Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure
Lost Ark
Arthetine Nightrider Showcase
Heroes of Arkesia,
The Western exclusive Arthetine Nightrider cosmetic collection is now available in-game! From concepting and brainstorming to bringing the cosmetics to life in Arkesia, our teams at Amazon Games and Smilegate RPG had a lot of fun collaborating on this special project. Our goal was to unite distinctly Western shapes (high crown, wide brim hats, cowboy boots, spurs) with the iconic Cyberpunk theme. Using the internal project name "Cyberpunk Cowboy", we asked what it would look like if technology had continued to advance in the wild Scraplands of Arthetine without law or subjugation.
In that lawless world, we envisioned the rise of a local warrior culture where stylish cowboys rode down unwitting cargo trains and travelers alike on the backs of their cybernetic Machinalis mounts. These raiders and saboteurs stylized themselves as the Arthetine Nightriders— and the bright flashes of their neon gear and baying of their steel hounds became the notorious symbols of impending doom.
Find the journey from concept to final cosmetic of each class, mount, and pet all showcased, along with quotes from the Smilegate RPG art team who brought this band of outlaws to life.
Assassin
“The concept in mind was a futuristic outlaw lurking in a dark alley. I am very happy to show the results, and hope the players enjoy the skins!”
Concept:
Final Cosmetic:
Gunner
Gunner (M)
“We used an exaggerated silhouette and tough coat design to emphasize the SF-style cowboy look.” Concept:
Gunner (F)
“The collaboration of Cowboy and Cyberpunk was an appealing topic to me, and I was very glad to have the opportunity to work on them. The concept of the design was to give the feeling of wildness and freedom with the effects, along with futuristic points to make them more interesting.”
Concept:
Final Cosmetic:
Martial Artist
Martial Artist (M)
“The motif for the skin was a highwayman, with points added on both arms and legs to highlight the Striker’s use of taijutsu. It was a very fun job, imagining how the skin would be shown in-game!”
Concept:
Martial Artist (F)
“The mix of Cowboy and Cyberpunk was a very interesting project to work on. I can’t wait to see the players’ versions and combination of variations!”
Concept:
Final Cosmetic:
Mage
“Instead of the frilly look the typical mage outfits tend to have, it was a very exciting experience to work on a pvc-based outdoorsy outfit.”
Concept:
Final Cosmetic:
Specialist
“The most adorable class in Lost Ark! ღ'ᴗ'ღ I tried my best to incorporate the liveliness of the class into the Cowboy image.”
Concept:
Final Cosmetic:
Warrior
Warrior (M)
“I tried to draw out the sturdiness and the wildness of the class with the Cyberpunk Cowboy concept.”
Concept:
Warrior (F)
The Slayer will have the same skin as the Assassin, and the same weapon skin as the Berserker. Concept:
Final Cosmetic:
Hound Pet
“When the concept for the pets was locked in as the mechanical hound, our first thought was either a classic wolf or Doberman form. The Doberman was more adequate to represent the agility and speed that this pet will bring to the world of Lost Ark – a new position, or paradigm. I’m looking forward to hearing about the adventures of the Heroes of Arkesia with the mechanical Doberman at the side.”
Concept:
Final Cosmetic:
Machinalis Mount
“The focus of the design was built to pair well with the character skin concepts. The outstanding features are the metallic/cybernetic themes applied to the iconic western horse-like exterior.”
Concept:
Final Cosmetic:
The Arthetine Nightrider collection is now available in-game. Stop by the in-game store [F4] to find the cosmetics, special packages and more to gear up with this special collection. We’re excited for players to create their own stories of notoriety as they adventure through Arkesia representing the Arthetine Nightriders.
May 2023 Twitch Drop
Heroes of Arkesia,
A tiered Twitch Drop with valuable items and a cute pet accompanies the May “Slay Your Way to Elgacia” Update, available for members of the Lost Ark Creator Program to enable on their channel. The first tier contains the Collective Battle Items Chest at two hours of watch time. The second tier contains 20x Pheons and 1,000x Amethyst Shards at four hours of watch time, and the third tier contains the Brave Vivi Pet! Make sure to head over to Twitch and watch your favorite Lost Ark content creators to earn the drops before they end on June 6.
Viewers will need to accumulate 2 hours of watch time in participating Lost Ark streams to claim the first tier, and the second and third tiers can be claimed after accumulating an additional 4 hours of watch time each (for a total of 10 hours for all three tiers in participating Lost Ark Streams). Full instructions on account linking and claiming can be found on our Twitch Drops page.
We’ll see you in Arkesia and on Twitch, watching members of the Lost Ark Creator Program.
May 2023 Release Notes
Heroes of Arkesia,
The May “Slay Your Way to Elgacia” Update arrives in Arkesia tomorrow. Downtime will begin on May 10 at 12AM PDT (8AM UTC) and is expected to last 4 hours. Slay your way to Elgacia with the Slayer Advanced Class and new story quests. The Slayer isn’t the only content arriving in Arkesia— with new progression events, the Ebony Cube, Event Guardians, Legion Raid balance changes, Quality of Life (QoL) updates, and new cosmetics, this update should make everyone’s life better in Arkesia. Find the full list of content, events, skins, and other updates below!
Spotlight
Slayer Advanced Class
The Slayer is the fifth Warrior Advanced Class— a female remix of the Berserker class. A melee warrior who stirs up the battlefield with her greatsword and Burst Mode, this powerful class has the potential to overwhelm anything in her path.
Successful attacks with the Slayer fill the Fury Specialty Meter, which, when full, can trigger Burst Mode. During Burst Mode, the Slayer's damage and movement speed greatly increase, and a Specialty skill called Bloodlust (unique to the Slayer) can be used to unleash powerful slashes and stabs. In Burst Mode, Atk. Speed, Move Speed, and Crit Rate are greatly increased. (Atk. Speed +20%, Move Speed +20%, Crit Rate +30%). Bloodlust allows you to quickly slash at foes in front of you to inflict Damage, then perform a powerful stab, knocking them away for more Damage. This skill is only available while in Burst Mode, and can be used with [Z] key.
