Revision 4

Overview

Refinement is the primary method for upgrading weapons and armor in Crimson Desert. Every piece of standard gear 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 and rewarding progression systems in the game, since players can start upgrading their equipment as soon as they reach a blacksmith and gather a few resources from the open world.

The system is divided into two tiers. Levels 1 through 4 use standard gathering materials such as ores, timber, hides, and bones. From level 5 onward, the blacksmith begins requiring Abyss Artifacts in addition to raw materials. Because Abyss Artifacts are also the currency used to unlock skill points on the Abyss Tree, players must make strategic choices about whether to invest artifacts into gear refinement or character skills.

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").

Stat Categories

Refinement can improve several categories of stats depending on the equipment type. The stat gains per refinement level are roughly +2 to +3 points per level for primary stats, meaning a weapon refined to Level 10 gains between 20 and 30 additional Attack over its base form. The same range applies to armor Defense.

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.

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.

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 Rhett'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. The type of drop depends on the size and species of the animal. Small creatures like rabbits and foxes yield Thin Hide and Small Bone. Medium-sized animals such as deer and wolves drop Short Hair Hide and Thick Hide. Larger animals including boars and bears provide Sturdy Hide, Long Hair Hide, Large Bone, and Fang. After killing an animal, approach the carcass and interact with it to skin it and collect materials. The quantity of drops scales with the size of the animal, so targeting larger prey is more efficient when you need bulk materials for higher refinement levels.

Timber

Wood is obtained by felling trees with a Logging Axe. You can also chop down trees using the Turning Slash combat skill, which is a convenient alternative when you encounter harvestable trees during exploration without switching to a tool. 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 Miscellaneous 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. You can additionally obtain these materials through camp expansion activities at the Greymane Camp, making camp upgrades doubly valuable as they gradually supply refinement stock. Feather can be collected from bird nests or purchased from merchants. 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.

Complete Refinement Materials List

Below is a comprehensive breakdown of every refinement material in the game, organized by category. Each entry lists where to find the material and which equipment types require it.

Ores and Jewels

All ore and jewel materials require a Pickaxe to harvest from deposits found on cliff faces, mountainsides, and inside caves. High-altitude deposits that are out of reach can be dislodged by shooting them with Charged Shot or by climbing up and striking them with Force Palm.

Bones and Hides

Animal materials are obtained by hunting and skinning wildlife. The drop type correlates directly with the animal's size.

Wood Materials

Wood is harvested by felling trees with a Logging Axe or by using the Turning Slash skill. Both the Logging Axe and Pickaxe are available at the Provisioner's Shop in Hernand.

Miscellaneous Materials

These materials come from a variety of sources including shops, enemy drops, and world exploration.

Blacksmith Locations

Refinement can be performed at any blacksmith in the game. Blacksmiths handle all equipment types: weapons, armor, shields, and jewelry are all refined at the same NPC. There is no separate vendor for armor refinement. All blacksmiths offer the same refinement service; there is no bonus or advantage to using one over another.

How to Unlock Refinement

Refinement becomes available early in the game through two introductory quests in the City of Hernand. These quests also reward the player with the basic gathering tools needed to collect refinement materials.

Turnali's Request

Turnali's Request is posted on the Notice Board in Hernand. After reading the notice, head to the blacksmith shop inside the city and speak with Turnali. He explains that his hammer is worn out and asks you to bring him three Fine Timber so he can get back to work. He gives you a free Logging Axe to complete the task. Chop trees near Hernand to gather the Fine Timber, then return to Turnali.

Completing the quest rewards a Logging Axe (permanent), a Medium Bag (extra inventory slot), a Bekker Shield, 10 Timber, 50 Trust with Turnali, and 100 Hernandian Contribution. After turning in the quest, read the Smithy Flyer that appears. It instructs you to refine the Bekker Shield at Turnali's forge. This first refinement serves as the tutorial and unlocks the full refinement menu for all future visits.

Rhett's Request

Immediately after finishing Turnali's Request, Rhett's Request unlocks just outside the smithy. Rhett is a large storekeeper who asks you to mine two Iron Ore. He gives you a Pickaxe to complete the task. The quest marker leads east of Hernand, past the river, to an ore deposit at the base of Anvil Hill. Follow the marker east from the city and cross the river to reach the iron ore node. Equip the pickaxe from your tool wheel and strike the ore vein to mine it. Deliver the two ores to Rhett's assistant south of Hernand near some wagons. You keep the pickaxe after the quest, giving you the tools for both mining and logging going forward.

