Side Activities

Overview

The continent of Pywel is packed with side content beyond the main storyline. With over 400 missions spanning side quests, bounties, and dynamic world events, players can spend hundreds of hours exploring optional activities. From clearing Abyss Dungeons and hunting bounty targets to gambling at taverns and taming wild horses, Crimson Desert offers a broad range of diversions. This page provides a hub overview of every major side activity available across the game.

Faction Quests

Faction Quests are side missions given by the various factions scattered across Pywel. They unlock as you progress through the main story and increase your Contribution with the faction's region. Faction Quests are tracked under their own tab in the journal, and every completed Faction Quest rewards an Abyss Artifact, making them one of the most reliable sources for skill-point upgrades.

Faction Quests often send you to deal with local threats, deliver goods, or gather intelligence. Some involve multi-step quest chains that tell self-contained stories about life in each region. Check the Quest System article for details on quest types and how rewards are distributed.

Bounty Hunting

Bounty notices are posted on bulletin boards and roadside posts in towns and settlements, marked with purple letter icons on the minimap. They begin appearing around Hernand in Chapter 2. To pick up a bounty, hold the interact button near the poster. Your target is then marked on the world map.

When you locate the target, sprint toward them and press the tackle prompt. After a brief scuffle, Kliff ties them up and can carry them on horseback to the nearest constabulary. Bringing a bounty in alive earns the full Silver reward plus a regional Contribution boost. If the target dies, you only receive half the listed payment.

Abyss Dungeons and Sanctums

Abyss Dungeons are optional dungeon areas found throughout Pywel, often hidden behind puzzles or locked behind story progress. They contain combat encounters, platforming sections, and environmental puzzles that reward loot, Abyss Artifacts, and rare crafting materials.

Sanctums are a specific type of Abyss-related location. Six Sanctums are spread across the map: the Sanctum of Absolution, Sanctum of Atonement, Sanctum of Benediction, Sanctum of Deliverance, Sanctum of Penitence, and Sanctum of Temperance. Completing Sanctum challenges is tracked under the Sanctum Challenges category.

Sealed Abyss Artifacts

Sealed Abyss Artifacts are collectible Key Items scattered along roadsides throughout Pywel. They are not marked on the world map, but a purple icon appears on the minimap when you get close. You can also use the Guiding Light ability (CTRL + Left Click on keyboard, LB+RB on controller) to reveal a blue glimmer when one is nearby.

Each Sealed Abyss Artifact unlocks a specific Challenge. After meeting the challenge's objectives, you use the artifact from your inventory to claim the reward, which is typically an Abyss Artifact used for upgrading Skills. See the All Challenges page for a complete breakdown.

Challenges

The Challenges system provides hundreds of optional objectives sorted into several categories. Most Challenges are unlocked by finding Sealed Abyss Artifacts, while Exploration Challenges can be discovered directly in the open world at question-mark points of interest.

Additional categories include Bow Challenges, Sword Challenges, Shield Challenges, Spear Challenges, Gun Challenges, Cannon Challenges, Training Challenges, Operation Challenges, and Special Equipment Challenges. Each weapon and combat style has its own set of mastery objectives.

Life Skills

The Life Skills in Crimson Desert cover resource gathering and crafting. Unlike many RPGs where gathering is instantaneous, Crimson Desert requires you to physically perform each action. Chopping a tree means swinging the axe; mining ore means striking the deposit. Gathering tools degrade with use and eventually need replacement.

Fishing

Fishing is available at bodies of water throughout Pywel. You need a Fishing Rod equipped to cast your line. Fish can be cooked for healing meals, sold for Silver, or used to fulfill quest objectives. Some quests, such as Renee's Request, specifically require catching and cooking fish.

Cooking

Cooking lets you combine ingredients at a kitchen to produce meals that restore Health, Spirit, or Stamina. Recipes range from simple dishes like Modest Fish Porridge to elaborate feasts that provide combat buffs. The Cooking Guide covers all known recipes and where to find their ingredients. A kitchen facility becomes available at the Greymane Camp once you recruit a cook.

Alchemy

Alchemy is used to craft dyes, medicines, and combat-enhancing potions. For example, combining Crimson Root, Adrenaline Gland, and Alcohol produces a potion that grants increased attack speed. Dye crafting is a major component of Alchemy; crafted dyes let you customize character armor colors at the Barber Shop and Dyehouse. See Alchemy Recipes for the full recipe list.

Mining

Mining lets you extract ore and minerals from deposits found across the world. Mined materials feed directly into equipment upgrades, crafting, and Greymane Camp expansion. Mining is classified as a Knowledge entry within the game's progression system, meaning it must be learned before you can practice it. Rarer ores from later regions sell for significantly more Silver.

Logging

Logging involves physically chopping down trees with a Logging Axe. Lumber is a primary construction material used for building and upgrading structures at the Greymane Camp. Like mining tools, logging axes degrade over time and need to be replaced.

Gathering and Hunting

Gathering covers picking herbs, fruits, vegetables, and other natural materials from the environment. These resources supply cooking and alchemy recipes. Hunting focuses on tracking and killing wildlife for meat, hides, and other animal materials. Both activities contribute to the Knowledge System and various challenge categories.

Crafting

The Crafting system uses materials from gathering, mining, logging, and hunting to produce weapons, armor, tools, and consumables. Crafting Manuals found or purchased throughout the world unlock new recipes. A workshop at the Greymane Camp and various town facilities serve as crafting stations. See Crafting Materials for a list of all materials and where to find them.

Mini-Games

Crimson Desert features a variety of Mini-Games scattered across settlements and taverns. These casual activities reward Silver, faction reputation, Contribution points, and sometimes rare items. Some mini-games have cooldown timers, meaning you must wait a set number of in-game hours before you can play again at the same location.

