All Anvil Hill Mysterious Energy Puzzles in Crimson Desert

TL;DR

• There are three Mysterious Energy puzzles in Anvil Hill, east of Hernand.
• Puzzle #1 — Southwest cliff: climb up, avoid poisonous purple grass, activate the Abyss Cresset.
• Puzzle #2 — Wild Raiders Camp tunnel: enter the hole in the cliff wall, activate the Abyss Cresset at the end.
• Puzzle #3 — Stoneback Crab Cave crater: drop into the hole in the center, activate the Abyss Nexus below.
• Puzzles #1 and #2 each reward an Abyss Artifact. Puzzle #3 unlocks an Abyss Nexus fast travel point.
• Do not revive with Palmer Pills after dying to poison grass — revive at a Checkpoint instead.
• To escape the Stoneback Crab Cave, stand on the stone pillar under the exit hole and use Force Palm three times mid-air.
• Inside the cave, grab the Palmer Pill in the alcove right of the Nexus and the hidden chest behind the pillars to the left.

All Anvil Hill Mysterious Energy puzzles in Crimson Desert are spread across three locations in the Anvil Hill region, which sits east of Hernand. These are not obvious to find, and one of them can trap you underground if you do not know how to escape. This guide covers exactly where each puzzle is, how to complete it, and what rewards you get. If you are working through all the Mysterious Energy zones across the map, check our other guides such as Hernand Town Mysterious Energy and Demeniss City Mysterious Energy for nearby regions. For a broader look at all puzzle types in the game, our Crimson Desert guide hub has the full list.

What Are Mysterious Energy Puzzles?

Across the open world of Pywel in Crimson Desert, you will encounter white question-mark icons on your map. These are Mysterious Energy locations. When you visit them in person, you discover their true nature — usually an Abyss Cresset, an Abyss Nexus, or a hidden loot area. Activating an Abyss Cresset or Abyss Nexus closes an Abyss leak and rewards you with an Abyss Artifact — one of the most important progression items in the game, used to raise your health, stamina, spirit, and other core stats. An Abyss Nexus also unlocks as a fast travel point, letting you teleport back to that area in future. To understand how to use what you earn from these puzzles, see our guide on how to open sealed Abyss Artifacts and how to get Abyss Cells.

Anvil Hill Mysterious Energy Overview

Anvil Hill has exactly three Mysterious Energy spots. Two are clustered in the northern part of the region near the Wild Raiders Camp, and the third is further southwest on top of a sheer cliff near the Nas River. None of the three are immediately visible when you arrive, and each requires a different approach to activate.

• Puzzle #1 — Top of the sheer cliff, southwest of Anvil Hill (Abyss Cresset → Abyss Artifact)
• Puzzle #2 — Tunnel inside the cliff wall near the Wild Raiders Camp (Abyss Cresset → Abyss Artifact)
• Puzzle #3 — Underground cavern beneath an impact crater, Stoneback Crab Cave (Abyss Nexus → Fast Travel Point)

Puzzles #2 and #3 are very close together, so you can knock both out in one trip after clearing the Wild Raiders Camp.

Anvil Hill Mysterious Energy Puzzle #1 — The Southwest Cliff

Location

Head southwest of the main Anvil Hill area, toward the large sheer cliff just north of the Nas River. You are looking for a tall, steep cliff face — look for Bismuth ore nodes on the cliff surface to confirm you are at the right spot. The Bismuth nodes make this cliff stand out and serve as a useful landmark.

How to Complete It

1. Climb to the top of the cliff. The cliff is fully scalable using your stamina. Take it section by section and manage your stamina carefully on the way up.
2. At the top, you will reach a wide open field. The Abyss Cresset sits on a pedestal at the cliff’s edge.
3. Before walking straight to it, look for the purple stalks of grass scattered around the area. These are poisonous and deal massive damage on contact. They can kill you in seconds even at a high level.
4. Carefully weave through the gaps in the grass. Use your dash to slip through narrow openings quickly. Do not rush blindly toward the Cresset.
5. Interact with the Abyss Cresset to earn an Abyss Artifact and complete Puzzle #1.

Important Warning — Poisonous Grass

If the poison grass kills you, do not revive using Palmer Pills at that spot. The grass is still active right where you died, and it will kill you instantly again the moment you stand up. Instead, revive at the nearest Checkpoint and approach the Cresset again more carefully. For more on how Palmer Pills work, see our guide on how to get and use Palmar Pills in Crimson Desert.

Anvil Hill Mysterious Energy Puzzle #2 — The Wild Raiders Camp Tunnel

Location

Head to the Wild Raiders Camp in the northern part of Anvil Hill, near Serskis Estate just northeast of the Anvil Hill label on your map. The camp is packed with hostile enemies. The tunnel entrance is a hole in the side of the cliff wall right next to this camp.