Ebony Cube
What is hidden beyond the seal the cube? Why did they make this cube? The Cube is a secretive ruin made by the Haals, an ancient race that were endowed with powers by the gods. After the disappearance of the Haals, the Cube was filled with demons and monsters. The cube's seal lifted, and its true name has been released - Ebony Cube. Adventures are gathering to break the Forbiddance of the cube— will you join them?
Clear waves of enemies in a new activity that consolidates Boss Rush and Cube. With all the original rewards of both activities rolled into one, completing should feel more impactful while also cutting down on the grind. Four clear ranks exist: Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. Silver, Gems, Leap Stones, XP Cards, Combat Engraving, Honing Support Materials can all be earned, and both Lucky & Mega Lucky stages can be encountered randomly with bonus rewards. The Ebony Cube will arrive with three levels:
1st Forbiddance - Item Level 1302+
2nd Forbiddance - Item Level 1490+
3rd Forbiddance - Item Level 1540+
Event Guardians
Event Guardians return to Arkesia! Enjoy a fun twist on Guardian Raids, where you’ll hunt down Guardians (alone or with a group) in an arena with the Scale of Balance applied. To enter, you will need to be Combat Level 50 or above and Item Level 250 or above. Your goal is to attack the Event Guardian to cause it to drop buffs, which stack up to three times. The buffs will increase your damage output by a colossal amount. After defeating all the Guardians, tokens will drop in a rewards chest, which can be claimed once per day per character. Tokens from Event Guardians can be spent at an event vendor, who has a variety of valuable rewards that can be earned each week.
Progression Events
A backend change arrives which allows for multiple progression events to run simultaneously. Thanks to this update, an event Punika Powerpass and Hyper Express Plus (II), will accompany the launch of the Slayer on May 10 and run until August 9. While there won’t be a new Story Express, the existing event can be used with the Slayer if you haven’t designated a character already, and is active until June 14. The other events that launched with the Artist in March will continue until their planned end date of June 14.
Punika Powerpass
With this version of the Punika Powerpass you'll receive Item Level 1340 gear, and unlike previous Punika Powerpass events, Berver's Friend does not need to be completed to receive this pass. To prevent bots from reaching endgame areas, only players with Trusted status or with a Lost Ark account created before December 14, 2022 will be granted a Powerpass. While many players have met the requirements or have been granted legacy Trusted status, new adventurers arriving in Arkesia can earn their trusted status in multiple ways, and can choose the path that’s right for them. The first option is for new players to enable the Steam Guard mobile authenticator, have a Steam profile that’s no longer a ‘Limited User’ account, and be Steam Trusted on the platform. This path won’t require making any Lost Ark purchases. Alternatively, new players can also receive trusted status by making any purchase in Lost Ark through either Steam or Amazon.
Hyper Express Event II
Pairing well with the Punika Powerpass, players will be able to designate one character between item Level 1340 and 1460 on their roster to participate in the Hyper Express Plus II Event, where they’ll earn honing materials to quickly level up to Item Level 1460 and beyond. The designated character will earn rewards every 15 Item Levels up to 1460 (while having a static +20% honing chance success rate), including Silver, honing materials, Gems, Engravings, and more!
Engraving Support System
As a new feature available with the Hyper Express Plus, the Engraving Support system lets players choose 4 engravings to be in effect at level 3 during the event. Here’s how to get started:
After selecting a Hyper Express Plus character, the Engraving Support button will light up.
Click the Engraving Support button to open the Engraving Support page and select your 4 desired Engravings.
Press the Activate Engraving Support button to start using their effects.
The effects of Engraving Support will also be shown in your Character Profile.
Competitive Proving Grounds Season 3
The amount of “Courage Coins” earned last season has been reset to 0.
You can once again earn PvP tier points.
Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Master players will receive special rewards at the end of the Season.
Honor rewards purchased in Season 3 will be available until the next season starts.
With the start of Season 3, the Proving Grounds Store has been renewed. The higher the rank you achieve, the more items you can exchange.
Master Rank requirement was previously rank 200 - 31, and has been updated to rank 100 - 11.
Grand Master Rank requirement was previously rank 30 - 1, and has been updated to rank 10 - 1
Progression Updates
Knowledge Transfer Revamp
Removed the transfer requirement based on the number of characters who completed a continent.
Transfer amount limit removed.
Knowledge Transfer duration decreased to 10 seconds.
Added the Rowen Continent to the Knowledge Transfer.
Upon completing Knowledge Transfer, rewards are now obtained without needing to enter the Chamber of Mind
Transfer fee adjusted.
Removed Stronghold Lv. 15 as a requirement for using Knowledge Transfer.
Added a Knowledge Transfer Quest Journal and Mini Info Tab for alternate characters.
New Player Guardian Raid Improvements
In level 1 - 5 Guardian Raids, players will receive free battle items relevant to the guardian, automatically applied as a preset, with in-game guide messages on when to use within the raid. When the player leaves the raid, the battle items will be removed. This helps ensure that newer players won’t have difficulty attaining critical battle items while progressing, and better prepares them for later raids.
Honing Updates
The current basic honing growth boost (1415 - 1445) will be expanded to Item Level 1460. The current honing exp 40% reduction between 1445 and 1460 will be overwritten by this boost.
Increased T3 Lv. 1340 Gear Level 16 - 17 basic success rate by 10%.
Increased T3 Lv. 1340 Gear Level 18 basic success rate by 5%
Decreased T3 Lv. 1340 Gear Level 16 - 18 Gear XP requirements by 50%.
Decreased T3 Lv. 1340 Gear Level 16 - 18 Honing material and price required by 30%.
Removed the T3 Lv. 1340 Gear Level 16 - 18 Gold price honing cost.
General Progression Updates
Silver and Leapstone loot increased for T1 - T2 Chaos Dungeons.
