The 141 Sealed Abyss Artifacts in Crimson Desert

They are the key to the whole platinum: no challenge starts counting until you find its artifact, and they do not count retroactively. What they are, how to spot them and why you have to collect them before pushing the story.

Completing them unlocksExpert Explorer trophyExpert ExplorerGold5.29%

And it counts towards Unvanquished Strategist, Conqueror of the Abysses, Grand Collector of Arms, Brilliant Tactician, Shadowlord, Battlefield Conqueror, required for the platinum.

The EveryTrophy team3 min readPublished on 21/08/2026Updated on 21/08/2026Covers 7 of the 35 trophies

What they are and why they shape everything

Crimson Desert trophies almost never ask for a direct action. They ask you to complete whole categories in the Challenges menu, and that is where the trap sits: a challenge only starts making progress once you have found the Sealed Abyss Artifact that unlocks it. Before that, nothing you do counts.

There are 141 spread across the map. They do not count retroactively, apart from a few cumulative requirements. That means you can spend forty hours killing enemies with the spear and still have the spear challenge at zero, simply because you had not picked up its artifact.

Key

It is the only mechanic in the game capable of forcing you to redo dozens of hours. If you take one idea away from this guide, make it this one.

How to spot them

They show up on the minimap as purple icons, but only when you are close. So you do not have to walk over the exact spot, the sword has the Guiding Light ability, which marks them within a wide radius: L1+R1 on PlayStation, LB+RB on Xbox and Ctrl + left click on PC.

Before you head out looking for them it pays to ring the 8 Hidden Bells, which lift the fog from the map, and to open the fast travel points. Without that you are going in blind and the sweep drags on forever.

When to collect them: the first 25 hours

The roadmap recommendation is counterintuitive but it is the right one: spend the first 25 hours sweeping the map for artifacts before pushing the story properly.

It sounds like a waste of time and it is exactly the opposite. Doing it this way turns four of the game's five missable challenges into non-missable ones, because the problem with those four is precisely reaching the moment without the artifact in hand.

Which trophies depend on this

Practically every one that is not a story trophy. In practice, all 29 challenge trophies in the game run through here, and four of them also have challenges that are lost forever if you get there late.

What this guide is missing

The most laborious part is missing: the map with all 141 exact locations. At EveryTrophy we would rather not publish it until we have the whole thing, because that does not come out of any database, it has to be walked and written down, and we would rather not publish a half-finished list that makes you think you have the complete one.

We also have not verified whether patch 1.04 moved any of them, or whether there are artifacts tied to specific quests that only appear after a certain chapter. When we have it, it gets published here with a date.

The trophies involved

Each one links to its section inside the full Crimson Desert trophy guide.

Expert ExplorerGold5.29%
Revelation of every corner of Pywel brings the entire land into clear view.
Original name: Expert Explorer
Unvanquished StrategistGold5.04%
Command of battle's momentum makes the entire field yours to orchestrate.
Original name: Unvanquished Strategist
Conqueror of the AbyssesGold8.08%
Exploration of every abyss extends far into the depths of the world.
Original name: Conqueror of the Abysses
Grand Collector of ArmsSilver5.44%
All the weapons in the world are now in your hands.
Original name: Grand Collector of Arms
missable
Brilliant TacticianBronze5.35%
You've steered countless operations to success by reading the tide of battle.
Original name: Brilliant Tactician
missable
ShadowlordBronze5.41%
Knowledge of the shadowed world reaches depths few have ever known.
Original name: Shadowlord
missable
Battlefield ConquerorBronze5.82%
By sensing the rhythm of battle, you've learned to bend the battlefield to your will.
Original name: Battlefield Conqueror
missable

Other Crimson Desert guides

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The six challenges in the Sword of Trials series, with the exact requirement for each one and how to clear it. Completing them all unlocks the Master of Swords trophy.
All 6 Shield Mastery Challenges in Crimson Desert
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The six challenges in the Bow Aimed at Fate series, with the exact requirement and location for each. Only Kliff can use bows.
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The five challenges in the When Lightning Strikes series, with the exact requirement and location for each. All of them have to be done as Damiane.
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The ten Training challenges with their exact requirement and the spot on the map where each one sits. Clearing them unlocks the Relentless Warrior trophy.
All 10 Battle Challenges in Crimson Desert
The ten Battle challenges with exact requirement and location, including the two you want out of the way before you liberate the enemy bases. They unlock Battlefield Conqueror.
All 10 Operation Challenges in Crimson Desert
The ten Operation challenges with requirement and location, including the missable one that disappears in chapter 7. They unlock the Brilliant Tactician trophy.
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The eleven Hunting challenges with exact requirement and location, including the hunt for the four legendary beasts. They unlock the Ultimate Hunter trophy.
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The ten Above the Law challenges with requirement and location, including the one that does not count retroactively. They unlock the Shadowlord trophy.
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