Trade Skill Tools are required in order to perform any of the 6 Trade Skills in Lost Ark.
Trade Skill Tools get 1 to 5 random buffs, depending on their tier. A T1 Novice Trade Skill Tool comes with one random buff. T5 Trade Skill Tools get 5 random buffs.
Possible Trade Skill Tool Buffs:
- Super Armor (Immunity to Paralysis)
- Increased Gathering Speed
- Increased Basic Reward drop rate
- Increased Rare Material drop rate
- Increased chance for Special Rewards
- Reduced chance of tool durability loss
- Minigame buffs on select Trade Tools.
View an example T5 Master Mining Tool on reddit.
Obtaining Trade Skill Tools
Trade Skill Tools are obtained in 4 different ways:
-
- Stronghold Crafting using a recipe and Craft Kit.
- NPCs:
- Processor → 5 gold + mats
- Trade Skill Tool Merchant → 1,500 silver
- Quests: a few one time per account quests
- Gift Boxes from events and cash shop.
Trade Skill Tool Merchant Shop
Trade Skill Tools via Quest
Completing the main quest line up to Crown of Lakebar will open up a series of Guide quests that reward your first set of Trade Skill Tools. (Limited to one time per roster.)
Quests in Consecutive Order:
– 
– 
Trade Skill Tools via Stronghold Crafting
Trade Skill Tools can be created inside your Stronghold, using materials you have gathered.
- Stronghold is given after completing the quest called “Clerk Theo’s Invitation”. This is part of the main story, after saving Luterra Castle, at about level 25.
| 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 |
Stronghold crafting is the only way to obtain higher tier trade skill tools of adept, expert, and master quality.
Trade Skill Tool Recipes
To craft a Trade Skill Tool in your Stronghold you will need to purchase a recipe inside your Stronghold.
| Trade Skill Tool Recipe | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
 |
Crafting Recipe: Adept Tool |  100 – Adventurer’s Seal |
|
Crafting Recipe: Expert Tool | 250 – Adventurer’s Seal |
|
Crafting Recipe: Master Tool | 500 – Adventurer’s Seal |
Obtain Tool Recipes:
- Visit Jeniff, the Crafting Recipe Exchange NPC inside your Stronghold.
- Jeniff is located near the wandering Trade Merchant area.
- Crafting Recipes are purchased with Adventurer’s Seals, which are obtained through completing Dispatch Station missions inside your Stronghold.
Trade Skill Tool Craft Kits
To craft 1 Trade Skill Tool in your Stronghold, you will need to obtain 1 Craft Kit.
1 Craft Kit of the same tier is required for whatever tier tool you are crafting. For example, 1 Adept Tool requires 1 Adept Craft Kit.
Craft Kits are a bottleneck item in crafting higher tier tools.
| Craft Kits T1 to T5 | |
|---|---|
|
Novice Craft Kit |
|
Apprentice Craft Kit |
|
Adept Craft Kit |
|
Expert Craft Kit |
|
Master Craft Kit |
How to Obtain Craft Kits
- Craft Kits are obtained by using Archeological Maps that are crafted in your Stronghold.
- Archeological Maps most often give an Adpet Craft Kit for a purple grade Trade Skill Tool.
- There is a very low chance to obtain higher tier Craft Kits like Expert and Master Craft Kits.
- Excavation has a rare chance to give Craft Kits.
- Excavation level increases the chance to spawn a chest during excavation that may have a Craft Kit.
How to Craft an Archaeological Site Map
Inside your Stronghold (F2), press Crl + 1 → Crafting Workshop → Special → Secret Map
Archaeological Site Map Recipes
Archaeological Site Map Requirements:
- Crafting Workshop Lv.2 in your Stronghold.
