The Sturdy Tree Branch is a one-handed weapon in Crimson Desert that looks like a joke but is actually one of the best off-hand choices for two-handed weapon builds. When fully upgraded to Refinement 10, it gives Attack Speed Level 3 and Movement Speed Level 3 as passive bonuses that stay active even when you are using a two-handed weapon. The catch is that it only drops from chopping specific trees, and after Patch 1.09 the drop system changed. This guide covers exactly how to get it, the best farming location, how to upgrade it, and why it matters.
TL;DR
- The Sturdy Tree Branch drops from chopping trees — specifically from ordinary trees and bamboo.
- Before Patch 1.09: Dropped directly from regular trees in Hernand using Force Palm or a Logging Axe.
- After Patch 1.09: Trees now drop Rough Tree Branch and Rough Sturdy Tree Branch. You must Trim the Rough Sturdy Tree Branch to get the Sturdy Tree Branch — hold the interact button on it and select Trim.
- Best farming location: Dense tree areas in Hernand — the island east of Hernand between the two rivers, the forest south of Scholastone, and the Coalvale Workshop area north of Howling Hill.
- For faster drops: Use Olvald’s Logging Axe — it has the Expert Logging skill and a 20% bonus timber chance, which increases branch drop rates.
- Upgrade it to Refinement 10 using one Sturdy Tree Branch per upgrade level.
- At max refinement: Attack Speed Level 3 + Movement Speed Level 3 as passive bonuses during two-handed weapon use.
- It is not recommended for one-handed builds — its base attack (+3) is too low to use as a primary weapon. It is an off-hand stat stick for two-handed builds only.
What Is the Sturdy Tree Branch
The Sturdy Tree Branch is a one-handed weapon added in Patch 1.04.00. It is the higher-grade variant of the regular Tree Branch — both are improvised weapons made from forest material. In terms of raw damage, the Sturdy Tree Branch has only +3 Attack and is well below any crafted or quest-grade weapon in the game. Nobody uses it to actually fight.
The reason players want it is the passive stat bonuses it carries when upgraded. At Refinement 10, it gives Attack Speed Level 3 and Movement Speed Level 3. These bonuses are applied passively whenever the weapon is equipped — meaning you can equip the Sturdy Tree Branch in your off-hand slot, switch to a two-handed weapon in combat, and the speed bonuses stay active. This makes it the best off-hand weapon for two-handed builds in the game purely for stat contribution.
For one-handed builds where you actually need your off-hand weapon to deal damage, skip it — the attack power is too low to justify using it over any proper one-handed weapon. For two-handed builds, it is a significant passive upgrade. See our guides on the best dual wield swords build and best one-handed swords for context on how it fits into different playstyles.
How to Get the Sturdy Tree Branch — Patch 1.09 Method
After Patch 1.09, the drop system for branches changed. Trees no longer drop the Sturdy Tree Branch directly. Instead they drop:
- Rough Tree Branch — refined into regular Tree Branch
- Rough Sturdy Tree Branch — trimmed into Sturdy Tree Branch
To get a Sturdy Tree Branch from the new system:
- Chop trees until you get a Rough Sturdy Tree Branch in your inventory.
- Open your inventory and find the Rough Sturdy Tree Branch.
- Hold the interact button (Hold Square on PS / Hold X on Xbox / Hold Space on PC) on the item.
- A radial menu or item action menu appears. Select Trim.
- The Rough Sturdy Tree Branch is trimmed into a Sturdy Tree Branch.
This is the step that confuses most players after the patch — if trees are only giving you Rough branches, do not look for a crafting recipe. The answer is the Trim action directly on the item itself.
Best Farming Locations for the Sturdy Tree Branch
The Sturdy Tree Branch (or its Rough variant after 1.09) drops from ordinary trees across Pywel. Higher tree density means more chops per session and more chances at a drop. The following locations are the best farming spots:
Location 1 — Island East of Hernand (Best Early Spot)
The island east of Hernand between the two rivers is the most efficient early farming location. It has high tree density, is close to the Hernand blacksmith for immediate upgrades, and trees respawn after relatively short cooldowns. Use the Abyss Nexus near Hernand City to fast travel in and reset the area between runs.
Location 2 — South of Scholastone Forest (Hernand)
The forested area south of Scholastone Institute in southern Hernand has a good spread of trees at elevation. This doubles as a farming location for the Owl pet spawn at night — see our Owl pet location guide for details on using this area for both purposes.
Location 3 — Coalvale Workshop Area (North Howling Hill)
The area around Coalvale Workshop north of Howling Hill — which you visit during the Pioneering story quest — has dense forest coverage. If you have just completed the Pioneering quest and are already in the area, this is a convenient first farming spot without backtracking.
Location 4 — Bamboo Forests (Eastern Pywel)
Before Patch 1.09 (and still in some reports after), the Sturdy Tree Branch also drops from chopping bamboo with a logging axe. Bamboo grows in forested zones in the eastern half of Pywel. The Sturdy Tree Branch drops from bamboo as a chance alongside the usual bamboo shoot yield — the same way regular branches drop from normal trees. Bamboo is rarer than ordinary trees, so the farming loop is slower, but if you are in the eastern regions it is worth chopping any bamboo you pass.
