How to change dungeon difficulty in Lost Ark

Dungeons are one of the best sources of loot and challenging content players can attempt to do in Lost Ark, which is a free-to-play action MMO inspired by games such as Diablo and World of Warcraft. It features dozens of unique dungeons scattered around its massive open world. Knowing which difficulty is suitable for you or your party is important, as it can dramatically change the experience and the rewards you can earn. This guide will explain how to change dungeon difficulty in Lost Ark.

Related: How Story Express works in Lost Ark

How dungeon difficulty works in Lost Ark

Each dungeon in Lost Ark will take you or your group to an instanced location, isolated from the rest of the server in a series of challenging encounters and boss fights. The difficulty of each dungeon can be chosen by the host of the group, but be warned, it can’t be changed once a dungeon has begun.

When you enter a dungeon, you will be presented with a screen resembling the one pictured above. You can select from a range of difficulties, but near the beginning, you will only have access to Normal and Hard modes. Select the difficulty you want to attempt, then hit Matchmaking to find other players automatically, or Enter, to begin the dungeon with you or your private group.

All dungeon difficulty differences in Lost Ark

When you select a dungeon to enter, you will have a badge called Recommended Item Level next to the difficulty selection. It will then show you the recommended item level in gold numbers and your actual item level in white numbers below it. This is a good barometer for how prepared you are for a particular dungeon. If you are around ten item levels below, you can still attempt to clear it, but it may prove not easy. Being about 20 below is where it can become near impossible.

On Normal, you will face enemies in lesser numbers and far fewer amounts of HP and attack damage. On Hard, you can expect to face many more Elite enemy variants, and the bosses will become significantly more demanding. However, the number of secret items and Makoko seeds in a dungeon will remain the same. Since the challenge of the Hard mode is increased significantly, the rewards are much better and will provide meaningful stat boosts.

Find the right difficulty for your group and brave challenging dungeons in Lost Ark to earn powerful gear and unique cosmetic rewards.