Store Updates
The first Western Exclusive Skins arrive alongside special launch skins for the Slayer Advanced Class. Learn more about the new Arthetine Nightrider skins tomorrow in a special behind the scenes blog, but find them showcased in the meantime below. Along with the new cosmetics, more items can now be previewed, such as, pet tricks, and stronghold structures.
Arthetine Nightrider Cosmetic Collection
Assassin
Gunner
Martial Artist
Mage
Specialist
Warrior
Hound Pet
Machinalis Mount
Slayer Balanced Fury Cosmetics
Find the full release notes filled with extensive QoL updates, general changes, Legion Raid balance changes, and notable bug fixes here, on our website.
Slayer Lost Ark Academy
The Slayer arrives in Arkesia next week on May 10, accompanied by progression events to help players quickly level up. Learn about the Slayer’s abilities, engravings, and progression events below. The Slayer is the fifth Warrior Advanced Class— a female remix of the Berserker class. A melee warrior who stirs up the battlefield with her greatsword and Burst Mode, this powerful class has the potential to overwhelm anything in her path.
Successful attacks with the Slayer fill the Fury Specialty Meter, which, when full, can trigger Burst Mode. During Burst Mode, the Slayer's damage and movement speed greatly increase, and a Specialty skill called Bloodlust (unique to the Slayer) can be used to unleash powerful slashes and stabs. In Burst Mode, Atk. Speed, Move Speed, and Crit Rate are greatly increased. (Atk. Speed +20%, Move Speed +20%, Crit Rate +30%). Bloodlust allows you to quickly slash at foes in front of you to inflict Damage, then perform a powerful stab, knocking them away for more Damage. This skill is only available while in Burst Mode, and can be used with [Z] key.
Class Engravings
Punisher Damage +7% (lvl 1) / 15% (lvl 2) / 25% (lvl 3) while in Burst Mode and Bloodlust Crit Rate +5% (lvl 1) / 10% (lvl 2) / 20% (lvl 3). Fury gain -25% and Burst duration -50%. When Burst ends, Exhaustion does not occur. Predator Fury Meter +3% (lvl 1) / 6% (lvl 2) / 10% (lvl 3) and MP +1% (lvl 1) / 2% (lvl 2) / 3% (lvl 3) when hitting an enemy and absorbing their vigor. (Cooldown: 1s) In Burst Mode, Crit Damage +10% (lvl 1) / 25% (lvl 2) / 40% (lvl 3) and gain Fatigue every 3s. Fatigue: Fury Meter Consumption +10% every 3s, and cannot use Bloodlust. When Burst Mode ends, the duration of Exhaustion will be reduced according to the stacks of Fatigue. The Fury Meter is fully recovered when Exhaustion ends.
Skills
Flash Blade - Perform a diagonal slash to inflict Damage.
Cross Blade - Swing your greatsword in an X shape, inflicting Damage for each swing.
Fury Blade - Jump and swing your greatsword to inflict Damage and launch foes into the sky, then strike down to inflict Damage and knock them down.
Wild Stomp - Stomp the ground with one foot to attack all foes within a 4-meter radius inflicting [Earth] Damage, inflicting Earthquake on them for 3s.
Wild Rush - Charge 7 meters toward the target location and inflict Damage to foes in your path.
Punishing Draw - With your greatsword pinned to the ground, create a crack in the earth and raise it upwards. Deal Damage and launch foes high into the air.
Ground Smash - Thrust your greatsword into the ground, inflicting Damage. Then pull it out and send forth a shockwave, pulling targets and inflicting Damage.
Furious Claw - Menacingly slash your greatsword to the left and right and deal Damage. Spin your body to attack and deal Damage. Attack an airborne foe to launch them into the air again.
Spinning Sword - Swing your greatsword as you move, inflicting Damage. Ignore collisions with adventurers and normal monsters while moving.
Flying Strike - Leap up to 8 meters to the target location and strike downward with your greatsword, inflicting Damage and knocking down foes.
Cruel Pierce - Grab your greatsword with one hand, and stab with ferocious energy to deal Damage.
Final Blow - Charge 4 meters toward the target location and slash at foes, inflicting Damage and launching them into the air. Use as a combo to deliver a spinning attack, inflicting Damage before landing a downward blow, inflicting Damage.
Fatal Sword - Thrust your greatsword down, inflicting Damage.
Hurricane Sword - Spin around for 3s to inflict Damage.
Mountain Cleave - Jump while spinning counter-clockwise and smash the ground to create a storm of swords, inflicting Damage and knocking foes down.
Guillotine - Grab your greatsword in one hand and unleash all of your strength, dealing Damage and launching foes into the air.
Volcanic Eruption - Thrust your greatsword into the ground, inflicting Damage. Hold for 1.5s to attack 6 times to inflict Damage. Hit the Perfect Zone to deliver a finishing blow that inflicts Damage and launches foes into the air.
Brutal Impact - Condense the energy of rage into your greatsword and put your weight into it as you strike the ground. Deal Damage before Charging, and Damage when Overcharged.
Awakening Skills
Execute - Concentrate your fury into your greatsword to create a giant blade of rage. Perform an upward slash to deal Damage, then jump up and slash 4 times to deal Damage before striking down. Each slash of the sword will leave a Sword Wound on the ground. All Sword Wounds explode with the last strike, dealing Damage and launching foes into the air. In Burst Mode, outgoing Damage +20%. Ragna Break - Enter a state of extreme fury that manifests as a Flame Demon. Gather this furious energy into your greatsword and strike the earth, dealing Damage and launching foes into the air.
Progression Events
An event Punika Powerpass and Hyper Express Plus (II), will accompany the launch of the Slayer on May 10 and run until August 9. While there won’t be a new Story Express, the existing event can be used with the Slayer if you haven’t designated a character already, and is active until June 14. The other events that launched with the Artist in March will continue until their planned end date of June 14.