Duels

Beyond mini-game competitions, structured duels pit you against NPCs in weapon-based combat. The Duel Challenges category tracks five duel objectives. Wandering Freeswords can be found across Pywel and challenged to sparring matches. Weapon-specific duels include the Weapon Duel: Spear encounter. Winning duels earns Silver and sometimes unique equipment.

Horse Taming

Horse Taming lets you capture wild horses found grazing across the open world. Approach a horse carefully, then mount it and stay on through a taming sequence. Each horse has different stats for speed, stamina, and handling. Tamed horses can be stabled at the Greymane Camp and used for mounted combat, racing, and general travel. The Horse Guide covers taming techniques, horse stats, and available Horse Items for equipment and customization.

Greymane Camp Building

The Greymane Camp unlocks at the start of Chapter 3 when Marquis Serkis grants Kliff a settlement at Howling Hill. The camp starts as a small tent settlement and grows into a fully operational base as you complete quests and gather resources.

Building and upgrading structures requires wood from logging, minerals from mining, and food from gathering and farming. You recruit specialists to the camp through side quests, including a cook, provisioner, and blacksmith. Once recruited, these companions unlock crafting stations and camp services. The Freesword Dispatch System lets you send companions on timed missions to gather resources like timber, ore, and provisions. See the Greymane Camp Guide and Companion Dispatch Guide for full details.

Housing and Farming

Housing and Farming expands on the camp system. Within the camp you can manage farms and a ranch to produce cooking and crafting materials. Farming involves planting, watering, and harvesting crops. Rearing animals provides steady supplies of meat and other animal products that feed into cooking recipes and trade goods.

Trading and Banking

Trading involves buying packaged goods from one location and selling them at another for a profit. Prices vary by region, so choosing the right route matters. You can recruit a Camp Provisioner to create trade goods at the Greymane Camp. A wagon is needed to haul large shipments across the map.

The Bank system is available in most major settlements. Opening an account costs 100 Silver plus a Gold Bar deposit (worth 500 Silver). Once your account is open, you choose from three investment strategies: Low-Risk (0 to 2% return), Medium-Risk (15 to 20% return), or High-Risk (50 to 55% return). You can switch strategies every 15 in-game days.

Crime and Stealth

The Stealth system allows you to pickpocket NPCs and steal items. Committing crimes raises a wanted level, and guards will pursue you if caught. Wearing a mask (looted from bandits or bought at a back alley shop) helps conceal your identity. The How to Steal Items guide covers the crime system in detail.

Exploration and Collectibles

The open world is rich with hidden content. Environmental Puzzles are scattered across the landscape at question-mark points of interest on the map. Treasure Maps and Puzzles lead you on multi-step hunts for buried loot. Secret Passages and Hidden Areas reward thorough explorers with rare items and lore entries.

The Knowledge System tracks 2,921 entries across multiple categories, recording everything you discover while exploring Pywel. Entries are earned by examining items, speaking to characters, entering new locations, defeating enemies, and making discoveries. The world map is shrouded in fog of war that clears as you explore, revealing nearby points of interest and fast travel spots.

Major collectible types include Abyss Cressets (fast travel points that also yield Abyss Artifacts), Ancient Tablets, and various documents and lore items. The Collectibles Guide provides a full checklist.

Astronomy

Astronomy is a discovery-based activity where you observe the night sky at designated locations. Studying constellations contributes to Knowledge entries and can unlock rewards tied to the exploration system.

Character Customization

The Barber Shop and Dyehouse lets you change hairstyles and apply dyes to your armor and clothing. The Dye System works through the Alchemy crafting branch: crafting or finding a dye and consuming it from your inventory unlocks all shades of that color at any Dyer NPC. Character Customization also covers tattoo options and facial adjustments available at customization stations.

Pets and Lifeforms

Pets can be obtained and raised, providing companionship and sometimes gameplay benefits. The broader Lifeforms system covers all wildlife and creatures in Pywel, many of which can be hunted, observed, or interacted with to fill out Knowledge entries.

Request Quests and Commissions

Hernand Commissions and various NPC Request Quests provide small, focused tasks. These include gathering items, delivering packages, cooking specific dishes, or clearing local threats. Each request rewards Silver, Contribution, and sometimes unique items. Notable examples include Renee's Request (cook fish porridge), Alden's Request, Carl's Request, and many others found on the Quest System page.

New Game Plus

After completing the main story, New Game Plus lets you replay the campaign with your skills, equipment, and knowledge entries carried over. This provides a second opportunity to complete any side activities, challenges, or collectibles missed during the first playthrough.

Tips for Side Activities

• Check bulletin boards in every settlement for bounty notices, faction quest leads, and commission postings.

• Use the Guiding Light ability frequently while traveling to detect nearby Sealed Abyss Artifacts and Abyss Cressets.

• Complete Faction Quests early and often. Each one rewards an Abyss Artifact for skill upgrades.

• Upgrade your camp facilities as soon as possible. The cook, blacksmith, and provisioner unlock essential crafting options.

• Gambling at Duo tables can be highly profitable once you learn the AI patterns. Start with low-stakes games to learn the rules.

• Bank investments on High-Risk can yield 50 to 55% returns every 15 days, but the payout is not guaranteed.

• Life skills like Mining and Logging must be learned through the Knowledge System before you can practice them.

• Bring bounty targets in alive for the full Silver reward. Dead targets only pay half.

See Also

• Main Story

• Combat System

• Exploration and Traversal

• Skills

• All Challenges

• Collectibles Guide

• Companions