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Dark Ring Leader Set - Version 10 vs Version 11
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11The Dark Ringleader Set (also called Dark Ring Leader Set) is one of the strongest free armor sets available in the early hours of Crimson Desert. All four pieces are hidden inside waterfall caves scattered across the Hernand region, west and south of Hernand Castle. The set requires no crafting, no boss kills, and no quest completions to obtain. Players simply need to locate the correct caves and use the Stab ability to pass through rushing water currents. Once collected, the set provides a strong combination of defense, movement speed, spirit regeneration, damage reduction, and elemental resistance that can carry players well into the mid-game.22What makes the Dark Ringleader Set stand out from other early game equipment is that every piece comes with Abyss Gear effects already attached. Most armor found during the opening chapters of the game lacks Abyss Gear entirely, so having pre-socketed bonuses like stamina regeneration, spirit recovery, and ice resistance gives players a noticeable advantage in both combat and exploration.44Set Overview66The Dark Ringleader Set consists of four armor pieces covering the head, chest, hands, and back equipment slots. Each piece is found in a separate waterfall cave in the Hernand region. The caves are all located along a river system west and southwest of Hernand Castle, and a prepared player can collect all four pieces in roughly ten to fifteen minutes once they reach the area.88Crimson Desert does not have traditional armor set bonuses that activate when multiple pieces from the same set are equipped. Each piece functions independently, providing its own stats and Abyss Gear effects regardless of what other armor the player is wearing. This means players can freely mix and match Dark Ringleader pieces with other armor without losing any bonuses.1010All Pieces at a Glance1212The following table summarizes all four pieces in the set. Defense, attack, and movement speed values are base stats before any Refinement upgrades.1414PieceSlotDEFATKMV SPDCRITAbyss Gear EffectLocationDark Ringleader's Cloth HelmHeadgear1010Stamina Regen +2%Shadowheart GrottoDark Ringleader's Cloth ArmorBody Armor3020Spirit +1 every 1 sec, Damage Reduction 1.0, Movement Speed +1Blade CavernDark Ringleader's Cloth CloakCloak1000Ice Resistance Lv.3Echoing TunnelDark Ringleader's Leather GlovesGloves51201Ice Resistance Lv.1, Defense +3Cloud Mist Cave1717Combined Stats1818When all four pieces are equipped together, the full Dark Ringleader Set provides the following combined base statistics.2020StatTotal ValueDefense10 (base) + 3 from Abyss Gear = 13 effectiveAttack12 (from Leather Gloves)Movement Speed3 (base) + 1 from Abyss Gear = 4 effectiveCritical Hit Rate1 (from Leather Gloves)Stamina Regen+2% (from Cloth Helm Abyss Gear)Spirit Regen+1 every 1 second (from Cloth Armor Abyss Gear)Damage Reduction1.0 (from Cloth Armor Abyss Gear)Ice ResistanceLv.1 (Gloves) + Lv.3 (Cloak) = Lv.4 effectiveLightning ResistanceLv.1 (from Leather Gloves)2222The combined defensive total of 13 is highly competitive for early game armor. The movement speed bonuses (both base and from Abyss Gear) make the set especially useful for exploration and farming, as the player moves noticeably faster than with most starter equipment. The spirit regeneration bonus from the chest piece helps sustain ability usage in longer fights, while the stacking ice resistance from the cloak and gloves provides strong protection against frost-based enemies and environmental hazards.2323Detailed Piece Breakdown2525Dark Ringleader's Cloth Helm2727The Cloth Helm is the lightest piece in the set, offering a modest 1 defense alongside a useful movement speed bonus. While its defensive value is low compared to plate helms available later in the game, the attached Abyss Gear effect of Stamina Regen +2% makes it valuable for players who rely heavily on dodging, sprinting, and performing stamina-intensive combat maneuvers. Stamina recovery is a critical stat in Crimson Desert's action combat system, and having a passive boost from the earliest stages of the game reduces downtime between dodges and attacks.2929StatValueDefense1Attack0Attack Speed0Movement Speed1Critical Hit Rate0Lightning Resistance0Ice Resistance0Fire Resistance0Abyss GearStamina Regen +2%3131Location: Shadowheart Grotto, southwest of Hernand Castle. The grotto is accessed by passing through a waterfall using the Stab ability. Look for stacked rocks near the waterfall entrance, which serve as a visual indicator that a hidden cave is behind the rushing water.3232Dark Ringleader's Cloth Armor3434The Cloth Armor is the crown jewel of the set. With 3 base defense, a movement speed bonus of 2, and three separate Abyss Gear effects, this chest piece outperforms most body armor available during the first several chapters of the game. The Spirit +1 every 1 second effect provides a constant trickle of spirit regeneration that helps sustain skill