Lost Ark Excavating Guide

View an example T5 Master Excavating Tool on reddit.

For more details on how to obtain an Excavating Tool, please visit our Trade Skill Tools guide.

Best Excavating Tool Buffs

 ♥  ♥  Swap to Before Minigame  ♥ ♥

1. Minigame Difficulty Decrease:

• The Excavating minigame is very challenging without the help of the buff, “Minigame Difficulty 2 Decreased.”
• Minigame success greatly increases excavating rewards.

2. Minigame Reward Acquisition Probability: this buff increases the item amount when you win the minigame.

Because Excavating Tools have 2 additional buffs to the mini game, it’s not easy to get all the best stats.

 ♥  ♥  Use in Normal Digging and Chest Opening  ♥ ♥

1. Super Armor: your excavating animation will not get interrupted by mobs attacking you.

2. Basic Materials: more white and green grade relics

3. Rare Materials: more blue grade relics

4. Special Materials: more relics of the specified grade

TIP: You can use an Adept (Epic grade) tool for normal excavating and a higher tier tool with the minigame buffs for the minigame. (Superarmor is not needed for the minigame and its rewards.)

Best T1 Locations to Level Excavating

The locatons below are best for beginners wanting to level their excavating.

Optimal Excavating Skill Levels: none! (Excavating nodes have no level requirements.)

Best Beginner Friendly Excavating Location

• Bilbrin Forest in West Luterra:
  • Level 24+ characters and easy for beginners to find.
  • Dense relic nodes that quickly respawn.
  • If too many players, you can usually switch channels.
  • Several safe areas where you aren’t attacked by mobs.

Thank you lostarkcodex.com for excavating maps below. View Source.

Bilbrin Forest in West Luterra

Next Popular T1 Excavating Location

• Golden Wave Island:
  • Island requires access to a ship and Level 40+
  • Many nodes in a small area
  • Well known spot and may not be able to switch channels if someone else shows up.
  • You can buy weekly Novice Excavating XP potions here. You get 1580 XP per potion and can buy 5 per week which is 7900 Excavating XP.
  • Golden Wave Island is located west of the continent of Arthetine.

Best Excavating Locations for T2

In certain higher level zones, rare nodes with purple names have a chance to spawn instead of a normal node. They drop twice as much loot and also have an increased chance of rare materials.

Different continents have continent specific rare nodes and specific rare mats.

Relic nodes may have different names in each zone, but all give white grade Ancient Relic each time you gather. For example, relic nodes in one of the highest tier continents, like Punika, still give Ancient Relics, with a chance to give more rare mats. (This was to make crafting less complicated.) The rare mats in Punika, however, are the highest tier, providing Oreha mats.

You can find tier 2+ excavating by looking inside a zone or island’s map info. The description will state “Tier 2 (or 3) Special Materials.”

Tier 2 Excavating Locations

To find and excavate tier 2 nodes (Old Relic Trace), you have to have an item level of at least 600. Excavating level does not prevent you from excavating any higher tier node.

Azure Wind Island: Item Level 802+

• many potential T2 nodes
• Convenient location with no main story quest requirements to visit.
• Mob attacks are very low and can be avoided. You don’t need a Super Armor tool.
• Azure Wind Island is a well known T2 island, but I’ve never had an issue competing with others as it is a large area with many nodes.

The first time you encounter tier 2 excavating during the main quest line is in Yorn, which requires a 600 item level and tier 2 gear.

Old Relic Trace
T2 and T3 nodes have a purple name, but no excavating level requirement.

T2 Excavating Locations in Yorn

Yorn is located in the very SW corner of the world map and requires 600 item level to enter.

The location maps below are courtesy of lostarkcodex.com. Thanks! View source.

Iron Hammer Mine in Yorn

Excavation nodes are located around the outside edges.

Yorn’s Cradle in Yorn

Excavation nodes are all located on the west side of the map.

Hall of Promise in Yorn

A few excavation nodes are located in the north half of the map.

T2 Excavating Locations in Feiton

Feiton is located in the far NW section of the world and requires an item level of 960 to enter.

Shady Cliff

Excavation nodes are located in the SW corner of the map.

My Favorite T2 Excavating Spot: Azure Wind Island

• Azure Wind Island is located NE of Yorn and S of Rohendel.
• Recommended item level of 802+, but this is a great place to level Excavating, even if you only have 600 item level, because there are many areas where mobs don’t spawn.
• This is my favorite place to gather blue grade Caldarr Relics because there are many nodes, low mob density, and competing players aren’t an issue.

