Revision 1

Overview

Alchemy Recipes in Crimson Desert are records of brewing techniques that guide players in crafting elixirs, potions, and dyes. These consumables grant temporary buffs, restore resources, or allow cosmetic customization of equipment. Alchemy is performed at cauldrons, which are found in Hernand, the Witch's house in the Witchwoods, and other settlements throughout Pywel.

The alchemy system must be unlocked through the Greymane Camp base upgrade system. Once unlocked, new recipes can be obtained by purchasing them from vendors, discovering them while exploring, or receiving them as quest rewards. Some formulas must be found in the world before they can be produced. See Crafting Manuals for more details on acquiring recipes.

Palmar Pills

Palmar Pills are one of the most important consumables in the game. They allow Kliff to automatically revive with 30% health after falling in combat, effectively acting as an extra life during boss fights and dangerous encounters.

Crafting manual location: The Palmar Pill recipe is found in a cave north of Hernand, just west of the bridge. Inside the witch's alchemy chamber, the manual is on the right side of the room. A cauldron on the left side of the cave can be used to craft your first batch immediately.

The recipe accepts any flower as the main ingredient, so you do not need a specific species. Peonies, Lavender, Rosemary, and Begonias are extremely common across Pywel. For bulk crafting, visit the Witch's house in the Witchwoods where a massive field of Red Croton grows nearby.

Elixirs and Potions

Elixirs and potions provide temporary combat buffs when consumed. They are brewed at cauldrons using alchemy materials gathered from the world.

The Attack Speed Potion is widely considered one of the best consumables in the game. It is worth unlocking early and remains useful throughout the entire campaign, particularly during boss fights against Staglord, Reed Devil, and Gwen Kraber.

Dye Recipes

Dye recipes allow you to change the color of armor and equipment cosmetically. Dyes are crafted at the Dye Station, which is unlocked through the Greymane Camp upgrade system. Most dyes require Mordant as a fixative, which is available from general merchants.

Mordant is used in most dye recipes, so buy it in bulk from merchants whenever possible. Three of the five known dyes require it as an ingredient.

Abyss Cores

Abyss Cores are special enhancement items that can be socketed into armor to grant passive bonuses. They are crafted using rare Abyss materials and refined by specialized NPCs such as Witch crafters.

Additional Abyss Cores are expected to be craftable with various combinations of reagents, Abyss Cells, and gemstones. These socket enhancements allow you to customize your armor's passive bonuses to suit your playstyle.

Alchemy Material Locations

Alchemy ingredients are gathered from across Pywel using gathering and hunting skills. The game features over 60 distinct alchemy materials organized into three categories:

Plants and Flowers

Insects and Creatures

Insects are collected throughout Pywel. Many species are found near water, in trees, or during nighttime:

• Beetles: Rhinoceros Beetle, Longhorn Beetle, Stag Beetle (used in dye recipes)

• Butterflies: Numerous species found across all regions

• Other: Dragonflies, toads, spiders, centipedes, and scorpions

Palmar Leaf and Palmar Beetle are rare materials found at Crescent Lake in the Demeniss region. These are used to craft more powerful Palmar Pills.

Animal Parts and Minerals

Tips

• Prioritize crafting Palmar Pills as soon as you find the recipe. Having revival items trivializes many difficult encounters.

• The Attack Speed Potion is the single most impactful combat consumable. Farm Crimson Root whenever you pass through the Crimson Desert herb patches or Hernand borderlands.

• Buy Mordant in bulk from merchants. Three of the five dye recipes require it, and running out during a crafting session is inconvenient.

• Heavy rainstorms increase the likelihood of obtaining rare secondary drops when harvesting alchemy herbs. Take advantage of wet weather for gathering runs.

• Copper Sulfate for the Forest Green Dye can be purchased from alchemist merchants rather than gathered in the wild.

• Saffron for the Royal Gold Dye is sold by specialty merchants in the City of Hernand and Demeniss.

• Alcohol for the Attack Speed Potion can be purchased from merchants or distilled at camp.