The Lost Ark Gunslinger is by far one of the highest skill-ceiling classes in game. That makes it one of the strongest and most satisfying ones to master. This is a class, that if used well, will make you feel as if you're the star of the show.
However, this is a high-skill class compared to others in the game. In your first hours of playing, you might find yourself running from enemies since you missed all your skill shots, or you don’t remember which weapon is ready to fire. However, mastering this class is hyper-satisfying.
Early on, you learn that the Gunslinger comes from a land where she saw her friends become demons themselves at hands of an evil man. Now, she is called to help find the Arks and save the world from the demons with her style... and a bag full of ammo.
Here's all you need to know to start your adventure as a gunslinger in Lost Ark.
How to play a Gunslinger?
The Lost Ark Gunslinger is one of the most advanced classes and has a very singular playstyle. She excels as a versatile ranged fighter because the class’s attacks are not limited by a single distance.
You have access to three stances, each represented by a different gun with a specific set of skills. This class is based on a flow that has you cycling through these stances during a fight for constant DPS. Since it's really hard to keep using only one stance, changing is a necessity.
The first gun is a pair of mid-range pistols. These are gunslinger’s signature weapons and the ones you are going to use the most since it is the stance with 8 slots for skills. Even the pistol’s basic attacks are useful in case you have all your skills on cooldown.
The abilities you have access to by using the pistols vary from a frontal sequence of shots to a 360º attack where you finish by jumping away from your enemies while throwing explosives on them. The pistols offer a lot of mobility too, so use them to reposition yourself during the fight or to reach faraway enemies before they can run!
Gunslinger’s second stance is the shotgun. This is a very explosive gun, but short-ranged. It also only has four skills in your hotbar. Because using it places you close to enemies, you should avoid relying on it for basic attacks or as your main weapon. Instead, shotguns excel in finishing combos, as well as in situations in which you want to push your enemies away. If a hoard of enemies is swarming you and you need some space, push them away with your shotgun.
The rifle is the third stance and the second most powerful among them, after the pistols. Just like the shotgun stance, you can use only four of the rifle’s skills in your hotbar. This weapon’s strengths are in its distance as well as skills that deal a lot of damage or stun reckless adversaries that stay in one place too long.
Not only that, but the rifle has options for crowd control if you decide to build that way. Of course, these possibilities come with a price. When using this stance, you're more prone to becoming locked in animations, becoming an easy target to a berserker that broke the frontline of your team or a group of enemies that is approaching from behind.
Knowing each stance and in which situation you should use them are key to becoming a great Gunslinger. All the different fighting styles it facilitates make it an adaptable, but very hard class to play. Managing all your cooldowns is a lot of work when you're facing many enemies at the same time or being chased by a furious Deathblade in PVP. However, with practice, and of course with a good build for each situation, you can take over a battlefield.
Gunslinger PvP Skills
Gunslinger in PvP is a technically tough class. There are a lot of situations where you might find yourself flat-footed and caught off guard. Gunslingers don't have a great way of defending themselves when this happen.
That's why it's all about hitting your stuns. Keeping enemies where you want so you can shoot them with powerful attacks is key to success. The following list of skills and upgrades can help you:he following list of skills and upgrades can help you:
- Spiral Tracker (Skill Lv. 10): Weakness Exposure, Quick Pace, and Whirlpool
- AT02 Grenade (Skill Lv. 4): Wide Explosion
- Somersault Shot (Skill Lv. 1)
- Death Fire (Skill Lv. 10): Tenacity, Chain Throw, and Infinite Decimation
- Dexterous Shot (Skill Lv. 7): Vital Point Attack and Close Shot
- Peacekeeper (Skill Lv. 10): Excellent Mobility, Anti-Air Shot, Stun Effect
- Bullet Rain (Skill Lv. 4): Vital Point Shot or AoE Fire to learn how to use it
- Hour of Judgment (Skill Lv. 1)
- Shotgun Rapid Fire (Skill Lv. 1)
- Last Request (Skill Lv. 1)
- Dual Buckshot (Skill Lv. 10): Swift Fingers, Tenacity, and Recoil Evasion
- Spiral Flame (Skill Lv. 4): Quick Aim or Ice Shot depending on your strategy.
- Catastrophe (Skill Lv. 7): Tenacity and Defenseless Target
- Perfect Shot (Skill Lv. 10): Stable Stance, Kill Confirmation, and Enhanced Shot.
- Focused Shot (Skill Lv. 10): Quick Aim, Flash, and Quick Finish
- High-Caliber HE Bullet (Awakening Skill)
Gunslinger PvE Skills
Primarily a Gunslinger's role in PvE content is as a damage dealer. However, they can also offer some great utility too. Thanks to the class’s kit, there is also the possibility of helping the party with some crowd control. This comes in very handy in cases where there are a considerable amount of enemies surrounding the party.
Here is the list of skills and upgrades you can use:
- Spiral Tracker (Skill Lv. 10): Weakness Exposure, Growth Bullet, and Whirlpool
- AT02 Grenade (Skill Lv. 7): Wide Explosion, Free grenade
- Equilibrium (Skill Lv. 4): Weakness Exposure
- Dexterous Shot (Skill Lv. 4): Vital Point Attack
- Peacekeeper (Skill Lv. 7): Excellent Mobility and Cykin CQC
- Bullet Rain (Skill Lv. 1)
- Shotgun Rapid Fire (Skill Lv. 1)
- Last Request (Skill Lv. 4)
- Dual Buckshot (Skill Lv. 10): Swift Fingers, Concussion, and Final Strike
- Sharpshooter (Skill Lv. 10): Ranged Shot or Special Bullet,Soul Strike, and Guardian’s Breath
- Spiral Flame (Skill Lv. 10): Quick Aim, Growth Bullet, and Reinforced Gunbarrel.
- Catastrophe (Skill Lv. 1)
- Perfect Shot (Skill Lv. 4)
- Target Down (Skill Lv. 7): Large Caliber Bullet and Explosive Steel Bullet
- High-Caliber HE Bullet (Awakening Skill)
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