How To Remove Bounty In Crimson Desert

TL;DR

Go to any church (Confessional) in Pywel, talk to the priest, and choose Buy Writ of Absolution to clear your bounty.
Bounties are region-specific. A bounty in Hernand does not affect you in Demeniss or Pailune.
You can also let guards arrest you and serve jail time — this clears the bounty for free but costs more Contribution EXP.
Every crime you commit loses you Contribution EXP, even if no one sees you.
The Mask is required for most crimes like stealing and pickpocketing. Remove it when you are not actively committing a crime to avoid suspicion.
Bounties are capped at 100 Silver Coins maximum.

Getting a bounty in Crimson Desert is easier than you think. You can accidentally swing your sword near a civilian, knock over the wrong crate, or steal a piece of fruit and suddenly have guards chasing you across Hernand. The good news is that clearing your name is simple once you know how the system works.

This guide explains exactly how to remove a bounty in Crimson Desert, where all the Confessional locations are, how the crime and wanted system works, and what happens if you get caught.

For a full look at the game, check out our Crimson Desert review.

Table of Contents

To remove a bounty in Crimson Desert, follow these steps:

Go to any Church or Confessional in the region where you have the bounty.
Talk to the priest or church representative inside.
Choose Buy Writ of Absolution.
Select the bounty you want to clear and pay the fee.

The cost is based on how serious your crime was. It ranges from a few Copper Coins for minor offences to Silver Coins for more serious crimes. The maximum bounty cap is 100 Silver Coins, regardless of how many crimes you stack up.

Important: You can pay off bounties from other regions at any Confessional, not just the one in the region where the crime happened. So if you have a bounty in Hernand and you are currently near Pailune, you can pay it off there.

If you do not have enough Silver, head to the nearest shop and sell any unwanted items from your inventory before visiting the church.

what can cause a bounty in crimson desert

All Confessional Locations In Crimson Desert

Every major region in Pywel has its own church or Confessional. Look for the yellow sun icon with an orange background on your map. Here is where to find one in each area:

Region	Location
Hernand	Church of Hernand, southeast corner of Hernand City. Talk to Alfred inside.
Demeniss	Cathedral of Demeniss, south of Demeniss City near the city wall. Hard to miss — it is a large building.
Pailune	Pailune Confessional, a small stand in the middle of Pailune City. Not a full church, but it functions the same way.
Deleysia	Church in the City of Deleysia, right next to the castle at the city’s centre.

For early game players, the Church of Hernand is the easiest to reach because there is a fast travel point nearby. Start here.

How The Crime And Bounty System Works In Crimson Desert

Crimson Desert tracks crime on a regional level. Each region in Pywel — Hernand, Demeniss, Pailune, and others — has its own independent bounty meter. A crime you commit in one region has no effect on your standing in another.

how to avoid being caught while doing crimes in crimson desert

When you commit a crime, here is what happens:

Stage 1 – Spotted

A red AoE circle appears around your character. This is the crime zone. If any NPC or guard sees you inside that circle, they will report you. You have a white timer in the upper right corner of the screen telling you how long until the alert escalates.

If you leave the red zone before anyone spots you, no bounty is issued. You still lose Contribution EXP for the crime regardless of whether anyone sees you — but no guards will hunt you.

NPCs do not actively search the red zone, so committing crimes in isolated spots like empty rooms, back alleys, or open fields dramatically reduces your chance of being spotted.

Stage 2 – Searching

If someone reports your crime, you move into the Searching stage. A bounty is now officially on your head. Guards in the region will be looking for you. The bounty increases for every additional crime you commit while being searched.

Your map will show the affected region shaded in red so you always know where you are wanted.

Stage 3 – Arresting

Once your bounty is high enough, guards will actively chase and try to tackle you on sight. If a guard grabs you, a QTE (Quick Time Event) activates. Press the prompted buttons on time to break free.

If you fail the QTE, Kliff is knocked out and taken to jail.

What Happens If You Go To Jail In Crimson Desert

If guards arrest you, you will be placed in a wooden holding cell and serve a sentence based on how serious your crimes were. Once the time is up, you are released and your bounty is cleared automatically.

However, going to jail has one big downside: it costs more Contribution EXP than simply paying the Writ of Absolution. Jail also deducts the bounty amount from your wallet if you have the funds, so you lose both money and Contribution.

If your bounty is small, paying it off at a church is always the better choice. If your bounty is very high and you are broke, letting guards catch you might be your only real option.

what can cause a bounty in crimson desert 2

How Crime Affects Contribution In Crimson Desert

Every crime reduces your Contribution EXP in the region where it happened. This happens whether anyone sees you or not.

