Crimson Desert Rare Materials Farming Guide: Best Spots for Every Resource

Before burning through rare materials, knowing which gear slots give the most return on investment will stretch resources much further. Upgrading the wrong pieces first is one of the most common mistakes players make.

The recommended upgrade order is as follows:

1. Primary Weapon, Necklace, and Rings: Start here. Your weapon directly increases attack damage, making it the single most impactful upgrade. Necklaces with Crit Rate give double the displayed effect, and rings with Attack Speed are always worth pushing higher.
2. Body Armor: Once your weapon and accessories are in a good place, shift focus here. It provides more defense per upgrade level than any other armor piece.
3. Remaining Gear: Everything else is roughly equal in value and can be upgraded in any order.
4. Gloves and Boots: These sit at the bottom of the list. They only improve unarmed attacks, not weapon damage, unless you are running a dedicated unarmed build.

Keep in mind that ore nodes respawn roughly every 7 in-game days, so plan your farming runs around that cycle to avoid making multiple trips to the same empty node.

2.1. Mining Knuckledrill

Mining Knuckledrill

The Mining Knuckledrill is the best mining tool in the game and should be your first priority to obtain. It has a 10% base chance to mine additional ores (Mining Mastery), making it dramatically more efficient than a standard pickaxe, and it auto-collects mined ore so you never have to pick anything up manually.

How to Obtain

• Primary method: Complete the House Roberts faction quest chain in Hernand. The chain begins with First Trial of Trust (near Bluemont Manor), leads to Troubled Count, and then to Stolen Quarry. Clearing the Bleed Bandits from Karin Quarry and defeating Marni’s Excavatron rewards the Knuckledrill directly.
• Enemy drops: Bleed Bandit enemies inside Karin Quarry can drop the Knuckledrill before or independently of the boss fight.
• Dispatch mission: After completing the House Roberts quests, a dispatch mission becomes available through Karin Quarry to obtain additional drills.
• Research route: The Electric Tool Design Research project at Dewhaven Keep (in Delesyia) unlocks a dispatch mission for the Quarry Drill and related tools. This route opens up only after significant story progress (around Chapter 10–11).

2.2. Logging Axes

Olvald’s Logging Axe

For Timber, there are two axes worth hunting down before starting any serious logging.

• Fine Logging Axe: A standard Logging Axe is given early by Turnali, the Hernand Blacksmith, when completing an introductory craft quest. A craftable “Fine Logging Axe” blueprint also exists; check Hernand-area vendors and quest rewards as you progress.
• Olvald’s Logging Axe: The stronger option, with the Expert Logging skill and a 20% bonus timber chance. The blueprint (crafting manual) is hidden inside a tree with a hidden door in the far northwest edge of the map, north of Pailune City in the Longbranch Shade area. Look for a large treehouse structure between two rivers that form a V-shape. Crafting it at the Smithy requires: Fine Timber, Iron Ore, Sturdy Hide, Ivory, and Rubber.

For late-game timber farming after Chapter 11, the Demenissian Chainsaw becomes available by researching the Electricity: Movement Conversion Mechanism Research project at Dewhaven Keep in Delesyia, then running the Chainsaw Production dispatch at the Steelspike Armory north of the keep.

Demenissian Chainsaw

2.3. King’s Dagger

Goblin King’s Treasure Dagger

The Ceremonial King’s Dagger (and the Goblin King’s Treasure Dagger) are hide knives that grant a passive 10% chance to skin additional hide on every kill.

• Ceremonial King’s Dagger: Head north of Pailune City to the enemy camp called Totemfelt. Find the gravestone/headstone in the area and hit it with a Force Palm to reveal a hidden underground entrance. A chest at the bottom contains the dagger.
• Goblin King’s Treasure Dagger: Found in a chest in a hidden underwater cave below Unicorn Cliff in Hernand, near Mud Ridge.

2.4. Abyss Gear Bonuses

Certain Abyss Gears obtained through Synthesis farming grant a 10%, 20%, or 30% chance to get additional ores and hides when harvesting. Equipping a set of these before any farming run dramatically increases the amount collected per node.

3. How to Farm Iron and Copper

A Copper Ore deposit

Iron and Copper are two of the most consumed basic materials in Crimson Desert, required in large quantities across nearly every armor and weapon upgrade tier. Thankfully, there are multiple reliable methods to keep the supply topped up without much effort.

3.1. Vendor Shops

Rhett

The fastest low-effort method is to buy Copper and Iron directly from the Rhett in Hernand. Up to 30 units are available per refresh cycle, replenishing every few in-game days.

Pushing other equipment shop trust to 100 and activating their supply contract will unlock additional ore types for purchase as well.

