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Headgear
March 20, 2026 at 09:18 PM
Fix incorrect armor slot names: leg armor -> cloaks, boots -> footwear
Headgear is one of five Armor slots available in Crimson Desert, alongside body armor, gloves, cloaks, and footwear. Head armor pieces provide defensive stats, movement speed bonuses, and sometimes special effects such as faction disguises or elemental resistance. Like all equipment, headgear can be upgraded through the Refining System at the blacksmith in Hernand, and many pieces feature Abyss Core slots for additional stat customization.
Head armor in Crimson Desert comes in three material categories, plus a special quest item category. Each type has different strengths:
Cloth Headgear: Lightweight options that typically offer Movement Speed Lv.1 rather than raw defense. Cloth headgear is crafted using Cloth Pieces and Fleece, making these pieces easy to produce early in the game. Most cloth headgear can also be purchased from the Tailor Shop for 56 Bronze.
Leather Headgear: Mid-range options balancing defense with mobility. Leather pieces require hides and bones obtained through hunting.
Plate Helms: The heaviest head armor, offering the highest defense values. Plate helms require ores obtained through mining. Since there is no equipment weight penalty in Crimson Desert, plate armor does not reduce movement speed.
Special/Accessory: Unique headgear tied to specific quests or milestones. The Visione is a one-of-a-kind quest item that allows Memory Fragment reading, while the Hernandian Crown is a ceremonial accessory purchased with Contribution points.
The following table lists all 16 headgear pieces confirmed via Fextralife for Crimson Desert. DEF values shown are base stats before Refinement upgrades. Cloth caps grant Movement Speed but provide little to no defense; they are all craftable from basic materials. Plate helms provide the highest defense values but generally lack movement bonuses. Some headgear grants faction disguises (the Jackals' Leather Helm and St. Halssius's Priest's Hat), allowing the player to infiltrate restricted areas without combat.
The standard crafting recipe for cloth headgear is 5 Cloth Pieces and 1 Fleece, purchased from the Provisioner's Shop or gathered through exploration. Seven of the 16 headgear pieces are craftable, all in the cloth category.
Name | Type | DEF | Bonus | Special | Craftable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Blackwing Mask | Plate | 4 | Movement Speed Lv.1 | Reinforcement 40/40 | No |
 Bolton Plate Helm | Plate | 4 | - | Reinforcement available | No |
 Boren Leather Headgear | Leather | 2 | - | - | No |
 Canta Plate Helm | Plate | 3 | - | Tinnitus Immunity | No |
 Drish Cloth Cap | Cloth | - | Movement Speed Lv.1 | - | Yes (Cloth x5, Fleece x1) |
 Hernandian Crown | Special | - | - | Ceremonial item | No |
 Jackals' Leather Helm | Leather | 3 | Movement Speed Lv.1 | No | |
 Labrak Cloth Headgear | Cloth | - | Movement Speed Lv.1 | - | Yes (Cloth x5, Fleece x1) |
 Raccoon Cloth Hat | Cloth | - | Movement Speed Lv.1 | - | Yes (Cloth x5, Fleece x1) |
 Radein Cloth Cap | Cloth | - | Movement Speed Lv.1 | - | Yes (Cloth x5, Fleece x1) |
 Rivellon Cloth Headgear | Cloth | - | Movement Speed Lv.1 | - | Yes (Cloth x5, Fleece x1) |
 Rueconec Cloth Cap | Cloth | - | Movement Speed Lv.1 | - | Yes (Cloth x5, Fleece x1) |
 St. Halssius's Priest's Hat | Special | 3 | Movement Speed Lv.1 | No | |
 Unyielding Warrior's Plate Helm | Plate | 2 | - | Reinforcement available | No |
 | Special | - | - | Non-combat item | No |
 Ziggurat Cloth Helm | Cloth | - | Movement Speed Lv.1 | - | Yes (Cloth x5, Fleece x1) |
Headgear can be obtained through several methods depending on the piece:
Shop Purchase: Many cloth headgear pieces are sold by the Tailor Shop for 56 Bronze each. Leather and plate helms are available from the Hernand Equipment shop or the Back Alley Shop at varying Silver prices.
Crafting: Cloth headgear such as the Drish Cloth Cap, Raccoon Cloth Hat, and Ziggurat Cloth Helm can be crafted at a workbench using 5 Cloth Pieces and 1 Fleece. Some items like the Labrak Cloth Headgear and Radein Cloth Cap are available both from shops and through crafting.
