Chapter 2: Golden Greed

Chapter 2 is where Crimson Desert truly opens up. After the events of the prologue and Chapter 1 in Hernand, Kliff’s pursuit of the Black Bears leads him deeper into the continent of Pywel. This chapter introduces Lioncrest — a region defined by wealth, political corruption, and the ever-present threat of the Abyss.

Golden Greed is roughly 6-8 hours of story content, but with side quests and exploration, expect to spend 12-15 hours in this region.

Prerequisites

Before starting Chapter 2, ensure you’ve completed:

All Prologue objectives
Chapter 1 main quests (Trials of Kindness, Traces)
Recommended level: 8-10 (enemies start at level 10 in Lioncrest)
Hwando or equivalent weapon at +3 or higher
At least one piece of the Fallen Kingdom armor set

Tip: If you’re level 7 or below, complete side quests in Hernand first. The difficulty jump between Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 is significant.

Entering Lioncrest

The Road to Lioncrest Manor

The chapter begins with Kliff traveling the main road toward Lioncrest Manor, the seat of power in the region. Along the way, you’ll encounter:

Ambush by Black Bear scouts — a group of 4-5 enemies. This is your first taste of the chapter’s combat difficulty.
A wounded merchant — talk to him for lore about the region and a free Health Potion.
First sight of Lioncrest Manor — a cinematic introduces the region’s grandeur and underlying tension.

First NPC Encounters

Upon arriving at Lioncrest town, speak with these key NPCs in order:

NPC	Location	Purpose
Magistrate Hale	Town Hall	Main quest giver for the chapter
Innkeeper Rhea	The Gilded Flask inn	Rests, saves, and sells food recipes
Blacksmith Torban	Market district	Weapon upgrades and repairs
Scholar Eveline	Library annex	Lore about the Abyss and side quests

Main Quest: Golden Chains

Objective 1: Investigate the Merchant District

Magistrate Hale asks Kliff to investigate reports of Black Bear activity in the merchant district. This section is part exploration, part investigation.

Steps:

Head to the merchant district (southeast of town center)
Use Keen Senses (if unlocked) to highlight clues — look for scratch marks on doors and disturbed crates
Find three clues scattered through the district:
- A Black Bear insignia dropped behind a spice stall
- A torn letter referencing “the shipment” near the warehouse
- An eyewitness account from a terrified merchant (speak to him at the fish market)
Return to Magistrate Hale with your findings

Tip: While investigating, explore the upper floors of the warehouses. One contains a chest with the Lioncrest Blade — a solid one-handed sword with lightning infusion.

Objective 2: The Warehouse Raid

Hale sends you to raid the suspected Black Bear warehouse at the docks.

Enemy Composition:

Enemy Type	Count	Level	Notes
Black Bear Thugs	4	10	Standard enemies, attack in pairs
Black Bear Archer	2	10	Elevated positions, use cover
Black Bear Enforcer	1	12	Mini-boss, heavy armor, uses a mace

Strategy:

Approach from the rooftops (climb the crates on the east side) to take out the archers first
Drop down and engage the thugs — they attack in pairs but are vulnerable to grabs and throws
Save the Enforcer for last. He has super armor on most attacks, so use Shield Charge to break his guard, then punish with a combo
After clearing enemies, search the warehouse for the shipment manifest — a key story item

Loot in the Warehouse:

Shipment Manifest (key item)
Silver Pouch (45 Silver)
Fire Bombs x3
Steel Ingot x2

Objective 3: Report and Consequence

Return to Hale. A story cutscene plays revealing that the Black Bears are smuggling Abyss-tainted artifacts through Lioncrest. This connects to the supernatural events Kliff experienced in the prologue’s Unknown Space.

Hale asks you to meet an informant at the old chapel outside town.

Main Quest: The Gilded Cage

The Chapel Meeting

Travel to the old chapel (follow the quest marker). A short exploration sequence through the overgrown graveyard leads to the informant — a former Black Bear member named Darin.

Darin reveals:

The Black Bears are operating under a leader called The Golden Hand
The Golden Hand has been purchasing Abyss artifacts and experimenting with them
A major deal is happening at the Lioncrest underground vaults in two days (in-game time)

Key Choice: Darin asks if you’ll work with him or go alone. Working with Darin gives you a companion for the vault section (he fights alongside you). Going alone gives more XP but the vault enemies are harder.

Preparing for the Vault

Before the vault mission, take time to prepare:

Upgrade your weapon to at least +5 at Torban’s blacksmith
Stock up on potions — bring at least 10 Health Potions and 3 Stamina Tonics
Cook Grilled Meat for the attack buff
Complete available side quests (see side quest section below) for additional XP and gear
Unlock Shield Charge if you haven’t — the vault has several armored enemies

Main Quest: Into the Vault

This is the chapter’s main dungeon sequence. The Lioncrest underground vault is a multi-level area with combat encounters, puzzles, and a boss fight.

Vault Level 1: The Banking Halls

Enemies: Black Bear guards, Abyss-corrupted rats

Key encounters:

Guard Room: 4 Black Bear guards. Use the chandeliers (shoot them down with arrows) for environmental damage.
Corrupted Rat Swarm: These Abyss-tainted rats are fast but fragile. Use AoE attacks or Fire Bombs.
Puzzle Door: Align three rotating tiles to match the pattern on the nearby wall fresco. The solution is: Shield, Sword, Crown (left to right).

Vault Level 2: The Archives

Enemies: Black Bear officers, Abyss Phantoms

This level introduces Abyss Phantoms — spectral enemies that are resistant to physical damage but weak to Holy and Abyss-element attacks.

Key encounters:

Archive Guardians: Two Black Bear officers with halberds. They coordinate attacks — focus one down first.
Phantom Hallway: A corridor filled with Abyss Phantoms. Use Holy-infused arrows or Abyss Powers to clear them efficiently.
Lore Room: Contains important story documents about the Golden Hand’s plans. Read all documents for full context.

Tip: The Archives contain a hidden room behind a bookshelf (look for the one with a scratched floor — push it). Inside: Moonstone x1 and a lore entry about the original Pywel civilization.

Vault Level 3: The Golden Chamber (Boss Fight)

The deepest level holds the Golden Hand himself, along with his prize — a massive Abyss artifact.

Boss Fight: The Golden Hand

The Golden Hand is Chapter 2’s primary boss encounter. He fights with dual enchanted daggers and Abyss powers.

Boss Overview

Detail	Info
Name	The Golden Hand (real name: Varen Kost)
Level	14
Weakness	Fire, heavy attacks
Resistance	Abyss element, quick attacks
Phases	2 phases
Companion	Darin (if you chose to work together)

Phase 1: Dagger Fighter (100%-50% HP)

Varen uses fast dual-dagger combos with Abyss-enhanced slashes:

Attack	Telegraph	Counter
Shadow Strike	Blue glow on daggers (1 sec)	Dodge backward, then punish
Dagger Flurry	Steps forward aggressively	Parry the first hit, punish the rest
Abyss Slash	Purple energy wave	Roll through it (i-frames)
Vanish	Disappears in smoke	Watch for dust particles, dodge when he reappears behind you

Strategy: Varen is fast but fragile. Parry his Dagger Flurry for the biggest openings. Use heavy attacks when you get a window — he staggers easily from posture damage.

Phase 2: Abyss Empowered (50%-0% HP)

Varen channels the Abyss artifact, gaining new attacks:

Abyss Pulse — AoE pulse around him, damages in a 5-meter radius
Shadow Clones — creates 2 illusions that deal reduced damage
Gold Drain — steals Silver from your inventory (minor, but annoying)
Empowered Vanish — faster and he strikes three times on reappearance

Strategy: In Phase 2, identify the real Varen by watching for the one with a shadow (clones have no shadows). Save your Abyss Power for this phase and use it for burst damage when he’s recovering from Abyss Pulse.

Rewards

Golden Daggers (unique dual blade weapon)
Abyss Artifact Shard (key item for story progression)
300 Gold
Lore Entry: The Golden Hand’s Ledger

Chapter 2 Side Quests

Available Side Quests

Quest	Giver	Level	Reward	Notes
Estate in Dismay	Farmer Thorne	8	Leather Armor set piece	Clear bandits from a farm
The Price of Gold	Scholar Eveline	10	Lore entries, 50 Silver	Investigate Lioncrest’s history
Smuggler’s Route	Darin	11	Fire Bombs x10, XP	Map the Black Bear supply lines
Abyss Without Balance II	Chapel priest	12	Abyss Core (ATK)	Solve an Abyss puzzle in the catacombs
The Noble’s Request	Lord Ashworth	10	100 Silver, unique ring	Diplomatic escort mission

Recommended Completion Order

Estate in Dismay (easy, good gear reward)
The Price of Gold (lore and Silver)
The Noble’s Request (good Silver for upgrades)
Smuggler’s Route (story context for the vault)
Abyss Without Balance II (hardest, best reward)

Lore Discoveries in Chapter 2

Throughout Lioncrest, you’ll find lore entries that expand the world:

The Fall of the Golden Court: How Lioncrest’s nobility lost power to the merchant class
Abyss Manifestations: Scholarly notes on how the Abyss interacts with the physical world
Black Bear Origins: Hints about where the Black Bears came from and their true goals
The Greymane Legacy: Kliff’s own history, connected to events in Lioncrest

Transition to Chapter 3

After defeating The Golden Hand, a cutscene plays showing Kliff examining the Abyss artifact. It triggers a vision of Howling Hill and a powerful Abyss entity. Darin (if present) provides intelligence about Black Bear movements to the north.

Chapter 3 will take you to Howling Hill, the rugged frontier region. You should be around level 14-16 before proceeding.

End-of-Chapter Checklist

Before moving to Chapter 3:

Defeated The Golden Hand
Completed all available side quests in Lioncrest
Upgraded main weapon to +5 or higher
Unlocked Shield Charge and Keen Senses II
Collected all lore entries in the vault
Visited the Lioncrest Manor Gold Bar location (see Exploration Guide)
Restocked on potions and crafting materials

Tip: Talk to all NPCs again after completing the vault. Many have new dialogue reflecting the story changes, and some offer additional quests or items.