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Best Abyss Cores - Version 16 vs Version 17
May 23, 2026, 03:42 PM
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11Overview22Abyss Cores are special enhancement items in Crimson Desert that can be socketed into your equipment to grant bonus stats, passive effects, and even active combat skills. Choosing the right cores for your build is one of the most important decisions you can make when optimizing your character, whether you are playing as Kliff, Damiane, or Oongka. This guide ranks every confirmed Abyss Core by usefulness, breaks down the best picks for different playstyles, and explains how to obtain and equip each one.44Abyss Cores fall into three broad categories: stat cores that raise flat numbers like Attack or Defense, utility cores that improve quality-of-life stats like Movement Speed or Stamina Regeneration, and skill cores that grant entirely new combat abilities when socketed. The strongest loadouts typically combine all three types, stacking offensive stat cores on weapons and gloves while slotting defensive and utility cores into armor and shields.77How Abyss Core Sockets Work99Before you can equip any Abyss Core, your equipment needs open sockets. Sockets appear as locked chain icons on gear and must be unlocked through a Witch NPC. The system becomes available during Chapter 5 of the main story, when you encounter the first Witch, Elowen, after completing the "The Hermit Witch" quest and receiving a letter from a white bird at an Abyss Nexus point.1111Socket Creation1414Visit any Witch and select Create Socket to unlock locked slots on your equipment. The cost in Silver scales with the number of sockets you open: early slots on basic gear start around 5 Silver, while later slots on high-tier weapons can cost 50 to over 100 Silver. Not every piece of equipment supports the same number of sockets. Weapons generally have the most slots (the Ignir Sword has five), while headgear typically has one or two.1616Socket Limits by Equipment Type1818Equipment SlotTypical Socket RangeExampleWeapons (Swords, Spears, etc.)2 to 5Ignir Sword (5 sockets)Shields1 to 2Lifsoth Large Shield (2 sockets)Body Armor2 to 3Canta Plate Armor (3 sockets)Headgear1 to 2Bolton Plate Helm (1 socket)Gloves1 to 2Plate Gloves of Cursed Soul (2 sockets)Footwear1 to 2Odeck's Protector Plate Boots (2 sockets)2020Embedding and Extracting Cores2121Once a socket is open, select Embed Abyss Core at any Witch to install a core. Embedding and extraction are both free services. You can freely move cores between equipment pieces at no cost, so experimenting with different setups carries no penalty. Some high-tier or legendary weapons come with unique cores already installed; these can be extracted and moved to other gear if you prefer a different setup.2323Where to Get Abyss Cores2525Abyss Cores come from multiple entries throughout the game. Understanding where each type drops helps you plan your build ahead of time.2727Witches and Blueprints2929Each Witch sells Abyss Core blueprints that let you craft cores at their shop. Different Witches specialize in different blueprint categories:3131WitchTitleLocationSpecialtySylviaThe HermitNorth of HernandBasic embedding, extraction, and socket creationElowenFirst story WitchThe Witchwoods, west of Hernand HighlandsCrafting, blueprints (including Haste), Abyss shopArecielWitch of StrengthUrdavah, northwest of TashkalpDestruction blueprints (Attack-boosting cores)LyseliaWitch of HumilitySerpent Marsh, south of DemenissFortification blueprints (Defense-boosting cores)BariWitch of the NorthFar reaches of PailuneAdvanced blueprints and specialized cores3333When you acquire a blueprint, examine it in your inventory to unlock the recipe. Then visit any Witch that offers the Craft Abyss Core service to create the core using gathered materials and Silver.3434Boss Drops3636Several bosses drop unique skill-type Abyss Cores that cannot be crafted. These are often the most powerful cores in the game. For example, defeating Crowcaller during the main story rewards the Crow's Pursuit core, and Myurdin in Chapter 7 drops a weapon containing Groundsurge. Some legendary weapons come with their unique core pre-installed; you can extract it at a Witch and slot it into whichever weapon you prefer.3838Sealed Abyss Artifacts4040Completing Sealed Abyss Artifact challenges found throughout the open world can also reward Abyss Cores alongside the Abyss Artifacts used for skill tree progression. Keep an eye out for these optional puzzle encounters as you explore.4242Abyss Core Tier List4444The following tier list ranks every confirmed Abyss Core based on overall usefulness across all three playable characters and multiple build types. S-tier cores are universally strong, while lower tiers are more situational.4646S-Tier (Must-Have)4848These cores offer the highest impact on your