How to Get the Full Dark Ringleader Armor Set in Crimson Desert

TL;DR

• The Dark Ringleader is a 4-piece cloth and leather armor set hidden entirely in waterfall caves across western Hernand.
• No quests, no bosses, no story requirements. You can grab the full set very early in the game.
• All four pieces are accessed using Stab (R1 + Triangle / RB + Y) to push through waterfalls.
• Helm — Shadowheart Grotto (north of The Witchwood). Chest — Blade Cave (south of Fort Warspike). Cloak — Echoing Tunnel (near Fort Perwin). Gloves — Cloudmist Cave (northeast of The Witchwood).
• Key bonuses: Movement Speed Lv. 2, Spirit regen, Damage Reduction, Ice Resistance Lv. 3, Lightning Resistance.
• There are no Dark Ringleader Boots. Dye any leather boots red to match.
• Full set max defense reaches 63 with 8 Abyss Gear slots total.

The Dark Ringleader armor set is one of the best things you can pick up in the early hours of Crimson Desert — and most players walk right past all four pieces without ever knowing they exist. There’s no quest pointing to them, no reward screen, and no NPC who hints at their location. They’re all tucked behind waterfalls in the western Hernand region, waiting in hidden caves for whoever is curious enough to push through the falls.

The set itself has a rogue-like, dark mercenary aesthetic — flowing dark cloth, layered leather, and the kind of silhouette that looks like it belongs to the leader of a dangerous outfit. Thematically, it fits: the armor is styled after the Bleed Bandits who operate in Hernand. Beyond the looks, the stats are excellent for this stage of the game. Movement speed, passive spirit regeneration, damage reduction, and solid elemental resistances make it a well-rounded carry set for both combat and exploration.

You can collect the entire set in around 15 minutes once you know where to go. This guide covers all four pieces in detail. For a broader look at armor across the game, check our Crimson Desert hub.

What Is the Dark Ringleader Armor Set?

The Dark Ringleader set is a cloth and leather hybrid armor collection made up of four pieces: a cloth helm, cloth chest armor, cloth cloak, and leather gloves. It is not a plate set — this is a lighter, agility-focused outfit that trades raw defense for mobility and utility stats.

Important note up front: There are no Dark Ringleader Boots in the game. The set officially has only four pieces. Most players pair any leather boots they have and dye them red to match the rest of the outfit. Our guide on how to dye armor in Crimson Desert covers how to get red dye and apply it.

Here’s the full stat overview at base level:

Full set combined stats: Max defense reaches 63 after refinement. The set provides Movement Speed Lv. 2 total across pieces, passive Spirit regeneration, Damage Reduction, Ice Resistance stacking up to Lv. 4 combined, and Lightning Resistance. It has 8 Abyss Gear slots in total across all four pieces, all of which come pre-slotted with useful early-game cores.

Crimson Desert does not have set bonuses — each piece works independently. This means you can mix and match pieces from different sets without losing any bonuses, which makes the Cloth Armor and Gloves especially flexible to slot into other builds even if you don’t run the full Dark Ringleader look.

Before You Go — The One Skill You Need

Every single Dark Ringleader piece is behind a waterfall. You need Stab to get through all of them.

Stab — R1 + Triangle (PS5) / RB + Y (Xbox)

Face the waterfall directly, use Stab, and you’ll push through the falling water into the cave behind it without taking damage. This skill is unlocked by default for all three playable characters — Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka — so no Abyss Artifacts needed.

If the waterfall bounces you back, you’re slightly off-center. Move to the middle of the falling water and try again. Some players also find that approaching the waterfall from a slight uphill angle helps. Look for stacked stones beside each waterfall — these are a consistent in-game signal that a hidden cave entrance is nearby.

Piece 1 — Dark Ringleader’s Leather Gloves

Location: Cloudmist Cave, central Hernand

Map reference: Northeast of The Witchwood, in central Hernand.

The gloves are a great starting point since Cloudmist Cave is one of the easier caves to reach. They’re also one of the stronger pieces in the set stat-wise — packing both Lightning Resistance and Ice Resistance alongside an attack bonus, making them immediately useful across multiple combat scenarios.

How to get them:

1. From Hernand, head west toward the river system in that direction.
2. Follow the river path northeast of The Witchwood.
3. Look for a waterfall along the river. Watch for stacked stones nearby.
4. Face the waterfall and use Stab (R1 + Triangle / RB + Y) to enter Cloudmist Cave.
5. The treasure chest is almost immediately inside. Open it to collect the Dark Ringleader’s Leather Gloves.