usage during extended fights. The Damage Reduction of 1.0 provides a flat reduction to incoming damage on top of the defense stat, and the additional Movement Speed +1 from Abyss Gear stacks with the base movement speed bonus for a total of +3 movement speed from a single armor piece.3636StatValueDefense3Attack0Attack Speed0Movement Speed2Critical Hit Rate0Lightning Resistance0Ice Resistance0Fire Resistance0Abyss Gear 1Spirit +1 every 1 secondAbyss Gear 2Damage Reduction 1.0Abyss Gear 3Movement Speed +13838Location: Blade Cavern, west of Hernand Castle. The cavern entrance is behind a waterfall along the northern part of the river. Use the Stab ability to push through the rushing water and follow the cave to the treasure chest at the end.3939Dark Ringleader's Cloth Cloak4141The Cloth Cloak fills the back armor slot and provides 1 base defense along with a substantial Ice Resistance Level 3 Abyss Gear effect. Cloaks in Crimson Desert are primarily used for the resistances they provide rather than raw defensive stats, and the Dark Ringleader's Cloak follows that pattern perfectly. Ice Resistance Lv.3 is an unusually high resistance value for early game equipment, making this cloak a strong choice when venturing into frost-heavy areas or fighting enemies with ice-based attacks.4343StatValueDefense1Attack0Attack Speed0Movement Speed0Critical Hit Rate0Lightning Resistance0Ice Resistance0Fire Resistance0Abyss GearIce Resistance Lv.34545Location: Echoing Tunnel, south of Hernand Castle. The Echoing Tunnel is described in-game as a cave hidden behind the Precipice of Echoes, where the sound of dripping water and footsteps rebounds from every direction. The cloak is found in a treasure chest inside, accessible after passing through the waterfall at the entrance.4646Dark Ringleader's Leather Gloves4848The Leather Gloves are the most offensively oriented piece in the set. With 12 base attack, 5 defense, and a critical hit rate bonus of 1, these gloves provide a significant damage boost on top of solid protection. The Abyss Gear effects add Ice Resistance Lv.1 and Defense +3, bringing the effective defense of the gloves to 8 when factoring in the Abyss Gear bonus. This makes the Leather Gloves the most stat-dense piece in the entire set.5050The Ice Resistance Lv.1 on the gloves stacks with the Lv.3 from the Cloth Cloak when both are worn, giving the player a combined Ice Resistance of Lv.4 from just two armor pieces. The gloves also have Lightning Resistance Lv.1 as a base stat, providing additional elemental coverage.5252StatValueDefense5Attack12Attack Speed0Movement Speed0Critical Hit Rate1Lightning ResistanceLv.1Ice ResistanceLv.1Fire Resistance0Abyss Gear 1Ice Resistance Lv.1Abyss Gear 2Defense +35454Location: Cloud Mist Cave, southwest of Hernand Castle. This is the most southern of the waterfall caves in the Hernand region. Enter the cave behind the first major waterfall and loot the treasure chest inside.5555How to Collect the Full Set5757All four pieces of the Dark Ringleader Set are found in waterfall caves along a river system west and southwest of Hernand Castle. The caves are relatively close to each other, so collecting the entire set in a single trip is straightforward once you know where to look. Here is a step-by-step walkthrough for gathering all four pieces.5959Requirements6262Access to the Hernand region (available early in the main story)The Stab ability (unlocked by default for all three playable characters)No specific level, quest completion, or crafting materials required6464Step-by-Step Route6666Travel to Hernand Castle. Fast travel to Hernand Castle or ride there on horseback. From the castle, head west toward the river that runs through the region.Locate the waterfall caves. Follow the river and look for waterfalls. Each waterfall cave has stacked rocks near its entrance, serving as a visual indicator that a hidden cave lies behind the rushing water. These rock formations are easy to spot once you know what to look for.Use the Stab ability. Stand next to the rushing water current at a waterfall entrance and activate the Stab ability. This pushes your character through the water and into the cave behind it. The Stab ability is essential because simply walking or sprinting into the waterfall will not work; the water current pushes you back.Follow each cave to the end. Once inside, follow the cave path until you reach a treasure chest. Open the chest to receive the armor piece. Each cave contains exactly one Dark Ringleader piece.Repeat for all four caves. Visit Shadowheart Grotto (helm), Blade Cavern (body armor), Echoing Tunnel (cloak), and Cloud Mist Cave (gloves). The order does not matter, but starting from the northern caves and working south is the most efficient route.6868Recommended Route Order7171For the fastest collection route, start at the northern end of the river and work your way south. This minimizes backtracking:7373Blade Cavern (Cloth Armor) in the northern part of the river, west of Hernand CastleShadowheart Grotto (Cloth Helm) southwest of Hernand CastleEchoing Tunnel (Cloth Cloak) south