Lost Ark Slayer Build Guide (T4)

The Slayer is the greatsword bruiser who lives in the boss’s lap. She trades the Berserker’s long ramp for faster, punchier bursts and better mobility. If you like melee that rewards aggression and clean counter timing, she is a great T4 pick. No tier talk here — just how to make her hit like a truck.

The two playstyles

Slayer’s class engravings shape the whole rotation:

• Predator — leans into execute damage, rewarding you for finishing low-HP enemies and pressing the kill. Great for clear speed and confident raid play.
• Executioner — builds around the Punish counterattack identity, banking crit and crit damage when you nail counters. More technical, more rewarding in long fights where you can consistently punish.

Both are viable. Predator is the friendlier on-ramp; Executioner is the higher-skill ceiling.

Stat priority

Crit is your first stat by a wide margin — you want to cap crit chance so your big hits actually spike. After that, Specialization feeds your Identity meter and cooldowns, which keeps your burst windows frequent. Some players drift a little Swiftness for quality-of-life, but Crit > Spec is the safe default.

Combat engravings

• Grudge — more damage dealt, more damage taken. Classic greedy Slayer pick.
• Cursed Doll — flat damage boost; pairs naturally with her in-your-face style.
• Keen Blunt Weapon — turns your crits into real spikes.
• Raid Captain — bonus damage in raid content, strong once the core four are set.

Read your ability stone for two or three of these plus the class engraving, then fill the rest on accessories. The engravings guide covers stone evaluation.

Rotation feel

Open with a gap-closer, dump your highest-damage greatsword skills during buff windows, and use your counter/Punish on telegraphed hits to refund value. Don’t overcommit — she hits hard but dies fast if you eat mechanics.

Gems and progression

You want damage gems on your core greatsword skills and a couple of cooldown gems to keep windows tight. Our T4 gems guide shows the breakpoints worth buying. For endgame stat gains beyond gear, the Ark Grid guide explains which Core to chase, and the gear honing guide maps the road to 1680+.

If melee isn’t your thing, the classes guide lists ranged alternatives.