Bounty Hunting

Overview

Bounty hunting is a core activity in Crimson Desert that lets players participate in the law system from the enforcement side. Instead of committing crimes, players accept bounty contracts from notice boards in settlements and track down wanted criminals across Pywel. All bounty notices are issued by House Celeste, one of the major factions in Hernand.

The crime system works in reverse: notice boards in settlements display wanted posters for criminals and bandits. Players can accept these bounty contracts and track down targets in the open world. Fugitives may attempt to flee, requiring the player to chase and tackle them. After defeating a target, players can hogtie them and physically carry or transport the bound prisoner back to town authorities for bounty rewards.

Capturing a bounty target alive earns the full Silver reward. Killing the target, whether intentionally or by accident, results in only half the bounty payout. The Contribution EXP is awarded regardless of whether the target is alive or dead.

Finding Bounty Notices

Bounty notices are scattered across the Hernand region on notice boards, lamp posts, and walls. They are marked on the minimap with a distinctive purple letter icon, making them easy to spot while exploring. Most of the initial bounty posters can be found on posts and boards around the City of Hernand and nearby locations such as the Hernand Farmhouse area.

To pick up a bounty, approach a notice board or poster and interact with it. Hold L1 (PlayStation) or LB (Xbox) to inspect the details on the poster. The notice displays the target's name, bounty price, race, age, gender, and a description of their crimes. Once you accept the bounty, the target's last known location is marked on your world map.

The bounty notice itself is stored as a Key Item in your inventory and cannot be sold. New bounty notices appear as you progress through the main story. Check notice boards regularly when visiting towns, as later bounties become available in later chapters. Some bounties also require completing prerequisite quests or liberating specific locations before the notice spawns.

How to Capture Bounties Alive

The standard capture procedure works as follows:

1. Travel to the target's location: Open your map and follow the bounty marker to the target's last known area. Ride your horse to cover the distance quickly.

2. Locate the target: The target will be identifiable by matching the poster description. When you get close, they will appear as an icon on your minimap. Most bounty targets attempt to flee the moment they spot you.

3. Chase and tackle: Sprint after the target and wait for the tackle prompt to appear. Press Cross (PlayStation) or A (Xbox) to tackle them to the ground.

4. Subdue with punches: After tackling, punch the target repeatedly. Each hit builds up a stagger meter. After several punches (usually two to four), the "Tie Up" option appears. Press the button immediately to restrain them. Be careful not to continue punching after the prompt appears, as excessive hits can accidentally kill the target and reduce your reward.

5. Load onto your horse: Pick up the bound target and summon your horse. Load the prisoner onto the horse's back. Kliff will automatically hold the prisoner while riding.

6. Deliver to the constabulary: Ride to the guard station (constabulary) listed on the bounty notice. The bounty notice specifies which constabulary accepts the target. For most Hernand bounties, this is the Hernand Constabulary located just outside the city walls along the western edge. Dismount, pull the prisoner off the horse, and approach the guards to turn them in.

Important Notes

• You cannot fast travel while carrying a bounty target, so plan your route back to the constabulary before heading out.

• If your horse takes damage or gets spooked, both Kliff and the prisoner will fall off, and you will need to pick the target up again and remount.

• The constabulary where you turn in the outlaw does not always match the area where you found them. An outlaw may be located outside Hernand City but still needs to be turned in at the city's constabulary. Always read the bottom of the bounty notice for the correct turn-in location.

• Some targets are surrounded by hostile companions. Deal with nearby enemies first before attempting to tackle the bounty target.

• If the target does not appear at the marked location, rest at a nearby bonfire or bed and wait several in-game hours. Some targets are time-sensitive and only appear during certain periods.

• Wearing a Mask (obtained from the Jeffrey bounty) can prevent certain enemies from becoming immediately hostile, giving you more time to approach.

• Capturing each bounty target yields a "Note with a Suspicious Symbol" item alongside the standard Silver and Contribution rewards.

Bounty Targets

The following bounty targets are part of the House Celeste faction quest line. All bounty notices become available starting in Chapter 2 unless otherwise noted. The Silver amounts listed are for capturing the target alive; killing the target pays half.

