Gear Refinement

Overview

Gear Refinement is the primary method for upgrading weapons and armor in Crimson Desert. Every piece of standard equipment has a maximum of ten refinement levels. Each level permanently increases the item's base stats, boosting attack power on weapons and defense on armor. Refinement does not cost any gold or silver; the only requirement is having the correct raw materials on hand. This makes it one of the most accessible progression systems in the game, since even early-game players can start improving their gear as soon as they collect their first batch of ore or timber.

The refinement process is handled by blacksmiths located in towns across Pywel. The first blacksmith most players encounter is Turnali, who operates in the center of Hernand Town. Additional blacksmiths become available as you explore new regions. To get started, simply speak to any blacksmith and select the Refinement option from the dialogue menu.

How Refinement Works

When you choose to refine a piece of equipment, the blacksmith displays the item's current level and the materials required for the next upgrade. Each refinement level provides a stat boost that stacks on top of all previous levels. You can preview every level's stat gains and material costs for a given item by opening your inventory, selecting the item, choosing Inspect, and then clicking Refinement Information. This preview screen shows all ten refinement ranks and their associated costs, letting you plan ahead.

There is no chance of failure. Every refinement attempt succeeds as long as you have the required materials. There is also no monetary cost; the only price is the materials themselves. Refinement is permanent and cannot be reversed, so all stat boosts are locked in once the upgrade completes.

Refined items display their current level as gold tick marks on the inventory icon. A fully refined item at Level 10 will show all ten ticks filled in. The +N indicator also appears next to the item name (for example, "Iron Longsword +4").

Refinement Levels

There are ten refinement levels for every piece of equipment. Levels 1 through 4 require only standard gathering materials such as ores, timber, hides, and cloth. Starting at Level 5, every subsequent refinement also demands Abyss Artifacts on top of the usual materials. This is a critical inflection point because Abyss Artifacts are the same resource used to unlock new skills and increase Kliff's stats. The highest refinement levels (8 through 10) additionally require rare materials like Bloodstone, which can only be mined from a handful of specific ore deposits across Pywel.

The stat gains from refinement are not evenly distributed. Most of the significant stat jumps occur at the higher levels. Levels 1 through 4 provide modest, steady improvements, while Levels 7 through 10 deliver the largest single-level boosts. Some secondary stats on accessories only unlock at Refinement Level 3 and above.

The quantity of materials needed increases with each level. Early levels require only a handful of basic ores or timber, while Level 10 can demand dozens of rare materials combined with multiple Abyss Artifacts. Always check the Refinement Information preview before committing resources.

Materials by Equipment Type

Different categories of equipment require different types of crafting materials. The material requirements are tied to the type of gear rather than the specific item, so all plate armor pieces use the same material family, all wooden shields use the same family, and so on.

Where to Find Refinement Materials

Ores and Gems

Ore deposits are scattered across cliff faces, mountainsides, and cave interiors throughout Pywel. You need a Pickaxe to harvest them. The Pickaxe can be purchased from the Provisioner's Shop in Hernand (the shop across from the blacksmith) or acquired by completing Turnali's Request early in Chapter 1. Iron Ore is the most common, found extensively throughout the Hernand region along cliff walls. Copper Ore is slightly less common but still appears regularly in the same areas.

Ore deposits stay marked on your map once you have mined them and they regrow over time, making it possible to farm specific locations repeatedly. High-altitude deposits that are difficult to reach can often be dislodged using the Charged Shot skill or by climbing up and using Force Palm to break the rock.

Bloodstone is the rarest ore and is required for the highest refinement levels (8 through 10). There are a limited number of Bloodstone veins across Pywel, and each vein yields around two to three pieces when mined. Known locations include ore veins near Rocca's Hill and scattered deposits in the highlands. Because Bloodstone is so scarce, plan your usage carefully and prioritize your most important gear.

Gem materials like Azurite, Garnet, Epidote, and Diamond come from specialized gem deposits typically found deeper in caves and in the Abyss dungeons. These are primarily used for refining accessories.

Hides and Bones

Animal materials come from hunting wildlife in the open world. Small animals (rabbits, foxes) drop Thin Hide and Small Bones, while larger animals (deer, boars, bears) drop Thick Hide, Sturdy Hide, Large Bones, and Fangs. The type and quantity of drop scales with the size of the animal. After killing an animal, approach the carcass and interact with it to skin it and collect materials.

Timber

Wood is obtained by felling trees with a Logging Axe. Like the Pickaxe, the Logging Axe can be purchased from the Provisioner's Shop in Hernand. Standard trees yield Timber, while larger or older trees in more remote forests yield Fine Timber and Flawless Timber. Trees respawn over time, so revisiting forested areas is a reliable farming strategy.

