Lost Ark Engravings are ways to customize your character and buff some of their more important abilities.

The system is a complex one, and getting the stats you want takes a combination of luck and grinding. However, the rewards are substantial if you manage to get the right numbers on the right gear. This Lost Ark Engravings guide covers the basics, including how to power up your Engravings and what to do with Ability Stones

Lost Ark Engravings guide - What are Engravings in Lost Ark?

Engravings are customizable buffs and debuffs that alter your character’s stats, and the system that influences their boons is a bit complicated. The Engraving itself is the buff (or debuff), and you’ll find it on accessories and Ability Stones. These accessories and stones have randomly generated values that can contribute to either your Engraving’s positive effects or the negative ones.

How do you increase Engraving points in Lost Ark?

Engravings have point tiers that determine when their effects activate.

• 5 points: Weak effect
• 10 points: Normal effect
• 15 points: Strong effect

Each Accessory or Ability Stone will have a randomly assigned value, such as +2 or +3, so you’ll need a combination of lucky drops and high-level equipment to get the higher-tiered Engraving boosts. Ability Stones usually offer a faster and more reliable way of reaching the higher levels.

Accessories and Ability Stones also contribute toward negative Engraving values, though, such as defense penalties. Bear that in mind when you’re choosing loadouts for your character.

How to get Ability Stones in Lost Ark

You’ll get Ability Stones first by completing the Road to Faceting quest, where you receive five Ability Stones. After that, you’ll earn more by completing Raids, and as with accessories, their stats and buffs will be completely random.

How to Facet Ability Stones in Lost Ark

Faceting an Ability Stone upgrades the boons it offers, though it can increase negative traits as well. Speak to the Ability Stone Cutter in any settlement, and choose the Stone and ability you want to upgrade.

The rest of the process is random. You’ll have a set chance of being successful at upgrading the ability. If you succeed, the ability gets buffed, and if not, the facet is grayed out so you can’t use it. The goal is completing two rows of nodes, and graying out too many means you may have to rely on the red nodes, which increase the stone’s debuffs.

The chance of a successful faceting decreases each time you’re successful, so there will almost always be instances where you have to use the debuff nodes to finish setting the stone.

What are Class Engravings in Lost Ark?

Class Engravings are the third Engraving slot for your character, and they function a bit differently. You’ll choose between two Class Engravings for your character, and they’ll push you toward a more specific kind of build by boosting certain abilities or, in some cases such as the Gunslinger, removing them completely.

What are Custom Engravings in Lost Ark?

Custom Engravings let you add an Engraving of your choice to a ring of your choice, though you have to work – and pay Silver – for it. You’ll have to learn the Engraving recipe first, which comes from Engraving Books that may drop in Chaos Raids or the Tower of Shadow.

These have different rarities, from uncommon to legendary. It takes reading 20 of a given rarity before you’ll learn the recipe. After that, you can apply the Engraving to any Ring.

If you're still getting started in Lost Ark, make sure you're using your class in the best way possible. You'll want to build some rapport and work on your trade skills as well. We've also got some essential tips to avoid some common pitfalls as you make your way through Arkesia.