Greetings, everyone. Welcome to this week's [Meca Ranking] for Arthdal Chronicles. It has been exactly one month since the massive December update, and between the addition of the high-risk 'Black Night 5th Archipelago', the new gear like the 'Hoshincap' and 'Uijangdo', and the 'Statue of Penance', our top rankers have seen their combat power skyrocket. So, how much did the average stats climb over the past four weeks? And who are the top-performing players? KookminTree has done the legwork to bring you the full scoop.

Average Combat Power Increase Following the Black Night 5th Archipelago

The average combat power of top-tier players has seen a significant jump since the update. Looking at the data, the average combat power for the top 100 players surged from 156,767 to 165,279—a staggering increase of 8,513 points. If we expand our view to the top 500, the average rose from 125,836 to 132,271, a notable gain of 6,435.

The primary drivers here are undoubtedly the new 'Hoshincap' and 'Uijangdo' gear. Players are flocking to the new solo PvE 'Rift Dungeon' to hunt for these items. It’s a bit of a gamble depending on the drop rates, but securing a Legendary grade piece provides a massive boost to your combat prowess.

We also have to mention the 'Black Night 5th Archipelago' codex. Unlike the previous 4th Archipelago, the 5th now allows players to craft the exclusive 'Starlight Set' via the 'Tree of Alchemy'. This has been a godsend for casual players who can’t necessarily dominate the archipelago but still want to complete the codex, contributing to the overall rise in combat power.

The 'Growth Alchemy' event also played a crucial role. By using the coins earned through this event, players were able to exchange for as many as four 'Legendary Summon Selection Boxes I'. With additional goodies like Radiant Summoning Tickets, Radiant Fabric, and statue materials, it’s no wonder many rankers saw their power stats climb.

The standout player this month is 'Cho-wol-z' from the Saya 2 server. In just one month, they increased their combat power by a massive 17,408 points, taking the number one spot for growth across all servers. This leap helped them jump from 24th to 14th in the global rankings. With their current momentum, we expect to see even more from them.

Next up is 'Gisado' from the Aramunhaesla 2 server. They added 16,492 points to their combat power, comfortably securing the 3rd spot in the global rankings. Their recent success with various 'Awakenings' suggests they are preparing for the upcoming integrated siege warfare—a wise move indeed.

How do the average server rankings look?

Looking at the server-wide average combat power, things have remained relatively stable. With an average increase of about 1,500 across the board, most servers have maintained their positions. It seems everyone is busy upgrading their Hoshincap and Uijangdo.

What about the Faction Point rankings?

Competition for faction points was a bit quieter last week. Many top players are currently locked in battles within the Master League, making it difficult to farm the 5th Archipelago. As a result, 'Ox-wa-dance' from the Yoonseul 2 server claimed the #1 spot with 23.95 billion points. Second place went to 'Geondeuljimara' from the Irae 2 server, who took advantage of the peace to grind the archipelago, finishing with 23.30 billion points. Once faction points shift to 'Archipelago Points' in the next update, we’ll have a much clearer picture of who is actually dominating the Black Night zones.

How is the job distribution among rankers?

Shifting gears to job distribution: among the top 100 global rankers, the 'Storm Mage' leads at 24%, followed by 'Archer' (19%), 'Paladin' (17%), 'Priest' (16%), 'Warrior' (12%), 'Dual Sword' (7%), and 'Fighter' (5%). Looking at the top 500, the landscape shifts slightly: Storm Mage (29.6%), Priest (22.2%), Archer (17.2%), Paladin (8%), Warrior (7.8%), Dual Sword (6.8%), Fighter (6.4%), and Dang-guri (2%).

What are the Alliance Point rankings?

Finally, for the Alliance Point rankings, the 'Ang-ryeong' alliance from the Yoonseul 2 server continues its reign at the top with 46.57 billion points. The 'Min-guk' alliance from the Isodeunyeong 1 server follows with 39.50 billion, and 'Ak-dang' (Yoonseul 2) holds third with 36.08 billion.

Arthdal Chronicles User Poll

Last week, we asked: 'What matching system do you want for the Black Night Archipelago?' The current 'Masters League' system came out on top with 53.85%, while the traditional random matching for 2-3 groups garnered 46.15%. Comments ranged from, 'Can we run the Masters League once a month instead?' to 'It’s fun, but the fatigue is real, maybe make it bi-weekly?' and some concerns that 'weaker players struggle to survive in the Masters League.'

For this week's poll: The developers have released notes for the massive January update, including everything from the start of integrated siege warfare to major job balancing. Which of the revealed features are you most excited about? Cast your vote, and we’ll share the results next week!