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Spire of the Sun
April 17, 2026 at 10:41 PM
Removed external site attributions and Sources section
The Spire of the Sun is one of eight Spire Challenges in Crimson Deserta towering ancient structure that uses sunlight and mirrors as the core of its puzzle. Unlike most Spires, which can be approached at any time, the Spire of the Sun is encountered and solved as part of the main story during Chapter 9specifically the main quest Unwavering Steps within the Thinning Blade subchapter. The objective directs the player to enter the Abyss by passing through the Spire.
The puzzle is built around two outdoor mirror arrays that reflect a single beam of light through crystals, followed by a spiral staircase of interior mirrors that carry the beam upward through the tower. Solving every stage opens an elevator to the top, where an Abyss Gate unlocks a route into the Nest of Valor. It counts toward the Conqueror of Spires trophy, which requires all eight Spire Challenges to be finished.
The Spire of the Sun stands in the Crimson Desert (region)northwest of the Town of Tommasoin the Valley of Grief area of the Forebearer's Barrens. It appears on the world map as a Mysterious Energy marker once you are close enough to detect it. The mirror puzzles sit in the desert sand southeast of the tower, and the tower itself rises as a tall stone column that can be seen from far away. Fast travel to Tommaso and ride northwest is usually the simplest approach route.
Detail | Information |
|---|---|
Region | |
Specific Location | Northwest of TommasoValley of GriefForebearer's Barrens |
Story Chapter | |
Main Quest | Unwavering Steps (Thinning Blade subchapter) |
Puzzle Type | Light reflection via movable mirrors |
Abyss Gate | Nest of Valor |
Reward | Abyss Artifactfast travel point, story progression |
Trophy | Counts toward Conqueror of Spires |
The Spire of the Sun is gated by story progression rather than by a specific ability. You must reach Chapter 9 and accept the main quest Unwavering Steps before the puzzle becomes active. There is no freeze damage, fire damage, or special faction lockout on the tower, so no elemental armor set is required. Standard gear appropriate for late-game encounters is sufficient.
Abilities that help but are not strictly required include Axiom Force for long jumps across the tower's interior platforms, and Blinding Flash to stun any lingering desert enemies patrolling the approach to the tower.
Two mirror puzzles sit southeast of the tower. The goal of each is to push the pillar-mounted mirrors along their floor grooves until a single beam of sunlight passes through the crystal at the center of the array and carries on to the next puzzle or the tower door.
Approach the first mirror puzzle (East set) and redirect its unlit corner mirror so that the sun beam passes through its crystal toward the second puzzle.
Move to the second mirror puzzle (South set). This one has five movable mirrors on grooves. Adjust each until the beam travels in a clean Z-shape through all of them and emerges pointed at the tower's main door crystal.
Once both puzzles are aligned, the tower's outer door opens and you can step inside.
General tip: stand behind each puzzle and face the tower while solving, so you can see exactly where the exit beam is aimed. Nudging one mirror at a time and then walking back to check the beam path is faster than guessing.
Inside the tower, the beam must be carried up through a spiral of seven mirrors, each on its own platform. Each mirror, when aligned, activates the next section of stairs.
Climb the first flight of stairs, interact with the standing mirror, and tilt it so the beam strikes the mirror on the floor above. The next staircase rises out of the wall.
Repeat the cycle at each successive mirror. Seven mirrors in total must be aligned, one per level.
At the topmost mirror, reflect the beam directly into the crystal on the ceiling. This unlocks the final staircase and an elevator to the very top of the Spire.
Ride the elevator to reach the Abyss Gate at the peak.
Aiming tip: if a mirror does not seem to react, nudge it slightly left or right until the beam lands dead center on the reflecting surface. The interior is dim, so watching for the bright spot on the next mirror is the quickest way to confirm alignment.
An Abyss Artifact from the chamber at the top of the tower.
A fast travel point at the Spire, tied to the wider Abyss Nexus network.
Access to the Nest of Valor Abyss Gate, continuing Chapter 9's Unwavering Steps questline.
Progress toward the Conqueror of Spires trophy and achievement (complete all eight Spires).
Because the Spire of the Sun is a story objective, you cannot miss it. Any main-quest rewards tied to Unwavering Steps will trigger once you clear the puzzle.
There is no time pressure on the mirror puzzles. Take breaks, check angles, and back up to view the whole array from a distance before committing.
If a mirror refuses to move in a direction you expect, it has probably reached the end of its floor groove. Try a different mirror first and come back.
Bring healing items for the exterior approach; desert enemies patrol the area and the tower is nowhere near a Cresset until you finish the puzzle.
Spire Challenges (hub for all eight Spires)
Chapter 9 (main story context)
Town of Tommaso (nearest settlement)
The Spire of the Sun is the fire element Spire, and fire is widely considered the best element in Crimson Desert. The Spire is off the main questline, so a large portion of the player base finishes the game without ever unlocking the element that most dramatically raises their combat ceiling.
Element: Flame Lv. 1 after completing the Abyss branch beyond the Spire. Applies to all three characters once unlocked.
Skill unlock: Grants Flame Strike to KliffFlame Rush to Damiane, and Flame Quake to Oongka. Flame Strike in particular is widely rated S plus tier for its low Spirit cost and stagger output.
Abyss gear pairings: Fire imbue enables Flames of Judgment and Volcanic Eruptiontwo of the strongest Abyss Gears in the game. The combination is strong enough to juggle bosses, clear dozens of mobs in a single salvo, and anchor most endgame builds.
Imbue compatibility: Once Flame Lv. 1 is active, fire imbue applies to every physical skill through Imbue Elementturning the whole kit into an AoE fire damage machine. This is the core of the widely recommended fire build.
The Spire of the Sun sits in the Valley of Grief, in the Forebearer's Barrens northwest of the Town of Tommaso. Access typically opens during Chapter 9 via the Crossing Point quest, but many players push ahead of the story and tackle the Spire as soon as the region is reachable.
Region: Valley of Grief within the Forebearer's Barrens, northwest of the Town of Tommaso. Look for the Mysterious Energy map marker to pinpoint the Spire before approach.
Story gating: The Spire is commonly unlocked during the Crossing Point mission in Chapter 9. Players can attempt it earlier if they can reach the region, but expect harder enemies on the approach until the main story catches up.
Puzzle layout: The outdoor portion of the puzzle uses laser-reflecting mirrors in the Valley of Grief. Start from the east side of the outer building and redirect the beam to reach the Spire gate. After the outdoor mirrors, the indoor section involves an additional mirror on a spiral staircase.
Traversal preparation: Once the outdoor mirror puzzle is solved, the final approach uses the Wings glide to reach the Spire itself. Expect to chain glide boosts and, if usefulForce Palm updrafts to clear the final gaps.
Main questline note: Unlike the Spire of the Stars (the lightning Spire tied to the Chapter 4 main quest), no hard story beat forces a detour to the Spire of the Sun. This is the single biggest reason most players finish the game without touching the fire element.
