Table of Contents

TL;DR

Power Cores are rare Abyss materials stored in the Kuku Iron Pot — you cannot pick them up like normal loot.
Unlock the Kuku Pot first by completing the Kiln Repair quest in Chapter 4 at the Kilnden Workshop in Hernand.
Main sources: Sanctums (unique named cores), Abyss enemies (random drops), boss fights (specific named cores), and turret locations like Karin Quarry.
Best farming enemies: Wandershrubs and Stone Worms — use Force Palm or Nature’s Snare + Nature’s Retribution to one-shot them.
Farm locations: two spots in southern Hernand woodlands, one on the eastern edge of the Crimson Desert region.
Save before killing enemies. If the wrong Power Core type drops, reload and try again.
Lost Power Cores can be recovered from Carl the Provisions Keeper at Howling Hill Camp for a small Silver fee.

Power Cores are one of the most important materials in Crimson Desert. They are used to craft Kuku gear, upgrade the ATAG mech, fuel camp research, complete Abyss puzzles, and build the Abyssal Dragon Armor. You will start noticing them early in the game, but their real value hits hard in the mid-to-late game when they become the bottleneck for major progression.

The problem is that Power Cores are not sold in shops, not found in chests, and cannot be picked up like normal items. You have to know exactly where to look and how to collect them.

This guide covers every source in the game, the best farming spots, how to store them, and what to do if you lose one.

For broader gear progression, see the Crimson Desert hub with every guide in one place.

What Are Power Cores

Power Cores (also called Elemental Cubes) are large glowing blue crystalline objects. They come in different named variants tied to elements — types like Spire of Defiance, Crown of Shadows, Verse of Sowing, Casket of Illusions, and Ore of Resipiscence, among others. The element type affects which crafting recipes they are used in.

Generic Power Cores from enemy drops have a random element type each time. Named Power Cores from bosses and specific sources are fixed to a particular type.

You cannot pick them up like regular loot. You must use Axiom Force to grab them, then press the Seal prompt that appears in the lower-right of your screen to store them in the Kuku Pot.

The Kuku Iron Pot holds up to 230 Power Cores. To retrieve a stored core, open the Kuku Pot inventory and select Discard — the core will appear in front of you in the world so you can grab and place it.

First Step: Unlock the Kuku Pot

Before you can collect or use Power Cores, you need the Kuku Pot. Without it, Power Cores that drop from bosses or enemies may end up in a limbo state and be difficult to recover.

The Kuku Pot is unlocked by completing the Kiln Repair quest at the Kilnden Workshop, located west of Hernand. This becomes available during Chapter 4. Do not skip or delay this — unlock it as early as possible so you are ready to collect every Power Core you encounter.

If you lose your Kuku Pot later, check the Lost and Found chest at Howling Hill Greymane Camp, or dispatch your comrades on the expedition called “Kuku Pot Production” to make another one.

For more on the Kilnden Workshop, see our guide on how to restart the Elixir Factory in Crimson Desert.

Source 1 – Sanctums (Named Power Cores)

The most reliable source for specific named Power Cores is the Sanctums. There are 16 Sanctums spread across the five regions of Pywel. Each one contains a unique piece of technology and yields a distinct named Power Core when you complete its minigame.

These are one-time yields per Sanctum. You get the core once, and it is tied to that Sanctum’s specific type. This makes Sanctums the primary source for the exact types needed for crafting high-tier Kuku recipes.

How Sanctums Work

Every Sanctum follows the same pattern. First, you clear out the enemies to liberate the area. Then you restore a broken reactor inside by finding a pillar piece, reconnecting it using Axiom Force and Force Palm, and inserting a Power Core into the reactor’s open slot.

After restoring the Sanctum, the front face of the reactor shows a circular pattern. This triggers the minigame. Use your Blinding Flash skill on the central crystal to begin. Then hit every point on the rotating object in sequence without missing. When all points are hit, the named Power Core appears — usually on top of the reactor. Grab it with Axiom Force to seal it into the Kuku Pot.

Sanctum Locations by Region

Hernand

Sanctum of Absolution — near Skybreeze Hearth, southeast of The Witchwoods in southern Hernand
Sanctum of Atonement — just west of Haunted Hill, near the Hernandian Ruins
Sanctum of Temperance — near Unicorn Cliffs, just south of the Goldleaf Guildhouse

Crimson Desert Region

Sanctum of Renunciation — along the Red River, just east of Sandpeak Gold Mine

Demeniss

Sanctum of Revelation — northern section of Serpent Marsh, across from Demeniss Port
Sanctum of Expiation — west of the Chattering Rocks, in northern Demeniss
Sanctum of Mortification — north of Demeniss Castle along the Denn River (only completable during Chapter 9’s main story quest Fragments of Darkness)

Pailune

Sanctum of Solace — southwest of Pailune City, near the Pailune Beacon
Sanctum of Exaltation — Silver Wolf Mountain region, northern Pailune, just west of Vannstein Lake

Delesyia

Sanctum of Oblation — west of Marni’s Laboratorium
Sanctum of Veneration — Blue Thicket, southeast of Marni’s Steel Armory, near Mount Benus
Sanctum of Devotion — Dewhaven area, west of Dewhaven Keep
Sanctum of Faith — southeastern coast of Delesyia, near the Grey Forest

Note: Because Sanctum of Mortification is tied to Chapter 9, you cannot earn the full Sanctum completion trophy or achievement until that chapter is reached.

