Faded Abyss Artifacts

Overview

Faded Abyss Artifacts are consumable items in Crimson Desert that allow you to reset your entire skill tree and reclaim all invested Abyss Artifacts. They are one of the most valuable items in the game for players who want to experiment with different builds or correct skill point allocation mistakes. The in-game description reads: "A rare Abyss Artifact that pulses with a strange, regressive power." Each respec consumes one Faded Abyss Artifact.

Witch Shop Purchase (Primary Source)

The easiest and most reliable way to stockpile Faded Abyss Artifacts is to buy them directly from Witches at their hideouts. Each of the four witch shops that stock this item sells three Faded Abyss Artifacts per visit. Because the shop inventory respawns on a regular cycle, you can rotate through every witch and return for another stock run after the refresh.

This works out to up to 12 Faded Abyss Artifacts per refresh cycle across the four witches combined. At that pace, building up a stack of respec charges takes only a few minutes of fast travel between hideouts.

How the Witch Shop Cycle Works

• Three per witch: Every witch shop that sells Faded Abyss Artifacts offers a stack of three per visit.

• Four shops: Four separate witch shops stock Faded Abyss Artifacts, spread across different regions of Pywel. Fast travel to each in turn.

• Twelve per cycle: With all four witches cleared out, you leave each refresh cycle holding up to 12 Faded Abyss Artifacts.

• Regular respawns: The shop inventory respawns on a cycle, so you can return later and buy another 12. This is the key difference between Faded Abyss Artifacts and the regular Abyss Artifacts sold by the same witches, which do not respawn once purchased.

• Inexpensive: The silver cost per artifact is low enough that buying a full stack is trivial by mid-game. Players who follow this routine report never running short on respec currency.

Why You Can Respec Freely

Between the three-per-witch per-visit limit, the four shop locations, and the regular respawn, there is functionally no reason to hesitate before investing Abyss Artifacts into the Skill Tree. If a build does not work out, fast travel to the nearest witch, grab a few Faded Abyss Artifacts, and reset. Swapping back and forth between builds for different bosses, weapons, or playstyles is cheap and convenient.

Why Crafting Is Wasteful by Comparison

There is a crafting recipe for Faded Abyss Artifacts, but it is not a good use of resources. The recipe consumes regular Abyss Artifacts as ingredients, which are the same currency you spend on skills and stat upgrades. Buying from witch shops is far cheaper than burning skill points to make respec fuel.

How to Use for Respec

To perform a respec using a Faded Abyss Artifact:

1. Step 1: Open the Skills menu.

2. Step 2: Navigate to the Skill Tree tab.

3. Step 3: Press the "Reset All" button in the bottom right corner of the screen.

4. Step 4: Confirm the reset by holding the indicated button.

Platform-specific controls for confirmation:

This consumes one Faded Abyss Artifact and refunds all Abyss Artifacts that you have invested into skills. You can then redistribute those points freely across any of the three skill trees. Save your game before respeccing so you can reload if the new build does not feel right.

Important Limitations

• Resets All Skills at Once: Using a Faded Abyss Artifact resets every unlocked skill simultaneously. You cannot selectively reset individual skills or specific tree branches. It is an all-or-nothing system.

• Resets All Characters: The respec affects the skill trees of all three playable characters (Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka) simultaneously. You cannot reset a single character's tree independently. Plan your skill allocation for all three characters together before resetting.

• Watch and Learn Skills Stay: Abilities learned through the Watch and Learn mechanic are permanent. They remain unlocked even after a respec because no Abyss Artifacts were spent to acquire them. This is one reason to prioritize learning skills through observation whenever possible.

• Stat Upgrades Also Reset: Health, Stamina, and Spirit upgrades purchased on the Skill Tree are also refunded during a respec. You get those Artifacts back to redistribute.

• Requires at Least One: You must have at least one Faded Abyss Artifact in your inventory. The Reset All option is unavailable if you have none.

All Sources

There are five main ways to obtain Faded Abyss Artifacts:

1. Crafting

Starting in Chapter 4, you can unlock the crafting recipe at the Scholastone Research Institute. Research the project called "Research on the Abyss Energy Restoration Phenomenon" (costs 12 silver and takes 8 real-world hours to complete). Once the research finishes, the recipe is permanently unlocked. Craft at any Witch cauldron with the following ingredients:

This is one of the most cost-effective sources of Faded Abyss Artifacts if you can farm Abyss Cells and Mercury efficiently. Abyss Cells drop from Abyss-corrupted enemies found near Abyss rifts and on Abyss floating islands.

2. Witch Vendors

Witch vendors throughout Pywel sell packs of Faded Abyss Artifacts for silver. Elowen is the first witch you meet during the Witch of Wisdom questline. Additional witches become available in other regions as you progress. Vendor stocks are limited and do not restock after purchase, so buy them whenever you see them available.

3. Abyss Treasure Chests

Faded Abyss Artifacts can be found in treasure chests on Abyss floating islands. These become accessible after progressing through the Forbidden Knowledge main quest in Chapter 4, specifically after the Spire of the Stars segment. Abyss islands also contain Abyss Gear alongside the Faded Artifacts.

4. Sealed Abyss Artifacts

Completing challenges tied to Sealed Abyss Artifacts rewards Faded Abyss Artifacts alongside standard Abyss Artifacts and Abyss Gear. Sealed Abyss Artifacts are world collectibles found at specific locations, each with a challenge condition listed in your inventory.

5. Campaign and Quest Rewards

Certain main story quests and side quests award Faded Abyss Artifacts as completion rewards. Check your Journal for quests that list them as rewards before accepting tasks. Faction quests occasionally reward them as well.

Faded vs. Sealed vs. Regular Abyss Artifacts

Tips

• Stock up on Faded Abyss Artifacts before experimenting with builds. Witch vendors are the easiest source if you have silver.

• Since respec affects all three characters at once, plan your skill allocation for Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka together before resetting.

• The crafting recipe is one of the most cost-effective sources if you can farm Abyss Cells and Mercury efficiently. Set up a farming route through areas with Abyss-corrupted enemies.

• Remember that Watch and Learn skills are free and permanent, so focus your Abyss Artifact investments on skills you cannot learn through observation.

• Save your game before using a Faded Abyss Artifact. If you are unhappy with your new build, you can reload and try again without wasting the item.

• Health, Stamina, and Spirit upgrades are shared between all three characters. Prioritize these early since they benefit everyone equally.