After completing the full House Roberts quest chain (the Estate in Dismay arc) in Karin Quarry, a mineral shop vendor also appears at the quarry with a solid stock of materials that are worth buying.

Iron Ore at Rhett’s shop

3.2. Stone Turtle Farm at Sage’s Peak

The Sage’s Peak Location

The single best dedicated Iron farm in the game is in northern Hernand, near Sage’s Peak on the border of Pailune. In this area, large rock creatures roam the cliffs, and each one drops a cluster of iron ore.

1. Head to the Sage’s Peak fast-travel point and use aerial Force Palm jumps to quickly climb the cliffs.
2. Kill every beige/gray rock creature you can find, including the small ones, which all drop Iron Ore.
3. Once all targets are cleared, fast-travel back to Sage’s Peak and return. They will have fully respawned.

This loop can be repeated indefinitely for effectively unlimited Iron Ore, and each run can yield 50+ Iron Ore as well as Abyss Cells and Abyss Gear as bonus loot.

Stone Turtle loot drops

4. How to Farm Precious Gems and Crystals

Precious gemstones are required for a wide range of equipment upgrades. The best nodes are spread across Demeniss, Delesyia, and Pailune. Each location respawns roughly every 7 in-game days, so clearing all of them in one run and revisiting weekly is the most efficient approach.

4.1 Stoneback Crab Wetlands (All-in-One Gem Island)

Stoneback Crab Wetlands’ location

The densest concentration of gemstones and rare ores in the entire game is a small island called Stoneback Crab Wetlands, located north of Delesyia near Beardtree Gorge. The island packs 17+ ore nodes into a compact area, including:

• Iron Ore, Copper Ore
• Azurite, Epidote, Garnet, Scolecite, and other rare minerals

An Abyss Nexus fast-travel point is located right on the island, making storage runs trivial. A minor gimmick boss guards the area on the first visit; defeat it once to unlock uninterrupted mining on all future visits.

With the Mining Knuckledrill and good Abyss Gear equipped, each node yields far more than the standard amount. Make this your first stop whenever you need a wide variety of precious stones.

4.2 Garnet Mine Near Demeniss

Garnet deposit

If specifically more Garnet is needed, look for a Stonehenge-style circular structure just to the southwest of Demeniss. In the center is a pit that leads to a small underground mine with approximately four garnet nodes.

Garnet can also be found across the river from Three Saints’ Falls in Hernand. This mine is a straightforward supplement to Stoneback Crab Wetlands whenever you need more Garnet on hand.

4.3 Epidote Pit in North Pailune

Epidote deposit

For Epidote, the eastern side of Pailune City along the Upper Denn River is the standout farming spot. The nodes cluster around the cliffs in that area, so multiple harvests can be chained without much travel between them.

The southern portion of the Crimson Desert region also has a solid concentration of Epidote veins once unlocked.

5. How to Farm Bloodstone and Bismuth

Both Bloodstone and Bismuth are mid-to-late tier materials needed for multiple weapon and armor upgrades. Each has a standout farming location that makes repeat collecting straightforward once you know where to go.

5.1. Bloodstone Near Trader’s Expanse

Bloodstone mining spot

The most reliable bloodstone cluster sits just near Trader’s Expanse in the Crimson Desert region. There are many closely spaced node clusters with multiple spawn points, making them easy to revisit.

How to farm the Bloodstone in Trader’s Expanse:

1. From Trader’s Expanse Abyss Nexus, ride your Horse and go to the marked Bloodstone mining spot on the map.
2. Alternatively, the Bloodstones are highly visible up close as large red formations.
3. Between the two node clusters, there are around seven total spawn points combined. With Abyss Gear and an upgraded Mining Knuckledrill, each point can yield five or six ore.

Additional bloodstone nodes also exist near Hernand Castle, in the Demeniss area, and at two clusters in the Crimson Desert.

5.2. Bismuth at Drakesfall Castle

Drakesfall Castle’s location

Bismuth is obtained from Bismuth Oreback Crabs, and the best location to farm them is inside Drakesfall Castle in Hernand (north of Hernand City, near Drakesfall Gorge).

1. Unlock the fast travel point next to the castle and use it as your respawn anchor.
2. Use Turning Slash to break bismuth ore off the crabs and then finish them.
3. Leave at least a few crab clusters alive rather than clearing the area completely. This forces a faster respawn.
4. Fast-travel back to the castle entrance and return. All defeated crabs will have already respawned.

Each run yields large amounts of Bismuth Ore, and the crabs here also occasionally drop Abyss Cells and Abyss Gear as bonus loot.

