after a monthly patch.
- Each time a persona gains a new level.
- Each time a character logs in or swaps persona after enabling the autogrant toggle on the Alternate Advancement window.
- Autogrant will only run automatically if one of the following conditions is met:
- Alternate
- AA EXPERIENCE is earned fully (or partially) in place of normal XP.
- You can not earn AA XP until you attain Level 51.
- However, you can be awarded 'free' AA's -- or purchase certain free AA's -- before Level 51.
- You determine how much of your normal XP (percentage) goes to AA, by the settings (options) you select.
- You can only set it in increments of ten (such as 10%, 20% and on up to 100%), using the in-game slide-bar tool.
- However, there is also a typed command where you can set this XP to any percentage you want!
- The command is /alternateadv on XX (where XX = the percentage). So to set AA XP at 95%, you would type: /alternateadv on 95.
- However, there is also a typed command where you can set this XP to any percentage you want!
- I recommend that you always have at least 3% to 5% going into normal XP, in order to maintain a buffer that will help keep you from losing a level with deaths, or be able to XP to new Levels faster when they are added to the game.
- I strongly suggest that Levels are always better than AA... so don't sacrifice too much (if any) normal XP for AA XP until you max your Levels.
- AA's are a narrow 'one-thing' increase where Levels are an overall multi-faceted increase (Levels are better than AA's, so prioritize Levels over AA's).
- If you reach your maximum unspent AA cap, you can not earn any more AA Experience until you spend some of those Unspent AA's.
- If you are maxed out on AA's, spend AA's on, and use, 'Glyph' AA's.
- Earned experience towards AA's can be boosted with experience modifiers, such as the 'Lesson of the Devoted' AA and similar.
- The maximum AA's you can gain from a single MoB kill, before any bonus modifications are applied, is 5 AA's.
- However, this does not apply to AA's awarded from quests, missions completions and / or Achievements.
- After experience modifiers are applied, you can earn more than 5 AA per kill (see below image). The most I have seen is 15 AA, and that was with a 200% XP Server modifier plus the 50% Lesson of the Devoted modifier.
- You can not earn AA XP until you attain Level 51.
- AA DISCRIPTIONS: The in-game descriptors for many AA's can be confusing, if not deceptive.
- For example... the current Level of the AA might say it increases your stat by 10%. Then, if you look at the "Next Rank" description, it might say that it increases your stat by 12%. Thus, it seems to read that you will be boosted by another 12%!
- HOWEVER -- THIS IS NOT THE CASE!
- This is a RUNNING TOTAL (PERCENTAGE), not a cumulative one.
- The next level simply increases the TOTAL benefit of this AA from 10% to 12%.
- Thus, it is only adding 2% (not 12%), bringing the total benefit to 12% (from the 10% that it was).
- MISC. NOTES: The AA's details in the AA categories include:
- Benefit(s) shown are for the maximum Level of each AA that I can currently see in game.
- The actual benefits and / or inclusions shown may not be max Level Benefits, as a result.
- Unless otherwise noted, the AA's are 'passive' AA's (buy them and they take effect automatically).
- Benefit(s) shown are for the maximum Level of each AA that I can currently see in game.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
- ACTIVATED means the ability has to be activated on purpose, via Hot Key.
- Such AA' will normally have a a button labeled "Hotkey" (to make a Hot Button with) for this purpose.
- Activated abilities do have reuse timers, which can often be reduced via higher levels of the same AA.
- ASSIGNED refers to the total number of AA you have expended to buy the existing AA's listed in your AA Window.
- This does not include Mercenary AA;s.
- This total can go up or down when you use, or buy, Expendable AA's.
- DISABLED / ENABLED is an AA that is either enabled (passively active) or disabled (not active). Basically, it is either turned on (activated) or turned off (de-activated) via a Hot Key made from the AA Window. There is no AA expenditure involved, even thought the AA will go up or down a Level (enabled vs. disabled).
- EXPENDIBLE means an AA that can be activated (see below) and is then 'expended' (the AA resets as unpurchased).
- You can then buy that AA again.
- Expendable AA's are basically 10-Minute Buffs that cost AA's to activate.
- There is a timer between when you can use expendable AA's.
- Expendable AA's do not stack (you can only use one at a time).
- INNATE means the AA it will become part of your stats / abilities, forever.
- MAXIMUM means that the maximum amount you can have of whatever the AA applies to.
- PASSIVE means the AA is automatic... you do not have to activate it by making and using a Hot Button.
- SPENT means the total number AA's you have spent, overall.
- This includes AA's spent on Expendable AA;s.
- It does not include Mercenary AA's.
- UNSPENT AA's are AA's you have earned, but not yet used to buy AA's.
- There is a limit on how many Unspent AA's you can save up, determined by your Level.
- If you are 'capped out' on Unspent AA's, you will not earn any more AA experience until you spend some of those saved AA's.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Banked or Saved AA's are capped (limited). The most unspent AA's that you can save up is twice your Level, rounded up to the nearest fifth Level, if applicable.
