Hiram

The Hiram are both a historical people in ArcheAge lore and the name of an endgame gear system introduced in patch 5.0: Relics of Hiram (November 2018). Understanding the Hiram requires separating the in-world culture from the gameplay mechanic named after them.

The Hiram people

The Hiram were a race of humans who lived in the northern mountains of Auroria. They had lifespans of approximately 200 years, far longer than ordinary humans. They are believed to have been the first race to become the Returned, mortals who could be resurrected after death.

Their capital was Hiramakand, a mountain city. The hero Inoch was born among the Hiram. As a young person, he sprouted wings, a condition that made him an outcast. His own people nearly killed him before he fled Hiramakand and eventually joined the Library Expedition. After merging with Haje, God of Sealed Doors, Inoch used his power to help seal dimensional threats.

The Hiram gear system

The Hiram gear system was introduced in ArcheAge 5.0: Relics of Hiram, the same expansion that added the Malediction skillset and the Western Hiram Mountains zone. It provided an alternative progression path to the traditional crafting-based endgame.

How it worked

Players obtained Hiram gear as drops from monsters in the Western Hiram Mountains and other Auroria zones. Each piece could be upgraded through an infusion system using Hiram Infusions, Scrolls, and gold. The upgrade path was deterministic rather than RNG-based, meaning players always made progress with each infusion.

This was a significant departure from traditional ArcheAge crafting, where upgrading gear involved chance-based regrading that could destroy items on failure. Hiram gear gave players a reliable path to strong equipment through consistent effort.

Impact on the game

The Hiram system fundamentally changed ArcheAge's endgame. Before its introduction, top-tier gear required massive gold investment, crafting luck, and often real-money spending. Hiram gear was accessible to all players through daily grinding, narrowing the power gap between casual and hardcore players.

This was both praised and criticized. Casual players could finally reach competitive gear levels. Hardcore crafters and economy-focused players felt their investment was devalued. The debate over whether Hiram gear was good for the game reflected a broader tension between accessibility and the value of time investment that ran throughout ArcheAge's history.