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Overview
Crimson Desert features one of the most extensive collection systems in modern RPGs. The Knowledge System tracks 2,921 entries across multiple categories, recording everything you perceive while exploring the continent of Pywel. Unlike simple item checklists, Knowledge entries are earned by examining items, speaking to characters, entering locations, defeating enemies, and completing discoveries.
Knowledge System Categories
The Knowledge menu organizes entries into distinct categories. The following numbers have been confirmed from official previews and the game's menus:
Category | Entries | How to Unlock |
|---|---|---|
Territories | 573 | Visit and explore named locations across Pywel. Entering a new area registers it in the codex. |
Crafting manuals | 355 | Discover crafting recipes through exploration, quest rewards, and purchasing from merchants. |
Factions | 110 | Encounter the various factions operating across Pywel, from mercenary bands to political groups. |
Bosses | 76 | Defeat unique boss enemies found throughout the world, in dungeons, and during story missions. |
Mount types | 29 | Tame, purchase, or acquire different mount species including horses, bears, dragons, raptors, and mechs. |
Additional categories | 1,778 | Includes people, adventures, creatures, and other discovery types. Exact breakdown not yet fully confirmed. |
Total | 2,921 |
How Knowledge Is Acquired
Knowledge entries are obtained through many different activities:
Examining items: Looking at food in a shop's inventory, inspecting an object in the world, or reading a document can all register Knowledge entries.
Speaking to characters: Conversations with NPCs, quest givers, and story characters unlock entries in the people category.
Entering locations: Simply arriving at a named location or territory adds it to the codex. Exploring every corner of Pywel is rewarded.
Defeating enemies: Killing bosses and creatures adds them to the bestiary section of the Knowledge System.
Collecting mounts: Taming wild horses or acquiring other mount types registers them as Knowledge entries.
Completing quests: Many side quests and story objectives yield Knowledge entries as part of their rewards.
Fog of War and Exploration
The world map starts shrouded in fog of war that clears as you explore. As new areas are revealed, nearby points of interest, collectibles, and fast travel points become visible on the map. The Explorer perk in the Scholarship branch of the skill tree can remove all fog of war and reveal every point of interest, hunting spot, merchant, and fast travel location on the map.
Until you unlock the Explorer perk, systematic exploration is the primary way to uncover the map. Moving through new territory on foot, horseback, or while gliding all contribute to fog of war clearance.
Collectible Types by Region
Each of Pywel's regions contains its own set of collectibles and Knowledge entries. The continent is estimated at 80 to 110 square kilometers, and taking approximately six hours to cross on foot. Major regions include:
Hernand: The starting region with pastoral countryside, forests, and the town of Hernand. Rich in early-game collectibles and NPC Knowledge entries.
Pailune: A snowy mountain region with unique creatures and environmental challenges.
The Crimson Desert region: An arid landscape with its own set of factions, creatures, and territories.
Coastal areas: Fishing spots, unique marine life, and port settlements contribute to Knowledge entries.
Boss Collectibles
Crimson Desert features 76 unique bosses spread across the world. These include story bosses, optional overworld bosses, dungeon bosses, and Abyss-related encounters. Defeating each boss registers a Knowledge entry and typically rewards Abyss Artifacts, rare equipment, or crafting materials.
Boss-dropped equipment carries Signature Abilities that significantly improve combat effectiveness. Players aiming for full Knowledge completion should seek out every optional boss encounter.
Tips for Completionists
Check the Knowledge menu regularly: It shows your progress across all categories and highlights what you have not yet discovered.
Talk to everyone: NPC conversations are a primary source of Knowledge entries. Even casual merchants and background NPCs can yield entries.
Examine shop inventories: Browsing items in shops, even without purchasing, can register new Knowledge entries.
Explore off the beaten path: Back alleys, rooftops, cave systems, and remote areas often contain unique Knowledge entries unavailable elsewhere.
Invest in the Scholarship skill branch: The Explorer perk reveals the full map, making it much easier to track down remaining collectibles.
Tame every mount type: With 29 mount types to find, mount collection requires visiting diverse regions and engaging with the horse taming minigame.
Defeat all 76 bosses: Some bosses are well-hidden or gated behind side quests. Thorough exploration and quest completion are essential.