Amazon Games and the Lost Ark team have posted a new “Lost Ark Academy” blog that introduces the community to the upcoming Artist Advanced Class. The Artist will make her debut on March 15th. This new character type is the first Advanced Class of a new class category called “Specialists”, more of which are likely to appear in 2023.
Amazon’s localization team had some interesting thoughts about the Artist’s arrival due to recent controversy about potential cosmetic changes to make her a better fit for Western audiences.
We know there’s been a lot of speculation in the Lost Ark community on how the Artist Class would arrive in the Western version. We want to be transparent with players excited for its release. Previously, we’ve stated that some content in the original version of the game may be adapted for Western audiences. While our goal is to preserve the authenticity of the original game, we also work with Smilegate RPG to make localization updates to ensure the game feels approachable and representative of our Western players. Nothing gameplay-related will change for the Artist Class, but some skins will be modified to better fit Western norms. Specifically, skins with short skirts will have shorts added underneath the skirt, and other skins will have adjusted pant lengths or tights added. We will be working to preserve the original spirit of the skins when applying these changes to ensure players will have a variety of compelling customization options for this uniquely versatile class.
Players taking on the new class will need to watch and utilize the Harmony Meter Identity Gauge. As players fight enemies, they will fill up “Harmony Orbs” that, once full, can be used to cast the Artist’s Identity Skills: Moonfall and Sunrise. Players will also have access to unique class engravings: Full Bloom which improves her support abilities and Recurrence which bolsters her offense. Lastly, players can choose to attack foes directly or summon beasts or dimensional energy to harm them.
The Art of War Update
In addition to the Artist, players will be able to check out the Art of War update that offers some progression events. These special events will run from March 15th to June 14th and include:
- Players will receive a Punika Powerpass after completing Punika’s quest “Berver’s Friend” during, or before, the event period. With this version of the Punika Powerpass, players will receive Item Level 1340 gear.
- Players will also be able to designate one character between item Level 1340 and 1445 on their roster to participate in the Hyper Express Plus Event, where they’ll earn honing materials to quickly level up to Item Level 1445 and beyond.
- With the Story Express Event, players can clear story missions to level up a character from Item level 1 to Item level 1340 and earn rewards like Item Level 1340 Argos Legendary Gear that will help them progress even further.
Check out the Lost Ark official site to learn more.