Awarded AA's can go above that Cap (such as from Achievement Awards), to a maximum of thrice your Level, rounded up to the nearest fifth Level, if applicable.
Example, if you are Level 123, twice your Level is 246, which will round up to 250 (the nearest fifth Level).
You will be unable to earn any more AA's until your spend then down below the base Saved AA's Cap (twice your Level).
|
PLAYER CLASS |
MAXIMUM UNSPENT AA (Banked / Saved AA'S) |
ASSIGNED AA MAXIMUM (Includes Purchased Expendable AA's) |
| BARD | 260 | 68,100 |
| BEASTLORD | 260 | 92,897 |
| BERSERKER | 260 | 80,952 |
| CLERIC | 260 |
80,403 (non-Gnome) 80,846 (Gnome) |
| DRUID | 260 | 98,417 |
| ENCHANTER | 260 |
75,060 (non-Gnome) 75,503 (Gnome) |
| MAGICIAN | 260 |
86,345 (non-Gnome) 86,788 (Gnome) |
| MERCENARY |
65 |
2,382 |
| MONK | 260 | 78,197 |
| NECROMANCER | 260 |
87,844 (non-Gnome) 88,287 (Gnome) |
| PALADIN | 260 |
90,360 (non-Gnome) 90,803 (Gnome) |
| RANGER | 260 | 87,845 |
| ROGUE | 260 |
75,535 (non-Gnome) 75,978 (Gnome) |
| SHADOWKNIGHT | 260 |
99.846 (non-Gnome) 100,289 (Gnome) |
| SHAMAN | 260 | 103,277 |
| TOTAL SPENT | N / A | UNLIMITED |
| WARRIOR | 260 |
62,914 (non-Gnome) 63,357 (Gnome) |
| WIZARD | 260 |
xxx (non-Gnome) xxx (Gnome) 443 |
--------------------------------------------------------------------
- ACTIVATED: These AA's have to be purposely Activated by way of a typed command or a Hot Button created from the AA Window.
- ARCHETYPE: This AA Category is AA's unique to certain Archetypes (Caster, Hybrid, Fighter, Priest).
- 'Archetype' categories apply to a group of multiple classes.
- The AA's your Character see's here will be determined by your Characters Archetype and Class.
- CLASS: This AA Category are AA's that are specific to your Character's Class (i.e. Paladin, Shaman, Warrior, etc.).
- EXPENDABLE: These are AA's that you purchase and later Activate when you choose to do so.
- The AA is then 'expended' (reset) and you can buy it again and then use it again after the timer expires.
- FOCUS: This AA Category could easily be moved into the Class Category, for the most part, as all of these AA's are generally specific to your Class.
- They are basically enhancements to certain Spells, Disciplines and even other AA's.
- FREE: These are AA's that do not cost any AA to purchase. Such AA's are wither free outright, or are awarded (for free) upon meeting the conditions to acquire them (such as from Achievements, Quests, Click items, etc.).
- GENERAL: This AA category are AA's common to all classes.
- The exception is the Tinkering, Alchemy and Poison Making AA's, which will only apply to Gnomes, Shamans or Rogues, respectively.
- HIDDEN: These are AA's that not listed (not seen... thus, 'hidden') until you actually earn them, acquire the first Level and / or take a step towards completing them. As a result, without research or accidental discovery, many Players may not even know these AA's exist.
- MERCENARY: This category is specific to Mercenaries and is the same for all Players.
- These AA's can enhance a specific Merc Type (Healer, Melee DPS, Caster DPS or Tank), or apply to all Merc types.
- PASSIVE: These AA's are automatic.
- Buy them and the benefit immediately and automatically is in place, forever.
- SPECIAL: These are 'special' AA's that, honestly, could fit in the General category, for the most part.
- It includes Progressive AA's that are awarded from acquiring items with certain click effects and then using them (i.e. Form of Defense);
- Expendable Glyph AA's;
- Universal AA's that were once known as 'Veteran AA's' (i.e. Throne of Heroes, Lesson of the Devoted...);
- Universal AA's awarded / earned from Achievements and / or Quests (i.e. Banestrike, Essence of the Dragon, Aureate's Bane, Journeyman's Speed...) and similar.
If you note any errors, misspellings, item name errors, misinformation or anything that needs addressing on this page -- PLEASE let me know via an in-game EQ Message (Bonzz on the Bertoxxulous server), or post on Bonzz's Discord Server!
This Page Last Updated November 16, 2025
This fan site is created and provided free (uncompensated, no ads, no sponsors, no registration / log-in), by Bonzz of Bertoxxulous. Images / graphics / sounds on this web site are in-game (EverQuest) captures, originate from Sony / Darkpaw / Daybreak Games (EverQuest) and / or with permission from others (if any). Some graphics may be modified (re-sized, cropped, etc.) from their original form. Any pages that play sounds / music, are intentionally set at low volume. Most of them are under two (2) minutes or less, and should play once and then stop. If any sound / music continues to loop (play over and over), let me know! EverQuest is copyright / trademark / owned / operated by Darkpaw Games, which is owned / operated by Daybreak Games, which is owned / operated by Enad Global 7.