| Released | Platforms |
|---|---|
| March 19, 2026 | PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 |
| Developer | Publisher |
| Pearl Abyss | Pearl Abyss |
Crimson Desert is an open-world action-adventure set in the beautiful yet brutal continent of Pywel. Discover adventure, uncover wonders, and experience thrilling action as you witness the saga surrounding Kliff, leader of the Greymanes, whose mission takes him on an incredible journey.
The massive adventure ahead includes tons of mechanics, people to meet, and objectives to complete. Learn more about them all and more with IGN's Crimson Desert Guide.
Whenever we're let loose in a big, open world with plenty of things we can put in our pockets and explore, one of the first questions we have is: how long do I need to stick with the story quests? For Crimson Desert, the answer is through at the very minimum Chapter 1, just so you can get some early abilities to help you get rolling. There's plenty more to learn about what to do early on in Crimson Desert though, so let the following guides below help you.
Getting Started in Crimson Desert
Early Game Strategy - There's an immense amount of ground to cover, even just in Hernand. Use these tips by our Crimson Desert experts all with over 100 hours to find out what to do early on:
- Things to Do First in Crimson Desert
- Things Crimson Desert Doesn't Tell You
- Essential Tips and Tricks
- Best Skills to Get First
- Best Early Weapons
- Best Builds Guide: Weapons, Armor, and Abyss Gears
- Watch and Learn Skill Locations
- Bell Tower Locations (How to Unfog the Map)
- All Fast Travel Locations
- Research Institutes Explained - All Locations and Research Unlocks
- All Ore and Resource Locations: Gold, Silver Diamonds, Epidote, Plants, and More
- How-To Guides:
- How to Pay Fines and Bounties
- How to Steal and Pickpocket
- How to Get Free Gold Bars (Gold Bar Locations)
- How to Farm Golden Apples (Quick Gold Bars)
- How to Get the Gold Bar Recipe
- How to Sell Animals
- How to Open Locked Doors
- How to Use Axiom Force
- What Does Mysterious Energy Mean?
- How to Sell Animals
- How to Tame Wild Horses
- How to Dual Wield
- How to Hide Your Shield, Helmet, and Weapons
- How to Get Palmar Pills Fast
- Dye Crafting Guide (How to Dye Armor)
- How to Get Behind Waterfalls
- How to Get Rosemary and Peonies Quickly
- How to Fast Travel
- How to Invest at the Bank
- How to Rob Hernand Bank
- How to Make Money Fast and Early
- How to Upgrade Weapons and Armor
- How to Pass Time
- How to Store Items (Private Storage Chest Locations)
- How to Change Your Appearance (Haircuts, Tattoos, and More)
- How to Sell Trade Goods
- How to Enter Pororin Village
- How to Unlock Elemental Powers
- How to Change Difficulty
- How to Turn Five-Card into an Infinite Money Glitch
- How to Get Bloodstone
- How to Unlock the Greymane Camp House Teleport
Crimson Desert Walkthrough
Crimson Desert's chapters are divided into major quests comprised of several smaller quest steps, ranging in scale from speaking to an NPC to liberating entire regions. For simplicity's sake, we've grouped things together so you don't have to jump between rapid-fire short pages.