Punika Powerpass
With this version of the Punika Powerpass you'll receive Item Level 1340 gear, and unlike previous Punika Powerpass events, Berver's Friend does not need to be completed to receive this. To prevent bots from reaching endgame areas, only players with Trusted status or with a Lost Ark account created before December 14, 2022 will be granted a Powerpass. While many players have met the requirements or have been granted legacy Trusted status, new adventurers arriving in Arkesia can earn their trusted status in multiple ways, and can choose the path that’s right for them. The first option is for new players to enable the Steam Guard mobile authenticator, have a Steam profile that’s no longer a ‘Limited User’ account, and be Steam Trusted on the platform. This path won’t require making any Lost Ark purchases. Alternatively, new players can also receive trusted status by making any purchase in Lost Ark through either Steam or Amazon.
Hyper Express Event II
Pairing well with the Punika Powerpass, players will be able to designate one character between item Level 1340 and 1460 on their roster to participate in the Hyper Express Plus II Event, where they’ll earn honing materials to quickly level up to Item Level 1460 and beyond. The designated character will earn rewards every 15 Item Levels up to 1460, including Silver, honing materials, Gems, Engravings, and more!
Engraving Support System
As a new feature available with the Hyper Express Plus, the Engraving Support system lets players choose 4 engravings to be in effect at level 3 during the event. Here’s how to get started:
After selecting a Hyper Express Plus character, the Engraving Support button will light up.
Click the Engraving Support button to open the Engraving Support page and select your 4 desired Engravings.
Press the Activate Engraving Support button to start using their effects.
The effects of Engraving Support will also be shown in your Character Profile.
The Slayer and progression events aren’t all we have planned for the May Update— Ebony Cube releases along with quality of life updates, new player improvements, and some very special cosmetics! Stay tuned to PlayLostArk.com and our social media channels for the full list of updates in next week's Release Notes. Until then, we'll see you in Arkesia.
Maykoko Fest
Heroes of Arkesia,
We’re excited to present the inaugural Maykoko Fest— a community celebration of all things Mokoko throughout the month of May. Celebrate Maykoko Fest by completing weekly events and earning rewards! When the community reaches the weekly goals, all Lost Ark players will be rewarded. Checkout the calendar below to learn what you need to accomplish each week.
Week 1 (9AM PT May 1 - 8:59AM PT May 8)
Goal: Use 3 million Mokoko emotes (max 10 per player per day) Reward: x10 Honing Shard Selection Chest (each chest contains x8 T3 Large Honor Shard Bags).
Week 2 (9AM PT May 8 - 8:59AM PT May 15)
Goal: 1 million Chaos Dungeon or Guardian Raid clears while wearing a Mokoko Skin. Each player in the activity counts as one completion. Reward: x10 Honor Leapstone Selection Chest (each chest contains x125 Honor Leapstones or x25 Great Honor Leapstones).
Week 3 (9AM PT May 15 - 8:59AM PT May 22)
Goal: Complete 250,000 Legion Raids while wearing a Mokoko Skin. Each player in the activity counts as one completion. Reward: x100 Ancient Platinum Coins (2M Silver & x25 Pheons
Week 4 (9AM PT May 22 - 8:59AM PT May 29)
Goal: 150,000 Stronghold Feasts created and shared Rewards:
Reward for 50,000: x5 Una’s Daily Task Completion, x5 Una’s Extra Task
Reward for 100,000: x3 Legendary - Epic Card Pack
Reward for 150,000: The Gamer Moko Pet
If the Lost Ark community succeeds, rewards will be distributed 3hrs after the end of the week! Curious how a week is progressing? Make sure to checkout the Maykoko Fest event page. We’re excited to join you for a celebration of all things Mokoko in May! We wish you luck in accomplishing the community event goals, and we’ll see in Arkesia, clad in Mokoko garb.
Ebony Cube Notice
Heroes of Arkesia,
The Ebony Cube arrives in two weeks, on May 10. Clear waves of enemies in a new activity that consolidates Boss Rush and Cube. With all the original rewards of both activities rolled into one, completing should feel more impactful while also cutting down on the grind. Ebony Cube will arrive with three levels:
1st Forbiddance - Item Level 1302+
2nd Forbiddance - Item Level 1490+
3rd Forbiddance - Item Level 1540+
As Ebony Cube will replace the existing Cube & Boss Rush activities, we wanted to provide two weeks’ notice so you can figure out the best plan for your tickets. Ebony Cube entrance ticket drop rates will be the same as the old Boss Rush entrance tickets. Titles earned from old Cube & Boss Rush activities will remain obtainable from Ebony Cube. Existing tickets in your inventory will be unusable when the update drops, so you can choose to use them ahead of time or convert them into Silver or Entrance Ticket Trade Vouchers (a new item that lets you select the level of Ebony Cube best suited to your Item Level), after the update drops. Here’s how the conversions will work:
Cube:
Cube - 30,000 silver
Elite Cube - 40,000 silver
Dimensional Cube Normal - Entrance Ticket Trade Voucher x15
Dimensional Cube Hard - Entrance Ticket Trade Voucher x20
Boss Rush:
Hall of Silence - 50,000 silver
Hall of the Sun Normal - Entrance Ticket Trade Voucher x45
Hall of the Sun Hard - Entrance Ticket Trade Voucher x60
Hall of the Sun Inferno - Entrance Ticket Trade Voucher x75
And here’s how many vouchers you’ll need for each Ebony Cube Ticket:
1st Forbiddance (Item Level 1302+) - 75 Vouchers
2nd Forbiddance (Item Level 1490+) - 100 Vouchers
3rd Forbiddance (Item Level 1540+) - 125 Vouchers
While a balanced approach to exchanging or using tickets might be the right play, we wish all the best to those looking for maximum value and knocking out all their tickets. Let us know your final count on our social channels! In the meantime, we’ll probably see you in a Cube or Boss Rush run.
