Lost Ark beginner’s guide: Easy tips to get you started

Lost Ark has finally arrived in the West. The action MMORPG offers players a whole new isometric world full of adventure to explore, but beginning a new game of this scale can be a bit overwhelming. So, I’ve collected some tips that I’ve learned in my playthroughs of Lost Ark that will help you as you set off on your journey. Some of these are very simple things that aren’t immediately obvious in-game, while others are suggestions to save you time and money. This is a beginner’s guide, so most of the tips deal with the early stages of Lost Ark.

Before we get into the gameplay tips, there are two things you should be mindful of. Firstly, Lost Ark is free to play. You don’t need a cent to be powerful or have a good time playing the game. In PvP, everything is equalized. So even if you wanted to, you couldn’t possibly spend money to win. Secondly, all the classes are viable for the endgame content. So, play what you enjoy, not what a YouTube video or tier list tells you to.

Start strong

The number one Lost Ark beginner tip to know is that you should save all your health potions that heal a percentage of your health. These potions are highly valued when you reach the max level. In late-game content, potions that heal for a specific amount and not a percentage of your health do not do enough healing. But for the campaign, they do a solid job.

Save these potions.

I spent far too long running to Triports to fast travel — as you would do in Diablo. This isn’t necessary in Lost Ark. You can travel to a Triport from anywhere. You can also use the overlay map to teleport to a Triport – it’s faster than pulling up the main map.

You’ll notice that you don’t just have a character level in Lost Ark. You also have a Roster Level (account level). The bonuses you get from increasing your Roster Level apply to all characters you create on that account, and the increase to your main stat and vitality will start to make a difference. So, it’s a good idea to focus on leveling your account, since you may end up changing your main character a few times. I did. I still do.

On your travels

As your progress through the campaign and the various continents, you should always complete the purple Adventure Quests and the yellow Chain Quests. These can reward you with items that will permanently increase your stats or unlock a new feature. For instance, in the first town, you can complete an Adventure Quest to unlock your first pet. You should do this immediately because your pet will pick up loot for you. It also has effects that improve your stats. The bunny below boosts health and crit rate.

It’s easy to solo the early dungeons. So, if you’re not leveling with friends, just hop in by yourself instead of waiting for a party. If you want to level faster, do these dungeons on the easy mode. If you want more of a challenge and better loot, do them on hard mode. I always do them on hard mode. I’m here for a good time, not a rushed leveling experience.

Also, keep an eye out for secret dungeons. Some enemies will drop a map to these dungeons. You need to compare the map you have to your map of the zone and work out where it is located. It’s not tough to find, and you’ll just need to defeat one boss monster inside for some decent loot.

Working on your Adventurer’s Tome can score you some valuable rewards. The Tome also encourages you to explore maps. Make sure you check your Tome from time to time when you move into a new zone, and remember to claim your rewards.

Pay attention to the Attack Type of your skills. They may deal more damage if you use them from the front or back of your enemies.

Speaking of skills, also work on leveling up your Life Skills (gathering skills). These will get you materials you can use to craft useful items and upgrade your Stronghold.

Valuable goods

I recommend you always dismantle your items that you are sure you won’t need. There are two reasons for this. It frees up a ton of inventory space, but more importantly, dismantling items can earn you more Silver than simply selling them. Plus, you can potentially get some useful materials. You can also dismantle unneeded Ability Stones.

This last Lost Ark beginner tip isn’t something you need to worry about immediately, but it is something to keep in mind to save yourself a lot of heartache. Don’t waste Engraving books. Save the chests you get for Engravings until you know which ones you want to use for your character and build. These books can be difficult to acquire and are expensive to purchase from the Auction House.

Happy questing.