Azure Wind Island

Loot Categories Explained

• Normal: obtain 6 to 12 Ancient Relics, increasing with levels, tool buffs, and gear.
• Uncommon: Rare Relic is obtained more rarely than Ancient.
• Rare: Caldarr and then Oreha Relic is the most rare. Zone and item level restricted. (600+)

T2 / Basic / Uncommon:
Rare Relic

T4 Rare:
Oreha Relic (from T3 zones)

Excavating Details Explanation:

• Shows the increases gained from Trade Skills, Trade Skill Tools, and various buffs.
• If the drop rate or XP gain increases, shows stats aside from the base probability set for gatherables.
• For Crystalline Aura, the effects are shown on the gatherables and increased stats. However, if there is no increase, it will not be shown.
• Stats increased through Leap Essence will not be shown.

• Basic Reward Acquisition Rate +
  • Chance of obtaining additional Normal/Uncommon materials
  • Given by tool buff named “Excavating Trade Skill Basic Reward Bonus”
• Rare Material Acquisition Rate +
  • Chance of obtaining additional Rare materials
  • Chances increase drastically upon using certain skills. (Perfect Timing, Throw Bait, Sniffer Dog)
  • Given by tool buff named “Rare Material Acquisition Probability”
    • This is rarely seen on Adept tools in my experience and gives about a 20% buff.
• Special Material Acquisition Rate
  • Chance of obtaining additional Normal/Uncommon/Rare materials
  • The normal and uncommon aquisition rates are independent from eachother
  • Chances increase drastically upon using certain skills. (Green Thumb, Kick Tree, Moonlight Miner)
  • Given by tool buff named “Normal Material Acquisition Probability”
    • This is rarely seen on Adept tools in my experience and gives about a 2% buff.
• Minigame Reward Acquisition Rate + → Chances of obtaining a minigame reward.
  • Increase the amount of items you obtain from a successful minigame.
  • Given by tool buff named “Minigame Reward Acquisition Probability”
• Gathering Speed Increase → increase gathering animation speed.
• Durability Nonreduction Rate + → Chances that Durability will decrease when using tools.
• XP Acquisition Increase → increase Trade Skill experience gained. (Not obtainable on tools.)

Recipes Using Rare Relic from Excavating

Rare Relic, the green grade relic obtained via excavating, is used in many important recipes. Craft most of these recipes in your Stronghold.

You can increase your gold from excavating by crafting profiable recipes. For example, at the time of this writing, Time Stop Potion, has a gold price of 34, which would give a profit per craft of 23 gold. (Please be sure to check market pricing because profitability can quickly change with supply and demand.)

Trade Skill Tools Require Excavation Mats

Every Trade Skill Tool recipe is the same for each tier. (A Mining Tool requires the same ingredients as a Fishing Rod, etc.)

	Trade Skill Tool	Buffs	Cost	Trade Tool Recipe
	Novice Tool	1	5	1 – Novice Craft Kit 15 – Rare Relic 30 – Ancient Relic
	Apprentice Tool	2	30	1 – Apprentice Craft Kit 3 – Tool Crafting Part 15 – Rare Relic 24 – Ancient Relic
	Adept Tool	3	100	1 – Adept Craft Kit 8 – Tool Crafting Part 15 – Strong Iron Ore 15 – Rare Relic 24 – Ancient Relic
	Expert Tool	4	250	1 – Expert Craft Kit 28 – Tool Crafting Part 30 – Strong Iron Ore 20 – Rare Relic 32 – Ancient Relic
	Master Tool	5	500	1 – Master Craft Kit 82 – Tool Crafting Part 40 – Strong Iron Ore 80 – Rare Relic 128 – Ancient Relic

Excavating or purchasing relics from excavating is the only way to obtain higher tier trade skill tools of adept, expert, and master quality.

Archaeological Site Maps Require Excavation

Archaeological Site Map Requirements:

• Reach Stronghold Level 5
• Research at the Lab → Crafting Workshop Lv.2 in your Stronghold.
• Research at the Lab → Crafting Method: *location* Treasure Map in your Stronghold.
• One character in your roster who has Item Level of 302, that increases with the map tier.

