Lost Ark, the action-packed MMORPG by Smilegate and Amazon Games, has captured the hearts of millions of players worldwide with its immersive gameplay, intricate systems, and diverse content. Among the many mechanics in the game, honing stands out as a critical process for players aiming to enhance their gear and increase their combat power. This article provides an in-depth guide to the honing system, detailing its costs, mechanics, and tips for efficient progression.
What is Honing in Lost Ark?
Honing is the process of upgrading your gear to increase its item level and improve its stats. This system becomes essential as you progress through the game’s content, particularly in mid-to-late game stages where higher item levels unlock more challenging dungeons, raids, and other activities. Each honing attempt consumes various resources and has a success rate, making it a mix of strategy and chance.
Key Resources for Honing
To successfully hone your gear in Lost Ark, you’ll need to gather several key resources:
- Harmony Shards, Life Shards, or Honor Shards: Used as the primary honing material, their tier depends on your gear’s level.
- Guardian Stones and Destruction Stones: Guardian Stones are used for armor, while Destruction Stones are for weapons.
- Leapstones: Required for honing attempts; they vary in type (Harmony, Life, or Honor Leapstones) based on your gear tier.
- Silver and Gold: These currencies are essential for every honing attempt.
- Fusion Materials: Higher-tier honing often requires fusion materials such as Star’s Breath or other crafting components.
Honing Cost Chart Overview
The cost of honing in Lost Ark scales with the gear’s tier and level. Here’s a breakdown of the honing system’s structure:
Tier 1 (Item Level 302-600)
- Base Materials: Harmony Shards, Guardian/Destruction Stones, Harmony Leapstones
- Silver Costs: Relatively low compared to higher tiers
- Success Rates: Starts high (100% for early levels) but decreases after certain thresholds
- Notable Breakpoints: The cost increases significantly after +10 honing levels
| Gear Level | Harmony Shards | Guardian/Destruction Stones | Harmony Leapstones | Silver Cost | Success Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +1 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 500 | 100% |
| +5 | 50 | 40 | 3 | 2000 | 80% |
| +10 | 200 | 150 | 10 | 8000 | 40% |
Tier 2 (Item Level 802-1100)
- Base Materials: Life Shards, Guardian/Destruction Stones (Tier 2), Life Leapstones
- Silver and Gold Costs: Noticeably higher than Tier 1
- Success Rates: Further reduced compared to Tier 1
| Gear Level | Life Shards | Guardian/Destruction Stones | Life Leapstones | Silver Cost | Success Rate |
| +1 | 50 | 15 | 2 | 1000 | 100% |
| +5 | 250 | 70 | 5 | 5000 | 70% |
| +15 | 2000 | 500 | 20 | 20000 | 30% |
Tier 3 (Item Level 1302+)
- Base Materials: Honor Shards, Guardian/Destruction Stones (Tier 3), Honor Leapstones, Fusion Materials
- Silver and Gold Costs: Significantly higher, requiring careful resource management
- Success Rates: Drops to as low as 10% at higher levels
| Gear Level | Honor Shards | Guardian/Destruction Stones | Honor Leapstones | Fusion Material | Silver Cost | Success Rate |
| +1 | 100 | 20 | 3 | – | 1500 | 100% |
| +10 | 1000 | 400 | 15 | 5 | 10000 | 40% |
| +20 | 5000 | 2000 | 50 | 20 | 50000 | 10% |
Challenges and Strategies for Efficient Honing
RNG and Success Rates
The honing system incorporates a success rate mechanic, meaning higher-level gear has progressively lower chances of a successful upgrade. Failing a honing attempt consumes resources, making each attempt costly.
Strategies to Mitigate RNG:
- Save Star’s Breath and Solar Grace: These items increase honing success rates.
- Time Your Attempts: Plan honing sessions when you have enough resources to cover multiple attempts.
- Use Special Events: Participate in in-game events offering honing materials or success rate buffs.
Resource Management
Gathering resources efficiently is crucial to minimizing the grind.
Tips for Resource Management:
- Daily and Weekly Content: Focus on activities like Chaos Dungeons, Guardian Raids, and Una’s Tasks.
- Trade and Market: Use the in-game market to sell excess resources and buy needed ones.
- Stronghold Research: Invest in honing cost reduction and efficiency upgrades.
Gold and Silver Costs
Gold becomes a bottleneck for many players, especially in Tier 3.
Gold Management Tips:
- Run Abyssal Dungeons: These offer significant gold rewards.
- Complete Una’s Tokens: Exchange these for gold chests.
- Engage in the Auction House: Sell valuable items to generate gold.
Honing Events and Bonuses
Lost Ark frequently offers honing-related events to help players progress faster:
- Express Events: Provide additional honing materials and rewards.
- Success Rate Buffs: Occasionally, success rates are increased during special events.
- Login Rewards: Daily logins often grant shards, stones, and other resources.
Final Thoughts
The honing system in Lost Ark is both rewarding and challenging. Understanding the costs and planning your progression carefully can save you from unnecessary frustration. By leveraging events, managing resources efficiently, and employing strategic gameplay, you can enhance your gear effectively and enjoy the game’s endgame content to its fullest.
Lost Ark’s honing mechanics may appear complex at first, but with practice and preparation, they become an integral part of the game’s progression system. Keep an eye on updates and community discussions to stay informed about the latest strategies and changes to honing costs.
Happy honing!
