Lost Ark T4 Gear Honing Roadmap (1525 to 1680+)
The T4 honing route from 1525 to 1680 and beyond: where normal honing starts, the Advanced Honing gates, material economy, and when to stop pushing.
After the Dimensions Unbound overhaul, the T3-to-T4 climb is simpler but still gated. Here is the realistic road from 1525 to 1680+ without burning your whole gold stash on panic honing.
Where the road starts
Tier 4 begins with Determination of Destiny Relic gear. The North Kurzan quest “The Way Forward” unlocks the honing system and hands you a gear chest — post-overhaul it drops in already at item level 1640 (honing level 10), not the old 1590. Old T3 upper Ancient (Akkan) gear can no longer be normal-honed, so don’t sink materials into it; transfer or move on.
The three breakpoints
- 1525: ordinary normal honing begins on your T4 gear.
- 1620: Advanced Honing unlocks after clearing Echidna Gate 1. This is your first real power jump.
- 1680: the back half of Advanced Honing (levels 21–40) unlocks after clearing Mordum Gate 1. This is the expensive stretch — budget for it.
Past that, gate thresholds like 1700 (Kazeros Act 4), 1710 (Denouement), and 1720+ are your target lines, not round numbers you hone to for fun.
The material economy
T4 uses its own set: Destiny Leapstone, Destiny Destruction and Guardian Stones, Destiny Shards, and Abidos Fusion Material, with Lava’s Breath (weapon) and Glacier’s Breath (armor) as support items. Leftover T3 upper materials convert to T4 at the Honing Material Exchange NPC, so old stock isn’t dead weight. Bound materials from dailies first; spend tradable gold-bought materials only when a gate is in reach.
When to stop
Hone to the next raid gate you can actually clear, then stop. Chasing +2 item level with no new content unlocked is how rosters go broke. If you are below 1720, the Mokoko Buff (covering rosters under that line for 90 days) throws in honing discounts and bonus rewards — stack it with events before pushing.
One more tip: keep your Stronghold honing research active for alts, and don’t sleep on Karma levels — they are a cheap, permanent sheet bump that stacks with every hone you do. Also resist transferring T3 gear you still use; the transfer is one-way into T4, so only move pieces you are ready to replace.
For the Advanced Honing details, see the Advanced Honing guide. Once gear is set, the Ark Grid guide is where the next big damage tier lives. New to the loop? Start at the beginner guide.