Archaeological Site Map	Cost	Recipe	Crafting Requirements
Luterra, Arthetine, or North Vern (T1)	10	170 – Rare Relic	Achieve Item Lv. 302. Craft Method: * Treasure Map
Rohendel Archaeological Site Map (T1)	15	200 – Rare Relic	Achieve Item Lv. 460. Craft Method: Rohendel Treasure Map
Yorn Archaeological Site Map (T2)	20	30 – Caldarr Relic 150 – Rare Relic	Achieve Item Lv. 802. Craft Method: Yorn Treasure Map
Feiton Archaeological Site Map (T2)	30	35 – Caldarr Relic 175 – Rare Relic	Achieve Item Lv. 960. Craft Method: Feiton Treasure Map
Punika Archaeological Site Map (T3)	40	39 – Oreha Relic 195 – Rare Relic	Achieve Item Lv. 1302. Craft Method: Punika Treasure Map
South Vern Archaeological Site Map (T3)	50	43 – Oreha Relic 215 – Rare Relic	Achieve Item Lv. 1340. Craft Method: South Vern Treasure Map

For more details, please see my guide on Archaeological Site Map. ←

Other Items Requiring Excavation Mats

Some of the most in demand items require Excavation materials.

	Item Using Excavation Mats	Cost	Recipe	Qty
	Basic Oreha Fusion Material	205	8 26 64	30
	Simple Oreha Fusion Material	203	7 28 56	30
	Caldarr Fusion Material	80	7 28 56	30
	Trade Skill Tool Restoration Kit	40	26 80 40 128	80
	Time Stop Potion	30	5 2 20 2 40	3
	Atropine Potion	30	6 2 24 2 48	3
	Thunder Potion	15	4 16 5 32	3
	Protective Potion	15	4 16 5 32	3
	Stimulant	30	5 20 2 4 40	3
	Panacea	15	4 16 5 32	3

Excavating Skill Attributes

As you level excavating, you will gain skills that make it more powerful and fun.

Excavating Level Requirement: 20

TIP: press ESCAPE if you miss any of the bars and you can try again in a couple seconds.

Excavating Skill Potions via NPC

• You can buy 5 Novice Excavating XP potions each week. You get 1580 XP per potion, which is 7900 XP.
• If you were to purchase them weekly for a month, you’d hit around 7-10 levels.
• Exchange NPC is named ‘Francia’, visible on the map.
• Cost for each potion is 1250 Rare Relic (green grade relic).

Trade Skill Xp Potion Locations:

• Excavating – Golden Wave Island
• Mining – Meteora
• Logging – Giant Mushroom Island
• Foraging – Liebeheim
• Hunting – Mercia
• Fishing – none 🙁

More info: https://www.reddit.com/r/lostarkgame/comments/tzdvj7/lost_ark_other_sources_of_trade_skill_xp_weekly/

Excavating Quests

You can select the following Excavating quests to help level your guild and earn Guild Blood Stones to use in the Guild Shop.

	Guild Quests	Objective	Rewards
	[Excavating] Get Sad Statues	Excavate 8 times	14 – Guild Weekly Tasks Points 6 – Weekly Contribution 500 – Sylmael Bloodstone (1x/character)
	[Excavating] Get Sad Statues	Excavate 12 times	18 – Guild Weekly Tasks Points 8 – Weekly Contribution 530 – Sylmael Bloodstone (1x/character)
	[Excavating] Get Eternal Statues	Excavate 14 times	22 – Guild Weekly Tasks Points 10 – Weekly Contribution 560 – Sylmael Bloodstone (1x/character)
	[Excavating] Get Eternal Statues	Excavate 21 times	25 – Guild Weekly Tasks Points 11 – Weekly Contribution 590 – Sylmael Bloodstone (1x/character)
	[Excavating] Get Mysterious Statues	Excavate 27 times	32 – Guild Weekly Tasks Points 13 – Weekly Contribution 620 – Sylmael Bloodstone (1x/character)

Energy Regeneration Rates:

• 1 Day = 4,320 Energy
• 1 Day w/ Aura = 4,752 Energy
• 8 Hours = 1440 Energy
• 8 Hours w/ Aura = 1584 Energy
• 1 Hour  = 180 Energy
• 1 Hour w/ Aura = 198 Energy

Leap’s Essence:

Leap’s Essence doubles the resources, but also doubles the Energy used.

• Leap’s Essence is purchased in the cash shop.
• Limited purchase amount of 100 Leap’s Essence per week.
• Cost is 100 Blue Crystals for 10 Leap’s Essence.