2023 Roadmap - Part 2
Heroes of Arkesia,
We recently released a letter from Amazon Games & Smilegate RPG discussing state of the game and some directional changes we’re excited to make to better support new players and listen to our existing player feedback. While that letter covers the broader initiatives, the 2023 Roadmap will dive into the biggest pieces of content arriving over the next four months.
Before we explore the content, we know there are a few shocked faces out there seeing that the Slayer will arrive before the Aeromancer. Don’t worry, both will arrive with progression events to help players gear up quickly! We saw the high levels of anticipation and positive feedback surrounding the Slayer in the West when it was released in Korea in January, and coupled with many requests to try the class from our players— we decided to bring this class to you sooner rather than releasing the classes in order. New continents and Legion Raids have to be updated in order, while classes don’t have the same restrictions.
The content found below are some of the highlights we know players are eagerly awaiting, but the roadmap is not a comprehensive list of every change arriving in Arkesia over the next few months and could change. The descriptions provided are meant to be summaries of the content, and not provide any potential lore spoilers. As we approach each month, more details will be shared. There will be plenty of other quality of life (QoL) updates, balance tuning, adjustments to support new and returning players, and unique events. Stay tuned to our website and social channels for future release notes including the full list of new content, cosmetics, balance changes, events, bug-fixes, and more included in our major monthly updates. With that, let’s dive in.
May
Slayer Advanced Class
The Slayer is the fifth Warrior Advanced Class— a female remix of the Berserker class. A melee warrior who stirs up the battlefield with her greatsword and Burst Mode, this powerful class has the potential to overwhelm anything in her path. Successful attacks with the Slayer fills the Fury Specialty Meter, which, when full, can trigger Burst Mode. During Burst Mode, the Slayer's damage and movement speed greatly increase, and a Specialty skill called Bloodlust (unique to the Slayer) can be used to unleash powerful slashes and stabs.
The Slayer will release in May with a powerpass and progression events. Stay tuned to our website and social channels for event details leading up to the May update.
Ebony Cube, Progression Improvements, & QoL Updates
Clear waves of enemies in a new activity that consolidates Boss Rush and Cube and replaces them. Later this week, we’ll post a notice with information on what will happen to any remaining tickets for the existing Boss Rush and Cube activities.
Progression improvements also arrive. Knowledge Transfer has been improved to ease alternate character progression by alleviating prerequisite conditions and the duration. Another change will be added to help with new player progression. In some entry level Guardian Raids, players will receive free battle items relevant to the guardian, automatically applied as a preset, with in-game guide messages on when to use within the raid. When the player leaves the raid, the battle items will be removed. This helps ensure that newer players won’t have difficulty attaining critical battle items while progressing, and better prepares them for later raids.
Ebony Cube and new player experience improvements aren’t the only QoL updates arriving in May. With reworks to end-game raiding entry limits & rewards, attention granted to Gunslinger/Deadeye stances & weapon glows, and more, there’s plenty to improve every adventurer’s experience in Arkesia.
Proving Grounds Season 3
Season 3 of Competitive Proving Grounds PvP arrives. Prove you’re one of the best warriors in Arkesia to earn season ranks, rewards, and prestige. The end date for Season 3 has not yet been determined, but will continue for the foreseeable future. Good luck on the battlefield!
June
Elgacia Continent
The Demon invasion beginning in South Vern and the Legion Commanders' powers are growing with the Chaos Gates all over the world. With Kazeros' resurrection nigh due to the Dimensional Rift, it's time for gates of Elgacia to open. Kadan and Nineveh will lead you to Elgacia, the land of Lazeniths. What will happen in the final paradise built by Regulus? Explore Ereonnor, the city of light built in reverence to the Gods, the blessed Hestera Garden, and the sacred Mount Phylantos in the continent of Elgacia as you uncover the secrets of the Lazeniths. Venturing to Elgacia will require Item Level 1460.
Kayangel Abyssal Dungeon
A 4-player Abyssal Dungeon will release that can be accessed after completing the Elgacia story. With several difficulties, a variety of players can participate— but the harder the difficulty, the more impressive the rewards will be, one of which enables the ability to upgrade Ancient Legion Raid gear set bonuses to level 3.
Fortunespire Floors 26 - 50
The next 25 floors of the Tier 3 Tower will release, providing new battles and challenges to vanquish, and in return, earn valuable rewards.
July
Kakul-Saydon Legion Raid Inferno Mode
The most difficult version of Legion Raids, the Inferno difficulty is all about proving you’re among the best of the best in Arkesia, and earning the accompanying prestige. Rather than chasing the normal rewards of gear, materials, and everything else you’d receive in a Legion Raid, Inferno rewards instead showcase your victory with titles, achievements, Stronghold structures, and more! The Inferno difficulty of Kakul-Saydon will require Item Level 1475, and a full build set-up in the Book of Coordination.
Elgacia Epilogue
Epilogue quests to the continent of Elgacia will release a month later. Visit familiar faces and key characters around the world of Arkesia after the events of Elgacia.
Music Box of Memories & QoL Updates
The Music Box of Memories is the vestige of ancient civilization long gone, manifesting as a gadget that can be played with 'Memory Orbs', a new collectible. Experience new stories of the inhabitants of Arkesia who have not received the spotlight with the Music Box of Memories. Gain hints from various continents and progress quests to collect Memory Orbs and earn rewards. Along with the Music Box of Memories, more QoL updates and will release in July.
August
Akkan Legion Raid
After the battle with Plague Legion Commander Akkan in South Vern, Queen Ealyn kept some of Akkan's flesh to research the Legion Commander. However, some of the pieces have disappeared, and have begun to gather in Arthetine. Could it be that Akkan, the bringer of death, has concocted a terrible scheme to bring back his terrifying power?
Aetanople is slowly being sumberged by water permeated with the power of disease, and the souls of the deceased still wander the living world, shackled by Akkan's spells. Akkan needs to be stopped before all of Arkesia succumbs to his horrid rot and decay.
