Key Takeaways
- Gear upgrades are done through Blacksmiths using the Refinement system.
- Materials like ores, hides, and rare resources are required for higher levels.
- Early upgrades are cheap, but costs increase quickly over time.
- Abyss Gear adds extra stats like attack speed and critical chance.
- Focus on upgrading a few main weapons instead of everything.
- Regular material collection makes progression much smoother.
Weapons and armours in Crimson Desert don’t get replaced very often, especially once you move past the early stages. You usually end up sticking with the same gear and improving it instead of constantly swapping to new drops.
Because of that, upgrades matter more than they first appear. If you are trying to understand how to upgrade weapons early on, this system becomes important quickly. If you skip them, enemies start feeling tougher than they should, even if your skill stays the same. This is why upgrading Weapons and Armours in Crimson Desert becomes important early on.
Where to Upgrade Weapons and Armours in Crimson Desert
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There’s no option to upgrade gear directly from your inventory.
You’ll have to find a Blacksmith. Most towns have one, and you can spot them easily using the anvil icon on the map. Hernand is where you encounter one of the first Blacksmiths tied to this system, mainly because Turnali is available there early on.
Once you talk to a Blacksmith, the Refinement menu opens up. From there, you just pick a weapon or armor piece, check what it needs, and upgrade it if you have the materials. The game shows the stat increase beforehand, so you’re not upgrading blindly.
How the Refinement System Works in Crimson Desert
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Refinement is part of the upgrade system in Crimson Desert and is how your gear gets stronger. Every upgrade adds a small boost to damage or defense.
The early levels feel cheap. You’ll barely notice the cost. After a few upgrades though, things change. You start needing more than just one material, and the game begins asking for rarer components.
At some point, you’ll also hit limits. Certain gear stops upgrading after a few levels, and some items may have limited upgrades or cannot be refined. It’s worth checking before you invest too much into something.
Materials Needed to Upgrade Weapons and Armours in Crimson Desert
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Most upgrades depend on how often you collect gear upgrade materials while exploring.
Weapons usually need ores. Copper shows up early, mostly in caves or rocky surfaces. Later, Iron and other materials start appearing in the requirements, especially for higher refinement levels.
Armor is a bit different. You will still need ores in some cases, but hides and leather come into play more often. That means hunting animals becomes important if you want to upgrade regularly.
You can buy materials, but doing that too often drains your currency fast. Just collecting things while moving around the map is usually enough if you stay consistent.
How Abyss Gear Upgrades Weapons and Armours in Crimson Desert
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Not all upgrades come from refinement. Your gear can also be improved using Abyss Gear, which adds extra effects instead of boosting raw stats. Things like attack speed or critical chance come from here.
To use it, you’ll need to find a Witch vendor. These are usually placed slightly outside the main towns. Once you start using Abyss Gear properly, it can noticeably change how a weapon performs in combat.
When You Should Upgrade Your Gear
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You don’t need to upgrade after every fight. If enemies are going down without much resistance, you’re fine. But if fights start dragging or you’re taking more damage than expected, that’s usually your signal.
Instead of upgrading everything, the best way to improve your equipment is to stick with a few weapons you actually use. Materials become harder to manage later, and spreading them out doesn’t help much.
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FAQs
How do you upgrade Weapons and Armours in Crimson Desert?
You need to visit a Blacksmith, open the Refinement menu, and use materials along with currency to upgrade your gear.
Can you upgrade gear without a Blacksmith?
No, Weapons and Armours in Crimson Desert can only be upgraded through Blacksmith NPCs.
What materials are used for weapon upgrades?
Weapons mainly require ores like Copper and Iron, along with rarer materials at higher levels.
Does armor use the same materials as weapons?
Not exactly. Armor often requires hides, leather, or fabric depending on the item.
What is Abyss Gear used for?
It adds extra stats like attack speed or critical hit chance and is applied through Witch vendors.
Should you upgrade every weapon you find?
No. It’s better to focus on a few weapons you actually use so you don’t waste materials.
