TL;DR
- Complete Valtan and Vykas raids for your first Relic gear set
- Optimize engravings, stats, and tripods using event benefits and proper planning
- Progress through Brelshaza gates systematically to acquire Ancient gear pieces
- Farm horizontal content for skill points and optimize bracelets for stat bonuses
- Focus on one main character for the expensive 1540-1580 honing progression
Reaching item level 1490 marks your entry into Lost Ark’s true endgame content, where strategic gear progression becomes essential for advancement. The initial priority involves assessing your current equipment quality – if you’re still using Chosen or Legendary gear, transitioning to Relic quality becomes your immediate objective. Players who already possess Relic sets can proceed directly to optimization, but everyone should focus on completing their Relic collection.
To obtain your foundational Relic gear, you’ll need to engage with both Valtan and Vykas legion raids. Access these encounters by pressing “Alt + Q” to open your interface menu, then navigate to the Legion Raids section. These challenging eight-player activities require coordination and mechanical knowledge.

For your initial attempts, I strongly recommend joining learning parties specifically designed for newcomers. These groups provide patient environments where you can master complex mechanics without pressure. Preparation is crucial – study raid guides thoroughly before attempting these encounters to understand critical patterns and team coordination requirements.
Valtan rewards players with Demon Beast Bones while Vykas provides Covetous Wings as completion materials. Exchange these resources with the Legion Raid NPC to craft your preferred Relic armor set. Hard mode variants significantly increase material yields, offering additional bones, wings, and substantial gold rewards that accelerate your progression timeline.
Building an effective character configuration represents your next critical progression step. The Super Mokoko Express event provides substantial support through temporary engraving benefits and free ability stone rerolls, allowing you to experiment with optimal setups. Configure these temporary benefits strategically to maximize their value during the event period.
Stat allocation demands careful attention, as improper stat distribution can severely impact your performance. While using engraving support systems, prioritize equipping the highest quality accessories available, focusing on stat optimization rather than engraving combinations during this phase.
Tripod management significantly enhances your combat effectiveness. Identify essential tripods through your chosen build guide, then utilize the tripod tracking system by pressing “K” and marking desired tripods in your settings. This system visually highlights relevant tripod drops during Chaos Dungeon runs, streamlining your acquisition process.

Common mistakes include neglecting tripod preservation, underestimating stat importance, and inefficient use of event benefits. Avoid these pitfalls by planning your long-term engraving setup using available calculators and focusing on acquiring legendary engraving books through consistent weekly activities.
Advancing to Brelshaza legion raids represents your gateway to Ancient gear, the next equipment tier. Ensure you’ve completed Kakul-Saydon weekly to upgrade your Relic set to level 2 before pursuing Ancient equipment.
Brelshaza normal mode becomes accessible at item level 1490, introducing a structured six-gate progression system. The raid’s intimidating length is mitigated by segmented item level requirements: 1490 for gates 1-2, 1500 for gates 3-4, and 1520 for gates 5-6. This design allows focused learning of individual gate sets as you progressively enhance your gear.
Your initial clear rewards include Phantom Intentions sufficient for crafting your first Ancient gear piece. Crucially, transfer your existing Relic gear to maintain set bonuses and honing levels during the transition.
The primary objective involves completing your full Ancient set and honing all pieces to +15, achieving item level 1540. This milestone unlocks Brelshaza hard mode, Kayangel abyss dungeon for level 3 set upgrades, and the challenging Hanumatan guardian raid.
Between 1490 and 1540, new and returning players benefit significantly from horizontal content completion. Access skill point tracking by pressing “Alt + D” and searching “skill point” to identify available potions. Collectibles including Giant’s Hearts, Masterpieces, and Omnium Stars provide excellent starting points for skill point acquisition.
At item level 1490, bracelets become available as powerful stat-enhancing accessories. Prioritize acquiring bracelets featuring your primary stat (Swiftness, Specialization, or Crit) with complementary secondary stats. Relic-quality bracelets can achieve stat values up to 100, with higher values providing substantially better performance.
Optimal bracelet hunting involves targeting content that drops relic variants: Caliligos guardian raids, 1490 chaos dungeons, and Brelshaza legion raids. These accessories significantly impact your character’s combat effectiveness through raw stat increases.
Skill point collection through horizontal content provides permanent character power increases that benefit all your characters. The cumulative effect of additional skill points dramatically improves your rotation fluidity and damage output.
For players between 1490-1540, focusing on collectible completion yields substantial long-term benefits. Giants’ Hearts, Island Souls, Masterpieces, and Omnium Stars represent the most efficient skill point sources, with many available through straightforward farming methods.
After acquiring your complete Ancient set from Brelshaza, the honing process to +15 across all pieces achieves item level 1540. Material accumulation typically requires significant time investment, though the Super Mokoko Express Event substantially accelerates this progression phase.
The journey from 1540 to 1580 requires honing Ancient gear to +19, representing the current endgame progression cap. This stage demands substantial resource investment, making focused character development essential.
Multiple content avenues provide the necessary honing materials. Hanumatan Guardian Raid serves as an excellent source of Marvelous Honor Leapstones, while Kayangel normal mode offers both materials and engaging four-player dungeon content.
Kayangel features four distinct gates and provides essential materials for upgrading your relic set to level 3. Remember that prerequisite completion of Kakul-Saydon for level 2 set remains mandatory before pursuing level 3 upgrades.
Item level 1540 additionally unlocks Brelshaza hard mode gates 1 and 2. While no longer strictly required for progression, these hard mode encounters offer increased gold rewards and chances for Ancient bracelet drops.
Additional Brelshaza hard mode gates become accessible at higher item levels: 1550 for gates 3-4 and 1560 for gates 5-6. These provide additional challenge and rewards without being progression-mandatory.
Completion rewards include exclusive pets – clearing gates 1-6 five times grants the first pet, while ten completions awards the second variant.

And then completing it 10 times will give you this pet:

Sustained progression involves consistent weekly legion raid completions and daily activities to accumulate honing materials. The 1540-1580 progression represents one of Lost Ark’s most resource-intensive phases, necessitating focused investment on a primary character.
Achieving 1580 unlocks Kayangel hard mode, providing access to the coveted wing cosmetics and establishing your position at the current endgame pinnacle.

Action Checklist
- Complete Valtan and Vykas legion raids for Relic gear materials
- Optimize engravings and stats using event benefits and planning tools
- Progress through Brelshaza gates systematically for Ancient gear
- Farm horizontal content for skill point potions and collectibles
- Upgrade Ancient gear to +15 for 1540 item level
- Focus on one main character for the 1540-1580 honing push
No reproduction without permission:OnLineGames Guides » Lost Ark Endgame Guide: How to Get to Endgame (1490-1580 Item Level) Master the 1490-1580 progression path with expert strategies, gear optimization, and raid mechanics