Journey to Arthetine to battle the Plague Legion Commander in a new 8-player Legion Raid. The normal and hard versions of the Legion Raid will release, each with their own Item Level requirements. Normal: All 3 gates can be entered with Item Level 1580 Hard: All 3 gates can be entered with Item Level 1600
Aeromancer Advanced Class
The Aeromancer is the second Specialist Advanced Class. With power of mystical illusion she’s able to manipulate the weather to devastating effect on the battlefield, or fight to vanquish enemies with spectacular flourishes of her umbrella. The Aeromancer’s Identity is Sun Shower. The Sun Shower Raindrop Meter is filled as the Aeromancer successfully hits enemies with skills, and Sun Shower can be used when the meter fills all the way up— providing dual benefits of offense and defense. Upon using Sun Shower, the Aeromancer’s basic attacks and movement skill evolve while active, nearby enemies are constantly damaged, and her (and her party's) damage received from enemies is reduced.
The Aeromancer will release in August with a powerpass and progression events. Stay tuned to our website and social channels for event details leading up to the August update.
Sonavel Guardian Raid
For a long time Levanos, the Elemental King, protected Arkesia by following light and order. He’s abandoned his mission of protecting nature, chosen chaos, and has turned in to Sonavel, obsessed with anger and chasing only darkness. Sonavel must be defeated before he destroys that which he once protected! Players can challenge Sonavel in a new Guardian, which requires Item Level 1580 to participate.
Looking Ahead
We’re excited to witness players experience the unique events, explore new parts of Arkesia, battle in new PvP battles, and prepare for the challenging experiences awaiting in the new dungeons and raids over the coming months. In the meantime, stay tuned to our website, social channels, and the release notes for the full list of new content, store updates, events, bug-fixes, and more over the coming months. We’ll see you in Arkesia!
Team Update - Letter to the Community
Heroes of Arkesia,
Our teams at Amazon Games and Smilegate RPG met recently to discuss player feedback, share insights, and talk about the next steps for Lost Ark in the West. The dust hasn’t settled yet and our teams have a lot of work on the horizon to materialize these conversations, but we wanted to share our thoughts and plans with you.
We’d like to start off with a huge ‘thank you’ from both of our teams before we dive in. The love and dedication shown by so many while playing Lost Ark has been inspirational. While we’re extraordinarily grateful to see the excitement around the recent updates, we understand that you are still experiencing inconveniences and pain-points.
Last year, our top priorities were introducing content into the Western shores of Arkesia at an appropriate cadence to avoid burnout, working to pull forward quality of life (QoL) changes, and waging the war on bots. Now, our goal is to continually improve the Lost Ark experience, while layering in the exciting content that has yet to arrive. Many updates and changes are required to achieve this goal, and that’s only half of it— to constantly work on creating a better game, we need to listen to our player base and ensure that you feel heard so we can build a better game together. We recognize that we’ve fallen short of accomplishing our desired relationship. Like the game itself, our current goal is to continue to grow, improve, and foster a better connection.
As we work to set the best course for the rest of 2023 and beyond, you’ll find some of our thoughts and plans below. These are focused on areas of player feedback and directional goals, not content coming to Arkesia over the coming months. While you might still find one or two spoilers, we’ll be following up with the 2023 Roadmap - Part 2 next week to share those plans.
The War Against Bots
One of our top priorities over the last year was taking care of the bot problem. Enormous effort was made on both Smilegate RPG and Amazon Games’ part, and together we’ve implemented a variety of changes to restrict bots from exploiting the system to gain economic benefits. During this process, we realized new players may be hindered from progressing, like not getting enough gold for honing. We’ll keep an eye on these unwanted side-effects, and actively work to resolve them.
Material accumulation by bots also requires action. We have banned millions of bot accounts in an ongoing effort, but the materials they have produced still pose a risk of inflation. We will continue to take strong actions against RMT participants, and will take future action based on both gold and other materials' production figures.
Many technical measures have been developed and tested, and we will continue to invest in future measures. Specific tactics can't be revealed for security reasons, but we can assure you that we are keenly monitoring bot activity patterns and are ready to respond to their modified activity. While it will be difficult to ever completely remove bots from Lost Ark, we've made significant progress in limiting the impact they have on gameplay and the economy. With new measures and constant ban waves, our changes have led to 55 billion bot gold removed from the game, and a 99% decrease in bots interacting with the economy.
After we implement additional changes next month, we’re planning to share an article with more updates on our progress and approach.
Opening the Gates to New Players
Thankfully, we still have new players embarking on their first adventure in Arkesia every day. However, our version's vertical content update cadence is significantly faster than the original version in Korea, and we've noticed that new players find it hard to catch up to the content level. One year after launch, new/returning players are having difficulty adjusting to reaching combat level 50, learning Legion Raid patterns, setting up for raid requirements. To address, we will cut down on 'unnecessary' content exhausting new and returning players, starting with:
1) Low-Tier Improvements In order to enjoy Legion Raids, 4 gear progression steps are currently required (Tier 1 301, T2 802, T3-1 1302, T3-2 1340). Too many honing steps are overwhelming new and casual players alike. Having repetitive gear progression seems unnecessary, so we plan to integrate them into 2 tiers. Guardian first-time clear and Tower rewards will be enhanced to be on par with the integration, so players will not have to play each tier's content multiple times.
2) Horizontal Content Improvements So far, we have been focusing mainly on improving and alleviating honing difficulties. However, new players are also suffering from collecting horizontal content materials. To improve their experience, we plan to make collecting Runes/Tripods/Cards/Gems easier for everyone. To reveal some of the things we have in mind, new 'Uncommon' runes will be added in the early progression period to help players acquire and use runes more easily. The new 'Deep Dive' and 'You Have a Plan' set's collecting difficulty will be improved, and cards/card xp needed to complete the sets will be provided. Sailing content will be changed, with improved co-op quests and enhanced rewards.