Here is how much each crime costs:

Crime	Contribution EXP Lost
Theft / Pickpocketing	~5 points
Assault	Higher loss
Murder	~30 points

Contribution is the game’s reputation and progression currency. You use it to unlock gear at Contribution Shops, access certain quests, and build your standing in each city. Losing too much can set back your progress significantly, especially in the early game in Hernand.

Crimes do not reduce your Contribution Points directly — only your Contribution EXP. The distinction matters for levelling up your Contribution tier in each region.

You can rebuild Contribution by completing quests, clearing bandit camps, freeing captives, and giving alms to beggars across Pywel.

How To Commit Crimes Safely In Crimson Desert

Get The Mask

You need a Mask before the game will allow most criminal actions like pickpocketing or stealing. Without the Mask equipped, the steal prompt simply will not appear.

How to get the Mask:

Complete Jeffery’s Bounty in Chapter 2 (talk to the Hernand Guard Captain west of Hernand Castle).
Loot it from Bleed Bandits during exploration.
Buy it from the Back Alley vendor in Hernand.

The Mask blurs your appearance so nearby guards and civilians cannot identify you as easily. However, simply wearing the Mask can make NPCs suspicious of you even if you are not doing anything wrong. This can trigger unwanted attention during normal questing.

Rule of thumb: Only equip the Mask when you are actively planning to commit a crime. Remove it as soon as you are done.

Commit Crimes In Isolated Areas

NPCs do not actively patrol or scan the red crime zone looking for you. They only report you if they are already nearby when the crime happens. Commit crimes in empty rooms, unoccupied fields, or quiet back alleys to dramatically lower your detection risk.

Load A Previous Save

If you commit a crime by accident — bumping into a guard, accidentally hitting a civilian — you can simply load your last save to undo it entirely. The autosave system is generous enough that you typically lose only a couple of minutes of progress.

This is the fastest solution for accidental crimes.

Notoriety And Gear Bonuses

Here is something most players miss: high notoriety can actually benefit you in combat.

Certain gear pieces in Crimson Desert have attack bonuses tied to your wanted level. The higher your bounty, the more damage some of these items provide. Pearl Abyss deliberately built this in as a trade-off system — being wanted makes life harder in towns but can give you a real edge in fights.

If you plan to pursue a heavy combat or criminal playstyle, look for gear with notoriety-based stat bonuses. It is a niche but effective build strategy.

Bounty Hunting In Crimson Desert (The Other Side)

You can also work on the other side of the law. Bounty boards in towns across Pywel post wanted notices for outlaws. Accept one, track down the target, knock them out, hogtie them, and carry them to a guard to collect your reward.

It can be tricky to find a guard while lugging an unconscious person across town, but the rewards are solid. Bounty hunting is also a great way to rebuild your Contribution after a crime spree.

For a specific example, see our Crimson Desert Blix Bounty quest guide.

Useful Tips For Managing Bounties

Check your map regularly. Regions where you have a bounty are shaded red. This is an easy reminder before fast travelling into a hostile zone.
Do not kill guards while escaping. Each guard or civilian you kill during a chase raises the bounty higher and strips more Contribution EXP.
Steal from shops carefully. If you steal too much from one shop, merchants will leave their posts permanently and that area will be locked down. You will see the message “left their spot due to a disturbance” on the map.
Pay fines before entering a new region. Guards only chase you in the region where you have the bounty, so always clear up before you return to a city.
Small bounties are usually fine to ignore temporarily. Guards only turn fully hostile when the bounty reaches a high enough threshold. A tiny theft fine in Hernand will not cause guards to attack you on sight.

Related Crimson Desert Guides

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FAQs

Q: How do I remove a bounty in Crimson Desert?

A: Go to any church or Confessional in Pywel, talk to the priest, and choose Buy Writ of Absolution. Select the bounty you want to pay off. The cost depends on the crime. You can clear bounties from other regions at any Confessional, not just the one in that region.

Q: Where is the Confessional in Hernand?

A: The Church of Hernand is in the southeast corner of Hernand City. Talk to Alfred inside. There is a fast travel point nearby, making it the easiest Confessional to reach in the early game.

Q: What happens if I get arrested in Crimson Desert?

A: Guards will place you in a holding cell. You serve a sentence based on your crimes, then get released. The bounty is cleared, but you lose more Contribution EXP than if you had paid the church, and the bounty is deducted from your wallet too.

Q: Do bounties carry over between regions in Crimson Desert?

A: No. Bounties are region-specific. A crime in Hernand gives you a bounty only in Hernand. Your standing in Demeniss or Pailune is completely separate. Check your map — regions where you have a bounty are shaded red.

Q: How do I get the Mask in Crimson Desert?

A: Complete Jeffery’s Bounty in Chapter 2 by talking to the Guard Captain west of Hernand Castle. You can also loot the Mask from Bleed Bandits or buy one from the Back Alley vendor in Hernand. You need the Mask equipped to commit crimes like stealing and pickpocketing.