For bamboo-related crafting, see our White Wood Bow crafting guide — it uses bamboo shoots as a material and you can farm both in a single run.
How to Speed Up Farming — Use Olvald’s Logging Axe
The standard Logging Axe bought from the Provisioner’s Shop in Hernand works for farming branches. However, Olvald’s Logging Axe is significantly better. It has the Expert Logging skill and a 20% bonus timber chance, which increases all tree drop rates including branch variants.
Getting Olvald’s Logging Axe is a project in itself — the blueprint is hidden inside a tree with a hidden door in the far northwest edge of the map, north of Pailune City in the Longbranch Shade area. Look for a large treehouse structure between two rivers that form a V-shape. Crafting it requires Fine Timber, Iron Ore, Sturdy Hide, Ivory, and Rubber. Full instructions in our Olvald’s Logging Axe and Flawless Timber guide.
If you do not have Olvald’s Logging Axe yet, using Force Palm on trees is an alternative to the basic Logging Axe — it fells trees quickly and triggers the same drop table.
How to Upgrade the Sturdy Tree Branch to Refinement 10
Upgrading the Sturdy Tree Branch to Refinement 10 is what unlocks the full Attack Speed Level 3 and Movement Speed Level 3 passive bonuses. The upgrade process uses the standard weapon refinement system.
Each upgrade level from Refinement 1 to Refinement 10 requires:
- x1 Sturdy Tree Branch per refinement level as the upgrade material
This means you need to farm a total of 10 Sturdy Tree Branches — one to equip and nine more for the upgrades. Since each branch requires a separate chopping run, plan ahead and farm in bulk before starting upgrades.
Take your Sturdy Tree Branches and the weapon to any Blacksmith in Pywel to refine it. For the full refinement system explained, see our how to reinforce equipment guide and our guide on how to upgrade weapons and armor.
Sturdy Tree Branch Stats at Max Refinement
- Base Attack: +3 (very low — this is not a damage weapon)
- Attack Speed Level 3 — passive bonus active whenever the weapon is equipped
- Movement Speed Level 3 — passive bonus active whenever the weapon is equipped
- Weapon type: One-handed
- Best use: Equipped in the off-hand slot for two-handed weapon builds to gain the speed passives
The Sturdy Tree Branch can also be fitted with Abyss Gear sockets at any Witch’s altar — adding further stat bonuses on top of the speed passives. This makes it even more useful as a passive stat stick for two-handed builds. For the best Abyss Gears to socket into it, see our all Abyss Gear Blueprints guide — Vigor, Composure, and Vitality are all good picks for a speed-focused build.
Tips for Farming the Sturdy Tree Branch
- Farm in a dense tree area, not a sparse one. More trees per area means more chops per run. The island east of Hernand is the best early spot — revisit it multiple times across sessions.
- After Patch 1.09, look for Rough Sturdy Tree Branch, not Sturdy Tree Branch. The item name changed. If you are farming and not seeing “Sturdy Tree Branch” drop, check whether you have “Rough Sturdy Tree Branch” instead and use the Trim action.
- Bring a pet to help auto-collect nearby drops. While your pet cannot collect the branch specifically (it requires manual inventory interaction), it handles nearby material drops so you can focus on chopping. See our guide on how to get a pet.
- Farm 10 at once before upgrading. Each upgrade requires one Sturdy Tree Branch. If you upgrade as you go, you will need to farm 10 separate times. Farm all 10 in bulk first, then upgrade in a single blacksmith visit.
- Use Force Palm if you do not have a Logging Axe yet. Force Palm fells trees quickly and counts for the same drop table. No axe required.
- Chop bamboo too. If you are in the eastern half of Pywel, any bamboo stand is a bonus Sturdy Tree Branch attempt on top of your regular tree farming.
Quick Reference
- Item type: One-handed weapon (novelty / stat stick)
- Added in: Patch 1.04.00
- How to get (Patch 1.09+): Chop trees → get Rough Sturdy Tree Branch → hold interact on item → select Trim
- How to get (pre-1.09): Random drop from chopping trees with Logging Axe or Force Palm
- Also drops from: Bamboo (eastern Pywel) with a Logging Axe
- Best farming spots: Island east of Hernand, south of Scholastone Forest, Coalvale Workshop north of Howling Hill
- Faster farming: Olvald’s Logging Axe (Expert Logging, +20% timber chance)
- Upgrade material: x1 Sturdy Tree Branch per refinement level (need 10 total)
- Max refinement reward: Attack Speed Level 3 + Movement Speed Level 3 (passive)
- Best for: Two-handed weapon builds as an off-hand passive stat stick
- Not recommended for: One-handed builds (base attack too low)
For more weapon guides, visit our Crimson Desert guide hub. Related guides: best weapon Abyss Gears, how to get better equipment, how to increase attack level, and how to hide weapons and shields.
Crimson Desert is available on PC via the official site, Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation Store, and Xbox.