build and should be prioritized above all others. They work well on every character and in nearly every situation.5050CoreEffectSlot TypeWhy It Is S-TierCrow's PursuitSummons a murder of crows that viciously attack nearby enemies on each swingMelee WeaponsAdds free passive damage to every attack. Crows auto-target enemies, so you never miss. Works on all three characters.Destruction IIAttack +2Weapons, Gloves, FootwearFlat attack boost stacks across multiple slots. The most direct way to increase your damage output.Swift IAttack Speed Lv 1 (scales to Lv 5)Weapons, Gloves, FootwearAttack speed applies to all weapon types and scales dramatically at higher levels. Reaches full potential at Attack Speed Lv 5.Wind SlashUnleashes a forward blade of wind that cuts through enemiesMelee WeaponsProvides a ranged skill on melee weapons. Excellent for gap closing and hitting groups of enemies at a distance.5454A-Tier (Highly Recommended)5555A-tier cores are extremely useful and will slot into most builds. They may not be quite as universally dominant as S-tier picks, but they remain top choices for their respective roles.5757CoreEffectSlot TypeWhy It Is A-TierFortification IDefense +3Armor, ShieldsFlat defense helps you survive tougher encounters. Essential for builds that trade hits rather than dodge everything.Destruction IAttack +1Weapons, Gloves, FootwearSlightly weaker version of Destruction II but still excellent. Use until you can upgrade or if you need cores in multiple slots.Aegis IDamage Reduction 1.0Armor, ShieldsPercentage-based damage reduction becomes increasingly valuable against late-game bosses with high-damage attacks.Insight ICritical Rate Lv 1Weapons, Gloves, FootwearCritical hits deal significantly more damage. Stacking Insight cores across weapon and glove slots boosts overall DPS noticeably.Vigor IStamina Regen +2%ArmorStamina governs dodging, sprinting, and blocking. Improved regeneration keeps you mobile during long boss fights.GroundsurgeErupts rocks and lava from the ground, dealing area damageMelee WeaponsStrong crowd control skill core. Obtained from Myurdin's weapon in Chapter 7. Great for handling groups of enemies.5959B-Tier (Solid Picks)6060B-tier cores are good choices that fill specific roles in your build. They are worth using when you have open sockets to fill or need to address a particular weakness.6262CoreEffectSlot TypeBest Use CaseGourmet IIIFood Effect Lv +3ArmorBoosts healing from consumables. Excellent during the early and mid game when you rely heavily on food for recovery.Vitality IHealth +0.2 per secondArmorPassive health regeneration that adds up over time. Helpful for exploration and sustained fights where you take chip damage.Breath of Life IHealth +1 per secondArmorStronger version of passive health regeneration. Very good for survivability in extended encounters.Howling of ChaosEmits a sonic shockwave that applies Confusion to nearby enemiesMelee Weapons, ShieldsCrowd control skill core. The Confusion debuff causes enemies to attack each other briefly, useful against groups.Gale IIAttack Speed Lv 2Weapons, Gloves, FootwearAlternative to Swift for stacking attack speed. Combines with Swift cores to reach higher speed levels faster.Haste IMovement Speed Lv 1ArmorFaster movement helps with exploration and repositioning in combat. First blueprint given by Elowen upon rescue.Fortitude IGuard Stamina Cost -3.0%Shields, Gloves, FootwearReduces the stamina cost of blocking. Valuable for shield-heavy defensive builds.Slashing ReedsScatters a deadly flurry of reeds, dealing damage to enemies hitArmorOffensive skill core on an armor slot. Provides extra AoE damage without taking up a weapon socket.Momentum+35% Turning Slash DamageArmorLarge damage boost to a specific skill. Excellent if you use Turning Slash frequently in your rotation.6464C-Tier (Situational)6565C-tier cores are useful in specific situations but are not general-purpose picks. Swap them in when the encounter or environment calls for it.6767CoreEffectSlot TypeWhen to UseFrostward IIce Resistance Lv 1 (scales to Lv 5)ArmorSlot this when exploring cold regions or fighting ice-element bosses. Swap out when not needed.Shockward ILightning Resistance Lv 1ArmorProtects against lightning damage from specific enemies and environmental hazards.Spirit TransferenceSpirit Siphon Lv 1WeaponsDrains Spirit from enemies on hit. Useful for builds that rely heavily on Spirit-consuming skills.Gale IAttack Speed Lv 1Weapons, Gloves, FootwearWeaker version of Gale II. Use as a stepping stone until you can upgrade or find Swift cores.Composure IReduces flinch durationArmorNiche defensive option. Helps maintain attack chains against enemies that frequently interrupt you.6969Best Cores by Playstyle7070Offensive / DPS Build7272If your goal is to deal the maximum possible damage, stack attack and speed cores across every available slot. The ideal offensive setup