How to Upgrade Weapons and Armor in Crimson Desert (Refinement Guide)

TL;DR

Upgrading gear in Crimson Desert is called Refinement and is done at any Blacksmith
Your first Blacksmith is Turnali, found in the center north of Hernand
Weapons and armor need materials like Iron Ore, Timber, Hides, and Bones to refine
There are 10 Refinement levels per item — higher levels need rarer materials
Refinement costs materials only, not silver
Past level 4 you will need Abyss Artifacts, which are also used for skill points
Abyss Gear slots onto weapons and armor for bonus stats like Attack Speed and Critical Hit
You need a Witch vendor, not a Blacksmith, to equip Abyss Gear

Your starter gear in Crimson Desert will only carry you so far. Once you start running into tougher enemies and bosses, weak weapons and thin armor will slow you down fast. The good news is the upgrade system is not complicated once you know where to go and what materials to stack.

This guide breaks down the full Refinement system, what materials you need, how Abyss Gear works, and what to prioritize so you are not wasting resources.

Table of Contents

What is Refinement in Crimson Desert?

Refinement is the name the game uses for upgrading your weapons and armor. It is not called upgrading or enhancing — it is Refinement. Keep that in mind when searching menus.

You can refine weapons, armor pieces, shields, and jewelry. Each item has 10 Refinement levels. Every level raises the raw stats — attack power for weapons and defense for armor. The cost at each level is just materials, no silver required for basic Refinement.

You can preview all Refinement levels and their required materials before committing. In your inventory, click Inspect on any item, then select Refinement Information to see every level and what it costs.

Where to Find Blacksmith Turnali in Hernand

Your first Blacksmith is Turnali, located in the center north district of Hernand. On your map, look for the anvil and hammer icon — that is the smithy marker used for every Blacksmith in the game.

Turnali is right behind the giant vendor Rhett in the center of town, so he is hard to miss once you are in the right area.

To start upgrading:

Approach Turnali and speak to him
Select the Refinement option from his menu
On the left side of the menu, pick the weapon or armor piece you want to upgrade. Equipped items will be tagged so you can find them quickly
Check the required materials for the next level
Confirm and refine

Refinement does not cost silver at early levels, just the materials listed. This makes it worth doing early and often.

What Materials Do You Need for Refinement?

Different gear types need different materials. Here is a breakdown of what to stock up on:

Weapons — Iron Ore is the main requirement. You can buy Iron Ore from merchants in Hernand or mine it yourself from rocky mountainsides across the open world. Ore nodes stay marked on your map after mining and regrow over time. You will need a Pickaxe to mine, which is sold at the Provisioner’s Shop in Hernand. If you do not have one yet, you can also use the Force Palm skill on ore nodes.

Plate Armor and Metal Shields — Also need Iron Ore. The vendor directly in front of Turnali sells Plate Armor, which is actually one of the better early armor options in the game.

Shields (Wooden) — Mainly require Timber. Chop trees to get it. You need a Logging Axe or the Turning Slash skill to fell trees. The Logging Axe is also sold at the Provisioner’s Shop.

Leather Armor — Requires Hides, which come from hunting animals. Smaller animals drop Small Bones and smaller hides. Larger animals drop Large Bones and bigger hides.

Jewelry and Accessories — These also use ore in most cases, though exact materials vary by item.

A good habit early on is to mine ore and chop timber whenever you are exploring, even if you are not planning to upgrade immediately. Materials stack up fast and the higher Refinement levels need a lot of them.

How Many Refinement Levels Are There?

Each item has 10 Refinement levels. The stat gains feel small at first — usually just 2 or 3 points per level for damage or defense. But consider that most weapons start with only 10 to 15 base damage. By level 5, you can roughly double your damage output. That is a significant jump.

The material cost and rarity increase with each level. Early levels are cheap. Mid-levels need more ore and timber. Higher levels get more demanding.

One important point: past Refinement Level 4, you will need Abyss Artifacts. These are the same items used to level up and gain skill points. Spending them on gear means fewer skill upgrades, so think carefully before pushing gear past level 4 early in the game. Focus on weapons and armor you plan to use for a long time before investing Abyss Artifacts.

Which Gear Should You Upgrade First?

You do not need to refine everything. Pick two or three weapons you enjoy using and focus on those. Kliff can use swords, greatswords, spears, shields, bows, daggers, and more. Spreading your materials across too many weapons wastes resources.