3) Alt Progression Improvements As you probably know, we introduced the 'Silver Honing' system in the March update. We will continually expand the levels that the system covers to ensure players can easily progress on new classes and alts. The expanded Silver Honing system will come with the next class launch. We also cut down the requirements for two of most needed materials (silver and honor shards) to make gear progression easier. Looking forward, we are currently contemplating methods to improve the engraving/gem setting difficulty for alts, and will let you know (when decided) what we develop.
4) QoL Updates We recently made Triport activation roster-bound, so once a Triport is activated every character in the roster can benefit from it. Moving forward, we will also work on reducing other unnecessary and time-consuming activities while progressing alts. For example, having to play through story quests after completing them with the main character is an issue. 'Knowledge Transfer' is in place to let players skip this inconvenience, but due to many restrictions, it's difficult for actual new players to use. To address, we are working on alleviating the restrictive conditions.
5) Improving the Battle Item Experience While looking through the various suggestions players have given us, we noticed there were issues with acquiring/using battle items in the earlier tiers. We rated this as a critical issue, and after discussing with the developers, we plan to change the system to let players use battle items for free in early tier Guardian Raids. We are aiming to implement this change before summer comes. Along with providing battle items for free, we will add a guide to help players out with the appropriate use of battle items. Thank you for the great suggestion— we are always open to more ideas.
These will take some time to develop, but we’re hoping to prepare them by the end of summer or early fall. We will implement the improvements as soon as they are completed, and thank you for your patience in the meantime.
Player Exhaustion - Learning & Dailies
Along with the content mentioned above, frequent content updates are leading to enhanced exhaustion and gatekeeping, making gameplay difficult for new and returning players. With dozens of patterns to memorize, burden is put on new players attempting to learn. To address, we are preparing the following updates:
Argos Abyss Raid
The best way to help progression is to provide appropriate content for the players' current level of play. Through this point of view, Argos is an extremely difficult raid considering it is one of the first raids a new player encounters, without having enough time to adjust to Arkesia.
When the progression adjustments listed above take place, players will get to enter Argos raids much earlier in the game, so alleviating the burden of the mechanics in the Argos Abyss Raid is a must.
We will reduce the number of patterns in the raid to ease the learning curve, and change most of the 'wipe' mechanics to plain damage-dealing ones. This way, players can overcome mechanics and patterns by using appropriate skills/battle items/reaching relevant Item Levels, as well as getting help from other party members. We do not want players to experience too many situations where one player's mistake results in everyone's failing so early in the game.
Smilegate RPG’s research and development team is also looking into applying similar changes to the earlier Legion Raids like Valtan and Vykas. Not every wipe mechanic will be adjusted, considering their designation as top-tier end-game raids. We’ll be sure to share more details on these changes when they’re available.
With these changes, we hope every player in Arkesia can experience the fun of trying out end-game raids without too much stress, while simultaneously learning about the types of patterns and mechanics they can expect to see in harder end-game content.
Similarly, we know the community conversation surrounding dailies is a hot topic these days, and we’re aware of the sense of discontent regarding Chaos Dungeons, Guardian Raids, and Una's Tasks. Currently, these daily activities are critical for obtaining the materials necessary for gear progression, and allow hardcore players to have something to earn every day— so reducing them is not a simple problem to tackle. We need more time to think about it, but we understand the repetitiveness of the content, and Smilegate RPG is undergoing internal research and development to discuss resolutions. To help cut down on the grind in the meantime, we'll introduce the Ebony Cube - a new activity that combines Boss Rush and Dimension Cube - in May.
When further plans for reducing dailies are confirmed, we’ll make sure to share in greater detail. Until then, QoL updates like Ebony Cube will be implemented as fast as possible in our version.
Content Cadence & Events
We know that players have expressed some questions and concerns with the current content release cadence. Catching up to the new end-game content is important to us and our players, but there are two problems with speeding up the process; localization timelines and player burnout. If content is localized too quickly, the overall quality may be compromised. Regardless of localization timelines, there’s still the problem of having to digest too much content at the same time, or constantly feel pressured to hit the next required Item Level, related to the previously mentioned exhaustion and issues with new player catch up mechanics.
Our goal is to introduce content as fast as we can without having these problems occur. However, we know this is not satisfactory for players. Therefore, we promise that new classes (at least) will be updated as soon as possible. New continents and Legion Raids have to be updated in order, while classes don’t have the same restrictions. We’re excited to share the next 4-month roadmap with you next week, and hope that you feel heard when the content plan is revealed.
Another piece of content we plan to integrate at a faster speed heading forward are in-game events. The events in our version have mostly been older events in Korea, which isn’t ideal. Heading forward, our teams at Amazon Games and Smilegate RPG plan to introduce more events applied simultaneously across the versions, including events similar to the recent April Fool's event in Korea. Of course, some of them will be Western-exclusive, and some will take place at the same time as Korea. We are open to suggestions!
Looking Forward
We still have a long way to go, and understand that one letter isn’t a magic band-aid (or even a Splendid Elemental HP Potion), but we hope this letter becomes the first step in our road to more open communication and positive changes to the game. To thank you for your ongoing support and dedication to Lost Ark, we’ve prepared a gift for all players that will be sent out alongside this letter. As a first-time log-in reward, you’ll find the following in your Product Inventory:
A Mokoko Skin Selection Chest
A Moko Pet Selection Chest
A Mokoboard Selection Chest
Collective Battle Item Chest x10
Silver x1,000,000
Relic Rapport Selection Chest x3
Pheon x50
These items can be claimed by anyone who logs into the game before May 19.
As we progress into 2023 and beyond, our very first priority is you, the players of Lost Ark. We plan to close the distance between you and our teams at Amazon Games and Smilegate RPG, by taking one step at a time to interact more with you. We’ll see you again next week with the 2023 Roadmap - Part 2, which has some exciting surprises.
Thank you for the patience and dedication you have shown past year. We will continually strive to exceed your expectations.
