How research fits progression
The Early Access feature list pairs research trees with gathering, base building and tiered crafting. Open Playtest III advertised six unique research and progression trees, but the announcement did not name all six or publish their nodes.
Relics, motes and the Reliquary
Development Log #9 introduced relic transmutation at the Reliquary as a source of motes for research progression. Development Log #27 later reduced the relic pool from 27 to 12 and added Soul Harvesters as another way to extract motes from corpses. Development Log #28 also lists motes among possible Community Board quest rewards. These posts describe a changing pre-release implementation.
Motes now have another use
Development Log #27 says Runes of Enchantment spend motes to add a regenerating defensive layer to builds. The enchantment also requires motes in the Resource Cabinet or it decays. Players therefore should not assume every mote is best spent on research.
Confirmed tree examples
Development Log #9 names cloth and leather research trees and describes the Stitching Table as their research station. It also says the Spinning Wheel was changed from a research station into a refinement machine.
What is not ready for a guide
- The complete six-tree name list
- Node order, costs and prerequisites
- Optimal unlock paths or farming routes
- The exact scope of persistent research across wipes and servers
- Final station recipes and placement rules
We will add a dependency guide only when current names, costs and unlocks can be verified. Until then, see what is known about wipes and the monument and landmark overview.
Official sources
- Lost Isle Early Access feature list
- Official announcements, including Development Logs #9, #27 and #28
Last checked: September 4, 2026