Fated Shadow

Overview

The Fated Shadow is a secret one-handed sword hidden inside the Abyss layer of Crimson Desert's world map. It belonged to Goyen and is widely regarded as one of the strongest melee weapons available to Kliff thanks to its exceptionally high base attack and the fact that it arrives at Refinement Level 6 straight out of the box. The sword also comes pre-slotted with the Greysoul Howling Abyss Gear ability, making it immediately combat-ready with no additional upgrades or socket work required.

What makes this weapon especially notable is how easy it is to miss entirely. The game gives no quest marker, no tooltip, and no dialogue hinting at its existence. Players must stumble upon it on their own or learn about its location from other sources. The sword itself looks like an unassuming object on the ground, and its interaction prompt only appears when standing directly on top of it.

Weapon Stats

The Fated Shadow has the highest starting attack power of any sword available at the point in the game where it can first be obtained. Its Refinement Level 6 means that a significant amount of upgrade material grinding has already been done for the player, saving considerable resources.

The attack value of 25 represents the weapon's damage when first picked up. Because the sword already sits at Refinement Level 6, it effectively outclasses most other one-handed swords that players will have found by the same point in the story. Further refinement can push the attack value up to 34, which is the weapon's maximum potential.

Stats

The following stats are.

Greysoul Howling

The Fated Shadow comes pre-equipped with Greysoul Howlinga unique Abyss Gear ability that cannot be obtained from any other source. This ability summons the phantom of Goyen to unleash a sweeping strike of shadow energy across the target area. It adds extra hits to Kliff's Turning Slash combo, significantly boosting burst damage output during melee engagements.

The ability is activated by pressing R1 + R2, which consumes a portion of Kliff's Spirit gauge. When triggered, a spectral version of Goyen appears and performs a wide, sweeping slash that covers a generous area in front of the player. This works especially well when fighting groups of enemies or large bosses with wide hitboxes, because the phantom's sweep can connect with multiple targets in a single activation.

Because Greysoul Howling is pre-slotted, it occupies one of the sword's three Abyss Gear sockets from the moment the weapon is picked up. Players can leave it equipped or replace it with a different Abyss Core if they prefer an alternative ability, though most players choose to keep Greysoul Howling active given how effectively it complements the weapon's already high damage output.

Spinning Slash Trigger

Greysoul Howling specifically activates during Kliff's spinning slash animation (the Turning Slash combo). When the player presses R1+R2 during this attack, Goyen's phantom appears and delivers its sweeping strike in sync with the spin. This creates a visually dramatic moment where both Kliff and Goyen's ghost attack simultaneously, and the combined damage output is significantly higher than either strike alone.

The timing window for triggering Greysoul Howling during the spinning slash is relatively generous. Players do not need frame-perfect inputs; pressing R1+R2 at any point during the Turning Slash animation will activate the phantom. This makes the ability accessible to players of all skill levels while still rewarding those who weave it into extended combos.

Echo Ability Properties

Greysoul Howling functions as an echo-type ability. Once activated, the phantom's sweeping strike persists briefly and can hit enemies who move into its path after the initial swing. This lingering hitbox is particularly useful against enemies that dodge sideways or teleport short distances, since they may inadvertently move into the phantom's remaining arc. The echo property also means Greysoul Howling can catch enemies that were just outside the initial range if they close the distance during the phantom's active frames.

Location and How to Obtain

The Fated Shadow is found in the Abyss layer of the world map, inside a hidden cave near Dry Valley in the Forebearer's Barrens region. The area is called the Nest of Valor. Reaching it requires that the player has already unlocked Abyss fast travel by progressing through the main story.

Requirements

• Complete the Unwavering Steps main quest (Chapter 9), which includes the Go Yen boss fight

• Unlock the Abyss fast travel system (press R3 on the world map to switch to the Abyss layer)

• Have access to the Nest of Valor fast travel point near Dry Valley

The Fated Shadow is located in a Chapter 8 Abyss area. Access to this part of the Abyss opens up as the main story progresses through Chapter 8, and the weapon becomes reachable once the Abyss fast travel network expands to cover the Forebearer's Barrens. The weapon sits at level 6 in the Abyss layer, confirming its status as a mid-to-late-game pickup that rewards players who explore the Abyss thoroughly.

Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Step 1: Open the world map and press R3 to switch to the Abyss layer. Locate the Nest of Valor fast travel point, which sits on the small island next to Dry Valley in the Forebearer's Barrens. Fast travel there.