Gathering Tools

Before you can collect refinement materials from the open world, you need the right tools. Without a Pickaxe you cannot mine ore deposits, and without a Logging Axe you cannot chop trees. Both tools are obtained for free during the introductory quests in Hernand. Better versions of each tool can be purchased later from vendors or found as loot. Upgraded tools increase gathering speed, letting you collect materials faster.

There are also skill-based alternatives. The Force Palm ability can be used to break ore deposits without a Pickaxe, and the Turning Slash skill can fell trees without a Logging Axe. These are handy if you stumble upon a deposit while exploring but do not have the tool equipped.

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. For example, if you want to refine a White Wood Bow, you can melt down a second White Wood Bow to cover the refinement cost instead of spending timber. This is particularly useful when you find duplicate drops from enemies or chests and do not want to sell the extra copy.

To use this method, bring the duplicate item with you to the blacksmith. When you select the item to refine, the interface shows the option to use a duplicate in place of raw materials.

Important: Unique Weapons obtained from boss fights cannot use the duplicate sacrifice 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.

Grindstones and Anvils

Scattered throughout the open world, grindstones and anvils provide temporary stat boosts that complement permanent refinement. These are separate from the blacksmith's refinement service and should not be confused with it. You interact with them by approaching the object and selecting the Repair prompt.

One early-game anvil can be found at Bloomwood Ranch, southeast of Hernand. Grindstones and anvils also appear frequently inside bandit camps, so look for them before engaging the enemies. Interacting with one before a tough fight can make a noticeable difference in difficult encounters. The temporary boosts from these environmental objects stack on top of your permanent refinement levels.

Abyss Artifacts and Higher Refinement

Starting at refinement level 5, the blacksmith requires Abyss Artifacts in addition to standard materials. Abyss Artifacts are the same resource used to purchase skill points on the skill tree, which creates a meaningful trade-off. Spending artifacts on refinement means fewer points available for new combat abilities, and vice versa.

Abyss Artifacts can be obtained from multiple sources throughout the game:

• Defeating enemies and bosses (fills the Abyss gauge on the HUD)

• Completing challenges and finding Sealed Abyss Artifacts

• Quest rewards and story progression

• Exploration discoveries and hidden caches

• Clearing Abyss Dungeons

Because of the shared resource pool, most players stop refining at level 4 during the early and mid game. Pushing to level 5 and beyond is better reserved for your endgame loadout, when you have accumulated a surplus of Abyss Artifacts and have already unlocked the skills you need.

Abyss Gear: A Separate Upgrade Layer

Beyond standard refinement, Crimson Desert features a second upgrade system called Abyss Gear. While refinement improves an item's base stats, Abyss Gear provides passive bonus effects that are socketed into equipment. Abyss Gear is managed by Witch NPCs found on the outskirts of major cities, not by blacksmiths. Each Abyss Core grants a specific passive trait, such as increased attack speed, bonus critical hit chance, elemental damage, or stagger enhancement. Abyss Cores can be swapped freely, allowing you to customize your loadout for different encounters without any cost.

Refinement and Abyss Gear work together. A fully refined weapon with well-chosen Abyss Cores equipped is significantly more powerful than a weapon with only one of the two upgrade paths completed. For the best results, invest in both systems as you progress.

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.

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 and anvils before boss fights. Temporary weapon buffs from grindstones stack with refinement and cost nothing. Always look for a grindstone or anvil 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does refinement cost gold or silver?

No. Refinement is entirely free in terms of currency. You only need the correct raw materials or a duplicate item.

Can refinement fail?

No. Every refinement attempt succeeds as long as you have the required materials. There is no random failure chance.

Can I refine unique or boss weapons?

Unique weapons obtained from boss defeats can be refined, but they require specific materials rather than generic ores or timber. The duplicate item method does not work for unique weapons.

Where is the best place to farm Iron Ore?

Multiple ore deposits are found east of Hernand near Anvil Hill, and throughout mountainous regions of Pywel. Ore veins are marked on the map after you mine them once and they regrow over time. See the Iron Ore Locations article for a complete list of deposit locations.

Should I refine or invest in skills first?

For levels 1 through 4, always refine because no Abyss Artifacts are required. For levels 5 and above, prioritize skills in the early game and save refinement for your endgame gear.

Can I preview accessory refinement?

No. Unlike weapons and armor, accessories (rings, earrings, and amulets) do not support the Refinement Information preview. You will not see the stat gains until you actually perform the refinement.

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

• Abyss Gear - Abyss-infused equipment overview

• Abyss Cores - Complete list of all Abyss Cores