Lost Ark: What Should Returning Players Get Done in Three Days?

Returning players have been away for a while. What they fear most on coming back is not leveling, but not knowing what to do and spending time on low-yield content. Three days is enough to rebuild a character. The order is to claim the rewards and push item level, run instances for rewards next, and finish by filling in the engraving, gem, and other systems. The three days are broken down below.

Day one: claim the returning rewards and catch up on item level with the Powerpass

The returning rewards come. The Powerpass and the materials inside directly decide how far these three days can take you.

• Claim the returning event rewards. The Powerpass and the catch-up materials are all in there.
• Use the Powerpass to bring the character to the starting item level set by the event, skipping the main story.
• Do not spend the catch-up materials carelessly. Push the weapon and armor toward this week's instance threshold first.
• Clear the Chaos Dungeon and Guardian Raid entries, and collect the steady daily output.

Once day one is done, the character moves from being behind back to a position where it can run instances, and there is content to do for the next two days.

Day two: clear the instances you can enter and claim all the weekly rewards

After the item level catches up, run through the weekly content you can enter on day two. The rewards from Abyssal Dungeons and Legion Raids are the fastest batch of resources in the returning period.

• Enter Abyssal Dungeons for the weekly rewards, which produce materials tied to honing and engravings.
• Run the Legion Raids you can enter too. Even if only the low difficulty, doing it beats not doing it.
• If there are event instances, clear them as well. The catch-up materials from event currency are good value.
• Do not force the highest difficulty. Claim every reward you can get.

What day two needs to do is empty out the weekly content you can enter but have not run, which is the main source of gold and materials in the returning period.

Day three: fill in engravings, gems, and tripods, and sort out the character's setup

With item level and materials in hand, go over the combat systems on day three. Engravings, gems, and tripods are the three things that decide damage.

• Check whether the engravings are complete. A returning character is often still on the previous version's setup.
• Gems and tripods also cannot be missing, and like engravings they directly affect damage. The latter now transfer straight into the skill talent library.
• Get rid of useless old materials and old gear, and replace them with what the current version uses.
• Touch cards and collectibles only if you have energy left. Do not spend time on them in these three days.

Once day three is done, the character is actually usable, instead of having item level but no damage.

After three days: judge how far you still are from the main playerbase

After the basic work of these three days, look at the gap between yourself and the main playerbase, then decide how to allocate time going forward.

• Look at how far your item level is from the current mainstream level. If it is far, keep honing.
• Look at whether the fixed weekly income can be collected reliably. If it can, your rhythm has caught up.
• If the gap is too large, do not force a chase. Lock down the instances you must run each week, and slowly make it up.
• Before the returning benefits run out, use up all daily and weekly entries. Do not waste the catch-up period.

Once these two judgments are made, returning players will know whether to keep honing or hold steady on weekly content.

What returning players need to do in three days comes down to three steps: claim rewards and raise item level, run weekly content, and sort out the systems. Once these three steps are done, the character has the foundation to keep playing, and the rest is slowly making up progress on a weekly cycle. Finishing this plan does not mean instantly catching up to the top tier. The gaps in item level and collection will still take time to close. The real goal of returning is to rebuild your feel for the controls and the habit of clearing instances. Once those two are steady, the earlier gaps will fill in gradually on their own.