6. How to Farm Silver Ore

Silver Ore

Silver Ore is needed for several accessory and weapon upgrades. The best deposits are hidden behind waterfalls that require the Stab skill (at least Level 1) to pass through, and rock walls that must be broken with a Force Palm. All main silver caves respawn on a weekly in-game cycle.

6.1. Shadowheart Grotto

The first stop is Shadowheart Grotto, near the Hernand/Demeniss border. Head to the waterfall area, then use a charged Stab to pass through it. On the other side, hit the glowing rock wall with a Force Palm and run inside. The cave holds silver ore nodes ready to mine.

6.2. Heart of the Saint (Three Saints’ Falls)

Heart of the Saint Location

This cave sits in Hernand, identifiable by the large waterfall at Three Saints’ Falls, north of Hernand Town. This is one of the richest silver deposits in the game, with 25–30 Silver Ore per visit.

How to reach it:

1. Travel to Three Saints’ Falls, north of Hernand Town.
2. Find the statue near the waterfall and climb to the rock ledge that directly touches the waterfall.
3. Stand directly in front of the waterfall and use the Stab skill to pass through it.
4. Inside, use a Force Palm on the glowing rock wall to open the cave interior.
5. Mine everything inside, then return on the next weekly respawn.

6.3. Additional Silver Caves (Azure Moon Labyrinth)

Unlocking all silver cave locations requires solving the Azure Moon Labyrinth puzzle, which reveals up to 8 secret waterfall caves on the map.

Other confirmed caves include Cloudmist Cave, Blade Cave, Deathgrips Cave, Whispering Grotto, Dawn Cave, Echoing Waves Cave, and Firefly Haven Cave.

Each follows the same entry pattern: use the Stab skill to pass through the waterfall, then Force Palm through the rock wall inside.

7. How to Farm Gold Ore

Gold Crafting

Gold Ore is used for accessory upgrades and can also be refined into gold bars for crafting. It is consistently found inside secret underground caves, all accessed the same way: locate a suspicious gold-tinted rock at the cave entrance and hit it with a Force Palm to break it open.

7.1. Anvil Hill Cave

Anvil Hill Cave

Start at Anvil Hill Cave in Hernand. Look for a large crevice or hole in the ground near the distinctive Anvil Hill rock landmark. At the bottom, find the suspicious gold-tinted rock and Force Palm it to reveal the cave.

This is one of the largest gold deposits in the game, with multiple nodes.

7.2. Second Gold Cave South of Demeniss

Further south of Demeniss along the Lower Nas River, look for a small cliffside that curves inward with a rock sitting in the middle. Another suspicious gold rock is here. Force Palm it (avoid getting knocked back into the water), and run inside for another large gold deposit.

7.3. Silver Wolf Mountain Cave in Pailune

Silver Wolf Cave

Near Wayward Woods in Pailune, use the nearby fast travel point and locate a large hole in the ground. At the bottom, there is another suspicious gold rock to Force Palm. A significant gold cave waits inside.

Be careful of the stone worm enemy inside. Do not use AoE attacks near it, as area damage will destroy the gold ore nodes. The safest method is to grapple hook directly onto its eyeball, which kills it instantly.

Additional gold caves also exist north of Delesyia and at two locations in the Crimson Desert near the main gate area.

8. How to Farm Diamonds

Diamonds are among the more valuable upgrade materials, hidden in cave systems near your early-game areas. Several locations are close together, and the weekly respawn cycle keeps the supply healthy with minimal effort.

8.1. Hernand Highlands Diamond Cave

Hernand Highlands Diamond Cave

The most convenient diamond location is near the Greymane Camp at Howling Hill, south of Hernand Town. Look for a large crevice in the ground and drop inside, then head to the far corner; a small hidden alcove opens into a cave full of diamonds and stalactites.

Given how close it is to the Howling Hill fast travel point, this should be your go-to diamond spot for the entire early game. Average yields are around 11 Diamonds per run, plus stalactites worth extra Silver.

8.2. Additional Diamond Locations

Diamond Mining

Once the Howling Hill cave is cleared, hit these spots to fill out the rest of the supply:

• Behind the mineral shop vendor in the quarry area: A diamond ore sits right behind him. Crouch on top of it to mine it.
• Demeniss Diamond Mine: Southwest of Demeniss, past Anvil Hill—a mine wedged deep in the caverns.
• Deepfog Basin / Mistwind Cave: North of Hernand, near Mistwind Cave. One of the best mid-game diamond spots.
• South of Hernand Highlands: Another diamond cluster on a cliff face, visible from the path near the river.

9. How to Farm Animal Materials

Animal materials cover a wide range of upgrade components: hide, bones, ivory, horns, and meat. The fastest source for most of these is your own camp ranch, but several strong outdoor spots supplement it nicely when needs outpace camp production.

