Overview
Skill respec in Crimson Desert allows you to reset your invested Abyss Artifacts (skill points) and rebuild your characters' skill trees from scratch. The process requires a consumable item called a Faded Abyss Artifact, and there are several important caveats to understand before triggering a reset.
How to Reset Skills
To perform a skill respec:
Open the Skills Menu from the main interface.
Navigate to the Skill Tree section.
Locate the reset option in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
Hold F (keyboard), X (Xbox controller), or Square (PlayStation controller) to confirm the reset.
After confirming, every Abyss Artifact you have spent is fully refunded and all abilities are reset. You can immediately begin reinvesting your points into a new build.
Multi-Character Reset Warning
Important: You cannot reset characters individually. When you trigger a skill reset, the game resets the skill trees for all three playable characters simultaneously: Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka. If you have a perfectly optimized loadout for one character but want to tweak another's build, you will destroy the first character's build in the process. You will need to manually rebuild all three characters every time you use a Faded Abyss Artifact.
Watch and Learn Exception
Abilities acquired through the Watch and Learn mechanic are permanently retained even after a respec. Since Watch and Learn abilities do not consume Abyss Artifacts to unlock (they are learned by observing enemies and bosses), they remain in your skill set regardless of how many times you reset.
Where to Find Faded Abyss Artifacts
There are five distinct ways to acquire Faded Abyss Artifacts:
Source | Details | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
Campaign Quests | Story progression and world exploration naturally reward Faded Abyss Artifacts at key milestones. | Varies |
Collectibles scattered across the world. Completing the challenge tally attached to each Sealed Abyss Artifact converts it into a usable Faded Abyss Artifact. | Limited (fixed locations) | |
Abyss Treasure Chests | Hidden in puzzle rooms on the floating islands in the Abyss. These chests are not marked on the minimap and require exploration to find. | Several per island |
Witch Vendors | Purchase from Witch vendors found throughout Pywel. Each vendor sells 3 Faded Abyss Artifacts per transaction at a cost of 2.85 Silver each. | 3 per transaction (repeatable) |
Crafting | Unlocked in Chapter 4 via the 'Research on the Abyss Energy Restoration Phenomenon' research project. Costs 12 Silver and requires 8 real-world hours to complete. Each craft requires 1 Abyss Cell and 2 Mercury. | Unlimited (once unlocked) |
Most Reliable Source
Witch vendors are the most reliable on-demand source of Faded Abyss Artifacts. At 2.85 Silver per artifact with 3 available per visit, you can restock quickly before a tough encounter. If you need more than 3, rest or wait for the vendor inventory to refresh.
For unlimited respecs later in the game, invest in the crafting research project during Chapter 4. Once the 8-hour research timer completes, you can craft as many Faded Abyss Artifacts as you need provided you have the Abyss Cell and Mercury materials.
When to Respec
Consider resetting your skills in the following situations:
Before a difficult boss: Certain bosses are much easier with specific skill loadouts. If your current build is not working, respec into a more suitable setup for that encounter.
After unlocking new weapon types: As you progress through the story and unlock additional weapons and combat styles, you may want to redistribute points to take advantage of newly available skills.
Testing builds: With Witch vendors providing affordable Faded Abyss Artifacts, experimentation is encouraged. Try different combinations of Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka builds to find your preferred playstyle.
After learning Watch and Learn abilities: Since Watch and Learn skills persist through respecs, you can respec freely after acquiring new observed abilities without worrying about losing them.
Tips
Always ensure you have a plan for all three characters before triggering a reset. Resetting for one character wipes all three.
If you are low on Faded Abyss Artifacts and cannot afford to buy more, explore the floating islands in the Abyss for hidden treasure chests.
The crafting method (Chapter 4) is the long-term solution for unlimited respecs. Prioritize the research project early if you like experimenting with builds.
Write down or screenshot your current build before resetting so you can recreate it if the new build does not work out.