For step-by-step walkthroughs of individual Sanctums, see our guides on the all Sanctum locations, Sanctum of Benediction puzzle solution, Sanctum of Absolution puzzle solution, Sanctum of Atonement puzzle guide, Sanctum of Veneration walkthrough, Sanctum of Devotion walkthrough, Sanctum of Faith walkthrough, Sanctum of Oblation walkthrough, Sanctum of Mortification walkthrough, Sanctum of Expiation puzzle guide, Sanctum of Revelation puzzle guide, Sanctum of Renunciation puzzle guide, Sanctum of Exaltation puzzle solution, Sanctum of Temperance puzzle solution, Sanctum of Solace puzzle solution, and Sanctum of Deliverance puzzle guide.

Crimson Desert Stone Worm and Bush Monster Locations 2

Source 2 – Abyss Enemy Farming (Repeatable)

This is the main repeatable source for generic Power Cores with random element types. Two enemy types drop them reliably: Wandershrubs (sentient bush monsters) and Stone Worms.

Wandershrubs (Bush Monsters)

Wandershrubs look like ordinary bushes but move and attack. They are found in dense, unusually colored foliage in the woodlands of southern Hernand. Beyond Power Cores, they also drop Abyss Gear and Abyss Cells, making them one of the most resource-efficient enemies to farm in the game.

The fastest way to kill them is a single Force Palm. One hit from Force Palm shatters their camouflage and kills them instantly. You can clear a field of Wandershrubs very quickly this way.

For more on the Abyss Cells and Gear drops from these enemies, see our guide on how to get Abyss Cells and the Abyss Gears list.

Stone Worms

Stone Worms are worm-like creatures that burrow underground and emerge when you walk near them. They are found in rocky hillside areas. They are excellent at camouflaging — just walk slowly over the ground and they will pop out.

The fastest kill method is Nature’s Snare followed by Nature’s Retribution. This reflects the Stone Worm’s own projectile straight back at it for an instant kill. Using standard sword combos against them takes significantly longer and is not recommended for efficient farming.

Stone Worms are found at three confirmed farming locations:

Location 1 – Southern Hernand Woodlands Head to the dense forested area south of Hernand. There is a fast travel point nearby. Look for areas with thick, unusually colored foliage — both Wandershrubs and Stone Worms spawn here.

Location 2 – Spire of Insight Area (Hernand) Stone Worms nest in the rocky outcrops near the Spire of Insight in Hernand. This is a reliable cluster with nearby fast travel.

Location 3 – Eastern Crimson Desert Region Head to the high-heat dunes on the eastern edge of the Crimson Desert map. Stone Worms are more common here. There is a fast travel point directly to the west of their nesting grounds.

The Save-and-Reload Trick

Because Power Core drops are random element types, you can save your game before killing an enemy. If the core that drops is not the type you need, reload the save and kill the creature again. Repeat until the right type drops. This avoids spending hours farming the wrong variants.

If enemies do not respawn immediately, fast travel to a different area and return. Enemies in Crimson Desert respawn after a few in-game days. You can also sleep in a bed or rest near a bonfire to skip time, though this is limited to once per day.

Source 3 – Boss Drops (Named Power Cores)

Several specific bosses in Crimson Desert drop named Power Cores as guaranteed rewards. These are fixed to a specific type and go directly into your Supply Chest automatically — you do not need to manually grab them in most cases.

Key boss Power Core drops include:

Power Core – Spire of Defiance Dropped by the Crimson Nightmare boss at Fort Perwil, west of Hernand. Also dropped by the Abyss Kutum at the Twisted Thicketway in the Abyss. The Kutum drop is important to grab manually before leaving the Twisted Thicketway — see our Twisted Thicketway puzzle guide for details on collecting it correctly.

Power Core – Verse of Sowing Two of these are needed for crafting the ATAG mech along with 300 Small Batteries, 300 Cogwheels, one Small Kuku ATAG, and one Core of Benediction.

Power Core – Ore of Resipiscence Required for the Abyssal Dragon Armor crafting recipe. See our full Abyssal Dragon Armor and Abyssal Fusion guide for the complete recipe.

