Crimson Desert: How to Capture 3 Choppies (Mystical Ecosystem)

TL;DR

• Mystical Ecosystem is a Sealed Abyss Artifact Hunting Challenge — collect the artifact first to activate it
• The Sealed Abyss Artifact is in a small wooden shrine west of Pailune Floodgate, directly south of Pailune city
• Choppies are small white rabbit-like creatures found near Abyss areas
• The easiest place to catch them is the Axiom Archive Abyss zone — accessible very early in the game
• Run up to a Choppy and hold the Interact button to catch it — do this three times
• Once complete, open the Sealed Abyss Artifact in your inventory to claim a normal Abyss Artifact

Most players walk straight past Choppies without knowing what they are or why they matter. These small, odd-looking creatures are tied to one of Crimson Desert’s Hunting Challenges, and catching three of them rewards you with an Abyss Artifact.

This guide covers where to find the Mystical Ecosystem Sealed Abyss Artifact, where Choppies spawn, and exactly how to catch them.

What Is the Mystical Ecosystem Challenge?

Mystical Ecosystem is a Hunting Challenge under the Life category in Crimson Desert. Like all challenges of this type, it is tied to a Sealed Abyss Artifact. You need to pick up the Sealed Abyss Artifact first to activate the challenge. Once you collect it, the task becomes active in your journal and tracks your progress toward catching three Choppies.

When you complete the challenge, you open the glowing white Sealed Abyss Artifact from your inventory to convert it into a regular Abyss Artifact. If you are working toward unlocking all Hunting Challenges to claim the Ultimate Hunter trophy, this is one of the 11 you need to finish. Check our full Abyss Gears list for more on how to make the most of Abyss Artifacts once you have them.

Mystical Ecosystem Sealed Abyss Artifact Location

The Sealed Abyss Artifact for this challenge is in Pailune, at the intersection immediately west of Pailune Floodgate. Look for a small wooden shrine by the side of the road. You will know you are in the right spot because there are cats sitting around it.

Pick up the artifact from the shrine to activate the Mystical Ecosystem Hunting Challenge.

What Are Choppies?

Choppies are a unique type of creature in Crimson Desert. They look like small white rabbits with large pointed ears and black-tipped extremities. Their in-game description calls them strange animals of unknown origin — agile, mischievous, and considered a symbol of fortune and joy in Pywel.

They are classed as Chimeras in the Knowledge section of your Journal, under the Mysterious Creatures category. After you catch your first Choppy, an entry for it will appear there automatically. They only appear near Abyss-related areas, which is why most players never notice them during normal exploration.

Where to Find Choppies — Best Location

Choppies are rare. There are very few places in the world where they appear. The easiest and most reliable spot is the Axiom Archive Abyss zone, which is the very first sky island you visit during the main story in Chapter 1.

How to get there:

Fast travel to the Axiom Archive Abyss Nexus. If you have already completed that early story quest, the fast travel point will already be in your map. Open the map, press R3 (on console) to switch to the Abyss map view, and warp directly there.

Once you arrive at Axiom Archive, walk slowly around the open area. Choppies roam freely across the island. They are small and white, which makes them easy to spot against the ground. There are multiple Choppies present here, so you should not have to wait or search for long.

How to Catch Choppies

Choppies run away when you get close. This is the part that trips people up. You do not need any special tool or item to catch them — just your legs and the Interact button.

Here is how to do it:

Step 1 — Approach a Choppy slowly. Do not sprint directly at it right away or it will bolt before you get close enough.

Step 2 — Once you are in range, run after it and hold the Interact button to catch it. Your character will perform a dive roll grab animation when you are close enough. The game will register the catch when the animation completes.

Step 3 — Repeat this two more times with two other Choppies. You need to catch three separate Choppies. Catching and releasing the same one repeatedly does not count toward the challenge — each catch must be a different individual.

After the third catch, the challenge completes automatically and the Sealed Abyss Artifact in your inventory will glow white to indicate it is ready to open.

A useful tip from the community: you can actually catch small critters like Choppies while sprinting if you maintain the right distance. Your character will do the dive roll grab automatically when the timing is right, so do not be too cautious about your approach speed.

How to Claim the Abyss Artifact Reward

Once the challenge is done, open your Inventory, find the Sealed Abyss Artifact (it will be glowing white), and select it to convert it into a normal Abyss Artifact. The item does not activate just from being in your bag — you need to actively use it.

For more on what to do with Abyss Artifacts and how they tie into your character progression, see our guide on how to get unlimited Abyss Artifacts and how to open Sealed Abyss Artifacts.

Tips for Completing This Challenge Faster

Go to Axiom Archive early. This is a Chapter 1 area, which means you can complete this challenge before you even leave the early game. If you are revisiting the zone for any reason, take five minutes to catch three Choppies and knock it out.

Do not use weapons near Choppies. If you have your weapon drawn, put it away before trying to catch them. Having a weapon out can accidentally hit them. You can sheathe your weapon with T on PC or the equivalent button on console.

Clear nearby enemies first. Enemy attacks can interrupt your catch animation. If there are enemies around, deal with them before attempting to grab Choppies. The Axiom Archive zone is generally low-threat, so this should not be a major issue.

You do not need to hold onto them. You catch a Choppy, the counter goes up by one, and you release it. You do not need to carry all three at once. Each successful catch is tracked immediately.

Other Hunting Challenges Worth Doing Nearby

While you are working on this, a few other Hunting Challenges are worth picking up in the same areas:

The Feather of the Earth challenge is unlocked by grabbing a Sealed Abyss Artifact in Hernand, northwest of Karin Quarry Rest Area. That one asks you to carry five birds, which is straightforward once you know where to look. For more on how to handle animals in general, our how to breed animals guide and how to sell animals guide are both worth reading.

If you want to stack permanent upgrades alongside your Abyss Artifact farming, the Dark Red Goblet guide is a quick way to grab +40 Max Stamina from a faction quest that takes about 15 minutes once you hit Chapter 8.

For a full breakdown of all challenges, bosses, and collectibles across the game, visit the Crimson Desert guide hub.

Crimson Desert is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, and Epic Games Store. Check the official Crimson Desert site for the latest news and updates.