Lost Ark Beginner Guide: Picking Your First Main and Reaching Tier 4
New to Lost Ark's Western servers? How to choose your first main by playstyle, what the Mokoko Buff gives you, and the path from level 1 to the Tier 4 Item Level 1720 endgame gate.
Lost Ark is an MMO action RPG where the combat is the entire point — think Diablo-style skills welded onto an MMO. The Western version is in the Tier 4 era (the “Summer of Extremes” update, live since July 15, 2026). If you are starting fresh or returning, here is the path that actually works.
Pick your first main by feel, not a tier list
Lost Ark has six advanced archetypes (Warrior, Martial Artist, Gunner, Mage, Assassin, Specialist) branching into roughly 28 advanced classes. The single most common new-player mistake is picking a class because a website called it “S-tier” — those lists shift every patch and a class you hate playing is a class you’ll quit.
Instead, pick by fantasy:
- Want to support and always find groups? Paladin or Bard — supports are perpetually in demand.
- Want flashy magic? Sorceress or Summoner.
- Want guns and mobility? Gunslinger or Scouter.
- Want melee bruiser? Berserker or Slayer.
- Want a pet/summon playstyle? Artist (support) or Summoner.
You can always make alts later — your first character just needs to be one you’ll enjoy leveling.
The Mokoko Buff (use it if you qualify)
If your roster’s highest Item Level was below 1720 on July 15, 2026, you get the updated Mokoko Buff: combat assistance for new and returning players that smooths the early climb. Check your roster — if you qualify, it makes the road to endgame much gentler. (A new class, the Dimensionalist, is also joining the roster in the October–December 2026 window alongside a Tier 3→4 progression overhaul — worth watching if you haven’t committed yet.)
The leveling path to Tier 4
The main story carries you through the continents in order: Bermost → Vern → South Vern → Rowen/Rozh → Punika, then into Tier 4 content. Use the story quests, sprinkle in Chaos Dungeons and Guardian Raids for gear, and don’t skip the XP boosts. If an Express / Powerpass event is live, it can rocket an alt to near-endgame — great for a second character once your main is settled.
Your first goal: Item Level 1720
Tier 4’s first real gate is Item Level 1720 — that is where Kazeros Raid Act 1 Extreme (Normal) opens. Everything before that is the climb; everything after is the loop (see our endgame guide).
First-session plan: pick a class you like → run the story → take every Chaos Dungeon/Guardian you can → ride the Mokoko Buff to 1720. Don’t stress about builds yet — just reach the gate, then learn systems.