How to Complete It

1. Approach the Wild Raiders Camp. Clear the enemies or use speed and stealth to slip past them — the choice is yours. Clearing the camp is the safer option and lets you explore freely.
2. Look at the cliff face at the back of the camp area. You will find a hole in the side of the cliff wall. Drop in to enter a narrow tunnel.
3. Follow the tunnel to its end.
4. Activate the Abyss Cresset at the end of the tunnel to earn an Abyss Artifact and complete Puzzle #2.

This one is straightforward once you find the entrance. The tunnel is narrow but linear — there are no branching paths to worry about.

Anvil Hill Mysterious Energy Puzzle #3 — The Stoneback Crab Cave

This is the most involved of the three puzzles. It requires dropping underground and knowing a specific trick to get back out. Many players get stuck here, so read the escape method carefully before you jump in.

Location

Go to the center of the third Mysterious Energy icon on your map in northern Anvil Hill. This area is very close to Puzzle #2, so it is worth doing both in the same trip. As you approach, you will see a large impact crater in the earth. At the very center of the crater floor is a small hole. That is your entrance.

How to Complete It

1. Drop down through the hole in the center of the crater. You will fall into the Anvil Hill Stoneback Crab Cave — an underground cavern filled with Bloodstone ore deposits.
2. Navigate through the cavern to its end.
3. Activate the Abyss Nexus on the platform at the end of the cave. This completes Puzzle #3 and unlocks this location as a fast travel point.

Hidden Loot — Do Not Miss These

Before you leave the cave, grab the free items nearby:

• Palmer Pill — In the alcove to the right of the Abyss Nexus.
• Small treasure chest — Behind the pillars to the left of the Abyss Nexus. Easy to walk past if you are not looking.

How to Escape the Stoneback Crab Cave

There is no ladder out. Many players drop in and realize they are completely stuck. Here is the correct escape method:

1. Return to the spot where you first dropped down — near the Bloodstone ore deposits at the entrance area.
2. Find the stone pillar directly underneath the hole above.
3. Step on top of the stone pillar.
4. Jump up and use Force Palm three times in mid-air. Each Force Palm gives you upward momentum. Three uses is enough to pop you back out through the hole to the surface.

Alternatively, some players report that standing directly under the hole and spamming Force Palm without the pillar also works. The pillar just gives you extra height to start from. Either way, Force Palm is the key. Make sure you have this ability unlocked before dropping into the cave. For more on using Force Palm and other combat tools, check our advanced combat guide and our guide on how to get and use Focused Force Palm.

Rewards Summary

Here is what you get from all three Anvil Hill Mysterious Energy puzzles:

• Puzzle #1 (Southwest Cliff) — Abyss Artifact
• Puzzle #2 (Wild Raiders Tunnel) — Abyss Artifact
• Puzzle #3 (Stoneback Crab Cave) — Abyss Nexus fast travel point + Palmer Pill + hidden chest

The two Abyss Artifacts go toward upgrading your core stats. If you are looking to maximize your Abyss Artifact farming, check our guide on how to get unlimited Abyss Artifacts in Crimson Desert. For a complete list of all Abyss Gear you can work toward, see our full Abyss Gears list.

Tips for Completing All Three Efficiently

• Do Puzzles #2 and #3 together. Both are in northern Anvil Hill near the Wild Raiders Camp. Clear the camp, do the tunnel puzzle, then walk a short distance to the crater for the cave puzzle. One trip covers both.
• Do Puzzle #1 separately. The southwest cliff is in a different direction from the other two. Plan a separate route south toward the Nas River to hit this one.
• Have Force Palm ready before entering the cave. If you have not unlocked it yet, do not jump into the Stoneback Crab Cave — you will be stuck with no way out except reloading a save.
• Bring enough stamina for the cliff climb. The southwest cliff is tall. If your stamina runs low mid-climb, use any available stamina food before starting. See our guide on how to get max stamina in Crimson Desert.
• Clear the Wild Raiders Camp first. Enemies near Puzzle #2 will attack you while you are trying to find the tunnel entrance. Clearing the camp first makes exploration much easier.

Other Mysterious Energy Guides Nearby

Anvil Hill sits between Hernand and Demeniss, so you are likely passing through while working on those regions too. Here are related Mysterious Energy guides to chain with your Anvil Hill run:

• Hernand Town Mysterious Energy
• Demeniss City Mysterious Energy
• Howling Hill Mysterious Energy
• Witchwoods Mysterious Energy Puzzles

For a full breakdown of every Ancient Ruins puzzle type across the game, visit our Ancient Generator Puzzles guide and our Ancient Rift Puzzle guide. If you are also keeping track of your overall map completion, our guide on how to stop re-blockades in Crimson Desert can help you keep liberated areas clear while you focus on exploration. The game is available on the official Crimson Desert site, Steam, PlayStation Store, Xbox, and the Epic Games Store.