How to Infiltrate Ironwing REN-X in Crimson Desert (& Get the Tech Gloves)
TL;DR
- Ironwing REN-X is a mechanical airship boss that patrols the skies above Delesyia’s Great Forest.
- You need the Visione Helmet before starting — it’s required to solve the Gate to Advancement puzzle that gets you into the Eternal Corridor.
- The best way to reach it is by Dragon mount. Flying up and landing on the wings is far more reliable than dropping from the Steelsail Archipelago.
- Once on board, use Stab (R1+Triangle then R2 on PlayStation) to destroy 6 green orbs across the wings, then enter the central hatch and destroy the final core.
- Rewards: the Tech Gloves (auto-lockpicks any door, 10-minute cooldown) and the REN-X Surveillance Record (reveals the full Delesyia map).
- Ironwing REN-X does not respawn. It’s a one-time encounter, and the Tech Gloves are yours to keep permanently.
How to Infiltrate Ironwing REN-X in Crimson Desert (& Get the Tech Gloves)
Ironwing REN-X is one of the most unique encounters in Crimson Desert. It’s not a ground boss you walk up to — it’s a massive mechanical airship built by Marni that patrols the skies over Delesyia’s Great Forest, flying far above where your own wings can take you. Infiltrating it is part traversal challenge, part puzzle, and part aerial combat. The payoff is excellent: the Tech Gloves, which let you open any locked door in the game without a key.
This guide covers every step from preparation to the final core, plus how the Tech Gloves work once you have them. For more guides on everything in the game, visit our full Crimson Desert guide hub.
What You Need Before Starting
There are two things to prepare before going after Ironwing REN-X.
The Visione Helmet. This is required to solve the Gate to Advancement puzzle, which is the entry point into the Eternal Corridor — one of the two methods for reaching the Ironwing. The Visione is obtained during the “Memory Fragment” main quest after liberating the Lioncrest Watchtower in Hernand. If you don’t have it yet, finish that section of the story first.
The Dragon Mount. Officially there are two ways to reach the Ironwing. The recommended method by far is using the Dragon mount, which you unlock around Chapter 11. If you get knocked off the airship mid-fight, you can simply re-summon the Dragon in mid-air and fly straight back up. The alternative method — dropping from the Steelsail Archipelago in the Eternal Corridor — works in theory but gives you one shot. Miss the landing and you’ll have to fast travel back and restart the full corridor sequence. Use the Dragon. If you need a refresher on getting your Dragon in the first place, see our guide on how to get a Dragon in Crimson Desert.
Before heading out, stock up on stamina food and health food. You’ll be moving constantly across a windy, high-altitude platform with active enemy cannons. Being caught low on stamina on the wings is a fast way to fall.
How to Reach Ironwing REN-X
Method 1: Dragon Mount (Recommended)
Summon your Dragon and fly to the southeast region of Delesyia, above the Great Forest. The Ironwing patrols this area and is hard to miss — it’s enormous, looks like a cross between a bird and a stealth bomber, and flies at a specific altitude above the forest canopy.
As you approach, the Ironwing will fire its cannons at you. Before dismounting onto the wings, fire fireballs at the cannons using your Dragon to disable them temporarily. This makes landing and staying on the wings much safer. Once close enough, dismount directly onto the top of the airship.
If you’re knocked off at any point during the fight, re-summon the Dragon mid-air and fly straight back. This safety net is the main reason the Dragon method is so much better than the alternative.
Method 2: Drop from Steelsail Archipelago (Unreliable)
The Steelsail Archipelago is the second Abyss puzzle in the Eternal Corridor, accessed through the Gate to Advancement on Mount Benus in southeast Delesyia. To start this route:
- Head to Mount Benus and enter the Gate to Advancement structure.
- Equip your Visione Helmet, then interact with the central mechanism — a golden dial puzzle with three wheels.
- Rotate the dials until they’re fully aligned. A cutscene plays and you’re teleported to the Skypillar Archipelago.
- Navigate through the Skypillar and Steamclouds Station puzzles into the Steelsail Archipelago.
- From the exit point of the Steelsail Archipelago, you’ll be positioned above the Ironwing’s flight path. Save your game here, then drop and glide down toward it.
The problem is timing. The Ironwing is constantly moving on a patrol route. If it’s not directly below you when you drop, you’ll miss and have to restart the entire corridor run. Save before dropping and activate the fast travel point at the Skypillar Archipelago so you can retry quickly if needed. This method is far more unreliable than just flying up on the Dragon. We recommend it only if you haven’t unlocked the Dragon yet and still want to attempt the encounter. For help with the Steelsail Archipelago puzzle, see our Steamclouds Station and Steelsail Archipelago puzzle guide.