focuses on the following priorities.7474Crow's Pursuit in your main weapon for free passive damage on every swing.Destruction I/II in remaining weapon sockets, gloves, and footwear to boost raw Attack.Swift I in at least one weapon or glove slot for Attack Speed. At Lv 5, the speed increase noticeably improves DPS.Insight I in any remaining offensive slot to increase Critical Rate.Momentum in an armor slot if you use Turning Slash regularly.7676Defensive / Survivability Build7878When facing difficult bosses or exploring dangerous areas, swap to a tanky core setup. This build sacrifices some damage for much greater staying power.8080Fortification I in armor and shield sockets for flat Defense increases.Aegis I alongside Fortification for percentage-based Damage Reduction.Vitality I or Breath of Life I in armor for passive health regeneration.Fortitude I in shield, gloves, or footwear to reduce Guard Stamina Cost for blocking.Vigor I in an armor slot to maintain stamina for dodges and blocks.8282Utility / Exploration Build8484For general exploration and traversal, prioritize convenience and sustain over raw combat stats.8686Haste I in an armor slot for faster movement speed while exploring the open world.Gourmet III in armor to get more healing out of food items, reducing the need to carry large food supplies.Vigor I for stamina regeneration, which benefits sprinting and climbing.Frostward I or Shockward I swapped in based on the region you are exploring.Wind Slash in your weapon for a ranged option that helps clear wildlife and weaker enemies quickly.8888Best Cores Per Character9090Kliff (Sword and Shield)9292Kliff is the starting character and the most versatile of the three. His sword-and-shield playstyle benefits from a balanced mix of offensive and defensive cores. Because Kliff can both block with a shield and dodge, he has flexibility to lean in either direction.9494SlotRecommended CoreReasonWeapon (primary)Crow's PursuitAuto-targeting crows add consistent passive damage to every comboWeapon (secondary slots)Destruction II + Swift IStacks Attack and Attack Speed for higher DPS outputWeapon (optional)Wind SlashRanged skill for gap closing and hitting enemies at a distanceShieldFortification I + Aegis IFlat Defense and Damage Reduction for tanking hits during blocksBody ArmorVigor I + MomentumStamina sustain plus bonus Turning Slash damage for Kliff's spinning attacksGlovesDestruction I or Insight IAdditional Attack or Critical Rate depending on preferenceFootwearSwift I or Destruction IExtra Attack Speed or Attack to round out the offensive core set9797For Kliff's weapon, the Ignir Sword is the gold standard with five Abyss Core sockets, an attack range of 20 to 45 when fully upgraded, and room to fit Crow's Pursuit, Destruction II, Swift I, Wind Slash, and Insight I all at once.9898Damiane (Rapier and Ranged)100100Damiane excels at fast, aggressive combat with rapier strikes, shield abilities like Shield Toss and Shield Sentinel, and ranged options including pistols and muskets. Her speed-focused playstyle benefits most from attack speed and critical rate cores.102102SlotRecommended CoreReasonWeapon (primary)Crow's PursuitPairs well with Damiane's rapid multi-hit combos, triggering crows on every hitWeapon (secondary)Swift I + Insight IMaximizes her already fast attack speed and adds critical hits to her flurriesArmorVigor I + Slashing ReedsStamina sustain for rapid combos plus an AoE skill for crowd controlShieldHowling of ChaosConfuses enemies in close range, complementing Damiane's Shield Sentinel abilityGlovesInsight IMore Critical Rate to capitalize on her many rapid hitsFootwearSwift IFurther stacks Attack Speed for her rapier combos104104Damiane's rapid multi-hit combos make Critical Rate and Attack Speed disproportionately valuable on her compared to the other characters. Even a small crit chance increase translates to many more critical hits per fight because she lands so many individual strikes.105105Oongka (Heavy Melee and AoE)108108Oongka specializes in heavy melee attacks using hammers, axes, and arm cannons. He deals massive single-hit damage, tanks hits with his large health pool, and excels at area-of-effect crowd control. His slower attack speed means he benefits more from raw Attack and Defense cores rather than speed.110110SlotRecommended CoreReasonWeapon (primary)GroundsurgeAoE eruption matches Oongka's crowd control playstyle perfectlyWeapon (secondary)Destruction II + Destruction IMaximizes raw Attack power for Oongka's heavy single-hit strikesArmorFortification I + Aegis I + Vitality IFull defensive core set for tanking; Oongka is meant to absorb damageGlovesDestruction IMore raw Attack to boost his already high base damageFootwearFortitude IReduced Guard Stamina Cost supports his defensive tanking role112112Oongka does not benefit as much from Attack Speed because his weapon animations are inherently