Welcome to our Lost Ark PvE Gunslinger guide! I’m going to give you my recommendation for the optimal builds, but they are not set in stone. You should always try and customize your build to your particular playstyle and comfort. Some skills can be replaced by other situational skills.
Gunslinger is one of the Gunner advanced classes, focusing on the unique class mechanic of having three different weapons:
- Shotgun
- Pistols
- Rifle
It’s widely considered to be one of the hardest classes to play, because of the weapon switching mechanics, and the general level of difficulty to position and engage the enemies, but it is also one of the most satisfying, dispatching tough enemies with ease when executed correctly. Here is our guide to utilizing this advanced class to the fullest.
Gunslinger Leveling Guide
While you level your class in Lost Ark, just like any other class, the storyline and quests are really just a way to familiarize yourself with the class, the skills, and the playstyle. You should always try to learn this naturally by playing the class through the story first.
To maximize damage while leveling, you should focus all your skill points on the following skills:
- Equilibrium
- Sharpshooter
- Bullet Rain
- Focused Shot
- Quick Step (for mobility)
While these are the recommended skills, you can level up with just about anything. The most important thing for Gunslinger is that you pick one good AoE and one good single target skill, which will allow you to take down all forms of enemies quickly.
Best Gunslinger PvE Engravings and Stat Priority
The Gunslinger has two powerful class-specific engravings that greatly impact the class playstyle. These are Peacemaker and Time to Hunt.
Peacemaker gives additional beneficial effects for a limited time when switching weapons:
- Pistol: Increased Attack Speed
- Shotgun: Increased Critical Damage
- Rifle: Increased Damage
Meanwhile, Time to Hunt gives increased Crit Chance to the Pistol and Rifle, but removes the ability to use the Shotgun.
Both are viable engravings, each leaning the class to different playstyles. Peacemaker focuses on strong damage from close range with the Shotgun, while Time to Hunt is a bit simpler and safer, being played from range.
As such, the class features two distinct play styles split up based on these mechanics. However, a Time to Hunt focused build actually utilizes Peacemaker as well, making it one of few builds to use both class-specific engravings.
Stats to maximize for Peacemaker: Crit and Swiftness (at a 70/30 ratio)
Stats to maximize for Time to Hunt: Spec and Crit (at a 50/50 ratio)
Best Peacemaker Engravings
- Grudge
- Peacemaker (Level 1)
- Keen Blunt Weapon
- Master of Ambush
- Adrenaline
- Spirit Absorption
Best Time to Hunt Engravings
- Grudge
- Time to Hunt (Level 1)
- Peacemaker (Level 2)
- Keen Blunt Weapon
- Cursed Doll
- Adrenaline
Gunslinger Chaos Dungeon, Cube & Raids Tripods and Skill Builds
Unfortunately, Gunslinger doesn’t have much when it comes to variability in skills. There are a limited number of used skills, as some are simply much better than others. This means the simplest way to go is to use the same builds for all PvE content.
With that being said, there are slight alterations available, which may slightly increase damage in AoE scenarios. However, it’s generally just easier to use the same build, but feel free to experiment. Additionally, make sure to use Eye of Twilight as your Awakening skill.
For new players, to read these builds simply look at which skills are colored and pick the upgrades based on the small images below the names. Then, add runes to skills for further upgrades.
Peacemaker Tier 1 & 2 Build
Peacemaker Tier 3 Build
Time to Hunt Tier 1 & 2 Build
Time to Hunt Tier 3 Build
Best Gunslinger Gems
Attack Gems | Cooldown Gems |
Focused Shot | Focused Shot |
Target Down | Target Down |
Perfect Shot | Perfect Shot (Time to Hunt only) |
Bullet Rain / Shotgun Rapid Fire | Bullet Rain / Shotgun Rapid Fire |
Dual Buckshot / Meteor Storm | Dual Buckshot / Meteor Storm |
Sharpshooter | Quickstep |
Best Gunslinger Card Sets
For both builds, you should go with:
We’ll Meet Again and Forest of Giants
-or-
Lostwind Cliffs
Best Gunslinger PvE Combos
In Lost Ark, skills combo together to create a powerful chain of moves that is much more effective than using each move individually. As such, there will be a huge damage difference between players who know how to get the most out of their class, and those who don’t.
That being said, most fights are very dynamic, so you won’t always be able to complete your full combo, as surviving should be the key focus. Still, here’s how a rotation can look for each Gunslinger build:
Peacemaker Gunslinger Combo
- Spiraling Tracker
- Somersault Shot
- Bullet Rain
- Equilibrium
- Quick Step
- Swap to Rifle
- Focused Shot
- Target Down
- Perfect Shot
- Swap to Pistol
- Spiraling Tracker
- Dexterous Shot
- Equilibrium
- Quick Step
- Swap to Shotgun
- Shotgun Rapid Fire
- Dual Buckshot
- Sharpshooter
- Last Request
- Swap to Pistol and restart combo
Can you remember all of that!?
Time to Hunt Gunslinger Combo
- Spiraling Tracker
- Equilibrium
- Swap to Rifle
- Focused Shot
- Catastrophe
- Perfect Shot
- Swap to Pistol
- Spiraling Chaser
- Equilibrium
- Filler Skills as appropriate
- Keep switching to Rifle when cooldowns return
This is why it’s easier to play the Time to Hunt playstyle, less switching of weapons, but honestly, once you understand the basics, it’s all the same keys, and you will get used to the Peacemaker combo if you use it enough.
Thank you for checking out our Lost Ark Gunslinger PvE Guide! We will be keeping this article up to date as much as we can when major or gameplay-changing mechanics are altered. Check out the rest of our lost Ark content.