- Amazon Games & Smilegate RPG
Brelshaza Hard Tips & Tricks with Saintone & ATK
Heroes of Arkesia,
The April Update brought the cunning and ruthless Phantom Legion Commander Brelshaza back, stronger than ever, in a more challenging version of the 8-player Legion Raid. Hard mode increases the difficulty and increases the rewards, ushering in the new Ancient quality of gear & accessories. With the first weekend of raiding quickly approaching, we wanted to share some words of encouragement from veterans who’ve battled Brelshaza before. Find some tips and tricks about Brelshaza and Ancient gear from Lost Ark legends Saintone & ATK below, along with links to their channels for those looking for full raid guides.
Saintone
Greetings Adventurers!
The battle against Brelshaza reaches greater heights as you prepare to challenge her Legion Raid in Hard mode!
Unlike previous Hard modes, the reward for Brelshaza's Hard mode rewards a new material which allows you to craft Ancient-quality weapons and armor. Ancient gear provides a smidge more stats, but more importantly, they allow you to hone beyond +20 (Item Level 1590) and go all the way up to +25 (Item Level 1615). Each hone beyond +20 increases the item's overall level by just 5, so do bear in mind that the gain is lesser at these stages for a higher cost.
As for the set bonuses, these new Ancient items share set bonus with their Relic counterpart, so if you have partial Relic and partial Ancient of the same set, they both count towards that set, so you don't have to worry about losing your set bonus as you're replacing your pieces. Moreover, once you transfer your Relic Brelshaza gear over to Ancient, you'll be left with a shell item that you can then dismantle for a full Relic material refund, which you can then exchange for Chaos Stones if you want.
In the raid, you'll find the individual fights to feel mostly familiar, but pose a few new challenges in each gate. While most of the major mechanics work the same way, patterns and gimmicks in general have been strengthened in such a way that will throw a wrench or two into the existing strategy you may already be familiar with. For example, in the first gate, in Normal mode, you're required to counter the boss multiple times in a row as it rotates. Typically, the group gathers together and everyone launches their counters together, and one is bound to land, repeat ad nauseum until the pattern ends. In Hard mode, any player that successfully counters the boss becomes silenced for the remainder of the pattern and must intercept ghost arrows from reaching the boss while the rest of the party continues landing counters. Many of the mechs may defeat your party once or twice during your progression, but don't worry! Most of the differences are simple enough to understand that after you experience death by them once, you'll have a good enough understanding of how to handle it moving forward.
One more thing I think is worth mentioning— be prepared for attacks to hurt, especially if you're entering at Item Level on a class with lower defense and HP! Many DPS players who over-enhance their weapon and hone their armor just enough to enter may find that some of the patterns that were easy to brush off in Normal mode hurt a lot more in Hard mode. You should be a little bit more cautious in what skills you muscle through and which ones you actively dodge.
As for my fellow Sorceress players, if you are playing this raid in a public group, please know you are expected to a counter skill for Gate 1 and Gate 6. It's good etiquette to make accommodations for your party for these gates!
ATK
Hello friends, it is great to hear our global friends in Arkesia are about to fight Legion Commander Brelshaza in Hard mode. This was my personal milestone goal when I first started this game in Korea. If you clear this raid 5 times you will receive a cute Brelshaza pet, and 10 clears gives a different color version. This pet made me try hard and grind this game, and here we are now. Super excited to hear my new friends to experience the same.
My friend Mr. Saintone explained the basics well, but here’s a few things I’d like to add!
You are unlocking 'Ancient' quality gear, which also includes accessories. These will give you up to +6 and +3 engravings with additional main stats like dexterity, strength and intelligence. These won't provide additional combat stats, so those of you worried about the next set of accessory upgrades— don't worry, it's not mandatory as they will start at a low supply and may not be worth the investment. Focus on selling them to help your gold income. Personally, my first Ancient accessory were used around 3 months after the release. For those who want premium builds with a 5x3 plus 1 engraving setup, it's actually possible to build it with just 1 or 2 accessories, so don't worry too much.
As for future preparations, +20 on all equipment will be 1590, but 1600 will require you to have +22 on all gear. Unless you are pushing higher for a different reason, I personally recommend to park your characters between 1580 to 1590 and save your resources for upcoming content or focus on other powerups like gems.
Lastly, like Mr. Saintone said, Brelshaza Hard mode (and onward) is where things start to hurt... a lot... so never forget to upgrade your armor to the raid requirement. Armor upgrades still give you some damage increase, so don’t just upgrade your weapons, efficiency is key! Also, try to increase your armor quality to at least mid greens, you will notice a huge boost on your total HP to survive hits that you wouldn’t survive otherwise. Supports can help here, and if you happen to be a Bard, there’s a tripod in ‘Heavenly Tune’ that can decrease the boss's attack power. Along with that, make sure to add more shield skills than usual to increase survivability and resulting in healthier progression. If you’re interested in a raid guide, find mine here, on YouTube:
We could supply nearly endless tips for these difficult raids, but know that some players want to progress blindly and not encounter spoilers. For those looking for more advice, make sure to follow Saintone, and ATK for more raiding tips, guides, live high-level Lost Ark gameplay, and other original content on their Twitch and YouTube channels, found here:
Thanks for joining us for this Lost Ark Academy, and we wish you luck in your battles against Brelshaza, your honing taps, and your Ancient accessory drops!
April Update Twitch Drop
Heroes of Arkesia,
A tiered Twitch Drop with valuable items accompanies the April Update, available for members of the Lost Ark Creator Program to enable on their channel. The first tier of the Twitch Drop contains 5 Honing Support Selection Chests and 10 Regulus' Light Currency Chests. The second tier contains 10x 4 Battle Item Chests and 1,000 Amethyst Shards. Make sure to head over to Twitch and watch your favorite Lost Ark content creators until the drop ends on May 9.
Viewers will need to accumulate 4 hours of watch time in participating Lost Ark streams to claim the first tier, and the second tier can be claimed after accumulating an additional 4 hours of watch time (for a total of 8 hours in participating Lost Ark Streams). Full instructions on account linking and claiming can be found on our Twitch Drops page.