| Crimson Desert Quest List and Rewards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Quest | Rewards | Completion |
| Prologue: Dead of Night | ||
| Ambush | - | |
| Unknown Space | Medium Bag, Oats x10, Blackberry x5 | |
| Chapter 1: The First Encounter | ||
| Trials of Kindness | Hernandian Attire, Engraved Key, Medium Bag x2, Lentils x10, Apple x5 | |
| Traces | Axiom Force, Force Palm, Flight, Palmar Pill, Faded Abyss Artifact | |
| Chapter 2: Golden Greed | ||
| Unexpected Gift | Visione, Nature's Grasp, Focus | |
| Hernand in Chaos | - | |
| The End of Greed | Abyss Artifact, Medium Bag, Iron Ore x7, Copper Ore x2, Sword of the Lord | |
| Chapter 3: Howling Hill | ||
| Homestead | Greymane Camp, Damiane, Iron Ore x5, Large Bag, Clear Soup x10 | |
| The Face Behind the Mask | Sunset Reed Cloth Gloves | |
| Pioneering | Freesword Management Office | |
| Chapter 4: The Price of Knowledge | ||
| Mysterious Pot | Kuku Pot | |
| Daily Life | Arena, Archery Contest | |
| Forbidden Knowledge | Scholastone Uniform, Abyss Artifact, Honey Tea x10 | |
| Chapter 5: Guest Unbidden | ||
| Uninvited Guests | The Grove's Thorn, Gale I Abyss Core, Howling of Chaos Abyss Core | |
| Black and White | Gear Blueprint: Haste, Blackwing Leather Armor, Blackwing Mask, Tauria Curved Sword | |
| Chapter 6: Cracks in the Shield | ||
| Blazing Beacon | - | |
| Below the Banners | - | |
| Turning Tides | Whistling Arrow x10 | |
| The Unyielding Shields | Shield of Betrayal | |
| Chapter 7: Homecoming | ||
| Morning Mist | Wolf's Fang | |
| Dawn | Jackals' Leather Helm, Jackals' Leather Armor, Jackal Cloth Cloak, Hungering Fang Leather Cloak, Hungering Fang Leather Boots | |
| Decisive Battle | Melted Ambition, Oongka | |
| Twisted Fate | Ignir, Solas Plate Armor, Solas Plate Boots, Pailune Settlement Quests | |
| Chapter 8: Blood Coronation | ||
| Ashen Steps | Golden Vanguard, Radiant Necklace, Abyss Artifact | |
| Demeniss Bound | Shackle of Might, Abyss Artifact | |
| Traitor | Official Knight's Plate Armor, Official Knight's Leather Boots, Official Knight's Leather Gloves, Eclipsed Solas Plate Gloves, Spire of Clockwork Key | |
| Chapter 9: The Sage of the Desert | ||
| The Calling | - | |
Exploration Challenges & Puzzle Guides - Ancient Ruins, Abyss Islands, Spires, Secret Places, and More
Don't miss a single puzzle with our comprehensive puzzle guides below:
- Abyss Island Puzzle Solutions
- All Ancient Ruins Puzzle Solutions (Thread in the Forest Challenges)
- Wandering Footsteps - Secret Places Locations
- All Maze Solutions (Winding Paths Challenges)
- Land Meets Sky - Spires Locations and Walkthroughs
- Maps of the Night - Constellations
- Legendary Animal Locations
Faction Quests
Faction Quests are organized by category and/or faction. For example, you'll spend a good portion of your time collecting side quests for the Hernand region. Alongside this, you'll also pick up some quests to rebuild the Greymanes. While almost all of these are optional, there is at least one moment in the main story that detours into the Faction Quests.
Faction Quests are the main way to expand your inventory space, as well as gain contribution experience for the region you're in. This can help you get better gear at each region's Contribution Shop.
Treasure Chest Locations & Strongbox Solutions - Weapons, Armor Sets, and Accessories
Gear up with the very best weapons, armors, and accessories with our comprehensive guides below:
- Treasure Chest Locations
- Strongbox Puzzle Locations and Solutions
- Unique Weapons and Locations
- Unique Armor Sets and Locations
- Unique Accessories and Locations (Earrings, Rings, Necklaces)
Other Crimson Desert Guides - Challenges, Legendary Mounts, and Much More
- Sealed Abyss Artifact Locations
- Challenges List and Rewards
- Abyss Gear List
- Legendary Mount Locations
- How to Get the Silver Fang Legendary Mount
- How to Get the Royler Legendary Mount
- How to Get the Rokade Legendary Mount
- How to Get the Camora Legendary Mount
- How to Get the White Bear Legendary Mount
- How to Get the Rock Tusk Warthog Legendary Mount
- How to Get the Icicle Edge Alpine Ibex Legendary Mount
- How to Get the Snowwhite Deer Legendary Mount
- All Equipment and Tool Blueprint Locations
- All Ore and Resource Locations: Gold, Silver Diamonds, Epidote, Plants, and More
- All Pets List
- All Bank Locations
- All Witch Locations
Crimson Desert Interactive Map
See a bigger version of the Crimson Desert interactive map with plenty more data here.
