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Overview

Ammunition refers to the consumable projectiles required to use ranged weapons in Crimson Desert. Every ranged attack with a bow, firearm, or hand cannon consumes one unit of ammunition from the player's inventory. Ammunition is loaded into a dedicated ammo slot and can be swapped on the fly through the Quick Equipment Slots radial menu, letting players change the damage behavior of their ranged attacks mid-combat.

Running out of ammunition during a fight severely limits tactical options, so keeping a healthy supply on hand is critical for any ranged build. Ammunition can be obtained through three main methods: purchasing from equipment vendors, crafting at a smithy, and looting from defeated enemies or the open world.

Base Projectile Types

There are three base projectile categories in Crimson Desert, each tied to a specific class of ranged weapon. Base projectiles serve as the default ammunition and are the most readily available.

Arrows are the cheapest and most common projectile. They cost just 2 Silver apiece from vendors, and one crafting batch of 30 requires only 5 Timber and 1 Iron Ore. Virtually every street vendor and equipment shop across the map stocks them.

Bullets cost slightly more at 3 Silver each because each shot consumes a significant amount of gunpowder. They require 2 Iron Ore and 4 Gunpowder to craft. A recipe must be unlocked before bullet crafting becomes available at the smithy.

Small Cannon Balls are compact explosive projectiles designed for portable heavy firearms. Each shot creates a blast radius on impact, damaging all enemies in the area. Crafting them requires 10 Iron Ore and 10 Gunpowder, reflecting their destructive power.

Special Arrow Types

Beyond the standard arrow, several specialized arrow variants exist. These arrows apply unique effects on hit or serve tactical purposes that standard arrows cannot. Some must be purchased from specific vendors, while others are unlocked through quests or environmental interactions.

Fire Arrow

The Fire Arrow is unique among special arrows because it does not require a crafting recipe or vendor purchase. Instead, players create fire arrows by holding any regular arrow near an open flame source such as a torch, brazier, campfire, or bonfire. The arrow ignites automatically and remains lit until fired. Fire arrows apply a burning effect on impact, dealing additional damage over time and capable of igniting flammable objects in the environment.

The "How to Make Fire Arrows" guide on the Hernand notice board introduces players to this mechanic early in the game. Since fire arrows only require regular arrows and proximity to a flame, they are effectively free to produce and can be created on the fly during exploration or combat near fire sources.

Poison Arrow

The Poison Arrow inflicts the Poison debuff on impact, causing the target to lose health steadily over time. To craft poison arrows, players must first acquire the Poison Arrow Blueprint from Grimrak, a back alley vendor located at the Livestock Black Market in the southeast part of Hernand. The blueprint costs 10 Silver.

Once the blueprint is read, poison arrows appear in the crafting menu at any smithy. Each poison arrow requires one standard arrow and one unit of Poison. Poison is obtained primarily by hunting Monitor Lizards, which drop roughly four units of poison per kill. A reliable farming spot is the area around Forebearer's Barrens (Valley of Grief) northeast of Hernand, where multiple Monitor Lizard spawns can be cleared in quick succession.

Explosive Arrow

The Explosive Arrow detonates on impact, dealing area-of-effect damage to all enemies within the blast radius. These arrows are rare and difficult to acquire. The primary known source is a back alley vendor in Thalwynd, though the vendor's stock is extremely limited, sometimes offering as few as two explosive arrows at a time.

No verified crafting recipe for explosive arrows has been discovered as of yet. Players looking for more should check back alley vendors in other major towns, as these merchants occasionally stock unusual items that standard equipment shops do not carry. Because of their scarcity, explosive arrows are best reserved for boss encounters or situations where area-of-effect damage provides a decisive advantage.

Sleep Arrow

The Sleep Arrow puts the target to sleep on impact, rendering it unconscious for a short duration. Sleep arrows are especially useful during difficult boss fights, as they create openings for heavy damage or healing. They can be obtained by visiting Longleaf Village in the Pailune region, where the local tribe provides them after a scripted encounter.

Upon arriving at Longleaf, players face walking mushroom creatures that knock them unconscious. After waking inside a cabin and defeating enemies disguised as tree people, sleep arrows can be looted from their remains. The exact restocking or repeat acquisition method has not been fully confirmed by the community.

Whistling Arrow

The Whistling Arrow produces a distinctive sound when fired and appears during specific campaign sequences. These arrows serve both narrative and tactical purposes, functioning as signal arrows in certain story missions. In some contexts, whistling arrows behave similarly to fire arrows. Their availability is tied to campaign progression rather than open-world vendors.

Chill Arrow

The Chill Arrow applies a cold-based effect on impact, slowing the target. Details on acquisition and exact crafting requirements are still being documented by the community.