Cloth and Misc Materials

Cloth Pieces and Fleece are available from the Provisioner's Shop in Hernand and also drop as loot from bandit enemies and outlaw camps. Feathers can be collected from bird nests or purchased. Spider Web drops from spider-type enemies in caves and the Forest of Wolves. Ivory is a rare drop from certain large animals and boss creatures.

Abyss Artifacts

The Abyss Artifact is the most contested resource in the game because it is used for both gear refinement (Level 5 and above) and skill progression. You earn one Abyss Artifact every time the yellow Abyss gauge to the left of the minimap fills up, which happens by defeating enemies. Additional Abyss Artifacts can be found as quest rewards, inside Sealed Abyss Artifact containers hidden throughout the world, and from completing challenges. For a detailed farming guide, see Abyss Artifacts Farming Guide.

Blacksmith Locations

Refinement can be performed at any blacksmith in the game. All blacksmiths offer the same refinement service; there is no bonus or advantage to using one over another.

Duplicate Sacrifice Method

Crimson Desert offers an alternative to gathering raw materials: you can refine a weapon by sacrificing an exact duplicate of that item. If you have two copies of the same weapon, bring both to the blacksmith and the duplicate can be consumed in place of standard materials. This is particularly useful when you find duplicate drops from enemies or chests and do not want to sell the extra copy.

Important: Unique Weapons cannot use this method because they have no duplicates. If you own a one-of-a-kind weapon, you must gather the standard materials to refine it. For common and uncommon weapons that you pick up regularly, the duplicate sacrifice route can save significant farming time.

Refinement Preview

You can preview refinement outcomes before committing any materials. Open your inventory, select the item you want to inspect, and choose the Refinement Information option. This screen displays all ten refinement ranks alongside their exact stat changes and required resources. Use this to plan which pieces of gear to prioritize and to calculate how many materials you need to farm.

Note: Accessories (rings, earrings, and amulets) cannot be previewed using the Refinement Information screen. Their stat gains at each level remain hidden until you actually perform the refinement. Because of this, consider refining an accessory only when you have surplus materials.

Temporary Buffs: Sharpening and Repair

In addition to permanent refinement, you can apply temporary stat boosts to your equipment. Grindstones temporarily increase a weapon's attack power, while Anvils temporarily boost armor defense. These consumable buffs stack on top of your refinement bonuses and are especially useful before boss fights or difficult encounters. They can be purchased from merchants or found as loot throughout the world.

Strategies and Tips

• Stop at Level 4 early on. Levels 1 through 4 use only basic materials, making them cheap and accessible. Level 5 and above require Abyss Artifacts, which are far more valuable when spent on skills and stat upgrades early in the game. Push past Level 4 only when you have a comfortable surplus of Abyss Artifacts.

• Prioritize plate armor. Plate armor provides higher defense than leather or cloth armor, and there is no weight or movement penalty system in Crimson Desert. Invest your refinement materials into plate armor first for the biggest survivability gain.

• Refine your primary weapon above all else. Attack power boosts from refinement directly affect your damage per hit. A refined weapon lets you defeat enemies faster, which in turn generates more Abyss Artifacts through combat.

• Farm ore deposits on a loop. Once mined, ore deposits are marked on your map and respawn over time. Establish a circuit of nearby deposits and revisit them periodically to stockpile Iron Ore and Copper Ore.

• Use grindstones before boss fights. Temporary weapon buffs from grindstones stack with refinement and cost nothing extra. Always sharpen your weapon before tackling a major encounter.

• Sell duplicate gear you are not sacrificing. If you have a duplicate weapon and do not plan to use the sacrifice method, sell it for silver. Duplicate drops become more common as you progress and can fund other purchases.

• Check Refinement Information for every item. The preview screen lets you compare stat gains per level across different items. Sometimes a lower-tier weapon with high refinement outperforms a higher-tier weapon at base level.

• Save Bloodstone for endgame gear. Because Bloodstone veins are extremely limited, do not spend them on mid-game equipment you plan to replace. Reserve all Bloodstone for the weapon and armor you intend to use against the final bosses.

Related Articles

• Refinement System - Detailed system overview

• Refinement and Upgrade Materials - Full materials reference

• Crafting - Crafting system overview

• Weapons - All weapon types

• Armor - All armor types

• Blacksmiths - Blacksmith locations and services

• Abyss Artifacts Farming Guide - How to earn Abyss Artifacts efficiently

• Bloodstone Locations - Where to find Bloodstone deposits

• Iron Ore Locations - Where to find Iron Ore deposits

• How to Sharpen Weapons and Repair Armor - Temporary equipment buffs