How to Infiltrate Ironwing REN-X — Full Walkthrough
Step 1: Land on the Wings
Once you’re on top of the Ironwing, the encounter begins. This is not a traditional boss fight with a health bar. It’s a traversal and infiltration mission. The wind gusts on the wings are the main threat — they can push you off if you’re not careful. Move deliberately between safe surfaces, avoid sprinting unnecessarily, and use L3 (PS) or LS (Xbox) to grapple and reposition if you lose your footing.
Step 2: Destroy All 6 Green Orbs
The Ironwing has 6 green glass orbs spread across its wingspan — 3 on each side. These are the structural weak points you need to destroy to proceed. Walk across the wings carefully, locate each orb, and use Stab (R1+Triangle then R2 on PlayStation) to destroy them. On Xbox that’s RB+Y then RT. On PC it’s the equivalent Stab attack from your blue skill tree.
Move between orbs slowly and watch for wind gusts. Some sections of the wings are more stable than others — use them to pause and recover before moving to the next target. Rushing gets people knocked off. The orbs don’t fight back, so patience wins here.
If you get knocked off the wings entirely, re-summon your Dragon, fly back up, and continue from wherever you left off.
Step 3: Enter the Central Hatch
After all 6 orbs are destroyed, a hatch opens at the center of the Ironwing. Head to the middle of the airship and drop through the hatch to enter the mechanical interior. This is a cramped engine room — the final phase of the infiltration.
Step 4: Destroy the Final Core
Inside, you’ll find one last green orb — larger than the ones on the wings. This is the main core. Use the same Stab attack on it to destroy it. This triggers a cutscene where the Ironwing loses power and begins its descent. Kliff escapes safely, and the mission is complete.
Ironwing REN-X Rewards
Defeating Ironwing REN-X gives you two items automatically:
- Tech Gloves — Equippable gloves with the All-Purpose Arm ability, which opens any locked door without a key. 10-minute real-time cooldown per use.
- REN-X Surveillance Record — Reveals the entire map of Delesyia, removing all fog of war across the region. Extremely useful if you’re still exploring the area.
You also receive 200 Delesyian Contribution Points on completion, which makes a solid dent toward the Delesyian Crown. If you’re working on unlocking hidden vendor gear in Delesyia, check out our guide on how to use Contribution Crowns in Crimson Desert to put those points to work.
Note: Ironwing REN-X does not respawn. Once destroyed, it is gone permanently from your playthrough. The Tech Gloves and map data are yours to keep.
How to Use the Tech Gloves
The Tech Gloves are one of the most useful quality-of-life items in Crimson Desert. Here’s what you need to know about using them:
- How to equip: Open your inventory and equip them to your gloves slot like any ordinary pair of gloves.
- How to use: Approach any locked door while wearing them and press X (PlayStation) or A (Xbox). The gloves automatically pick the lock with a short animation. No key required.
- Cooldown: 10 minutes real-time after each use. Plan door entries around this so you’re not stuck waiting.
- What they open: Any locked door in the world — including doors that would normally require specific keys or quest progression. They do not work on Abyss Chests, but standard locked doors and locked entrances are all fair game.
- Can they be upgraded? No. The Tech Gloves are classified as a Special Tool. They have no Abyss Gear slots and can’t be refined at a Smithy. Their value is purely utility.
- Are they infinite? Yes. The cooldown resets while you explore, so in practice you rarely have to wait. Over a normal play session you’ll use the cooldown naturally without noticing it.
The Tech Gloves are especially useful for infiltration quests, bank robbery runs, and accessing restricted areas without needing to farm keys. If you enjoy stealing and sneaking, pair them with a stealth-focused build. For more on that side of Crimson Desert, see our guides on how to steal items and how to rob banks in Crimson Desert.
Common Issues and Tips
The hatch didn’t open after destroying all 6 orbs. This can happen if a small mechanical enemy (called a Tick) gets stuck in the wing geometry. Check the wings carefully for any remaining enemies and clear them before the hatch will open.
I keep getting blown off the wings. Don’t sprint. Move slowly between surfaces and use grapple to catch yourself if a wind gust hits. Stay close to the body of the airship where wind is less severe. There’s no timer on this fight, so slow movement beats fast deaths.
I missed the drop from Steelsail Archipelago. If you didn’t save before jumping, you’ll need to fast travel back to the Skypillar Archipelago and re-navigate the Steelsail section. This is why we recommend the Dragon — no corridor re-run if you miss.
I haven’t unlocked the Dragon yet. You’ll need to progress to around Chapter 11 to access the Dragon mount. If you’re not there yet, see our guide on how to get a Dragon in Crimson Desert. You can attempt the Steelsail Archipelago method before that, but it’s significantly harder.
If you’re building toward better gear alongside this encounter, check our Alabaster Curved Sword guide for another hidden world find in Delesyia’s broader region, and our best unique weapons and armor guide for the strongest gear overall.
Where to Buy Crimson Desert
Crimson Desert is available on PC and console across all major platforms:
