PvE Basics
Ways to Improve Combat Capabilities
1. Magical Crystals
Magical crystals are items that can be transfused into gear slots. The effects of the magic crystals are applied once they have been transfused into the slots.
Magic Crystals are usually obtained by defeating monsters. However, the types you can obtain differ for each monster zone. So, try looking in the Central Market for the magical crystals with the desired effects.
▲ You can purchase a wide variety of magical crystals from the Central Market.
Check out the “Transfusion” guide for details about magical crystals.
2. Skill Add-ons
Skill add-ons are additional effects that can be added on to certain skills. The additional effects activated when you hit targets with the skill. These additional effects can be added through the Skill Instructor NPCs after your character reaches lv. 50.
Each time your character reaches lv. 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, and 60, they get a skill add-on for a single skill. Meaning, you can have skill add-ons for a total of 6 skills.
▲ You can get skill add-ons through Skill Instructor NPCs found in major cities and towns.
If you happen to be far from any city or town, try going to the Battle Arena and talking to the skill instructor Tachros. You can enter the Battle Arena at any time as long as your character has full HP by opening the ESC menu > War.
▲ You can adjust your skill add-ons easily by entering the Battle Arena then talking to the skill instructor, Tachros.
Check out the “Skill Add-ons" guide for details about skill add-ons.
3. Buffs
All effects that positively affect a character are known as “buffs.”
And, in the world of Black Desert, there are a large array of buffs to choose from.
Buffs that improve your combat stats are especially great for increasing your combat efficiency.
However, not all buffs can stack with each other. So, you will need to select buffs that can be used in conjunction with one another.
▲ Current buffs applied to your character are displayed on the Buff bar.
Focus on obtaining combat buffs.
The table below lists commonly used buffs that stack together. They are listed in the order of priority.
|
Types |
Items |
Priority |
Details |
|
Food |
|
HIGH |
Increases stats important for defeating monsters and other relevant effects |
|
Draught |
|
HIGH |
Increases AP and Damage Reduction Against Monsters, EXP gained, and other helpful effects |
|
|
HIGH |
Increases All AP, Special Attack Damage, Max HP, Max Stamina, and more |
|
|
|
HIGH |
Decreases your DP, but it significantly increases your offensive stats in exchange |
|
|
Alchemy Stones |
|
Medium |
These can be used by equipping them in your alchemy stone slot. They may have effects that increases combat capabilities. However, note that durability of Spirit Stones cannot be recovered. |
|
|
Medium |
An alchemy stone that raises your base AP by +3 on top of its buff. Its durability can be recovered. However, it is also fairly expensive to purchase as it’s known for its great effects. |
|
|
Campsite |
|
Medium |
Increases your AP, DP, Max HP, as well as “All Resistance”, and “Ignores All Resistance” effects. |
|
Gold Bar |
|
Low |
Offensively increases All AP and Accuracy. Defensively increases All Damage Reduction and Max HP. |
※ The priority for the buffs were decided by comparing their expense, difficulty of obtaining, amount of stats increased, and their duration.
※ You can only get 1 buff for each type of buffs at one time. Details of each item’s buff can be seen on their in-game item descriptions.
※ Buff duration of buffs that are applied to only your character will stop to countdown the character logs out of the game. The buff duration will then continue once you log back in with the character.
Tip
1. Food and draughts take a lot of materials and multiple steps to make. However, they can be easily purchased from the Central Market as other Adventurers tend to sell them. Alchemy stones can also be purchased from the Central Market. However, depending on which stone you are aiming to obtain, their effects and price may vary significantly.
2. Campsite buffs can be purchased through a campsite. For details about campsite, check out the “Campsite” guide.
3. Gold Bar buffs can be exchanged for Gold Bar 10G x3 (worth around 3,000,000 Silver) at major cities and towns through an NPC. However, it isn’t the most efficient buff as traveling from the NPC to your desired monster zone takes time.
4. Others
Just getting your skill add-ons, magical crystals, and buffs is enough to get you started, however, there are other ways to improve your character’s combat capabilities.
Check out the “Useful Tips – Raising Combat Stats” guide for more details.
EXP Buffs
If you are trying to reach lv. 61 or even higher, it will be extremely beneficial for you to know about the various Combat EXP buffs.
By the way, Combat EXP and Skill EXP are their own separate systems in Black Desert. So, it will be best for you to get both types of buffs.
※ Combat EXP buffs are calculated by adding them all together.
1. Combat & Skill EXP 530% Scroll (60 min)
There are a large variety of EXP buffs, however, it may be difficult for Adventurers that are just stepping into the world of Black Desert to get every type of buff available.
Still, the Combat & Skill EXP 530% Scroll (60 min) can be purchased via the Pearl Shop with Silver. So, be sure to get them!
▲ You can purchase 1 of these via the Pearl Shop for very little “Loyalties.”
The Combat & Skill EXP 530% Scroll gives exactly what its name implies, 530% increase to Combat and Skill EXP gained.
You can use this item to level up quickly, but you can only get 53 of them per Family. So, be sure to use them wisely!
However, there could be occasional special events in the future that allows you to purchase more of them.
2. Sealed Book of Combat
Using the Sealed Book of Combat does not get consumed but continues to give you a +100% EXP buff every time you use it during its period.
New Adventurers can obtain this item from their Challenges and login rewards. When you get one in your Inventory, you need to right-click on it to be able to use it. When you right-click on it for the first time, you will be shown a message asking if you really want to use the item.
▲ Opening a Sealed Book of Combat.
Press “Yes (Enter)”, then the duration of the Book of Combat will start to count down. You can keep using the item during the period.
3. Blessed Message Scroll
Blessed Message Scroll is an item that gives Combat EXP +200% and Skill EXP +30% for 100 minutes.
New Adventurers can obtain this item from their Challenges and login rewards. They are also given out as part of events and other means.
▲ Blessed Message Scroll
4. Others
There are more ways to get Combat and Skill EXP buffs in the world of Black Desert.
There is food like the Simple Cron Meal that increases EXP gain and combat stats. You could also use Beast's Draught and other items that give important buffs as well.
There is also the Black Spirit’s buff that you can obtain by consuming Energy.
▲ Open the Black Spirit menu > Exchange then select an option to consume Energy for an EXP buff.
If you would like to find out more about EXP buffs, check out the various guides written by veteran Adventurers.