Lost Ark: Stronghold Lost Ark guide, walkthrough
On this page of the Lost Ark tutorial you will learn how the Stronghold works and what actions you can perform in it.
Last update: 28 February 2022
This page explains how Strongholds work in Lost Ark. You will learn how to send dispatches, craft and use the lab, and speed up your Stronghold level.
- What is Stronghold?
- Lab
- Station
- Workshop
- Manor
- What are the quick and cheap ways to increase the Stronghold level?
What is Stronghold?
Strongholds are locations assigned independently to every player. They are unlocked when the story missions take you to Lutherra Castle on East Lutherra. To get to it, play the Song of Hearth and Home (F2), and to return to the previous location, play Song of Escape.
Check the Guides tab in the journal (J) to see most of the Stronghold basics and unlock the basic functions.
Stronghold features many time-dependent bonus activities. Here you can create items, dispatch ships, or trade with local and visiting merchants. Additionally, you can build structures on free spaces to make your surroundings stand out for your friends and visitors.
The key to unlocking all features, is to gain Stronghold level 10 for activities inside it (especially crafting items and environmental objects) and completing side quests inside the Stronghold (blue markers).
All Stronghold activities require Action Energy. If you run out of it, you will have to wait until it recharges or use special items to do so (you will get some of these in tutorials). Initially, however, you will have enough Action Energy.
Lab
The Lab will allow you to expand other Stronghold specializations and unlock new recipes. Most of these operations require gold, so discovering everything right away isn't worth it. At first, levelling up other buildings is the most important thing. With time and progress you will be given new things to investigate.
You can also unlock new recipes by purchasing them from the merchant Jeniff in the port of the Stronghold, and from merchants that will appear nearby for a limited time.
Station
The Station will allow you to send ships on dispatches. At first, only simple 2-hour, single ship dispatches will be available, which will provide you with rewards such as Stronghold XP,Pirate Coins, and Seals, which serve as simple currency for purchases made at the Stronghold port (you must go there in person and talk to the merchants)
Dispatching a ship costs Pirate Coins and requires you to compose a crew. Each mission requires a different crew due to the skills of its members. Therefore, some missions will be more fruitful, others less so. You may want to use the Auto Formation option to select your crew by specialization more easily. This will affect the Adaptation factor, which determines the chance of success ( loot size, ship damage, chance of finding a rare item). The ship gets damaged after each expedition - you can repair its durability using wood and iron.
On further Station levels, you will gain access to much more complex missions that will also take more time. The rewards will be bigger, but so will be the cost of dispatching the ships. You will be able to send more ships at the same time as you expand your Station even further. Special missions are available only later in the game, once you complete other activities like the Chaos Dungeon or Boss Rush.
The next Station levels will become available alongside the Stronghold level - more expansion points at levels 7 and 15. You must unlock them in the Lab beforehand, though.
Workshop
The Workshop is where you can craft new, useful items, such as healing potions, ones that add buffs, or better tools. You will need gold and rare ingredients for many of them. Avoid crafting items that need gold in the early game, as gold is the most valuable currency.
Developing the stronghold further (ca. to Level 10) will give you access to special "farms" where you can obtain unique raw materials for high-level items.
Crafting, combined with gathering and harvesting resources, can become a profitable source of gold. Many items, such as dishes and special potions, can be sold on the Market for a lot of gold.
Manor
The Manor doesn't play any important role at first, until you unlock special items that can provide effects for different gameplay categories. One way to get them is to maximize your progress in the Adventurer's Tome. However, this is a reward for the final levels on each page.
What are the quick and cheap ways to increase the Stronghold level?
All Stronghold activities - building, Lab discoveries, and ship dispatches - increase the Stronghold XP. However, with a little effort on your part you will speed up the process considerably. Crafting will be especially important here - look for new recipes or use the ones you already have. Structures bring exceptional amounts of XP. You can also create Battle Items to sell later by collecting (or purchasing) the appropriate ingredients in advance.
By converting some dishes and products into money, you can purchase products on the market to sell a produced item for more money later - this depends on current prices and the recipes you have. You should deduct the cost of production if the goods require gold.