DC Universe Online Artifacts Guide 2026 — Best Artifacts to Level First

Artifacts are the most important endgame system in DCUO. Three maxed artifacts can increase your effectiveness by 30-50% compared to someone without them. Here is exactly which artifacts to level for each role and how to farm the materials.

Note: Verified as of July 2026. Check official patch notes for updates.

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How Artifacts Work

You equip three artifacts at a time. Each has:

A level (1-200) that increases base stats
Breakthrough ranks (0-200) that unlock new effects at thresholds (80, 120, 160, 200)

Artifacts are levelled using Nth Metal and breakthroughs require Catalysts (Seals of Preservation, Seals of Completion).

Best Artifacts by Role

DPS (Any Power)

Priority	Artifact	Breakthrough Target	Effect
1	Solar Amplifier	200	+15% damage when above 80% health. Best DPS artifact.
2	Eye of Gemini	200	Doubles your supercharge generation. More finishers = more damage.
3	Scrap of the Soul Cloak	160	Adds Might based on Power. Scales infinitely.

Alternative 3rd slot: Transformation Card (burst damage on supercharge use) or Quislet (pet damage).

Tank

Priority	Artifact	Breakthrough Target
1	Manacles of Force	200
2	Mystic Symbol of the Seven	200
3	Everyman’s Prototype	160

Healer

Priority	Artifact	Breakthrough Target
1	Purple Healing Ray	200
2	Page of Destiny	200
3	Scrap of the Soul Cloak	160

Controller

Priority	Artifact	Breakthrough Target
1	Amulet of Rao	200
2	Scrap of the Soul Cloak	160
3	Clarion	160

Catalyst Farming

Catalysts are the bottleneck. You need hundreds to max an artifact.

Seals of Preservation (Levels 0-140)

On Duty content (Duos, Alerts, Raids) — 1-3 per run
Daily and Weekly mission rewards
Constantine’s vendor in the Watchtower/Hall of Doom
Seasonal events (best source — farm these aggressively)

Seals of Completion (Levels 141-200)

Elite raids only
Weekly elite mission rewards
One per week from the stabiliser event vendor

Strategy: Save all Seals of Completion. Only use them to breakthrough artifacts from 160 to 200. Use Seals of Preservation for everything below 160.

Nth Metal Farming

Nth Metal drops from everything. Best sources:

Killing open-world enemies (low rate, high volume)
Dismantling unneeded gear
Broker (auction house) — buy when prices dip during double Nth Metal weekends
Seasonal event caches

Levelling Order

Push your first artifact to Breakthrough 80 (cheapest)
Then your second to 80
Then your third to 80
Now push your first to 120, then 160, then 200
Repeat for second and third

Do NOT spread catalysts evenly across all three artifacts. One maxed artifact is better than three half-levelled ones.

Summary

DPS: Solar Amplifier → Eye of Gemini → Scrap of the Soul Cloak. Tank: Manacles → Mystic Symbol → Everyman’s. Healer: Purple Healing Ray → Page of Destiny → Soul Cloak. Push one artifact at a time. Farm seasonal events for catalysts.