Think about:

Moveset — Do you enjoy how the weapon feels? Refinement will not change how it handles
Playstyle — Are you close range, ranged, heavy hitter? Match the weapon to how you play
Boss requirements — Some boss fights strongly favor certain weapon types. Check ahead if you are struggling

For armor, upgrade your chest piece first since it takes the most hits, then work outward to gloves, headgear, and footwear.

What is Abyss Gear and How Does It Work?

Refinement raises raw numbers. Abyss Gear is where you actually customize your build.

Abyss Gear items are stat modifiers that slot into your weapons and armor. Every weapon and armor piece has three slots available. These modifiers can boost things like Attack Speed, Critical Hit chance, and other passive effects. Some Abyss Gear has named properties — for example, a Gale II modifier can raise your Attack Speed by two levels, which is a noticeable difference in combat feel.

Abyss Gear does not come from Blacksmiths. You need to find a Witch vendor to slot and swap Abyss Gear. Witch vendors are found on the outskirts of major cities and settlements across Pywel. As you progress through the story you will meet Elowen the Witch, who handles Abyss Gear for your loadout.

You can get Abyss Gear from:

Enemy drops
Quest rewards
Vendors across Pywel
Chests and exploration finds

Mix and match modifiers to suit your playstyle. Abyss Gear is where the real build-crafting happens in Crimson Desert.

Non-Unique vs Unique Gear Refinement

There is one more thing worth knowing before you start refining.

Non-unique weapons and armor can be refined using gathered materials or by using a duplicate copy of the same item. Unique weapons and armor require specific materials to upgrade — you cannot use duplicates. Always check whether your gear is unique before planning your upgrade path so you are not hunting for the wrong materials.

Other Blacksmiths in Crimson Desert

Turnali is only the first Blacksmith you will meet. As you explore more of Pywel, every major city has at least one smithy with a Blacksmith NPC. The anvil and hammer icon on your map always marks their location. The Refinement system works the same at every Blacksmith, so use whichever is closest to you as you travel.

Quick Upgrade Tips

Inspect any item and check Refinement Information before farming materials — know what you need ahead of time
Buy Iron Ore from merchants if mining feels slow. It saves time early on
Get your Pickaxe and Logging Axe from the Provisioner’s Shop in Hernand as soon as possible
Sell excess materials at merchants for extra silver when you have more than you need
Do not over-invest Abyss Artifacts past level 4 on gear you might replace soon
Plate Armor from the vendor next to Turnali is one of the best early armor options — buy it and start refining it right away

If you are still getting to grips with the early game, check out our guide on how to steal items in Crimson Desert for another useful mechanic that can earn you extra silver and goods in Hernand.

Ready to jump in? Grab the game on your platform:

For a full breakdown of the game itself, read our Crimson Desert Review.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you upgrade weapons in Crimson Desert?

Go to any Blacksmith and select the Refinement option. Pick the weapon you want to upgrade, check the required materials, and confirm. Each weapon has 10 Refinement levels. The first Blacksmith you can reach is Turnali in the center north of Hernand.

What materials do you need to upgrade weapons in Crimson Desert?

Most weapons need Iron Ore. Wooden shields need Timber. Leather armor needs Hides and Bones from hunting animals. You can mine ore with a Pickaxe and chop wood with a Logging Axe, both sold at the Provisioner’s Shop in Hernand. You can also buy Iron Ore directly from merchants.

Does upgrading gear cost silver in Crimson Desert?

Basic Refinement only costs materials, not silver. However, some sources indicate there may be a small silver cost at higher levels depending on the item. The main investment is always the materials, not currency.

What happens past Refinement Level 4 in Crimson Desert?

Past Level 4, you will need Abyss Artifacts to continue refining. Abyss Artifacts are also used to level up and unlock skill points, so spend them carefully. Only push gear past level 4 if you plan to use that weapon or armor piece for a long time.

What is the difference between Refinement and Abyss Gear in Crimson Desert?

Refinement raises the base stats of your weapon or armor — attack power and defense. Abyss Gear adds bonus passive effects on top of those base stats, like increased Attack Speed, Critical Hit chance, or special named modifiers. Refinement is done at a Blacksmith. Abyss Gear is equipped through a Witch vendor.