This cave has minimal enemy presence — you should be in and out quickly.

Piece 2 — Dark Ringleader’s Cloth Helm

Location: Shadowheart Grotto, western Hernand

Map reference: South between the first “N” and “A” in “Hernand” on the world map. North of The Witchwood in western Hernand.

The helm is a lighter piece that prioritizes mobility over defense. The Movement Speed +1 bonus and Stamina Regen make it excellent for exploration and prolonged fights where stamina management matters. If you’re running a fast, dodge-heavy playstyle, this helm contributes more than its base defense number suggests.

How to get it:

1. Head south from the Cloudmist Cave area toward the river split in Duskwood.
2. At the river fork, take the left path.
3. Follow that path until you find a waterfall. Look for stacked stones.
4. Use Stab (R1 + Triangle / RB + Y) to enter Shadowheart Grotto.
5. The chest is inside the grotto. Open it to collect the Dark Ringleader’s Cloth Helm.

Piece 3 — Dark Ringleader’s Cloth Armor (Chest)

Location: Blade Cave (also called Blade Cavern), western Hernand

Map reference: South of Fort Warspike and north of The Witchwood, on the western side of Hernand. South below the first “N” in “Hernand” on the map.

The chest piece is the core of the set. It carries the most impactful passive stats — Spirit +1 every second, Damage Reduction 1.0, and Movement Speed +2. The spirit regeneration in particular is a game-changer for builds that rely on skills with Spirit costs. Combined with the cloak’s Ice Resistance, this piece rounds out the set’s utility nicely.

How to get it:

1. Head to Fort Warspike in western Hernand.
2. From the fort, look south — you’ll find a large waterfall in the area.
3. Stand in front of the waterfall and use Stab (R1 + Triangle / RB + Y) to enter Blade Cave.
4. Follow the cave path to the treasure chest inside.
5. Open it to collect the Dark Ringleader’s Cloth Armor.

This is a straightforward cave — one path, one chest. No puzzle required.

Piece 4 — Dark Ringleader’s Cloth Cloak

Location: Echoing Tunnel, western Hernand

Map reference: Northeast of Fort Perwin and south of The Witchwood in western Hernand. South below the first “N” in “Hernand” on the map.

The cloak is the final piece and the one that travels furthest south compared to the others. It provides Ice Resistance Lv. 3 — the highest cold resistance on any single piece in the set — making it especially valuable if you’re spending time in Demeniss’s frozen regions or heading into any cold-weather combat zones. Stack it with other ice resistance pieces and you can hit full cold immunity much earlier than usual. See our Ice Resistance and Frost Protection guide for more on hitting immunity thresholds.

The Echoing Tunnel area tends to have bandit camps nearby — that activity can actually help you orient yourself, since enemy presence is a useful landmark in this part of western Hernand.

How to get it:

1. Head toward Fort Perwin in the southern part of western Hernand.
2. Outside the fort, find the waterfall nearby.
3. Jump down the cliff to reach the second part of the waterfall below.
4. From the lower landing, face the waterfall and use Stab (R1 + Triangle / RB + Y) to enter Echoing Tunnel.
5. Follow the cave path to the chest inside.
6. Open it to collect the Dark Ringleader’s Cloth Cloak.

The cliff jump before the waterfall is the step players miss most here. Don’t try to enter from the top — go down to the lower section of the falls first.

All Locations — Quick Reference

All four locations are clustered in western and central Hernand, along connected river systems. Once you’re in the area, you can chain all four in a single run without much backtracking. Most players complete the full set in 10–15 minutes once they know the cave positions.

How to Use the Dark Ringleader Set Effectively

Movement Speed Is the Defining Stat

The combined Movement Speed Lv. 2 across the helm and chest is what makes this set feel noticeably different in play. You move faster between combat encounters, reposition quicker during fights, and cover the open world of Hernand more efficiently. For a character like Damiane who thrives on aggressive repositioning, or for Kliff players who prefer a dodge-heavy approach over blocking, this is a huge quality-of-life upgrade over heavier plate armor.

Spirit Regen Keeps Your Skills Running

The chest’s Spirit +1 per second passive feeds directly into any skill that costs Spirit to activate. Combined with the best skills to level up first in Crimson Desert, you’ll notice you can chain skill activations more freely without running dry mid-fight. This pairs especially well with Damiane’s skill-heavy pistol burst playstyle — see our best skills for Damiane guide for build ideas.