9.1. Ranch at the Greymane Camp

Unlock the ranch through the Greymane main quest line as early as possible. Once running, it provides a near-passive supply of multiple materials just by slaughtering and restocking your animals regularly.

Animals reproduce quickly, so after a few in-game days, the ranch becomes a self-sustaining farm that can be harvested on every return to camp.

9.2. Deer Hunting Near Camp

Deer-Hunting

Just outside the Greymane Camp, two to three separate packs of deer consistently spawn close to the fast travel point. Killing them provides Short Hair Hide, Small Bones, and meat. This is one of the fastest bonus material runs in the game since it takes only a few minutes and can be done every time you return to base.

Be careful not to accidentally hit any nearby civilians, as this will trigger a crime status. If this happens, run out of the red zone quickly, and the bounty will not apply.

9.3. Ivory and Large Bones

Elephant-Hunting

Early game: Head to the Scholastone Institute in southwest Hernand and equip your mask. The large horned animals in this area drop Ivory, Large Bones, and Thick Hide. Killing them is a crime and may require paying a bounty afterward.

Late game: Travel to the area north of the Crimson Desert, south of Veria, where a large herd of elephants roams. Use a fire-imbued attack to knock them down quickly, as they are very tanky and become difficult to handle without it. Once downed, skin them for Ivory, Large Bones, Tough Meat, and Thick Hide.

9.4. Sturdy Hide from Crocodiles

The most reliable source of Sturdy Hide is the small island just north of Delesyia, where a legendary animal, the White Crocodile, can be found. Two or more regular crocodiles consistently spawn on the island and drop Sturdy Hide on almost every kill.

Fast traveling away and returning respawns them immediately. Large Bones and Tough Meat also drop here as bonus loot.

10. How to Farm Abyss Artifacts

Sealed Abyss Artifact

Abyss Artifacts are needed for gear upgrades and skill progression, but the game does not naturally hand them out in large numbers as you progress. Two methods stand out as the most consistent ways to build a reliable stockpile.

10.1. Scholastone Institute Pickpocketing

Head to the Scholastone Institute in southwest Hernand. Enter the north building to find a large group of scholars walking and sitting in the main hall. Here is the method:

1. Equip the Lantern from your Weapon Wheel (hold Left on the D-Pad).
2. Activate the Lantern (L1/LB) and walk around the scholars. A golden cube icon in their silhouette indicates they are carrying an Abyss Artifact.
3. Equip a Mask, bump into the scholar, then press X/A to Pickpocket them.
4. If a scholar is seated on a bench, kick them off it first to get them moving, then pickpocket.
5. If no artifacts are found, reload the area from the nearby Abyss Nexus and try again.

The drop rate varies by run, but this is the easiest active method that does not require killing anything. A bounty of around 6 Silver Coins may apply if witnessed.

10.2. Timeworn Ruins Dispatch Mission

In the Crimson Desert region, locate the Timeworn Ruins (southeast of Tashkalp). On the first visit, fight through a large horde of enemies to clear the area. Once cleared, set up a dispatch mission using your Greymanes.

This mission takes 3 in-game days and requires 10 Greymanes, returning 2–3 Abyss Artifacts per run passively. Keep this dispatch running at all times to maintain a steady background income of artifacts. Using the item that doubles dispatch rewards can further improve yields.

Killing enemies in the open world fills the progress bar on the left side of the mini map. Each time it completes, one Artifact is rewarded.

11. How to Get Aeserion’s Scales for Max Upgrades

Serpent’s Shrine

Aeserion’s Scales are the final material required to push gear from +9 to the maximum +10. They are collected at the Serpent Shrine in the southwestern part of Delesyia.

Starting the Osharion the Great Serpent faction quest (found in your Journal under Faction Quests → Deia) is required to fully access the shrine and collect scales. The quest initiates automatically when you arrive at the shrine.

How to collect scales:

1. Fly or glide across to the Serpent Shrine island. Make sure your stamina is sufficient before crossing.
2. The scales are scattered across the ground around the serpent and are easy to spot as large, silver collectibles.
3. Use your Axiom Force (L3) and press Triangle (PS)/Y (Xbox) to seal each scale into your Kuku Pot.
4. A thorough sweep of the entire island typically yields 30–50 scales per visit.

Aeserion’s Scale

Critical step at the smithy:

1. Open your Kuku Pot from inventory.
2. Scroll to the scales and press X/A to take them out.
3. Then proceed with the upgrade at the smithy.

The smithy will not detect scales that remain inside the Kuku Pot, which is why many players assume they have none. Always take them out manually before upgrading.