Overview
An Abyss Nexus is a supernatural stone platform that is the primary fast travel system in Crimson Desert. These round floor plates are engraved with a circular pattern and are linked to the Abyss, the mysterious energy that runs through the continent of Pywel. Once activated, an Abyss Nexus allows Kliff to teleport to that location from anywhere on the map. There are 47 known Abyss Nexus points spread across five major regions.
Abyss Nexuses are not marked on the map by default. Players must actively search for them using the Blinding Flash ability. This means that casual exploration alone is unlikely to reveal most fast travel points; a deliberate scanning approach is required.
How to Find Abyss Nexus Points
Discovering an Abyss Nexus requires Kliff's Blinding Flash technique, which highlights nearby Abyss-related objects with a blue glow and a trail of light.
Use Blinding Flash: Hold L1 + R1 (PlayStation), LB + RB (Xbox), or Ctrl + Left Click (keyboard) to emit a pulse of light from Kliff's sword.
Watch for light trails: If anything related to the Abyss is nearby, a glowing trail will appear pointing toward the source.
Seek high ground: Blinding Flash has limited range. Moving to an elevated position before activating it increases the chance of picking up distant Nexus points.
Check question-mark markers: Large question-mark icons on the map indicate undiscovered points of interest. Many of these are Abyss Nexus points, though some are Sealed Abyss Artifacts or other exploration challenges instead.
Not every point of interest revealed by Blinding Flash is a fast travel point. Some are Sealed Abyss Artifacts or secret places. You must walk to each glowing marker to confirm what type it is.
Activation and Usage
Activating an Abyss Nexus is straightforward. Walk onto the circular stone platform and stand on it for a few seconds. A brief animation plays and the location is permanently unlocked on your map as a blue fast travel icon.
To fast travel, open the map and make sure the "All" or "Environment" filter tab is selected so that fast travel icons are visible. Hover over the Abyss Nexus icon you want to travel to and press Triangle (PlayStation), Y (Xbox), or double-click (keyboard) to teleport instantly.
Important: You cannot fast travel while mounted. Dismount your horse before attempting to teleport.
Abyss Nexus vs. Abyss Cresset
The game features two types of fast travel points. Abyss Nexuses are simple stone platforms that activate when you stand on them. Abyss Cressets are a second type that involve solving a puzzle or completing a challenge before they become active. Both function identically once unlocked, providing instant teleportation from the map screen.
Locations by Region
There are 47 confirmed Abyss Nexus locations across the five major regions of Pywel.
Hernand (11 Points)
The Hernand region, where the story begins, contains 11 Abyss Nexus points. Key locations include Haunted Hill in the north, two points in central Hernand, one at Hernand Castle, the Witchwoods to the south, Scholastone Institute to the south, the Ironwood to the east, Willow River to the east, Lower and Upper Nas River, and additional points along the northern edge.
Pailune (10 Points)
The Pailune region has 10 Abyss Nexus points. These include the Sage's Peak to the south, three points in central Pailune, Wayward Woods, Pailune West, two points on Silver Wolf Mountain, Pailune North, and Pailune Town.
Demeniss (6 Points)
The Demeniss region contains 6 Abyss Nexus points: Anvil Hill to the west, Demeniss Central, Demeniss Town, Demeniss North, Demeniss East, and Breezeblown Knoll to the east.
Delesyia (6 Points)
The Delesyia region has 6 Abyss Nexus points: two points in northern Delesyia, Gorthak, Delesyia Town, Mount Benus to the south, and Dewhaven to the south.
Crimson Desert (13 Points)
The Crimson Desert region itself contains the most fast travel points at 13. These span two points in the southern desert, four points around Tashkalp, four points in the Forebearer's Barrens, Outlaw Canyon, Trader's Expanse, and Varnia Town.
Teleportation Improvements (Patch 1.02.00)
In Patch 1.02.00, Abyss Nexus teleportation was significantly expanded. Previously the fast travel prompt was only available from a grounded, idle stance. The patch now allows players to trigger an Abyss Nexus teleport from almost any active state, including:
While mounted (teleport carries the rider; the horse is thrown up with the player but fast travel still resolves instantly)
While falling
While swimming
While climbing walls
Mid-jump
Mid-flight (including during Flight and glide traversal)
The practical effect is that players can now bail out of almost any situation by opening the map and teleporting to a known Abyss Nexus. This pairs well with the Spire of Soaring and other high-altitude nexuses, since you can teleport to a sky-level nexus while already in midair and keep your forward momentum into the next glide.
Map Icon Changes (Patch 1.02.00)
Patch 1.02.00 also improved world map clarity for Abyss Nexus points. Visited and unvisited Abyss Nexuses are now displayed with different icons on the world map, so players can immediately tell which nexus points they have already activated and which are still undiscovered. The same treatment was applied to Abyss locations more broadly: restored and unrestored abyss sites now use different icons, making it easy to scan the map and see which locations still need to be cleansed.
Tips
Prioritize scanning with Blinding Flash whenever you reach a new area. Fast travel saves significant travel time across Pywel's large map.
The Greymane Camp at Howling Hill has its own Abyss Nexus nearby, but it requires completing a puzzle underground at Thinker's Meadow and using the Focus Palm Force skill to break a hidden wall.
You can teleport to any activated Nexus from anywhere on the map, not just from another Nexus point.
If Blinding Flash does not reveal anything, try moving to higher ground or getting closer to the question-mark icon on your map.
Using Abyss Nexus to Refresh Pickpocket Targets
Beyond fast travel and warp shortcuts, Abyss Nexus NPCs serve a second purpose at quest-driven pickpocket sites. The clearest example is the Scholar's Stone Institute investigation site in Skala Stone, where the Abyssal Energy Research quest spawns a group of Research Scholars who can be pickpocketed for Abyss Artifact drops. Once every scholar in the current spawn has been checked, talking to the on-site Abyss Nexus NPC despawns that group and rolls a fresh batch of targets.
Why the Refresh Is Important
Unlimited rerolls. The refresh has no cap, so a player can keep regenerating scholars until the desired number of artifacts is in hand. There is no cooldown timer between refreshes.
Carrier rotation. Each fresh spawn re-rolls which scholar in the group is carrying the artifact, so even an unlucky group can be reset and immediately re-tagged with a Lantern.
Bounty isolation. Refreshing the spawn does not clear bounty, but the local bounty cap at the institute site is small. Wear a Mask to keep crime tied to the disguise rather than your real identity.
The full refresh-then-steal loop, including the unlock quest chain, is documented in the Abyss Artifacts Farming Guide.
Patch 1.03.00 Updates
As of Patch 1.03.00 (April 9, 2026), Abyss Nexus teleportation can now be used while mounted, falling, swimming, or climbing walls. The icon is also easier to notice on the map.