Other Arrow Variants

Additional arrow types include the Stub Arrow and the Blitz Attack Arrow. The Stub Arrow is a blunt-tipped variant designed for non-lethal engagements. The Blitz Attack Arrow is a specialized tactical projectile. Both serve niche roles within the game's ranged combat system.

Special Bullet Types

Firearms and hand cannons also have access to specialized ammunition beyond the standard bullet and small cannon ball. These include magic-infused bullets and enhanced cannonball variants.

Special Cannonball Types

Hand cannons can fire more than just standard small cannon balls. Several specialized cannonball variants are available, each offering different damage profiles or utility effects.

Crafting Ammunition

Ammunition can be crafted at any Smithy across the world. Crafting is typically more cost-effective than buying from vendors, particularly for players who gather their own raw materials. The first smithy most players encounter is Turnali's shop in Hernand.

Unlocking Crafting

The protagonist Kliff knows how to craft standard arrows and bullets by default. Before heading to the smithy for the first time, it is worth completing two faction quests in Hernand:

• Rhett's Request: Teaches mining and provides a pickaxe for gathering Iron Ore. Also rewards a medium bag (adds three inventory slots).

• Turnali's Request: Provides an axe for chopping timber. Also rewards a medium bag.

These quests ensure the player has the tools needed to gather Timber (from trees) and Iron Ore (from ore deposits), the two primary materials for arrow crafting.

Crafting Recipes

Materials shown in red in the smithy menu indicate the player does not have enough of that resource. Gather more before attempting the craft. Crafting does not require currency; only the raw materials are consumed.

Replenishing Ammunition

For players who want a sustainable supply of ammunition without constant crafting or vendor trips, the game offers a replenishing ammunition system unlocked through research. These self-refilling projectiles automatically regenerate after being fired, providing a steady baseline supply.

To unlock replenishing arrows, players must travel to Pororin Village and access the Research Institute at the Petalton Workshop. The Natural Harmony Research branch contains the upgrade. Before beginning the research, players need to complete the "Herbs of Vitality" quest. The research process takes approximately two in-game hours to finish.

Once equipped, replenishing arrows provide 20 standard arrows that refill over time. The base replenishment cycle takes roughly five minutes, though this can be shortened by investing further into the research tree. Replenishing arrows serve as a safety net rather than a primary supply, since the regeneration rate cannot fully sustain rapid-fire combat.

Known Bug: A bug has been reported where replenishing arrows fail to regenerate after use, effectively turning them into single-use ammunition. This appears to be triggered by rapidly switching between arrow types or equipping them during certain transitions. If affected, reloading a save may resolve the issue.

Infinite Arrows

Separate from the replenishing arrow system, Crimson Desert features Infinite Arrows as a gear blueprint upgrade. Multiple tiers exist:

• Infinite Arrows I: First tier of the infinite arrow upgrade.

• Infinite Arrows II: Second tier with improved capacity.

• Infinite Arrows III: Third tier providing the largest unlimited supply.

• Greater Infinite Arrows: An enhanced version with additional benefits.

• Rampaging Infinite Arrows: A top-tier variant that adds offensive bonuses to the unlimited supply.

These upgrades effectively remove the need to manage arrow counts entirely, freeing bow users to focus purely on combat without worrying about running out of standard ammunition.

Ammunition Bundles

Players may encounter pre-packaged bundles of ammunition as loot drops or vendor inventory items. These bundles add a set quantity of the corresponding projectile to the player's inventory when used.

Tips and Strategy

1. Craft in bulk. Arrows are cheap to make (5 Timber, 1 Iron Ore for 30). Always craft a full stack before leaving town.

2. Carry multiple arrow types. Swap between standard, fire, and poison arrows using the radial menu to exploit enemy weaknesses.

3. Save explosive and sleep arrows. These are rare and difficult to restock. Reserve them for boss fights or high-value targets.

4. Unlock replenishing arrows early. Even though the regen rate is slow, they provide a safety net against running dry in long dungeon runs.

5. Check back alley vendors regularly. They rotate stock and occasionally carry rare ammunition types that standard vendors never sell.

6. Farm Monitor Lizards for poison. The area around Forebearer's Barrens northeast of Hernand is a reliable farming spot. Each lizard drops around four units of poison.

7. Use fire arrows opportunistically. Since they only require proximity to a flame, light arrows from nearby torches and braziers during combat whenever possible.

Related Articles

• Projectiles: Overview of the projectile equipment category.

• Ranged Weapons: All ranged weapons including bows, firearms, and hand cannons.

• Bow Guide: Comprehensive guide to bow gameplay and builds.

• Bow Build Guide: Optimized build recommendations for bow users.

• Hand Cannons: Guide to hand cannon weapons and gameplay.

• Sustained Supply Arrow: A unique arrow with sustained supply mechanics.

• Smithy: Crafting station information and locations.

• How to Make Fire Arrows: Step-by-step fire arrow creation guide.