Contribution: The Bolton Plate Helm and Hernandian Crown are purchased using Contribution points earned through quests and activities in Hernand.
Quest Rewards: The Visione is a unique quest item that cannot be bought, sold, or crafted. It is obtained through story progression.
The Visione is a special headgear piece that stands apart from all other head armor in the game. Rather than providing defense or movement speed bonuses, the Visione grants the ability to read Memory Fragments scattered throughout the world. These Memory Fragments reveal lore, backstory, and hints about the game's narrative. The Visione cannot be purchased, sold, or traded, and it is obtained exclusively through the main storyline.
All headgear with a reinforcement gauge can be upgraded through the Refining System at the blacksmith in Hernand. Each reinforcement level increases the piece's base defense stat. The materials required depend on the armor type:
Cloth headgear: Cloth Pieces, Fleece, and Feathers
Leather headgear: Hides and Bones from hunting animals
Plate helms: Ores such as Iron Ore, Copper Ore, Gold Ore, and Silver Ore from mining
Higher refinement levels require rarer materials, including Abyss Artifacts obtained by defeating enemies, completing challenges, and finishing quests.
Most headgear pieces feature one or more Abyss Core slots that allow players to socket modifiers for additional stat bonuses. The Raccoon Cloth Hat is notable for having two Core Slots, while most other headgear pieces with slots have one. Abyss Cores can provide effects such as health regeneration, stamina boosts, and elemental resistance. Visit the Abyss Core NPC to slot or swap cores as needed.
Certain headgear pieces grant disguise effects, allowing the player to blend in with specific factions or groups. These pieces are useful for infiltration missions and can prevent hostile NPCs from attacking on sight.
Jackals' Leather Helm: Grants the Jackal Disguise, letting the player pass as a member of the Jackals faction. This helm provides 3 DEF and Movement Speed Lv.1, making it a solid combat option even outside of stealth scenarios.
St. Halssius's Priest's Hat: Grants the St. Halssius Disguise for blending in with priests and clergy. At 3 DEF with Movement Speed Lv.1, it offers decent protection. Classified as Special type rather than standard Cloth.
Crimson Desert does not include a helmet visibility toggle. If you equip a helmet or any other headgear piece, it displays on the character model at all times, including during cutscenes. There is no settings option, menu toggle, or cosmetic override to hide equipped headgear.
The closest alternative is to temporarily unequip the helmet through the quick radial menu. On a controller, hold left on the D-pad (or press T on PC) to open the radial menu, navigate to the Armor tab, and remove the helmet. This sacrifices the helmet's defensive stats but lets you see the character's face during exploration or cutscenes.
Since there is no transmog system in Crimson Desert, all equipped armor reflects its actual appearance on the character. Players who prefer to see their character's face should weigh the defensive trade-off of running without headgear, or consider using lighter cloth caps that are less visually obtrusive than full plate helms.
Cloth headgear is the easiest to obtain early on. Most cloth pieces cost just 56 Bronze from the Tailor Shop, or they can be crafted with 5 Cloth Pieces and 1 Fleece purchased from the Provisioner's Shop.
Plate helms offer the highest defense values without any movement speed penalty, making them the strongest option for raw protection. The Bolton Plate Helm and Blackwing Mask both reach 4 DEF, the highest base defense among all headgear.
The Blackwing Mask is unique among plate helms because it provides both 4 DEF and Movement Speed Lv.1, a combination no other plate helm offers. Its Reinforcement 40/40 gauge also allows full refinement upgrades.
The Canta Plate Helm's Tinnitus Immunity effect is particularly useful against enemies that inflict stun or disorientation. At 3 DEF, it sacrifices some protection for that utility.
Keep disguise headgear in your inventory even if you prefer a stronger helmet. The Jackals' Leather Helm and St. Halssius's Priest's Hat both grant faction access and can be swapped in before entering restricted areas.
The Raccoon Cloth Hat is the only headgear with two Abyss Core slots, making it a strong choice for players who prioritize stat customization over raw defense.
The Hernandian Crown is purely ceremonial and provides no combat stats. Only purchase it for cosmetic purposes; do not expect any defensive benefit from it.
For Refinement-focused builds, prioritize headgear with a reinforcement gauge. The Bolton Plate Helm and Unyielding Warrior's Plate Helm both have reinforcement available, letting you push their defense values higher over time.
