Lost Ark: Skills and Builds

Discover how skills, tripods and builds function in the game Lost Ark through this page.

The Lost Ark game guide explains how to manage and allocate skills, as well as the impact of skills on character builds.

• Skills and Tripods – An Overview
• Builds – How They Work

Skills and Tripods – An Overview

The following are some notable features of skills in Lost Ark:

1. At the start of the game, players have 8 skills that they can use in combat.
2. Most heroes require Stamina/Mana (blue bar) to use their skills, but it can be disregarded during early game stages.
3. Each skill has a cooldown period and unique forms of attack activation (hold, press, etc.).
4. As players progress through the game’s main storyline and character level, they get to unlock more skills, up to 50 in total.
5. The order and position of skills can be freely interchanged.

Players earn skill points as they advance in experience levels, which they can allocate at their discretion by:

1. Strengthening individual skills in the panel (K) by adding points from the available pool using the arrow.
2. Using the points at any time, provided they are not in a closed location.
3. Receiving around 240 skill points to allocate at the game’s default level of 50. This amount may vary due to some quests and missions that provide additional points to spend. However, players won’t be able to surpass skill level 10 (12 is the maximum) until they reach level 55.
4. Each skill has a Tripod consisting of three boosts that players can unlock when the skill is at 4-7-10. The Tripods significantly influence the skill’s effect, damage, and additional effects like setting enemies on fire.
5. Developing key skills to at least level 4 is necessary to unlock the Tripod, and each successive level increases the skill’s strength but costs more points than the previous level. Due to point limitations, players cannot develop all skills to their maximum level. For this reason, they should choose the skill level based on Tripods and how frequently they use the skill and for what purpose (e.g., stopping enemies, dealing damage, dodging).
6. By default, players have two tabs to assign builds – usually for PvE and PvP builds. They can unlock more tabs using Royal Crystals, which cost 100 per slot.

Using Tripods is crucial as they improve or alter the skill’s effect and sometimes have specific features concerning fighting single bosses or groups of enemies. Players can experiment with different effects of the upgrades while fighting monsters to learn how they work. They can also do this in the training arena, where they will additionally gain a drop from monsters.

Players can assign a rune to each skill, which is a rare item with a class. The same rune may offer a different level of improvement. Runes can, for example, increase the attack power of a skill or shorten its preparation or cooldown time. Learn more about runes on the next page of the guide.

What are Builds in Lost Ark?

Builds refer to a collection of character features that include attributes, equipment (especially jewelry), skills, runes, engravings, cards, and gems. In Lost Ark, builds are usually centered around special engravings specific to each hero class. You can find a detailed description of these engravings on a separate guide page.

You can access these engravings in the Engraving Effect window (Alt I) under the Class Bonus tab. Some engravings can significantly alter gameplay, such as removing the special skill gauge or limiting maximum health. While it is not necessary to follow build guidelines and use class engravings if you are comfortable playing your class, many players have found that using them is essential for building the most effective combat character. Proper selection of attributes and skills can maximize the effects of class engravings.

FAQ

What are the different types of skills in Lost Ark?

Lost Ark offers several types of skills, including Active, Passive, and Awakening skills. Active skills are those that require manual activation and have a cooldown period. Passive skills, on the other hand, are permanent skills that give a character a passive bonus. Awakening skills are unique skills that can only be used once a character has reached a certain level.

What is a skill build in Lost Ark?

A skill build is a combination of skills that a player chooses for their character. It is important to choose skills that complement each other and fit a player’s playstyle. Skill builds can also be adjusted depending on the situation, such as for PvE or PvP fights. Players can experiment with different skill builds to find the one that works best for them.

How do I create a skill build in Lost Ark?

To create a skill build in Lost Ark, a player must first choose a class and unlock the necessary skills. Once the skills have been unlocked, the player can allocate skill points to the skills they want to use. It is important to consider the synergy between skills when creating a build. Players can also save multiple skill builds and switch between them depending on the situation.

What are some popular skill builds in Lost Ark?

There are many skill builds in Lost Ark that are popular among players. For example, the Summoner class is often used for its high damage output and ability to summon minions. The Bard class is popular for its support abilities and healing skills. The Assassin class is often used for its mobility and burst damage. Ultimately, the best skill build is the one that fits a player’s playstyle and preferences.