The Rundown: Lost Ark Mage Edition

Welcome to The Rundown series, where I provide the key identity of each class that players may find fun or interesting. This one focuses on the Mage classes in Lost Ark.

Yes, it is true that not all Lost Ark classes are created equal. Some are naturally more efficient and, if your goal as a player is to pick the highest performing, there are certain classes you should prioritize over others. With that being said, if you ask the question “what is the best class in Lost Ark?” the wisest answer is “whatever is the most fun.” Even with Smilegate streamlining the enhancement process, the optimization grind for items in Lost Ark is a grueling process. How nihilistic would it all feel when you have spent all that time strengthening the class, only to realize that you’re really not enjoying its mechanics?

With that being said, this article is not for identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each class. Instead, I will focus on what I think the unique flair of the classes is while listing positive class-defining features. Due to their sheer number, I will divide them according to their big, five categories: Warrior, Martial Artist, Hunter, Mage, Assassin.

Here is my rundown of the two Lost Ark Mage classes: Bard and Sorceress.

Bard

Bard is the best support in the game, and there are very few sound arguments against this claim. She has everything that a support class would want. She has shields, heals, offensive buffs, and defensive buffs. Along with her unmatched utility, her spells have beautiful visual and audio effects that will please both your eyes and ears.

Bard is not necessarily a mechanically difficult character. However, Bard players find researching enemy move-sets and choosing specific answers against them very fun. If all these sound interesting to you, play Bard.

Sorceress

You’d be surprised to think that a traditional magic caster class such as the Sorceress is one of the latest releases from Smilegate. As one of the newest classes, Sorceress has a very well-rounded, powerful kit of a long-range DPS. With three charges on her escape ability, she is able to quickly get herself out of dangerous situations while raining fire, ice, and lighting onto her foes. Sorceress is for traditional mage players in other games. If you like that type of playstyle, you will love Sorceress.