slow and his damage comes from heavy individual hits rather than rapid combos. Invest in raw Attack and Defense instead, and use skill cores like Groundsurge for AoE control.113113Recommended Core Combinations115115Below are several proven core loadout combinations for different situations. These assume you have access to most sockets on your equipment.117117Build NameWeapon CoresArmor CoresShield / Accessory CoresBest ForGlass CannonCrow's Pursuit + Destruction II + Swift I + Insight IMomentum + Vigor I + Slashing ReedsDestruction IMaximum damage output; ideal for skilled players who can dodge consistentlyIron WallWind Slash + Destruction IFortification I + Aegis I + Vitality IFortification I + Fortitude IMaximum survivability; ideal for difficult boss fights and New Game PlusBalanced FighterCrow's Pursuit + Destruction II + Swift IVigor I + Fortification I + Gourmet IIIAegis IWell-rounded setup suitable for the main story and most contentExplorerWind Slash + Destruction IHaste I + Gourmet III + Vigor IFortification IFast movement and self-sustain for open world exploration and side questsCold WeatherCrow's Pursuit + Destruction IIFrostward I + Vigor I + Fortification IAegis IPailune and other cold regions; swap Frostward for Shockward in lightning areas119119Core Progression Roadmap120120Not all cores are available from the start. Here is a rough roadmap of when you can expect to obtain the best cores as you progress through the story.122122Early Game (Chapters 1 Through 4)124124You will not have access to Witches yet, so you cannot socket or craft cores. Focus on collecting any cores you find as loot and saving them for later. You may find basic cores like Gale I or Destruction I from defeated enemies or treasure chests.126126Mid Game (Chapter 5 Through 6)128128Chapter 5 unlocks the Witch system. Your first priorities should be:130130Rescue Sylvia and unlock socket creation on your best current equipment.Complete the Missing Seal quest to meet Elowen and receive the Haste I blueprint.Socket Wind Slash and Vigor I early; both are available from this point and provide immediate value.Slot Gourmet III into armor if you are struggling with healing supplies.132132Late Game (Chapter 7 Through 8)134134By this stage, you should be visiting Areciel for Destruction blueprints and Lyselia for Fortification blueprints. Defeat Myurdin during the main quest to extract Groundsurge. Defeat Crowcaller for Crow's Pursuit. Your loadout should now include multiple S-tier and A-tier cores.136136Endgame and New Game Plus138138With all Witches unlocked and bosses defeated, you have access to every core in the game. Focus on upgrading to the highest tier of each stat core (Destruction II over I, Gale II over I) and stacking multiple copies across all equipment pieces. The full Glass Cannon or Iron Wall loadouts described above become achievable at this stage.140140Tips and Tricks142142Swap cores freely. Embedding and extraction cost nothing at any Witch. Keep a variety of cores in your inventory and swap before tough fights.Elemental resistance cores are situational. Do not permanently slot Frostward or Shockward. Only equip them when entering a region or boss fight that deals that element.Skill cores do not stack. You cannot slot two copies of Crow's Pursuit into the same weapon. Each unique skill core can only be equipped once per character.Check boss weapons before selling. Many unique weapons dropped by bosses come with rare skill cores already installed. Extract these at a Witch before selling or scrapping the weapon.Speed stacking has diminishing returns. Swift I and Gale cores both contribute to Attack Speed, but the visual difference plateaus after reaching around Attack Speed Lv 5. Beyond that point, invest in other stats.Blueprints must be examined first. When you buy or find a blueprint, open your inventory and examine it to unlock the crafting recipe. The recipe will not appear at the Witch's crafting menu until you do this.Upgrade sockets on your best gear. Socket creation costs Silver, so prioritize opening all sockets on end-game equipment like the Ignir Sword rather than spending Silver on gear you will replace soon.Cores work across all characters. Cores socketed in shared equipment carry over when you switch between Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka. However, each character has their own independent skill tree for Abyss Artifacts.144144See Also146146Abyss Core for a full database of every core in the gameAbyss Cores for the hub article on the Abyss Core systemAbyss Gear for a broader overview of the Abyss Gear systemHow to Unlock Abyss Core Slots for a step-by-step socket unlocking guideSealed Abyss Artifacts for all Sealed Abyss Artifact locations and rewardsCombat System for an overview of combat mechanicsWitches for all Witch locations and servicesKliff, Damiane, and Oongka for individual character guides