Step 2: From the fast travel arrival point, walk forward and turn right. Follow the path along the edge of the area until you spot a small cave entrance. The cave has a staircase leading downward, positioned next to a source of light near the water. It blends into the environment and is easy to overlook if you are not specifically searching for it.

Inside the Cave

Step 3: Enter the cave and descend the staircase. Inside, you will find a small room. On the floor near the entrance there is a recipe note that you can pick up. This is not the sword; keep going.

Step 4: Move toward the back of the room. The Fated Shadow is sitting on the ground in the far corner. It looks like a small, bucket-shaped object and does not have an obvious weapon silhouette. A hidden interaction icon will appear only when you are standing very close to it. Interact with the prompt to pick up the sword.

There is no combat required to claim the weapon. Once you interact with the icon, the Fated Shadow is added directly to your inventory, fully upgraded to Refinement Level 6 with Greysoul Howling already slotted.

Early Access Method (Before Chapter 9)

It is possible to obtain the Fated Shadow before completing Chapter 9. The sword is a world item sitting on the abyss island and is not locked behind the boss fight. The boss only spawns during the Chapter 9 story mission. If you visit the island before that point, you can simply walk up and pick up the sword with no combat required.

Preparation: Before attempting the early route, craft Pine Mushroom Tea for stamina recovery. Gather Pine Mushrooms from trees near Greymane Camp and buy water from the tavern in Hernand or the grocer vendor outside. Combine two Pine Mushrooms and two water at any cauldron to craft the tea. Each serving restores hundreds of stamina. Bring at least 5 to 10 teas for the climb.

Route: From Hernand, travel northeast to the Spire of Frost in the Palune area. Complete the short lantern-lighting puzzle (7 lanterns) to open the top of the spire and activate the fast travel point. From this fast travel point, you can glide across to the abyss island chain. Jump off the spire, triple jump, use aerial Force Palm for height, then glide toward the floating islands. Use Pine Mushroom Tea as needed during the climb to replenish stamina. No fast glide trick is required; the standard glide is sufficient.

The sword is located inside a small tunnel in the side of the cliff on the boss arena island. Walk along the right side of the island where glowing cables run along the ground, enter the tunnel entrance, and the Fated Shadow will be inside on the ground, ready to pick up.

Normal Story Path (Chapter 9)

In Chapter 9, select "The Thinning Blade" mission and head to the Crossing Point, which takes you to the Spire of Sun. The Spire of Sun has a multi-stage laser mirror puzzle:

1. East side mirrors: Push the square-shaped reflector blocks to align the laser beam. Round reflectors cannot be moved. Connect the beam from the starting crystal to the southern side of the spire.

2. South side mirrors: A more complex arrangement. Follow the light path and move each square block in sequence to ricochet the beam to the final crystal at the tower entrance.

3. Interior mirrors: Inside the tower, grab each mirror and rotate it (using D-pad) to point the beam upward to the next floor. Repeat this 4 to 5 times as you ascend the staircase.

4. Final mirror: At the top, aim the last mirror straight up at the glowing ceiling crystal. This unlocks the staircase to the roof and the Abyss Gate.

Enter the Abyss Gate to reach the boss arena. The boss is Goyen, the original owner of the sword, who fights with a Greymane shield and armor set. After defeating him, return to the island to collect the sword from the tunnel. Doing the fight through the story path also grants additional rewards.

Additional Boss Fight Rewards

Defeating the Goyen boss during the Chapter 9 story mission awards two additional items that cannot be obtained through the early access method:

The Witch's Ring is particularly valuable because Attack Speed points from accessories are hard to come by. This makes the story path worth completing even if you already grabbed the sword early.

Lore

The in-game description reads: "Goyen's Sword. Traces of time it endured can be seen all over, yet its edge is honed sharper than any other blade. Some things only grow tougher the more they're worn."

The Fated Shadow is Goyen's personal blade, left behind in the Abyss after his defeat. Its weathered appearance tells the story of a weapon that has endured countless battles across a long lifetime. Despite the visible signs of age and wear, the edge remains sharper than any newly forged sword, suggesting that the weapon has been tempered by the very conflicts it survived.

The name itself carries weight. "Fated Shadow" evokes both destiny and the lingering presence of Goyen's spirit, which manifests literally through the Greysoul Howling ability. Even after his defeat, Goyen's phantom can still be called upon to fight alongside Kliff, as though the blade remembers its original master and channels his power for whoever wields it.

Combat Tips

• Activate Greysoul Howling during Turning Slash combos. The phantom strike adds extra hits to the combo, which significantly raises your total damage during a single attack window. Time the R1 + R2 input just as the Turning Slash begins for maximum overlap.

