Momentum

Overview

Momentum is a unique passive Abyss Gear in Crimson Desert that increases Turning Slash damage by 35%. Unlike most unique abyss gears that trigger flashy effects, Momentum is a straightforward damage multiplier that applies automatically whenever the player lands a Turning Slash.

What makes Momentum particularly valuable is that it occupies an armor slot. Most damage-boosting abyss gears go into weapon sockets, so Momentum can be equipped alongside weapon-slot gears like Greysoul Howling, Wound of Darkness, or Groundsurge without competing for the same slot. For players already using Turning Slash as their primary attack, adding Momentum is essentially free extra damage.

Properties

How to Obtain

Momentum is found at the Sanctum of Benediction, a dungeon located in the western snowy mountains of the Hernand region. On the world map, the Sanctum sits directly beneath the letter "E" in the Hernand label.

Inside the Sanctum, there is a lantern puzzle. Ignite the lantern to trigger a hidden mechanism that opens a concealed doorway to a secret room. The Leather Helm of the Fallen Kingdom sits in a chest inside this hidden room, and Momentum is socketed into the helm. The approach path involves climbing a steep trail with cold exposure, so bring cold-resistance food or gear.

Usage and Strategy

Socket Momentum into any compatible armor piece (headgear slot) to gain its +35% Turning Slash damage bonus. The effect is always active as long as the gear remains socketed and the equipment is worn. There is no activation condition or cooldown.

Because Momentum only affects Turning Slash, it is highly specialized. Players who regularly weave directional changes into their combo strings will see consistent value, while those who fight with straightforward attack patterns may rarely trigger the bonus. Practice the Turning Slash input (changing direction mid-combo) to make full use of this core.

Build Synergy

Momentum is a core component of Turning Slash-focused builds. Since it occupies the headgear armor slot, it stacks freely with weapon-socket gears that also enhance Turning Slash:

• Greysoul Howling (weapon slot): Creates a phantom copy that performs an additional Turning Slash. Momentum's 35% boost applies to the original hit, and the phantom deals its own separate damage.

• Wound of Darkness (weapon slot): Fires three blades of dark energy on Turning Slash. Adding Momentum on top boosts the base Turning Slash hit that triggers these blades.

• Groundsurge (weapon slot): Fires hot rocks forward on Turning Slash for strong stagger buildup. Momentum amplifies the weapon hit that triggers the ground effect.

• Volcanic Eruption (weapon slot): When using fire-imbued Turning Slash, Volcanic Eruption launches fireballs. Momentum boosts the base slash that activates this effect.

Combining Momentum with two or three of these weapon-slot gears creates a build where every single Turning Slash triggers a 35% boosted weapon hit plus multiple secondary effects simultaneously. This is the foundation of the popular Turning Slash Nuke Build.

Build Placement Advice

One of Momentum's biggest advantages is that it occupies helmet or chest slots, not weapon slots. This means Momentum does not compete with proc effect abyss gears for equipment space. Players using turning slash as their primary attack can (and should) slot Momentum into one of these armor positions while keeping their weapon slots available for proc effects like Ground Surge or stat-boosting gears like Relentless.

For any turning slash focused build, Momentum should always be slotted in either the helmet or chest. The turning slash damage bonus it provides stacks cleanly with whatever weapon abyss gears you choose, giving you the benefit of both a passive damage increase and an active proc effect simultaneously. No other turning slash abyss gear offers this kind of slot flexibility.

Community Assessment

Experienced players consistently rank Momentum as one of the best Abyss Gear pieces in the entire game, with many calling it "if it isn't the best Abyss Gear in the game, it's easily top three." The reason is simple: Turning Slash is already the most powerful melee skill in your arsenal, and Momentum adds a flat 35% damage bonus on top of its base damage. This turns an already dominant skill into a one-shot machine against most regular enemies and a devastating tool against bosses.

Optimal Build Placement

Momentum is best placed in the armor slot. The recommended full offensive build pairs it with Volcanic Eruption in the helm slot (for fire explosions on every hit), Flames of Judgment for a crowd control projectile, and Relentless in the gloves slot (which scales damage based on your combo meter). This combination creates the ultimate offensive loadout.

The synergy between Momentum and Volcanic Eruption deserves special attention. When you use a fire-imbued Turning Slash, the 35% damage bonus from Momentum applies to the base hit, and then Volcanic Eruption triggers a shower of flaming rocks. The fire explosions from Volcanic Eruption can themselves cause additional stagger and burn effects, creating a feedback loop where a single Turning Slash devastates entire groups. Players who run both gears together report that most encounters end in seconds once they execute a properly timed Turning Slash into a pack of enemies.

Tips

• Momentum cannot be stacked. You can only benefit from one copy of the effect at a time.

• The 35% boost makes Turning Slash hit harder than most standard combo finishers, rewarding players who master the directional input.

• Gale cores that speed up your combo cadence pair well with Momentum, giving you more opportunities to weave in Turning Slashes.

See Also

• Abyss Gear - Overview of all Abyss Gears

• Turning Slash - The attack boosted by Momentum

• Sanctum of Benediction - The dungeon where Momentum is found

• Turning Slash Nuke Build - Build guide featuring Momentum

• Best Abyss Gears Guide - Tier list and recommendations

Recommended Helm Socket For Turning Slash Builds

At the top tier, Momentum adds 35% extra damage to Turning Slash. No other single abyss gear offers that much damage for one socket, which is why it is the default helm pick on any Turning Slash Nuke Build and on most two-handed setups that plan to use Turning Slash as their primary finisher. Do not replace it with a flat attack or generic damage gear on the helm slot: the Turning Slash-specific multiplier wins in almost every end-game fight.

Helm of the Fallen Kingdom Pickup

Momentum is obtained from the Leather Helm of the Fallen Kingdom, which sits inside a chest hidden behind a secret door in the Sanctum of Benediction. Light the lantern to open the hidden door, then loot the chest for the helm. The 35% turning slash damage boost is tied to the abyss gear socketed on the helm, not to the helm's base stats.

Extract at a Witch

If you prefer a different helm for defense or appearance, take the Leather Helm of the Fallen Kingdom to a witch and extract Momentum from it. The extracted abyss gear can then be socketed onto any helm, which lets you keep the 35% turning slash damage bonus while wearing a head piece that better fits the rest of your build.