The Arcanist was introduced onJuly 20th, 2022with the release of the “Spells in Spades” update forLost Ark. The Arcanist infuses magical powers into cards that she launches at enemies to deal damage. With a wide variety of attacks and a unique random card system, many players may initially find it complicated. That being said, having an optimal build and a thorough understanding of the class can make playing the Arcanist a very rewarding experience.
Arcanist Gameplay
The first thing to take note of when you first start playing the Arcanist is the 3 different types of skills available in the skill book:
Card Deck System Explained
The Arcanist’s Identity Gauge, theCard Deck, fills with successful hits to enemies. Once full,1 of 12 cardswill appear in one of the two slots. You can use that card immediately or continue filling the Identity Gauge until the 2nd slot draws another card. All twelve of these cards provide something beneficial to the player. It is not important to memorize every single card, but there are certain cards that benefit from being used in the right situations. The main cards to remember are these:
Class Engravings
The 2 class engravings that can be equipped narrow the gameplay of the Arcanist into two different playstyles:
Both playstyles are viable in all forms of content if you have a good understanding of the class mechanics. Empress’s Grace performs better at early content, but Order of Emperor eventually outperforms Empress’s Grace in higher content with the 6-piece Relic gear set:Dominion Fang. The Order of Emperor performs extremely well in Chaos Dungeons and Cube.
Arcanist Builds Guide
Let’s provide you with a breakdown of the most common skills used in each build.
Empress’s Grace Skills
This table displays the best skills to choose when using theEmpress’s Grace Class Engraving. Also note that we’ve indicated the Tripods, Runes, and a brief description of what the skill is used for.
Description
Call of Destiny
Nimble Movement
Quick Draw
Chain Attack
BuildsIdentity Gauge; Has a chance to draw a card.
Weakness Exposure
Concentrated Card
Exposed Darkness
BuildsIdentity Gauge; AppliesCrit Synergy buffto theparty, AppliesCrit Damage bufftoself
Counter Skill
Quadra Accelerate
Accelerate Concentration
AppliesStacks
Scratch Dealer
Excellent Mobility
Weak Point Attack
Safety Device
AppliesStacks; Attack and movement speed self-buff
Spiral Edge
Quick Prep
Ruthless Shot
Quick Pace
AppliesStacks; Brief movement speed self-buff
Stream of Edge
Perfect Stream
AppliesStacks; Brief Crit Rate self-buff
Celestial Rain
Vital Point Hit
Enhanced Strike
Weak Point Detection
Protection
ConsumesStacks;Highest Damageskill
Secret Garden
Final Decision
ConsumesStacks;High Damage
If you don’t have enough skill points, Blue Stacking Skills are a lower priority
Order of Emperor Skills
This table displays the best skills to choose when using theOrder of Emperor Class Engraving. Also note that we’ve indicated the Tripods, Runes, and a brief description of what the skill is used for.
Mind Enhancement
BuildsIdentity Gauge; Has 2 chances to draw a card.
Dark Resurrection
Piercing Strike
Intense Card
Furious Blow
BuildsIdentity Gauge, Moderate Damage
Conc. Magick Circle
Overlap Magick Circle
BuildsIdentity Gauge; Has 3 chances to draw a card.
Dancing of Spineflower
Intense Dance
Night Bloomer
Fatal Thorn
AppliesStacks, Moderate Damage
Conc. Darkness
Skill Rotations
Here are the basic rotations you can use for each build. Some variations can be made depending on how cooldowns line up. Always remember to use your cards when they appear and weave them into the rotation. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for the previously mentioned important cards,Cull,Judgment,Royal, andWheel of Fortune,and use them accordingly.
Stat Allocation Priority
Stats are acquired via Accessories (Necklace,Earring, andRings). Choosing the correct stats for your build is an integral factor in optimizing your damage output. When deciding which stats on your gear are worthwhile for your build follow these guidelines:
Engravings Priority
Engravings are obtained from 3 sources:Accessories(Necklace, Earring, and Rings).,Ability Stones, andImprints. you may get more Engravings nodes from better gear and from learning higher rarity Engravings books.
- For more experienced players,GrudgeandCursed Dollare the highest priority after the class engraving(s). These should only be obtained when you may guarantee equipping Level 3.
RELATED:Lost Ark: How To Get Punika Powerpass
Gem Priority
Gems provide a big boost to damage at later stages of the game so you don’t want to miss out on equipping the right ones for your build. Please note that in the current version of the game the *Emperor Gemis not yet available. Once the balance patch is added it should be prioritized only in the Order of Emperor Build above all others and Stream of Edge Cooldown should be removed from the list.
Final Tips
When faced with a stagger mechanic, Ruin Skills provide a stagger when there is at least 1 stack on the target. Additional stacks do not grant higher stagger amounts.
Cards in the Card Deck can be used simultaneously (pressing both Identity skill keys, Z and X at the same time) as well as during other casting animations.
The Three-Heade Snake Card grants extra stacks on the target when using Auto-Attack. If Stacking skills are on cooldown you may throw in some extra Auto-Attacks to build stacks faster.
Once you reachlevel 1445, the gear set that you should equip are theDominion Fangset for theOrder of Emperorbuild and theNightmare Flowerset for theEmpress’s Gracebuild
Thanks for reading through to the end of this guide, we hope this information was helpful for starting out with the new Arcanist class! Be sure to check out our otherguides for Lost Arkas well!
