The new MMORPG Lost Ark launches on February 11, heralding the start of the new MMORPG year. But what can you do to prepare perfectly for the game? Especially if you missed the beta? We at MeinMMO are here to help you.
What is Lost Ark actually? At first glance, Lost Ark may look like Diablo, but at its core, it is a complete MMORPG with all the features you would expect from one.
That raises the question of how to optimally prepare for an MMORPG and what you can do now to simplify your start in Lost Ark. Especially if you couldn’t play the beta.
We will show you how, despite everything, you can prepare perfectly to start right away at the release and already know what you’re doing.
We give you a small spoiler warning at this point, which relates to gameplay mechanics. While there are no story spoilers, if you want to be completely surprised, it’s best not to read further.
1. What should I play?
Choose a class: Lost Ark is an MMORPG with a great deal of character depth. Your classes can differ significantly, thanks to different builds, even if you play the same class.
In addition, Lost Ark immediately puts you to the test at the start, giving you 15 classes from which you should ideally choose one.
15 is just the number of classes at launch. When Lost Ark is released here in February, the Korean version already has 22 classes, which will likely come to us sooner or later.
Why is this important? In Lost Ark, especially at the beginning, you should focus on one class instead of playing several simultaneously. There are several reasons for this: One of them is that progress does not share across accounts.
Your inventory, friend lists, guilds, and more are only available on your respective character. If you play on another char, you suddenly have no friends.
Also, many rewards are only available once, and typically you unlock them only on your first character. This means that every additional character has corresponding disadvantages compared to your first one.
Furthermore, the endgame focuses not only on equipment but also on your skill and how you manage your character. So, especially at the beginning, it’s advisable to stick to one class.
2. Watch videos
Which videos should you watch? This point is directly related to point number 1, because how should you decide on a character if you don’t even know what they can do?
A good overview of all classes can be found on MeinMMO, but you should also look at the classes in detail. This is particularly important if you didn’t have the chance to try all classes in the beta.
This video gives you a rough overview of most available classes, when you have narrowed down your choice, you should inform yourself in more detail about the class of your choice:
What else is there to see? There are also good videos that explain the more in-depth systems in the game. Depending on how deeply you want to engage with these mechanics and how much you want to discover for yourself, it is advisable to inform yourself already before the start.
This can save you time at release, but naturally, some of the exploration factor is lost, which contributes to the enjoyment of the game.
3. Try the game out
Why is this useful? Lost Ark plays differently than most other games. At first, it feels like Diablo or Path of Exile, but it feels completely different. That’s precisely why it’s important to try the game out so you know what you’re getting into.
This is also important because you can try out your characters. Lost Ark gives you the chance to test the desired class at max level before the game truly starts.
Additionally, you can feel how the MMORPG mechanics fit into the otherwise very hack-and-slash-heavy system and whether you actually like it.
How do you try the game out? If you missed the closed beta and didn’t have access to the technical alpha back then, you may have never played Lost Ark until now. However, you can change that.
Although there is still no official way to play the MMORPG, we at MeinMMO explain in detail and simply how to access the Russian servers of Lost Ark. There you can then try out the game to your heart’s content.
Furthermore, there won’t be another open beta before the title is released here, so this is your only chance to test Lost Ark if you haven’t done so yet.
4. Experiment with the Skillbuilder
What is the Skillbuilder? Once you have decided on your class, many will already feel the excitement. You want to engage with your character and ideally have the best build at hand.
The Skillbuilder from the Lost Ark Codex website (via lostarkcodex.com) helps you with this. With it, you can choose your class and see all skills and the skill points you can collect in total. You can then put together and save your build, as well as change it at will.
However, you can not only experiment with the powerful tool but also download and view builds from other players to see what experienced players are doing with their skill points.
Why is this useful? Knowing in advance where you want to go with your character and what you want to do with your skills can save you a lot of time. Some players get depressed quickly if they misallocate their skills and are then weaker than they could be.
Thanks to the Skillbuilder and the various builds from different users, this is now a thing of the past. You can lay out multiple strategies before the release and be perfectly prepared for the release.
5. Prepare the right sources
Why is this good? It is often criticized that Lost Ark explains too few of its mechanics in-depth. Therefore, it’s very useful to have a wiki or a site ready that helps you when questions arise while playing.
Especially if you play the game with your friends, you can score points by knowing what is currently happening. To be optimally prepared for every situation, we at MeinMMO recommend two sites that should answer all your questions.
Which sites should you bookmark now? On one hand, of course, MeinMMO, as we will also publish many guides for the new MMORPG.
On the other hand, the Lost Ark Wiki (via fandom.com), which acts as a Wikipedia and database for the MMORPG. You will find descriptions for almost all items you can find in the game and a handy, rough explanation of how to obtain them.
The arguably best source is the directory from Lost Ark streamer Saintone. In this Google Doc, you will find in-depth guides for most activities in the game, as well as good builds for almost all classes (via Google Docs).
So we strongly recommend you set your bookmark now and have the Saintone directory at hand while playing.
Bonus: Convince your friends
Why is that? Lost Ark is more fun, like most MMORPGs, when you can experience it together with your friends. The game offers you the opportunity to complete almost any activity in the game in groups of four.
You will have the most fun with Lost Ark when you are out with three other people and can best talk in voice chat. Coordination among players is also essential in later raids and dungeons.
Therefore, it is a great advantage even in the late game if you can rely on your friends. So if you want to start a new MMORPG together, you should start getting your friends just as hyped as you are.
Do you have any tips and ways that players can do now to prepare for the release of Lost Ark? Feel free to let us know in the comments here at MeinMMO and let us know what you personally do to pass the time until then.
Are you still not quite sure whether Lost Ark is right for you? 7 things you need to know about Lost Ark if you come from Diablo might help you.