Individual Bounty Details

Jeffrey (Tutorial Bounty)

Jeffrey is a pickpocket who steals money from townspeople in Hernand City. This is the first bounty available and is a tutorial for the entire bounty system. The quest begins when you speak with Pedro, the Hernand Guard Captain, at the constabulary outside the city. After reading the bounty notice, locate Jeffrey on the city streets using the bounty icon on your minimap. Tackle him, punch him three times, and tie him up. Deliver him to Guard Antoni at the constabulary to complete the quest and receive 1 Silver, 1 Mask, and +100 House Celeste Contribution EXP. The Mask unlocks the ability to commit crimes while disguised.

Billy

Billy is a mid-40s pickpocket last spotted near Hernand's Inn. His bounty notice can be found around the City of Hernand. Track Billy using the minimap icon and look near Rhett's Shop. He may attempt to hide or run away when you approach. Tackle and subdue him, then deliver him to the constabulary outside the city plaza. Rewards 2 Silver and +100 Contribution EXP.

Bianca

Bianca is a professional killer who pretends to need help so her victims lower their guard, then stabs them with a blade. Her bounty notice can be found on notice boards and lamp posts around Hernand, including near the Hernand Farmhouse. She is located at the Church of Hernand. Rather than going inside the church, circle around the building on the narrow dirt path to find her standing in a corner at the back. She flees immediately upon seeing Kliff, so be ready to sprint after her. Capture her alive for 5 Silver and +300 Contribution EXP.

Simon De Montfort

Simon de Montfort is wanted for theft and can be found at Scholastone in the Everfrost Basin region. His bounty poster is located around the Hernand Farmhouse area. When you reach Scholastone, Simon will attempt to flee on detection. Chase him down, tackle, and restrain him. Transport him back to the constabulary for 8 Silver.

Alessio

Alessio is an outlaw hiding in the Greenfield Highlands near the Ironwood Bandit Camp, in the southeastern part of the Hernand region. His bounty notice is found on lamp poles and notice boards in Hernand. On arrival, Alessio is easy to spot because he walks with a visible limp. Be prepared for nearby bandits in the camp. After subduing Alessio, note that the stagger builds up across multiple strikes before the bind prompt appears, so hit, wait briefly, and hit again rather than mashing. Rewards 12 Silver.

Salvatore

Salvatore is a murderer hiding in Sunset Valley, located at the southernmost part of the Hernand region. Head to the settlement and look for the windmill at the back of the town. Salvatore is found inside or near the windmill. He attempts to flee when confronted, so tackle and restrain him using the standard procedure. Capture alive for 12 Silver and +300 Contribution EXP. Players have noted that Salvatore's bounty poster appearance resembles "Let Me Solo Her" from Elden Ring, likely an easter egg from the developers at Pearl Abyss.

Blix

Blix is a goblin wanted for unauthorized looting of state-owned ruins. He is found at Unicorn Cliff near the Hornsplitter gang's main camp. Blix blends in with other goblins in the area before fleeing toward Nas Riverside when he spots you. A critical detail: Blix only appears at his location before 1:00 PM in-game time. However, if you arrive before 1:00 PM and are already close to his location, he will remain even after the clock passes 1:00 PM. If you miss the window, rest at a campfire and try again the next morning. Place his body on your horse for faster travel back to the City of Hernand constabulary. Rewards 15 Silver and +200 Contribution EXP.

Warren

Warren is located in Pororin at the southern edge of the Deepwoods. His bounty notice is posted in Hernand. However, reaching Warren requires completing the "The Unreachable Village" quest first, which grants access to the Pororin Forest area. Once you can enter the area, travel to Pororin, restrain Warren, and deliver him to the guard station. Rewards 25 Silver, making him one of the highest-paying bounties in the Hernand region.

Rewards

Bounty hunting provides three categories of rewards:

• Silver: The cash reward listed on the bounty notice. Capturing the target alive pays the full amount. Killing the target, whether intentionally or accidentally, reduces the Silver payout to exactly half.

• Hernandian Contribution EXP: Reputation points with the Hernand faction (House Celeste). Contribution EXP is awarded regardless of whether the target is alive or dead. Contribution unlocks items at the Hernand Contribution Shop, including exclusive armor sets and horse bardings.

• Note with a Suspicious Symbol: A quest item dropped by each bounty target upon capture. These notes appear to be connected to a broader story thread within the House Celeste quest line.

Bounties are one of the most reliable ways to earn Silver and Contribution in the early and mid game. The rewards scale with difficulty, ranging from 1 Silver for the tutorial bounty (Jeffrey) up to 25 Silver for Warren in the Deepwoods. Completing all available bounties also builds your reputation with House Celeste, unlocking increasingly valuable rewards at the Contribution Shop.

