Open any Lineage 2 server list and the first thing you'll notice is a bunch of numbers with an "x" in front of them: x1, x5, x50, x1000. Those are the rates, and they matter more than almost anything else on the page. Two servers can run the same chronicle, look identical in screenshots, and feel like completely different games — because one is x1 and the other is x1000.
If you don't know what those numbers mean yet, that's exactly what this guide is for. No jargon dumped on you without explanation, no assuming you've played for ten years. By the end you'll be able to look at a server's rates and know, roughly, what your evenings on it are going to look like.
What "rate" actually means
Lineage 2 was originally built to be slow. Really slow. In the official game, getting a character to max level could take months of daily play. That was the point back in the day — the grind was the game.
A rate is just a multiplier on top of that original speed. It says: "everything that used to take X, now happens X times faster." So:
- x1 means "the original, unchanged speed." One times the base. Slow.
- x50 means everything comes fifty times faster than the original.
- x1000 means a thousand times faster — the grind basically disappears.
That's the whole concept. A higher number means faster progress. Where it gets slightly more interesting is that "everything" is actually several separate things, and a server can set a different rate for each one.
The things a rate multiplies
When a server lists its rates, you'll usually see several values, not just one. Here's what each one is, in plain terms:
- XP (experience) — how fast you gain character levels. The big one. This is what people usually mean when they say "a x50 server."
- SP (skill points) — a second kind of points you spend to learn your skills. Often set to the same number as XP.
- Adena — the in-game money that drops from monsters. A higher adena rate means you're richer, faster.
- Drop — how often monsters drop items (gear, materials, crafting parts). Note this is about how often things drop, and sometimes also how many.
- Spoil — a special way certain classes "harvest" extra materials from monsters. If you don't play those classes, you can mostly ignore this line.
- Quest — how much extra reward (XP, adena, items) you get from quests.
Here's the key thing beginners miss: these numbers are often different from each other. A server might run XP at x50 but Drop at x10 and Adena at x20. That's a deliberate choice — the owner wants you to level quickly but still have to work for good gear and money, so the economy stays meaningful. When you read a rate listing, don't just look at the XP number; glance at drop and adena too, because they tell you how the endgame economy will feel.
The rate spectrum — and what each range feels like to play
Numbers are abstract. What you actually care about is: what will my time on this server feel like? So here's the spectrum, translated into real experience.
Low rate (x1 to about x5) — the old-school grind
This is Lineage 2 close to how it originally was. Leveling is slow and deliberate. You'll spend real time in the same hunting grounds, you'll get to know the people grinding next to you, and every piece of gear you earn feels earned. The in-game economy is a real economy — adena is scarce, prices matter, and a good crafter or trader can get genuinely wealthy.
Who it's for: people who love the journey, have patience, and want a world that feels alive and permanent. Who should avoid it: anyone with an hour or two a night who wants to actually reach the fun part this month. On a true low rate, hitting max level is a project measured in weeks or months.
Mid rate (roughly x5 to x50) — the popular middle ground
This is where a huge share of servers — and players — live, and for good reason. Progress is steady and satisfying without turning into a second job. You can log in after work, get a level or two, see real improvement, and still have plenty of game left to enjoy over the coming weeks. Gear still takes some effort, so the world doesn't feel hollow.
Who it's for: most people, honestly. If you're not sure what you want, a mid-rate server is the safe first pick. It respects your time without deleting the sense of progression.
High rate (roughly x50 to x100+) — fast forward to the fun
Here the leveling grind mostly gets out of the way. You can reach a competitive level in days rather than weeks, which means the server is really about the endgame: PvP, sieges, Olympiad, and gearing up. The trade-off is that the slow, cozy "leveling world" feeling is gone — people are here to fight.
Who it's for: players who've done the grind a hundred times and just want to get to the PvP. Also good if your free time is limited but you still want to compete.
Very high rate and "craft-PvP" (x1000 and up) — basically an arena
At the extreme end you get servers where you hit max level almost immediately — sometimes in minutes. Leveling isn't the game at all here. Everything is about gearing your character and fighting. These are often called "craft-PvP" or "PvP servers," and they're built for people who want the endgame now with none of the buildup.
Who it's for: pure PvP players and folks with very little time who want instant action. Just know going in: the classic Lineage 2 experience — the world, the leveling, the slow economy — is intentionally not there. That's a feature, not a bug, but it surprises people who expected the "real" L2.
How to read a server's rate listing
Say you land on a server page and it says:
XP x50 · SP x50 · Adena x30 · Drop x15 · Spoil x15 · Quest x5
Here's how to translate that at a glance:
- XP/SP x50 — mid-to-high leveling. You'll progress quickly but not instantly. Reaching a good level is a matter of days, not weeks.
- Adena x30 / Drop x15 — the economy still has weight. You'll earn money and items faster than the original game, but gearing up is still a real goal, not a formality.
- Quest x5 — quests give a modest boost but aren't the main path; you'll level mostly by hunting.
The pattern to look for: when XP is much higher than drop/adena, the server wants fast leveling but a "working" economy — a common, well-liked setup. When everything is enormous (XP and drop and adena all in the thousands), it's a fast PvP server where gear is easy and fights are the point.
A few numbers that aren't rates (but affect the same thing)
Rates aren't the only knobs. You'll often see a couple of related settings that change how fast you feel like you're progressing:
- Party XP bonus — many servers give extra XP for playing in a group. So a "x50" server can effectively feel much faster in a full party. This is why leveling with friends is almost always the smart move.
- Starting grade / "no-grade" start — some servers hand you basic gear or start you past the earliest levels, so you skip the slowest early hours.
- Safe and max enchant — how far you can safely upgrade weapons and armor before risking them. Not a "rate," but it shapes the endgame gear chase. (There's a separate guide on enchanting if you want the details.)
None of these change the core idea, but they're worth a glance when you compare two servers with the same headline rate.
So which rate is right for you?
Forget "which is best" — there's no best, only what fits you. Answer three honest questions:
- How much time do I actually have? A couple of hours a week points you toward higher rates so you can reach the fun before you lose interest. Loads of free time and patience? A low or mid rate will reward you more.
- Do I want the world, or the fights? If you love exploring, a living economy, and a slow climb, go low/mid. If you're here to PvP and gear up, go high or craft-PvP.
- Solo or with people? Grinding solo on a low rate can get lonely; higher rates and party bonuses make solo play far more bearable.
If you're brand new and genuinely unsure, start on a mid-rate server. It's the setting that suits the most people, and it lets you feel out what you actually enjoy before committing to an extreme.
One honest caveat: rates aren't everything
It's easy to obsess over the numbers, but a great server isn't just a good rate. A well-run x5 server with an active community, fair administration, and regular events will give you a far better time than a x1000 server that's dead by week two. Rates tell you the pace; they don't tell you whether the place is worth your evenings. For that, look at the community, how long the server has been up, whether it's pay-to-win, and how active it is — which is a whole topic of its own.
When you're ready to actually pick, the simplest move is to open the server list and filter by the rate you decided on. You'll get servers that already match the pace you want, and from there you can compare them on the things rates can't measure — the community, the features, and the feel.
