Completing Rift's various artifact sets gives a variety of different rewards. They are a way to gain more completion experience within the game, as well as have fun collecting items. Through this guide we're going to look at how to complete the sets easily.

It's important to start off by stating that there are a lot of different artifact sets within Rift. These are found in all of the zones, as well as in places like the Hammerknell Fortress chronicle. Furthermore, each set contains a number of required artifacts. Some sets require only a few (such as three) while others will require significantly more. Completing all of the sets is not easy, however it is rewarding!

Seeing Incomplete Sets

To figure out what sets you've started on, but are not completed yet, you can do so by going into the Character screen (default key "C") and choosing the Artifacts tab. From here, you will want to click on the "All" drop-down and choose "Incomplete." It is worth noting, however, that this will only show the sets that you have actually started. It will not show those that you haven't gotten any artifacts for.

Finding All Sets

To find all of the sets of artifacts, as well as figure out which ones you don't already have, you can use the achievements system. Each of the zones has achievements (default key "H") for artifacts, and if you do not see a check-mark beside one of the sets you can then look them up in the artifacts tab within the character screen. When looking at the achievements, it's important to note that you will find them under both Zones and Planes, as the rift system also includes artifacts.

Farming Artifacts

When it comes to finding artifacts you can farm, the easiest way is to simply travel the lands while looking for the glimmers. The locations artifacts spawn is static, however the ones you will loot are randomized. Furthermore, they spawn so close together that there's really not a specific path that is worth using. Where you'll find them is directly related to your server's population, zone population, time of day, etc. so it's hard to give definitive information on this.

It's worth noting here that while the artifacts you loot are random, they are still separated into basic sets. For example, if you're doing fire rifts or invasions, you will be obtaining the ones required for the fire set, not air or water. If you're traversing Freemarch, you won't find artifacts for Ember Isle. So as you complete each zone's artifact sets, you can mark off the zone on your traveling list.

Purchasing Artifacts

Artifacts are able to be both purchased and sold via the auction house, and there is usually a pretty strong market for both sides. This allows you to quickly and easily pick up the specific artifacts you need, assuming you have the money to do so. There are a couple tricks to using this system, however, which we'll look at now.

• The market on artifacts is very volatile. This basically means that the prices fluctuate quite a bit. What may be cheap today could be expensive tomorrow and vice versa. Furthermore, you will also often experience massive fluctuations even looking at a single day's listings. As a result, the best plan is usually to work your way from the cheaper to the more expensive artifacts as you go along. This helps snag both the cheap artifacts today, as well as the ones that drop in price tomorrow. The down side to this is that what's cheap now may not be later. But that's really a risk that's worth taking
• You can trade artifacts with other players. Often times people will need certain ones that may not be available on the auction house or they may just not be interested in going through pricing. Trades can allow a win-win, in which both of you get the benefit of getting closer to finishing sets. It's worth noting at this point that the rarity of the artifact (such as common and uncommon) does not necessarily tell you how rare it is to find, unlike other items
• Utilize the "Usable Only" checkbox when searching the auction house. This will only show artifacts that you still need to complete your set. By using this you will be able to see the cheapest artifacts you still need first, and as you go through the list they will get more expensive. This is usually a quick way to pick up at least some of your missing artifacts

Efficient Route to Completion

Now that we've looked at different ways to complete your artifact sets, let's take a look at an efficient overall route. This helps maximize your efficiency while working on your sets.

• Start off by utilizing all of the artifacts you already have. Include any from alts that you may have as well.
• Head to the auction house and search for artifacts that you can use. Go to the Buy it Now prices and wipe out any that are cheap for you (this is heavily dependent upon how much money you have), but ensure that you are not buying doubles at this point. It's worth noting that until you actually use the artifacts, they will remain on the list. I generally purchase 10-15 at a time (ensuring I skip doubles), then pick them up and use them before purchasing more
• Check your zone achievements to see which zones you need the most in. These are the zones you'll want to hunt in
• While out hunting, do shouts for more rare artifacts you need. This will be the more expensive ones. Try to barter with people to get better prices and/or trades
• As you're out hunting, return to town from time to time to check out the auction house, or simply do it when you're finished hunting for the day. Be sure to check it as often as you can, though, as more will be put up throughout the day and night

Conclusion

Hunting for artifacts can be a tedious process, but it's worth it if you're going for achievement or want the rewards for doing so. By utilizing the methods within this guide, you should significantly speed up your gathering rate, thereby helping you complete your sets much faster. Please keep in mind that where you're at on your sets will determine how quickly you can finish them, as you may need a few extremely rare artifacts. Just keep at it and you will finish!

If you have any comments, suggestions or questions about this guide, please post a comment! Thanks!