Side Activities, Mini-Games, and Other Guides
If you need to shake up your activities a bit, you'll find plenty to do between side quests, building up the Greymane Camp, and Crimson Desert's mini-games. Learn all about them with these guides:
- Mini-Games
- Side Activities
- Bounty Hunting Guide
- Sanctums
- Sanctum of Absolution Puzzle Solution
- Sanctum of Atonement Puzzle Solution
- Sanctum of Benediction Puzzle Solution
- Sanctum of Deliverance Puzzle Solution
- Sanctum of Devotion Puzzle Solution
- Sanctum of Exaltation Puzzle Solution
- Sanctum of Expiation Puzzle Solution
- Sanctum of Faith Puzzle Solution
- Sanctum of Oblation Puzzle Solution
- Sanctum of Penitence Puzzle Solution
- Sanctum of Renunciation Puzzle Solution
- Sanctum of Revelation Puzzle Solution
- Sanctum of Solace Puzzle Solution
- Sanctum of Temperance Puzzle Solution
- Sanctum of Veneration Puzzle Solution
- Alchemy Guide - All Alchemy Recipes
- Cooking Guide - All Cooking Recipes
- Greymane Camp Guide
Boss Guides
- Boss Guides
- Main Story Bosses
- How to Defeat Matthias
- How to Defeat Kailok, the Hornsplitter
- How to Defeat the Reed Devil
- How to Defeat Kearush, the Slayer
- How to Defeat Crowcaller
- How to Defeat Cassius Morten
- How to Defeat Ludvig
- How to Defeat Myurdin
- How to Defeat One-Armed Ludvig
- How to Defeat Gregor, the Halberd of Carnage
- How to Defeat T'rukan the Ascended
- How to Defeat Master Du
- How to Defeat Fortain, the Cursed Knight
- How to Defeat Lucian Bastier
- How to Defeat Hexe Marie
- How to Defeat Goyen
- How to Defeat Marni's Clockwork Mantis
- How to Defeat Thunder Crusher
- How to Defeat Storm Crusher
- How to Defeat Dreadnought
- How to Defeat Golden Star
- How to Defeat Flying Fortress Orbian
- How to Defeat Corrupted Caliburn
- How to Defeat Myurdin, the Avatar of Umbra
- How to Defeat Umbra
- Main Story Bosses
- Side Boss Locations and Drops
- How to Defeat Antiquum, the Stonewalker
- How to Defeat Antumbra's Spear
- How to Defeat Antumbra's Staff
- How to Defeat Antumbra's Sword
- How to Defeat Ator, Archon of Antumbra
- How to Defeat Balthazar, the Wyvernflame
- How to Defeat Black Fang
- How to Defeat Beloth, the Darksworn
- How to Defeat Bloodwalker Crussis
- How to Defeat Bradie Gu
- How to Defeat Clockwork White Horn
- How to Defeat the Court Reapers
- Crimson Nightmare Boss Guide: How to Beat, Strategy, Rewards
- How to Defeat Cubewalker Lithus
- How to Defeat Giath
- How to Defeat Gristle, the Sandfang Marauder
- How to Defeat Gwen Kraber
- How to Defeat Hemon Beindel
- How to Defeat Ironwing REN-X
- How to Defeat Karanda
- How to Defeat Kutum
- How to Defeat Lord Keg
- How to Defeat Marni's Machina Knight
- How to Defeat Marni's Excavatron
- How to Defeat Mazzul, the Dark Justiciar
- How to Defeat Mechanicus
- How to Defeat Merrick, the Knight of Fortune
- How to Defeat Moren, the Mistwood Huntmaster
- How to Defeat Mudwalker Lutemir
- How to Defeat Muskan
- How to Defeat Ogre
- How to Defeat Praevus the Ancient
- How to Defeat Primus the Ancient
- How to Defeat Priscus the Ancient
- How to Defeat Queen Bismuth Oreback Crab
- How to Defeat Queen Spider
- How to Defeat Queen Stoneback Crab
- How to Defeat Ravok of the Savage Fangs
- How to Defeat Runewalker Vordis
- How to Defeat Saigord, the Staglord
- How to Defeat Samara, the Sandwatcher
- How to Defeat Skevald, the Carrion King
- How to Defeat Sir Catfish
- How to Defeat Sizlek the Insatiable
- How to Defeat Tarandus the Ashen
- How to Defeat The Crimson Warden
- How to Defeat The Forgotten General
- How to Defeat The Masked Liberator
- How to Defeat Titan
- How to Defeat Tristan
- How to Defeat Walter Lanford
- How to Defeat White Bearclaw
- How to Defeat White Bear of the High Mountains
- How to Defeat White Horn
- World Boss Locations and Drops
