Duskwood Puzzles
Pillar puzzle and checkers puzzle in the Witchwoods
The Duskwood area in the Witchwoods contains two distinct puzzles, each rewarding an Abyss Cresset — a puzzle-locked fast travel point that also yields an Abyss Artifact (Skill Point). The Hill Ruins challenge players with a height-matching pillar puzzle after burning away thorny vines, while the Waterside Ruins features a checkers-style stone placement puzzle where some pieces on the board are actually disguised enemy crabs.
Location
Duskwood Hill Ruins: Northern Witchwoods, Duskwood Hill area Duskwood Waterside Ruins: Northwest of Kilnden Workshop, west of Hernand
Prerequisites
1. Blinding Flash ability — required to burn the vines blocking the Hill Ruins entrance. 2. Stab Skill — required to interact with the pillar puzzle mechanism. 3. A ranged weapon (bow) — recommended for the Waterside Ruins to defeat disguised Mossback Crabs.
Step-by-Step Walkthrough
Hill Ruins — Burn the Vines
Approach the Duskwood Hill Ruins in northern Witchwoods. Thick thorny vines block the entrance and the pillar area. Use your Blinding Flash ability — enter Blinding Flash stance and activate Concentrated Light — to burn them away. Alternatively, use a fire arrow lit from a nearby brazier.
Hill Ruins — Understand the Pillar Puzzle
Once the vines are cleared, you'll see 5 stone pillars at different heights. The goal is to raise all pillars to the same height. Each pillar has a mechanism you interact with using your Stab Skill to move it up or down. Number the pillars 1 through 5 from left to right for reference.
Hill Ruins — Solve the Pillar Heights
Follow this sequence to align all pillars: (1) Move pillars #2, #3, and #4 up by half a step each. (2) Move pillars #3, #4, and #5 so that #3 and #4 align with pillar #1. (3) Finally, adjust pillars #2 and #5 to match the height of the others. When all 5 pillars snap into the same level, the puzzle activates. Pillars will snap into position automatically if they are close enough to the correct height.
Hill Ruins — Claim the Abyss Cresset
After the pillars align, an Abyss Cresset activates. Interact with it to unlock a permanent fast travel point and receive an Abyss Artifact (Skill Point). This completes the Duskwood Hill Ruins puzzle.
Waterside Ruins — Clear the Mossback Crabs
Travel to the Duskwood Waterside Ruins, located northwest of Kilnden Workshop. Approach the checkerboard grid puzzle. Before placing any stones, look carefully — some of the "rocks" already on the board are actually Mossback Crabs in disguise. Use a ranged weapon (bow) to attack them from a distance and reveal or defeat them before starting the puzzle.
Waterside Ruins — Solve the Checkers Puzzle
Pick up the white stones near the puzzle board and place them on the grid. The objective is to line up 5 stones of the same color in a row — horizontally, vertically, or diagonally — similar to Gomoku (five-in-a-row). Plan your placement carefully to form the required line of 5 before placing all available stones.
Waterside Ruins — Claim the Abyss Cresset
Once you successfully line up 5 stones in a row, the Abyss Cresset at the Waterside Ruins activates. Interact with it to unlock a permanent fast travel point and receive an Abyss Artifact (Skill Point). This completes both Duskwood puzzles.
Rewards
Abyss Cresset — Hill Ruins (Fast Travel Point)
Completing the pillar puzzle at Duskwood Hill Ruins activates an Abyss Cresset, adding a permanent fast travel point to your map for the northern Witchwoods area.
Abyss Artifact x1 — Hill Ruins
Grants one Skill Point for the Skill Tree. Use it to unlock or rank up abilities, or invest into core stats (Health, Spirit, or Stamina).
Abyss Cresset — Waterside Ruins (Fast Travel Point)
Completing the checkers puzzle at Duskwood Waterside Ruins activates an Abyss Cresset, adding a permanent fast travel point near Kilnden Workshop.
Abyss Artifact x1 — Waterside Ruins
Grants one Skill Point for the Skill Tree. Use it to unlock or rank up abilities, or invest into core stats (Health, Spirit, or Stamina).
Tips
- Save your game manually before starting the Hill Ruins pillar puzzle. Leaving mid-puzzle can cause the vines to bug out and respawn, forcing you to burn them again.
- Pillar heights snap into place automatically when they get close enough — you don't need to hit the exact position perfectly.
- For the Waterside Ruins, always use a ranged weapon to check the board before touching anything. Mossback Crabs blend in perfectly with real stones and will attack if you walk up to them.
- Both Duskwood puzzles are completely optional — you can complete them in any order or skip them entirely.
- Each Abyss Cresset also functions as a fast travel point after activation, making future exploration of the Witchwoods much more convenient.
- If the pillar puzzle appears to reset after you've already started, reload your manual save and try again from the beginning without leaving the area.
About the Duskwood Puzzles
The Duskwood area of the Witchwoods contains two optional puzzles, each rewarding an Abyss Cresset — a fast travel point that also yields an Abyss Artifact Skill Point. The Hill Ruins features a height-matching pillar puzzle: burn the vines with Blinding Flash, then use the Stab Skill to raise all 5 pillars to the same level. The Waterside Ruins is a Gomoku-style checkers puzzle where you must place white stones to form a line of 5, while watching out for Mossback Crabs disguised as board pieces. Both puzzles are fully optional and can be completed in any order.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do I need any special skills for the Duskwood puzzles?
- Yes. For the Hill Ruins, you need Blinding Flash to burn the blocking vines and the Stab Skill to operate the pillar mechanisms. For the Waterside Ruins, a ranged weapon (bow) is strongly recommended to safely deal with the disguised Mossback Crabs on the puzzle board.
- What if the pillars won't move after I burn the vines?
- This is a known bug. Reload a manual save from before you started the puzzle, then re-burn the vines and attempt the puzzle again without leaving the area mid-progress. Make sure you have the Stab Skill equipped before interacting with the pillar mechanisms.
- Can I do these puzzles in any order?
- Yes. Both the Hill Ruins and the Waterside Ruins puzzles are optional content with no story dependency. You can complete them in any order, do one and skip the other, or return to them at any point during your playthrough.
- What is an Abyss Cresset and why should I unlock it?
- An Abyss Cresset is a puzzle-locked fast travel point hidden inside Ancient Ruins. Solving the puzzle permanently unlocks the location as a fast travel destination AND grants an Abyss Artifact (Skill Point). Skill Points are the primary progression resource in Crimson Desert, used to unlock abilities and boost core stats, making every Abyss Cresset well worth solving.
- How do I find the Waterside Ruins if I can't locate them?
- The Waterside Ruins are located northwest of Kilnden Workshop, west of Hernand. Look for the ruins near a body of water in the Witchwoods. Use Blinding Flash from a high vantage point to scan for Mysterious Energy markers, which will appear as white circles on your minimap indicating undiscovered Abyss points nearby.