Abyss Gear Sockets — What to Fill Them With

The set comes pre-slotted with early-game cores, but as you progress you’ll want to replace them with stronger options. With 8 Abyss Gear slots across four pieces, you have solid room to customize. Good choices include Destruction II for damage amplification, Gale II for attack speed, or Fortification I for stacked defense on pieces where you don’t need an active ability slot. Visit the Witches to swap pre-slotted cores for better ones. See our unlock Witches Abyss Gears guide for how that system works.

What Boots to Pair With It

Since the set has no official boots, your options are open. The Plate Boots of the Fallen Kingdom are a strong early match — they improve climb speed and come from the same Hernand region. See our full Fallen Kingdom Armor Set locations guide to grab them alongside the Dark Ringleader pieces. Alternatively, any leather boots dyed red will blend visually with the rest of the set.

Refinement Is Worth It

Each piece is fully upgradeable. The set’s max refined defense of 63 is low compared to plate sets, but the combination of passive bonuses means it remains competitive well into the mid-game if you keep it upgraded. Take the pieces to a blacksmith as soon as you’ve collected them. See our guide on how to reinforce equipment in Crimson Desert for the upgrade process.

Dark Ringleader vs Other Early Armor Sets

The Dark Ringleader set sits in a clear niche compared to other early Hernand sets:

vs Fallen Kingdom Set — The Fallen Kingdom is a plate set with higher raw defense and the powerful +35% Turning Slash damage bonus on the helm. The Dark Ringleader wins on speed and spirit regen. If you want raw combat damage, Fallen Kingdom leads. If you want mobility and sustain, Dark Ringleader wins. Many players grab pieces from both and mix them depending on the situation. See our Fallen Kingdom armor locations guide for the comparison.

vs Frostcursed Plate Set — Frostcursed has significantly higher defense and the best Ice Resistance in the game, but it’s harder to reach and locked in the frozen north of Demeniss. Dark Ringleader is easier to collect early. See our Frostcursed Armor Set guide for that route.

vs Dark Marksman Armor — Dark Marksman is a later-game set with a striking all-black aesthetic and stronger raw defense. Dark Ringleader is accessible far earlier and fills a different role as a mobility set. See our Dark Marksman Armor locations guide.

The bottom line: the Dark Ringleader set is the best free early-game mobility armor in Crimson Desert. For players who value speed and skill uptime over raw tankiness, it’s a must-grab before leaving the Hernand region.

Tips for Collecting the Set Fast

Fast travel to Hernand first. All four caves are reachable by heading west from Hernand city toward the river system. From there, you work your way through the four caves in a rough loop.

Use a horse. Bandits patrol the roads between these locations. A horse lets you bypass most of them. Check our horse guide if you haven’t unlocked a mount yet.

Watch for stacked stones. Every waterfall entrance is marked by stacked stones nearby. Look for them before assuming you’re in the wrong spot.

If Stab isn’t working, move to the center of the falling water and try again. Approaching slightly uphill also helps with some waterfall entrances.

Don’t sell pieces before equipping. The Dark Ringleader set looks like generic cloth loot at a glance. Check the item names carefully before selling anything from these chests.

Dye a red cloak as a visual filler for boots. If you pick up any leather boots that look out of place, the Black Dye location guide and our dye guide will help you color-match them to the set.

More Crimson Desert Armor & Gear Guides

• Crimson Desert Fallen Kingdom Armor — All Locations
• Crimson Desert Frostcursed Armor Set — All Locations
• Crimson Desert Dark Marksman Armor — All Locations
• Crimson Desert Armor of the Shadows Set — All Locations
• Crimson Desert Reed Devil Armor & Hollow Visage Sword Location
• Crimson Desert Abyssal Dragon Armor & Abyssal Fusion Guide
• Crimson Desert Frozen Anguish Sword Location
• Crimson Desert Fated Shadow & Greysoul Howling Guide
• Crimson Desert Ice Resistance & Frost Protection Guide
• How to Unlock Witches Abyss Gears in Crimson Desert
• How to Upgrade Weapons and Armor in Crimson Desert
• How to Reinforce Equipment in Crimson Desert
• How to Get Better Equipment in Crimson Desert
• Crimson Desert Accessories Guide
• Crimson Desert Best Early Build
• Crimson Desert Best Items Early
• How to Dye Armor, Weapons & Horse Gear in Crimson Desert
• Crimson Desert Black Dye Location
• Crimson Desert Horse Guide
• Crimson Desert Trophy List & All Achievements

Crimson Desert is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox, Steam, and Epic Games Store. Visit the official Crimson Desert website for the latest news and updates.