Lost Ark Ark Grid Guide (T4)
How the T4 Ark Grid works: Order and Chaos Cores across Sun, Moon, and Star, Willpower, Astrogems, Core Point thresholds, and where to spend first.
Ark Grid is the big T4 vertical system, and it can genuinely reshape how a class plays. It unlocks around item level 1700 and is built from two pieces: Cores and Astrogems. Each character builds their own — it is not roster-wide.
Cores: Order vs Chaos, Sun/Moon/Star
There are six Core categories: Order and Chaos, each split into Sun, Moon, and Star. You may equip one of each type (no doubling a category).
- Order Cores are class-specific and only work when your matching Enlightenment Ark Passive is active. Order of the Sun defines the build (often a “Destiny” effect), Order of the Moon sets the condition to trigger it, and Order of the Star adds supporting stats like attack speed or cooldown reduction.
- Chaos Cores are universal — generic damage or support buffs. Great while gearing or while you wait for the right Order Core.
Cores come in Epic, Legendary, Relic, and Ancient rarity. Rarity matters, but compatibility matters more: a lower-rarity Core that fits your build beats a shiny one that doesn’t.
Astrogems and Willpower
Astrogems slot around a Core (up to four) and supply Core Points plus combat effects (Attack Power, Additional Damage, Boss Damage, Brand Power, and ally buffs on support gems). Each has a Willpower cost (8/9/10); the Core only activates gems it can “power,” in order, so empty or over-cost slots stay dark.
Willpower cap by rarity: Epic 9, Legendary 12, Relic 15, Ancient 17. Core Point breakpoints: Epic at 10; Legendary at 10 and 14; Relic and Ancient at 10, 14, 17, 18, 19, and 20. The 10/14/17 nodes are where the main effects live; 18–20 are minor.
Where to start
Grab your first Core from Kazeros Act 4 (Armoche), Denouement, Shadow Raid Serca, or Horizon Cathedral, register it, and start collecting Astrogems (Kurzan Front, Guardian Raids, Chaos Gates at 1700+, and Paradise). Process them via the minigame, then fuse three for 500 gold if you need a higher rarity. Aim for an Order Core that matches your build, then push its points to 10, then 14/17. Use the Trixion Training Room to compare setups. Missing a Core? The pity chest costs 200 Core Essence (earned by registering duplicates).
For the gear that gets you to 1700, see the gear honing roadmap and Advanced Honing guide.