- Research at the Lab: Crafting Method: * Treasure Map
- One character in your roster who has Item Level of 302+
| 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 Relic150 – Rare Relic |
Achieve Item Lv. 802. Craft Method: Yorn Treasure Map |
| Feiton Archaeological Site Map (T2) | 30 |
35 – Caldarr Relic175 – Rare Relic |
Achieve Item Lv. 960. Craft Method: Feiton Treasure Map |
| Punika Archaeological Site Map (T3) | 40 |
 39 – Oreha Relic195 – Rare Relic |
Achieve Item Lv. 1302. Craft Method: Punika Treasure Map |
| South Vern Archaeological Site Map (T3) | 50 |
43 – Oreha Relic215 – Rare Relic |
Achieve Item Lv. 1340. Craft Method: South Vern Treasure Map |
How to Increase Your Chances of a Craft Kit
There is debate about how much your excavating tool impacts the drop rate of Craft Kits.
I believe the tool does impact what you get from map chests. The maps state, “In this dungeon, you must be equipped with Excavating Tools to get rewards.”
IMHO the loot you get from excavating a chest from an archaeological map is impacted by your excavation tool. If you have a tier 1 excavation tool you will most likely get less rewards from a map.
It has also been recommended to use Sniffer Dog, which increases rare drops. (Wait until you are inside an archaeological site portal because the buff disappears after portaling in.)
Recommended Stats for Excavation Maps:
- rare / special / basic material increases
Trade Tools via NPC
Only the lowest tier of Trade Skill Tools can be purchased at 2 different NPCs.
- Processor → 5 gold + mats
- Trade Skill Tool Merchant → 1,500 silver
Processor NPC
Trade Skill Tools can be crafted at the 
Processor NPC in any major city. Materials and gold cost in the chart are for 1 batch. Each batch makes 1 Trade Skill Tool, but there is a chance to obtain 2 from a crit.
Processor NPCs have a distinct icon that resembles a yin/yang symbol. Click on the image below to view the location of the Processor NPC at Vern Castle.
Trade Skill Tool Merchant NPC
Trade Skill Tools can be bought for 1,500 silver each at the 
Trade Skill Tool Merchant NPC in any major city. He only sells T1 green grade tools.
Trade Skill Tool NPCs have a distinct icon that resembles a pickaxe. Click on the image below to view the location of the Trade Skill Tool NPC at Vern Castle.
Trade Tool Damaged
Each time you use your Trade Skill Tool, there is a chance that it will become damaged and the Durability and Max Durability will decrease.
Tool Repair Locations:
- Pet Menu (Alt + P) while having Crystalline Aura active (Cash Shop purchase required.)
- Repair NPC
located in cities
Extend the life of your tools by using tools that have the effect of “Reduced chance of tool durability loss.” This can be obtained randomly, any time you acquire a tool.
Restore the Max Durability of any Trade Skill Tool by using a Trade Skill Tool Restoration Kit at a repair NPC.
Obtaining a Trade Skill Tool Restoration Kit
- Craft in your Stronghold (details below)
- 65 Blue Crystals for 50 in Mari’s Secret Shop (F4)
Craft a Trade Skill Tool Restoration Kit
Trade Skill Tool Restoration Kit can be crafted inside your Stronghold.
Ctl + 1 → Crafting Workshop → Tools → Part Materials
Trade Skill Tool Restoration Kit Recipe
26- Sturdy Timber 80- Rare Relic 40- Tool Crafting Part 128- Ancient Relic 40- Gold
Each recipe makes 80 Kits.
Crafting Requirements:
- Crafting Workshop Lv.2
- Purchase Crafting Recipe: Trade Skill Tool Restoration Kit from Jeniff.
Max Durability Repair Costs
The quantity of Restoration Kits you need increases with each tier of Trade Skill Tool.
Cost Per 1 Max Durability Restored:
- Adept Tools: 3 Restoration Kits *
- Expert Tools: 4 Restoration Kits
- Master Tools: 5 Restoration Kits
*NOTE: It is NOT recommended to use expensive Restoration Kits on Adept or lower Trade Tools. It is usually cheaper to make another tool if you are using T3 or lower tools. (But please do the math as market prices can change.)
