Dark Ringleader's Leather Gloves

The Dark Ringleader's Leather Gloves are a Gloves piece in Crimson Desert. They are part of the Dark Ringleader's armor set, a four-piece equipment collection found in waterfall caves west of Hernand. The gloves stand out as the most stat-dense piece in the set, offering a rare combination of 12 ATK, 5 DEF, Critical Rate Lv.1, and dual elemental resistances (Lightning and Ice). Many players consider these the strongest gloves available in the early-to-mid game.

Stats

The 12 ATK bonus is notable for a glove slot, as most early-game gloves provide either offense or defense but rarely both. Combined with 5 DEF and Critical Rate Lv.1, these gloves offer an exceptional balance of offensive and defensive power. The dual elemental resistances (Lightning Lv.1 and Ice Lv.1) add further versatility, providing protection against two of the most common elemental damage types in the game.

How to Obtain

The Dark Ringleader's Leather Gloves are found inside Cloudmist Cave, located along the river west of Hernand. The cave entrance is concealed behind a waterfall. Use the Stab skill to pass through the falling water and enter the cave.

After entering Cloudmist Cave through the waterfall, the treasure chest containing the gloves sits in the first room on the right. The chest is easy to spot once inside, and no enemies block the path to it.

Cloudmist Cave is the southernmost of the four Dark Ringleader set locations. Players heading west from Hernand toward the river will typically reach this cave first, making the gloves a natural first pickup when collecting the full set. From Cloudmist Cave, follow the river north to reach Shadowheart Grotto, the Echoing Tunnel, and Blade Cavern in sequence.

Set Pieces

The Dark Ringleader's armor set consists of four pieces, all found in waterfall caves in the Hernand region:

Build Recommendations

The Dark Ringleader's Leather Gloves are the standout piece of the entire Dark Ringleader set. The 12 ATK bonus directly increases damage output, the Critical Rate Lv.1 improves the chance of landing critical hits, and the 5 DEF provides solid protection for a glove slot. These stats make the gloves effective for virtually any melee or ranged build in the early and mid game.

The Ice Resistance Lv.1 on these gloves stacks with the Ice Resistance Lv.3 on the Dark Ringleader's Cloth Cloak, giving players who wear both pieces substantial ice protection. This combination is especially useful in the cold northern regions of Pywel or when fighting ice-element bosses.

The Lightning Resistance Lv.1 adds a layer of protection against lightning-based enemies, which appear in several mid-game encounters. While Lv.1 is a modest resistance tier, any elemental resistance reduces both the damage taken and the severity of associated status effects.

Comparison with Other Gloves

The following table compares the Dark Ringleader's Leather Gloves with other notable early-to-mid game gloves:

Notes

• The gloves are widely regarded as the best piece in the Dark Ringleader set, and one of the best glove pieces available before reaching late-game content.

• The combination of ATK and Critical Rate makes these gloves a direct damage upgrade over most alternatives, on top of providing strong defense and elemental protection.

• Upgrading the gloves through Refinement at the blacksmith in Hernand further increases their ATK and DEF values.

• The Dark Ringleader's set has no formal set bonus. Each piece works independently, allowing players to wear these gloves with any other armor combination.

• Cloudmist Cave is the closest Dark Ringleader set location to Hernand, making these gloves the most accessible piece to grab first.