Double-Dip: Carrying Two Bounties at Once

One of the biggest time savers in the bounty system is carrying two bounty targets at the same time by combining your shoulder-carry with the horse-load option. This workflow lets you chain two bounties into a single turn-in trip and drastically shortens the total travel distance on longer bounty routes.

How Horse Loading Works

After you subdue a bounty target and pick them up on your shoulder, summon your horse and walk up behind it. Hold the aim button (left bumper on controller, or the aim key on keyboard) while facing the rear of the horse. A Load prompt will appear. Confirm the prompt and your character will strap the bound target across the back of the horse. Once loaded, the bounty is secured. You can mount up and ride at full speed with both arms free.

A horse-loaded bounty will not escape on its own, and you do not need to keep the carry animation active. This frees you up to fight other enemies, gather materials, interact with NPCs, and even take on side quest objectives while the target rides safely on the horse's back. If your horse takes a hit or gets spooked off the road, the target can still fall, so treat it the same way you would treat any cargo and avoid hostile encounters where possible.

The Double-Dip Route

The optimal route for any bounty pair or longer bounty chain is:

• Pick the two furthest bounties on the board that share a rough travel line back toward the turn-in point.

• Ride to the furthest target first. Subdue them and load them onto the back of your horse using the aim-at-horse-rear prompt above.

• Ride toward the second bounty's search area. Along the way, you can freely clear any side quests, harvests, or points of interest that happen to be on the path, since the horse-loaded target will stay put.

• Subdue the second target. Instead of summoning a second horse, pick this one up on your shoulder in the normal shoulder-carry pose. You now have one bounty on your shoulder and one on the horse.

• Ride the rest of the way back to Hernand or the nearest collection point. Turn in the shoulder-carried target first (since you can interact with the guards directly), then unload the horse and turn in the second target. Both rewards pay out in a single trip.

Any of the longer bounty chains in the game work well with this double-dip method, because the most painful part of the bounty loop is the travel time rather than the combat itself. Cutting every other turn-in trip out of the rotation roughly halves the time it takes to finish a chain.

Why it Matters for Longer Chains

This workflow is especially valuable for the Plenty of Bounty quest chain, which asks you to work through a long list of wanted targets scattered across the map. Without horse loading, each bounty forces a full round trip back to the turn-in point, which is what earns the bounty loop its reputation as a grind. With horse loading, two targets collapse into one round trip, and a trio of close-together bounties can sometimes collapse even further by chaining shoulder carries between turn-in points.

Tips

• Always capture targets alive for the full Silver reward. Killing them pays only half.

• Plan your route back to the constabulary before heading out, since you cannot fast travel while carrying a prisoner.

• Check the bottom of the bounty notice for the correct turn-in location. The constabulary may not be in the area where you found the target.

• Deal with hostile companions around the target before attempting to tackle them.

• If a target does not appear, rest at a nearby bonfire and wait several in-game hours.

• Use the Mask to approach targets in enemy-heavy zones without alerting nearby hostiles.

• Blix has a time window restriction (before 1:00 PM). Arrive early.

• Warren requires completing "The Unreachable Village" quest before his area becomes accessible.

Relationship to Other Systems

• Law System: The bounty system is separate from the player's own crime and wanted status. Hunting NPC bounties is a lawful activity that does not increase Kliff's own wanted level.

• Contribution System: Each bounty awards Contribution EXP for the Hernand faction. Higher Contribution levels unlock better items at the Hernand Contribution Shop. Bounties are one of the primary ways to build Contribution alongside Hernand Commissions.

• House Celeste: All bounty notices are issued by House Celeste. Bounty quests appear in the faction quest log under House Celeste.

• Mask: The Mask item, obtained from the Jeffrey bounty, enables disguise mechanics that allow Kliff to infiltrate hostile areas without being recognized immediately.

Patch 1.04.00 Bounty Changes

Patch 1.04.00 added a high-bounty arrest state that triggers when the wanted level reaches the new threshold, on top of the standard wanted-state interactions. The patch also fixed several long-standing bounty bugs: bounty target locations now display correctly on the map, killing a bounty target after capture no longer fails the mission, and Comrades stopped attacking bounty targets that were supposed to remain alive for capture. See Patch 1.04.00 for the full bug-fix list.