Power Core – Casket of Illusions Dropped by Stone Worms in the Steel Mountains area, southwest of Demeniss near Willow River. Travel to the Abyss Nexus point northwest of Willow River, then head northeast to find the Grace Estate Greenfield Highlands area. This specific type is used in crafting the Kuku Flame-Resistant Armor.

Always unlock the Kuku Pot before fighting bosses that drop named Power Cores. If you defeat a boss before having the pot, the core may enter a limbo state. If this happens, check the Provisioner recovery tab at your camp.

For boss fight guides, see how to beat the Crimson Nightmare and how to beat Kutum.

Source 4 – Mechanical Enemies and Turrets

Power Cores also drop from Abyss mechanical enemies and turrets found throughout the world. The element type from these drops is random.

Specific creatures that drop Power Cores beyond Stone Worms and Wandershrubs include:

Tree Observers — found in the flat snow-covered forest on top of certain mountains. They drop Power Cores on defeat.

Wandershrubs — also drop Abyss Gear and Abyss Cores in addition to Power Cores, as noted above.

Owl Statues — perched at cliff edges across the map. Destroy them with Force Palm. They drop Power Cores and Abyss Cells.

Karin Quarry Turrets — Karin Quarry has a hidden underground area where destroying turrets drops random elemental Power Cores. This is a less commonly known farming spot but worth exploring if you are in the area.

Source 5 – Abyss Puzzle Locations

Some specific Power Cores appear as fixed objects within Abyss puzzle sequences. These are placed in the environment and need to be inserted into a mechanism to progress. You interact with them using Axiom Force rather than collecting them permanently.

This applies to sections of the Eternal Corridor chain including Steamclouds Station. For context on how Power Cores function in that sequence, see our Steamclouds Station and Steelsail Archipelago walkthrough.

How to Collect Power Cores Correctly

Power Cores cannot be picked up like regular loot. The process is:

Look at the dropped or placed Power Core
Activate Axiom Force (L3 on PlayStation, L3 on Xbox, or the equivalent on PC)
A Seal prompt appears in the lower-right corner of your screen
Press Seal to store the core directly into your Kuku Pot

To retrieve a stored core from the Kuku Pot later, open your Kuku Pot inventory, select Discard on the core you want, and it will appear in front of you in the world. Then grab it with Axiom Force and place it as needed.

The Kuku Pot holds up to 230 Power Cores total.

What Are Power Cores Used For

Power Cores are the key material behind several important systems:

Kuku Gear Crafting — the primary use. Each Kuku item recipe requires specific Power Core types. Crafting is done at the Kilnden Workshop in Hernand using Grimnir’s Kuku Shop. Some of the strongest armor upgrades in the game are locked behind this system, including Kuku Ice-Resistant Armor (an upgrade of the Frostcursed set) and Kuku Flame-Resistant Armor.

ATAG Mech — crafting the ATAG requires two Power Core – Verse of Sowing. See our guide on how to get and repair the Mech ATAG for more.

Abyssal Dragon Armor — the Abyssal Fusion recipe requires one Power Core – Ore of Resipiscence.

Camp Research — some research projects at the Greymane Base Camp use Power Cores.

Abyss Puzzles — certain Abyss areas require you to physically place Power Cores into puzzle mechanisms during exploration.

Named Power Cores are significantly rarer than generic ones from random enemy drops. Do not use named cores in camp research or general crafting — save them specifically for the high-tier recipes that require them.

What to Do If You Lose a Power Core

Power Cores can occasionally get stuck underground after a drop, disappear after a boss cutscene, or be missed if the Kuku Pot was not yet unlocked at the time.

In all these cases:

Fast travel to a different area and return — the core may auto-add to your inventory
Check Carl the Provisions Keeper at Howling Hill Camp. Lost Power Cores can be recovered from his recovery tab for a small Silver fee, typically around 10 Silver
Check the Supply Chest and Provisioner recovery tab if a Power Core went missing during a boss fight

Common Questions

Do Power Cores respawn? The ones from Sanctums and fixed boss drops are one-time yields. Power Cores from random enemies like Stone Worms and Wandershrubs respawn along with those enemies after a few in-game days.

Can I sell Power Cores? You should not sell named Power Cores. They are needed for specific crafting recipes and cannot be easily replaced. Generic elemental Power Cores from random drops can be used in camp research or Kuku crafting, but consider your recipe needs before spending them.

Can I carry Power Cores in my regular inventory? No. Power Cores go directly into the Kuku Pot only. They cannot be stored in your standard inventory. Always have your Kuku Pot active before farming or fighting bosses that drop them.

Where to Get Power Cores in Crimson Desert – All Sources & Farming Guide

TL;DR

What Are Power Cores

First Step: Unlock the Kuku Pot