Always Leveling · Chapter I

Field Guide

The whole manual, open to read before you start — every stat, curve, drop rate and rule the game runs on. Nothing here is hidden from new players.

The Shop

Premium Packs and AL$

AL$, the Cashback Currency1 / 4

Every real-money purchase returns 20% of its value as AL$, credited straight to your account. 1 AL$ is worth 1 US dollar, and it shows in the HUD beside your Gold and Achievement Tokens.

  • AL$ buys a whole pack at 1:1 (a $20 pack costs 20 AL$). No part payments.
  • An AL$ purchase delivers exactly the same goods as paying cash for the same pack.
  • AL$ can be deposited at the Central Bank, where it earns the highest interest rate of the three currencies.

The referral ladder and event bonus chests also pay AL$, so it accumulates without spending.

A pack that PAYS AL$ cannot be bought WITH AL$, and a couple of others are real-money only. Aura Farmer is the reverse: AL$ only. The card says which.

Earning It Without Spending2 / 4

AL$ is the only premium currency, and it is not paid-only. Several sources pay it for free, and they stack.

Where it comes fromWhat it paysHow often
The Exchange desk at the Central BankUp to 5 AL$ bought with gold and 5 with Achievement Tokens, less the 10% Conversion Fee (Auctio-sneer holders: 10 per leg at a 1% fee)Every day, resetting at 00:00 server time
The Auction HouseWhatever another player pays for your enchanted Exotics and Lv. 20 gear — listings can be priced in AL$, up to 999 eachWhenever something of yours sells
The Dark Carnival’s Event ShopAL$ traded for Event Points, up to a per-player limitWhenever an event is running
The carnival’s bonus chestA free lump of AL$, claimed onceOnce per account, and it never expires
The referral ladder25 AL$ to the referrer and 50 to the friend at levels 500 and 900, plus 20% of anything either of you spendsAs your friend levels
Shop › Gold › EventAL$ bought outright with gold, at three worsening rates behind three separate capsAny time, up to 100 AL$ in all

Banked AL$ earns 0.1% a day at the Central Bank (the highest rate), compounding, so keep what you are saving in the vault.

The daily exchange never stops, so make it a habit: small per day, but it pays whether or not an event is running. Everything else comes in lumps.

What the Packs Contain3 / 4

The Premium tab is grouped by purpose. Every card lists its exact contents and current price. The groups:

GroupWhat it holds
SpecialThe flagship packs and the lifetime perks — Monthly, Lifetime, Investment Package, Avid Investor, Aura Farmer, Auctio-sneer and Shadow Army
ResourceGold and Achievement Tokens delivered straight to your purse — the largest chests arrive with trained crew as well
CrewExtra Workers and Mercenaries, trained crew, and the Dungeon Dweller
InventoryBag slots in every direction, past the gold limits
VanityGlowing titles and the damage-number skins
EventLimited-time offers, and one-off specials tied to whatever is running

Pack grants are ON TOP of the gold limits. Gold caps on crew and slots apply only to gold purchases.

The Packs Worth Understanding4 / 4

A few packs are not just “a pile of things”:

  • THE MONTHLY PACK runs 30 days; its crew stand down when it ends. Buying again adds 30 more days. Your first purchase also pays a large one-off token bundle and a title.
  • THE LIFETIME PACK is bought once and every line of it is permanent, its own title included.
  • AVID INVESTOR doubles the Central Bank’s daily interest on all three currencies for life (the board shows the doubled rate) and grants the Avid Investor title, +5,000 Intuition.
  • THE DUNGEON DWELLER quick-clears your deepest conquered stage three times a day, at 00:00, 08:00 and 16:00 server time, without spending any of your daily attempts.
  • AUCTIO-SNEER ($100, real money only): Auction House and Exchange fees drop from 10% to 1% for life, the daily AL$ exchange allowance doubles to 10 per leg (20 a day), the listing cap rises from 5 to 20, and the Auctio-sneer title grants +5,000 Haste.

Gear Upgrade Protection Tokens stop DESTRUCTION on an upgrade attempt. A failed attempt can still downgrade the piece. Worth having before the Gold and Diamond bands.