What is the difference between Exploration and Conquest in Aion 2?

In the Expedition menu, Conquest is the tiered track (Tier 1 to Tier 6) with harder modes and revive limits; the standard mode is the entry difficulty. Both pay out Odyle Energy Cubes and share the weekly entry count with Transcendence.

How many players is an Aion 2 expedition?

The client sets expeditions at up to five players. Transcendence is a 5-player mode; Sanctuary raids are 10 players.

When does Transcendence unlock?

At level 45, per the client's content-unlock table.

Aion 2 Expeditions, Conquest and Transcendence

Expeditions are Aion 2's party dungeons — Krao Cave, Draupnir, Urugugu Canyon, Vakron Sky Island, Fire Temple and more — run in groups of up to five. Conquest is the tiered harder track (Tiers 1–5 unlock at level 45, Tier 6 at 50). Transcendence is a seasonal 5-player mode with stages. Rewards come as Odyle Energy Cubes; infusing Odyle Energy when you open one (up to twice) claims additional rewards, and the weekly entry count is shared by Conquest and Transcendence.

Transcendence, in the game's words

Transcendence is a seasonal content.
It is a 5-player mode with stages in each dungeon.
Each dungeon and stage has seasonal traits.
Dungeon setups change every season.

Transcendence rewards, per the game

Each Transcendence stage is scored.
Your results depend on how quickly you defeat the boss and complete the mission without dying.
Clearing each stage of Transcendence grants [Arcana].
The Arcana grade depends on the Transcendence stage.
Rank Points earned throughout the season determine your final seasonal rewards.

Ordeal, in the game's words

A 5-player Party Dungeon that is available on a weekly basis.
Check the list of Ordeal from [Main Menu] - [Expedition].

Ordeal rewards, per the game

You can adjust the difficulty using four different settings.
Each setting can be configured from Level 1 to Level 4. Rewards vary based on the selected difficulty.

Odyle Energy, per the in-game guides

A system used when receiving Odyle Energy Cube Rewards from Expedition (Exploration/Conquest), Transcendence, and Sanctuary content. When opening a Cube, Odyle Energy can be infused up to 2 times. You must own enough Odyle Energy before you can claim the additional rewards.
With membership, the game's membership guide says Odyle Energy recharges by 15 points every 3 hours and the maximum is raised to 840.

Unlock levels

Expedition	From the start
Daily Dungeon	Level 30
Unknown Fissure	Level 30
Ascension Trial	Level 45
Conquest Tier 1	Level 45
Conquest Tier 2	Level 45
Conquest Tier 3	Level 45
Conquest Tier 4	Level 45
Conquest Tier 5	Level 45
Sanctuary	Level 45
Transcendence	Level 45
Conquest Tier 6	Level 50

Weekly entry limit

The client's ticket text: clearing and exiting a dungeon without claiming its Odyle Energy Cube still lowers the count; the count resets weekly; you cannot enter Conquest or Transcendence dungeons when it reaches 0; and the limit applies per server.

Frequently asked

What is the difference between Exploration and Conquest in Aion 2?: In the Expedition menu, Conquest is the tiered track (Tier 1 to Tier 6) with harder modes and revive limits; the standard mode is the entry difficulty. Both pay out Odyle Energy Cubes and share the weekly entry count with Transcendence.
How many players is an Aion 2 expedition?: The client sets expeditions at up to five players. Transcendence is a 5-player mode; Sanctuary raids are 10 players.
When does Transcendence unlock?: At level 45, per the client's content-unlock table.

From the AION 2 global client: the in-game Contents Navigator and guide text are quoted as the game shows them, and every number is a value from the client's data tables. Nothing here is taken from another fan site.