of Hernand CastleCloud Mist Cave (Leather Gloves) the most southern cave, southwest of Hernand Castle7575Abyss Gear Effects Explained7777Every piece in the Dark Ringleader Set comes with Abyss Gear effects pre-attached. This is rare for early game equipment, as most armor found during the opening chapters has empty Abyss Gear slots or no slots at all. Having these effects from the start gives players a meaningful stat advantage without needing to find and socket separate Abyss Gear items.7979Abyss Gear EffectPieceBenefitStamina Regen +2%Cloth HelmFaster stamina recovery means more frequent dodges, sprints, and stamina-heavy attacks. Especially useful in prolonged fights where stamina management is the difference between survival and death.Spirit +1 every 1 secCloth ArmorConstant passive spirit regeneration that sustains skill usage over time. Reduces the need to wait for spirit to refill naturally between ability casts.Damage Reduction 1.0Cloth ArmorA flat reduction applied to incoming damage before defense calculations. Particularly effective against enemies that deal many small, rapid hits.Movement Speed +1Cloth ArmorStacks with the armor's base movement speed bonus for faster traversal. Movement speed affects both combat positioning and overworld exploration speed.Ice Resistance Lv.3Cloth CloakHigh ice resistance protects against frost-based enemies and cold environmental effects. Stacks with the glove's Lv.1 for a combined Lv.4.Ice Resistance Lv.1Leather GlovesAdditional ice protection that complements the cloak's Lv.3 bonus.Defense +3Leather GlovesA flat defense increase that brings the gloves' effective defense from 5 to 8, rivaling much heavier armor pieces.8181It is worth noting that Abyss Gear effects on armor can be changed later in the game. Starting in Chapter 3, the witch NPC offers a service that allows players to swap out Abyss Gear effects on their equipment. This means the pre-attached effects on the Dark Ringleader pieces are not permanent, and players who want different bonuses can modify them once they reach that point in the story.8282Comparison to Other Early Game Armor8484The Dark Ringleader Set competes with several other armor options available during the early chapters of Crimson Desert. The following table compares the full set against common alternatives.8686Armor Set / PiecesTotal DEFTotal ATKMV SPDAbyss GearHow to ObtainDark Ringleader Set (full)10 (+3 Abyss)12+3 (+1 Abyss)Yes (all pieces)Waterfall caves in HernandStarter Equipment2-400NoGiven at game startCrafted Cloth Armor4-600-1NoCrafted at tailorBeltran Plate Set8-1000Some piecesCrafted from ores (mining required)8888The Dark Ringleader Set's key advantage over alternatives is the combination of immediate availability (no crafting required), strong movement speed bonuses, and pre-attached Abyss Gear effects. While crafted plate armor may eventually match or exceed its raw defense numbers, the time and material investment required for plate armor is significantly higher. The Dark Ringleader Set is essentially free, requiring only exploration and knowledge of the cave locations.8989Tips and Notes9191The stacked rocks near each waterfall are your primary visual clue. If you see a pile of balanced stones near a waterfall, there is almost certainly a cave behind it.The Stab ability is available from the beginning of the game for all three playable characters. You do not need to unlock it through the skill tree or complete any quests to use it.There is no equipment weight system in Crimson Desert, so wearing the Leather Gloves (which are heavier than cloth) does not reduce movement speed or cause any penalty.If you plan to use this set for an extended period, consider visiting the blacksmith in Hernand to refine each piece. Refinement increases base stats and can significantly extend the set's usefulness into the mid-game.The ice resistance from the cloak (Lv.3) and gloves (Lv.1) is particularly useful if you plan to explore northern regions or face frost-element bosses early.Starting in Chapter 3, you can visit the witch NPC to change the Abyss Gear effects on any piece. If you find that the default effects no longer match your playstyle, this service lets you customize the set further.Consider equipping individual pieces even if you do not plan to wear the full set. The Cloth Armor alone is one of the best early body armor options due to its triple Abyss Gear effects, and the Leather Gloves provide a significant attack boost for melee-focused builds.9393Trivia9595The set is sometimes referred to by players as the "Dark Ring Leader Set" due to the way the name displays in-game. The official item names use "Dark Ringleader" as a single compound word.The name "Ringleader" suggests a connection to a criminal or underground organization, which fits thematically with the set's hidden locations in secluded caves.All four caves in which the set pieces are found follow the same waterfall-and-stab mechanic, creating a consistent mini-puzzle that teaches players to look for hidden areas behind waterfalls throughout the rest of the game.