• Manage your Spirit carefully. Greysoul Howling consumes Spirit on each activation. Spamming it without keeping an eye on your Spirit gauge will leave you unable to use the ability when you need it most, such as during boss openings.

• Use against groups. The phantom's sweeping shadow strike covers a wide arc. When fighting packs of enemies, position yourself so the sweep can clip multiple targets to get the most value out of each activation.

• Pair with other Abyss Cores. The sword has three Abyss Gear sockets, and Greysoul Howling occupies only one. Fill the remaining two sockets with complementary cores to further boost your combat effectiveness.

• Refinement is already done for you. Because the Fated Shadow starts at Refinement Level 6, you can redirect the upgrade materials you would have spent on refining it toward other gear pieces in your loadout instead.

• The spinning slash (Turning Slash) is the optimal trigger animation for Greysoul Howling. Build your combo rotation around reaching the spinning slash, then press R1+R2 to layer the phantom strike on top. This two-hit combo window is where the Fated Shadow deals its highest per-second damage.

• Greysoul Howling's echo property means the phantom strike lingers briefly after activation. If you are fighting a boss that dodges sideways, trigger the ability slightly early so the lingering hitbox catches the boss mid-dodge.

Comparison to Other One-Handed Swords

The Fated Shadow stands out among one-handed swords for its combination of high starting attack, pre-applied refinement, and a unique Abyss Gear ability. Most other one-handed swords are found at lower refinement levels and require significant resource investment to bring them up to the same tier.

The primary trade-off is availability. The Fated Shadow cannot be obtained until the player has progressed through Chapter 9 and defeated Goyen. Players who rush toward this weapon early in the Abyss progression will find it well worth the detour, as its stats far exceed what is normally available at that stage of the game.

Obtained During Unwavering Steps

Fated Shadow is a missable pickup tied to the Unwavering Steps quest line in Chapter 9. The sword is placed inside the same arena where players fight the witch boss that drops the Witch's Ring, but it sits in a small hidden side room that the game never signposts. Players who walk out of the arena after accepting the ring reward prompt lose access to the pickup for that playthrough.

Step-by-Step Pickup Route

Use this route the first time you reach the boss arena during Unwavering Steps. The pickup only takes a few seconds but must happen before you trigger the quest completion prompt.

• Complete the Unwavering Steps mirror puzzle chain on the outside and inside of the tower, then allow the game to transition Kliff through the Abyss into the Nest of Valor arena.

• Defeat the witch boss inside the Nest of Valor. This is the same fight that rewards the Witch's Ringso the drop confirms you are in the correct arena.

• Do not leave the arena or accept the quest reward prompt immediately. Instead, walk to the boss's corpse and then continue past him toward the rear wall.

• Turn right behind the boss. A small side room opens up against the back wall of the arena.

• Enter the side room and look for the sword resting on the ground. Fated Shadow has no glow effect and no prompt until you stand directly on top of it. Interact to add it to your inventory.

• Return to the main arena and accept the quest reward prompt as normal to complete the encounter.

Why It Matters for Boss Slayer Builds

The value of Fated Shadow goes well beyond its base attack stat. The sword ships with Greysoul Howling (also written as Grace of Howling in community transcripts), a unique abyss skill that cannot be acquired from any other source in the game. Greysoul Howling sits at the top of the abyss skill tier list for melee damage because it hits like a truck, fills the boss stagger bar quickly, and stacks cleanly with Kliff's Turning Slash finisher animation. For any player following the Boss Slayer Build Guidethis is a mandatory finisher slot that no alternative abyss skill can replace.

Missable Reminder

The side room exit seals behind Kliff once the quest is accepted. Players who did not know about the pickup on their first playthrough have no way to return to the Nest of Valor with the sword still on the floor, so the only reliable method of acquisition remains the first-visit detour described above. Plan accordingly before you accept the witch boss reward.

Trivia

• The Fated Shadow is one of the few weapons in the game that has no quest, marker, or NPC dialogue pointing to its location. Discovery relies entirely on exploration or outside knowledge.

• On the ground, the sword model resembles a bucket or a piece of debris rather than a weapon. The interaction icon only becomes visible at very close range, making it easy to walk right past.

• rated the Fated Shadow as the best weapon in Crimson Desert in their weapon tier list.

• The Nest of Valor, where the sword is found, appears to be a location connected to Goyen's past. The recipe note found alongside the sword in the cave suggests Goyen may have used this location as a personal hideout.

• The weapon can be obtained as soon as the Abyss fast travel system becomes available and the Nest of Valor point is unlocked. There is no level gate or additional combat encounter blocking the pickup.