TL;DR
- Black Fang is the legendary wolf in Crimson Desert, found in the Forest of Wolves in Hernand.
- You must fight and defeat him twice in two different spots north of The Sage’s Peak.
- Equip your Lantern and press L1 in the Forest of Wolves to follow the gold trail straight to him.
- The quest “Howls from North Gate” from House Celeste Faction unlocks after enough Hernand faction quests.
- Killing Black Fang rewards you with Leebur’s Soul, which permanently reveals every legendary animal on the map.
- He also drops Shadow Claw, a powerful Abyss Gear weapon.
- Key combat tip: dodge his teleports, wait for him to stop, then hit Blinding Flash Finisher (L1+R1+R2).
Black Fang is the legendary wolf in Crimson Desert. He lives in the Forest of Wolves inside the Hernand region. He is not a main story boss. You can finish the game without ever meeting him. But you really should not skip him.
Kill Black Fang and he drops Leebur’s Soul. Use that item once and every legendary animal in the game gets a permanent marker on your map. That is one of the most useful unlocks in Crimson Desert for anyone who wants to explore, hunt, or collect rare creatures.
This guide covers where to find him, how to fight him, and what you get when he is dead. We also cover an alternative method if you want to find legendary animals without fighting him first.
Before heading in, check our Crimson Desert review to understand what kind of game you are dealing with.
What Is Black Fang?
Black Fang is a legendary wolf. He is much bigger than the regular wolves you fight in the wild. Think of him as an optional boss you can tackle at almost any point in the game.
He is found in the Forest of Wolves in the Hernandian Territory. He roams with a wolf pack, which makes the first encounter more complicated than it sounds.
You do not need to be at a specific point in the story to fight him. However, being properly geared makes the fight much easier. Read our guide on how to get better equipment before going in. Also check our best early build guide if you are still early in the game.
How to Unlock the Quest
The quest tied to Black Fang is called “Howls from North Gate.” You get it from the House Celeste Faction Quests in Hernand.
Just complete enough Hernand faction quests and it will unlock on its own. There is no special trigger. Keep doing faction work in the region and it will show up.
That said, you do not need the quest at all. You can walk into the Forest of Wolves and find Black Fang without it. The quest just gives you a journal marker and some context.
If you are still building your presence in Hernand, working on merchant trust and trade agreements is a good way to progress the region while you prepare for this fight.
Where to Find Black Fang — First Fight
Black Fang is found in the Forest of Wolves, north of The Sage’s Peak in Hernand.
Here is what to do when you get there:
- Equip your Lantern and press L1 to activate it.
- A glowing gold trail will appear on the ground.
- Follow the trail. It leads directly to Black Fang’s patrol route.
- He roams with his wolf pack. Do not charge in. Clear the pack first using ranged attacks before going into melee range.
The wolf pack can overwhelm you fast if you ignore them. Take them out first, then focus on Black Fang.
Make sure your attack level is in good shape before this fight. Also stock up on healing food before leaving camp.
Where to Find Black Fang — Second Fight
After the first fight, Black Fang disappears. He does not stay dead. You have to track him down one more time.
The second location is in the eastern area of The Sage’s Peak, still inside the Forest of Wolves.
The good news is there is no wolf pack this time. It is just you and Black Fang.
The bad news is he is noticeably harder in this second fight. He is more aggressive and hits harder. Do not go in thinking the first fight was the hard part.
Make sure your defense level is solid before the second encounter.
How to Beat Black Fang
His Attacks
Teleporting. Black Fang jumps around the arena constantly. He can close the gap between you in an instant. Do not let this panic you.
Hard slashes. His melee swipes deal serious damage. Getting caught by a full combo will hurt badly.
Dark shroud phase. This is his invulnerable move. He fills the arena with darkness and tries to claw and juggle you. You cannot damage him during this phase. Just survive it.
How to Win
Roll constantly. Do not try to block or tank his hits. Keep moving and roll through his attack chains.
Wait for the opening. After he finishes an attack, he briefly stands still. That is your window. Use Blinding Flash Finisher (L1 + R1 + R2) during those moments. This is your best damage opportunity by far. Read our full guide on how to use Blinding Flash if you have not unlocked it yet.
Survive the dark shroud. When he goes into his invulnerable phase, stop attacking. Focus only on dodging until the darkness clears. Trying to fight through it wastes stamina and gets you hit.
Always bring healing items. One mistake can swing the whole fight. Stock up before going in. See our guide on what healing food to cook.
Going in with the right skills makes a big difference. Check which skills to level up first and make sure your accessories are up to date before the fight. Understanding how Axiom Force works can also give you an edge here.
Black Fang Rewards
Defeat Black Fang and you earn two items.
Shadow Claw is an Abyss Gear weapon. It unleashes three forward swipes and deals bonus damage. It is a strong pickup for melee builds. Check our guide on unlocking Witch’s Abyss Gears to build around it properly. You can also upgrade it further once you have it.
Leebur’s Soul is the real reward. Use it once from your inventory and it permanently reveals the location of every legendary animal in Crimson Desert. You never have to use it again. It is a one-time activation that changes your map forever.
What Happens After Using Leebur’s Soul?
Every legendary animal in the game gets a permanent pin on your map. This includes rare combat creatures, beasts that drop unique crafting materials, and legendary mounts you can tame and ride.
For horse hunters, there are three legendary horses hidden across the map — Royler, Rokade, and Camora. Our legendary horses location guide covers where to find each one. We also have a full horse guide if you want to understand how mounts work in depth.
If you are chasing a dragon, see our guide on how to get a dragon in Crimson Desert.
One important thing to note: not every legendary creature is meant to be killed. Some are taming targets. Know what you are walking into before you attack.
Alternative: Finding Legendary Animals Without Black Fang
If Black Fang feels too difficult right now, there is another way to track legendary animals.
Build trust with merchants and they will eventually give you sighting documents. These documents reveal the location of specific legendary creatures on your map. The Saddlery and Tannery merchants are the best ones to target. Reach 100 trust with either of them and there is a solid chance you will receive a sighting document.
A useful trick: save your game before pushing to max trust with a merchant. If they do not give you a useful document at 100 trust, reload and try again.
Our guide on merchant trust and trade agreements explains how the trust system works in detail.
Tips Before You Go
- Stock up on healing food before leaving.
- Get your attack level and defense level as high as you can.
- Do enough Hernand faction quests to unlock “Howls from North Gate” so you have the quest marker.
- Activate your Lantern with L1 in the Forest of Wolves — without it you will be walking blind.
- Clear the wolf pack before engaging Black Fang in the first fight.
- Take your time in the second fight. Patience wins this one, not aggression.
- Bring your best gear. Our guide on how to get better equipment can help if you are unsure.
More Crimson Desert Guides
- How to Beat the Crimson Nightmare
- How to Track and Beat the Reed Devil
- How to Beat Kailok the Hornsplitter
- How to Beat Kearush the Slayer
- How to Beat Tenebrum
- How to Get a Pet
- All Characters and Companions Guide
- How to Get Skill Points
- How to Fast Travel
- How to Enter Hernand Castle
- All Main Story Quests and Chapters
Crimson Desert is developed by Pearl Abyss. Available on Steam, Epic Games, PlayStation, and Xbox. Visit the official site for more.
