Chaos Forest Walkthrough

Overview

The Chaos Forest is a floating Abyss island puzzle area in Crimson Desert, accessed through the Spire of Insight. It is part of the Path of Providence branch of the Abyss and sits within the broader network of sky islands that reward Abyss Artifacts upon completion. The puzzle involves clearing thorny red vines, retrieving and cooling Abyss Cells, installing them into wall slots, and activating a central wheel mechanism.

Completing the Chaos Forest grants one Abyss Artifact and opens the path to the Roots of Truth, another Abyss puzzle island with its own set of challenges.

Location and Access

The Chaos Forest cannot be reached directly from the overworld. You must first complete the Spire of Insight challenge, which is located south of Hernand past Pororin Village in the Steel Mountains region. The Spire of Insight is an optional tower with no main quest requirement, so you can visit it whenever you like after unlocking the necessary abilities.

Inside the Spire of Insight, you must solve four riddle puzzles across four floors. Each floor requires you to find specific objects and place them in a golden bowl to proceed. After solving all four floors, an Abyss Gate portal opens at the top. Stepping into the Abyss Gate teleports you to the Chaos Forest.

Prerequisites

Before attempting the Chaos Forest puzzle, make sure you have the following abilities unlocked. All of these are used at various points during the puzzle sequence.

If you have not yet unlocked Flight (Wings), you will need to complete the Abyss Without Balance puzzle first. That puzzle is encountered during the main story and grants the Wings ability upon completion.

Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Step 1: Open the Entrance Gate

When you arrive in the Chaos Forest, you will find a stone gate blocking the way forward. Walk up to the gate and use Nature's Grasp to lift it open. Step through before it closes behind you.

Step 2: Clear the Red Vines

The starting area is covered in thick, thorny red vines that block exploration. Draw your sword and activate Blinding Flash: Concentrated Light by holding LB/L1 + RB/R1, then pressing LB/L1 again. Aim your sword at the vines and hold the beam until they catch fire. The flames will spread naturally to connected vines, so you do not need to target each cluster individually. Keep burning until the entire starting area is clear.

Step 3: Retrieve the First Abyss Cell

Once the vines are cleared, drop down to the lower level below the main platform. Jump across to the burning platform ahead. On this platform, you will find an Abyss Cell that is on fire. Use Axiom Force (hold LS/L3) to grab the burning Abyss Cell. While holding it, throw it back to the upper area where you started, then climb back up the rocks to rejoin it.

Step 4: Cool the Abyss Cell

Pick up the Abyss Cell again with Axiom Force and carry it straight ahead to a pool of water. Submerge the Abyss Cell in the water to extinguish the fire. The cell will stop glowing red once it has been cooled.

Important: If the Abyss Cell becomes fully submerged and you cannot retrieve it, or if the fire is not properly extinguished, use the teleportation option to restart the challenge. This also resolves any bugs where the fire refuses to go out.

Step 5: Install the First Abyss Cell

Turn around from the water pool and carry the cooled Abyss Cell to the empty cell slot on the nearby wall. Position the cell roughly in front of the slot and release it. Then climb on top of the cell and use Force Palm (R3) while standing on top of it to jam the cell into place. When installed correctly, the cell will light up blue, matching the powered cell next to it.

Step 6: Climb to the Upper Level

With the first cell installed, look across the gap from the two Abyss Cells. You will see large tree roots extending upward. Hop onto these roots and climb them to reach the next level of the structure. Alternatively, use your Flight ability to glide across to the staircase leading up.

Step 7: Burn the Second Set of Vines

At the upper level, look to your left. There will be another cluster of red vines across the gap blocking a doorway. Use Concentrated Light again to burn these vines from a distance. Once cleared, jump or fly over to that side.

Step 8: Retrieve the Second Abyss Cell

On the far side, you will find a sealed door. Use Nature's Grasp to lift this door and enter a small room containing another Abyss Cell. Grab the cell with Axiom Force and bring it out of the room.

Step 9: Install the Second Abyss Cell

Carry the second Abyss Cell to the wall slot near the doorway. To reach the correct height for installation, pick up an Abyss Fragment from the ground and stand it upright as a stepping platform. Climb onto the fragment, then use Force Palm to slam the cell into its slot. You can also use Force Current as an alternative method to nudge the cell into position.

Step 10: Prop Open the Doorway

This is the trickiest part of the puzzle. Walk back to the doorway you came through and notice that it has sealed shut again. You need to keep this door open to complete the power circuit that feeds the central wheel.

Pick up an Abyss Fragment from the ground using Axiom Force. Open the doorway again with Nature's Grasp, and before the door closes, quickly place the Abyss Fragment directly underneath it. If done correctly, the fragment will act as a doorstop, preventing the door from shutting completely. This maintains the energy flow and charges the second power source for the central wheel.

Tip: The timing on this step is tight. Have the Abyss Fragment ready in your grip before you start lifting the door with Nature's Grasp. As soon as the door rises, move forward and drop the fragment under it.

Step 11: Activate the Central Wheel

With both power sources now active (the two installed Abyss Cells and the propped-open doorway), the large circular wheel in the center of the area is fully powered. Climb onto the wheel and navigate to its center. Hold Q / L2 / LT to grip using the Resist ability, then strike the center of the wheel with Force Palm. The impact will knock you backward, so be prepared to use your Flight ability immediately to land safely on a nearby platform instead of falling.

If done correctly, the wheel will turn and the mechanism above it will light up, confirming that the Chaos Forest has been restored.

Step 12: Collect the Abyss Artifact

Take the staircase to the right of the central wheel to reach the platform above it. On this upper platform, you will find the Abyss Artifact reward. Collect it to complete the Chaos Forest challenge.

Rewards

Completing the Chaos Forest also unlocks the path forward to the Roots of Truth, another floating puzzle island with its own challenges. The Sky Bridge arch at the end of the Chaos Forest connects to this next area.

Tips and Troubleshooting

• Restart on softlock: If the Abyss Cell gets stuck underwater or the fire does not extinguish properly, use the teleportation option to restart the entire challenge. You will be placed back at the Abyss Gate entrance.

• Fall recovery: If you fall during the wheel activation in Step 11, the game will reload you at the Abyss Gate. All cell placements and vine progress are preserved, so you only need to redo the wheel step.

• Vine burning range: Concentrated Light has a generous range. You can burn vines across gaps without needing to stand right next to them. This is especially useful for the second vine cluster in Step 7.

• Fragment doorstop positioning: The Abyss Fragment must be placed directly in the path of the closing door. If placed too far to one side, the door may still close fully. Aim for the center of the doorway.

• Force Palm aim: When slamming Abyss Cells into wall slots, position yourself on top of the cell and look straight down before activating Force Palm. This ensures the downward force pushes the cell cleanly into the slot.

• Stamina management: The Flight ability after the wheel knockback consumes Stamina. Make sure you have enough Stamina before striking the wheel so you can glide to safety. Upgrading Stamina through the skill tree helps here.

Abilities Quick Reference

The following table summarizes where each ability is used during the Chaos Forest walkthrough.

Related Pages

• Spire of Insight (the tower you must complete to access the Chaos Forest)

• Abyss Island Puzzle Solutions (master guide for all floating Abyss puzzles)

• Abyss Without Balance (where you unlock the Wings/Flight ability)

• Artifacts and Abyss Fragments (guide to Abyss Artifacts and their uses)

• Axiom Force (detailed ability guide)

• All Puzzle Solutions (hub page for every puzzle in the game)