How to do research in Crimson Desert

There are a couple of places around Crimson Desert’s map that allow you to complete research to unlock various benefits such as infinite arrows and better hot air balloon flight.

If you want to access these upgrade trees, you first need to complete a task for the local researcher.

Scholastone Institute research

The first researcher you can find is Grunvar at the Scholastone Institute. This grumpy old orc will send you on a short quest if you visit him from Chapter 5.

Afterwards, you’ll be able to access Research Requests. Here’s a list of everything on offer:

• Abyssal Environment Research.
  • Grants you the Beekeper’s Gear Blueprint.
  • Costs 1 Silver.
• Research on the Abyss Energy Restoration Phenomenon.
  • Grants you the Faded Abyss Artifact Blueprint.
  • Costs 12 Silver.
• Abyssal Energy Research.
  • Allows you to increase your max health beyond the initial cap.
  • Costs 130 Silver.
• Enhanced Cloudcart Efficiency.
  • Unlocks a mission dispatch to craft the Cloudcruiser.
  • Costs 9 Silver.
• Enhanced Cloudcart Altitude.
  • Allows Cloudcarts to soar into the abyss.
  • Costs 100 Silver.
• Abyss Energy Applicable Device Research.
  • Unlocks mission dispatches to craft the ATAG Thrustpack MK II and MK III. Also allows Skystep to be imbued into shields used by Damiene.
  • Costs 500 Silver.
• Skyroot Research
  • Unlocks additional Skyroot research.
  • Costs 7 Silver.
• Skyroot Cultivation Research
  • Allows you to harvest seed from Skyroot.
  • Costs 90 Silver.

Once you’ve unlocked the first research for Abyssal Environment, you need to wait 14 in-game hours for it to complete, and you need to physically return to Scholastone once it’s done to turn it in and collect your reward.

After, there will be a bunch of side quest markers all around the area you’re in. Head to all of these to secure the knowledge you require to continue your research. You’ll have to talk to a bunch of research assistants and observe some of the machinery around the area.

One quest will ask you to investigate the habitat of the false starwort, which is as simple as heading to the marker and picking the white flower before returning to the assistant to hand it in.

Once you’re done, the next three research will become available (assuming you have the funds). The next three will unlock after you’ve done these.

Pororin Research

Pororin is a hidden village southeast of Hernand, just east of Emberwind Workshop. The first time you head there, strange children will hit you with a sleeping dart and drag your body away from the unreachable village.

Once you wake up, talk to the nearby shai and they’ll ask you to retrieve a relic from a tall guy. Head to the new quest marker and scout the area for a massive, walking tree. Climb up its legs and to its back, up to its head, and grab the relic. Return it to the children and you’ll be granted access to the village.

Once in Pororin, complete a short side quest for the researcher and you’ll be able to unlock the first option. Here’s every Pororin research available:

• Research on Getting Closer to Nature.
  • Rewards the Shadowleaf Disguise Blueprint and an infinite arrow supply.
  • Costs 1.10 Silver.
• Pharmacological Research on Medicinal Herbs.
  • Unlocks the Palmar Pill alchemy recipe.
  • Costs 7 Silver.
• Palmar Leaf Research.
  • Increases the supply rate of the infinite arrows.
  • Costs 9 Silver.
• Mysterious Energy of Wild Ginseng Research.
  • Allows containers to hold more.
  • Costs 130 Silver.
• Plant Combination Research.
  • Unlocks alchemy formulas for Freya’s Elixir, Meliara’s Elixir, and Haiden’s Elixir.
  • Costs 120 Silver.
• Efficient Gathering Research.
  • Increases the chance of finding additional plants while gathering.
  • Costs 70 Silver.
• Reachwood Ruins Dispatch Plan.
  • Unlocks the Reachwood Ruins dispatch mission.
  • Costs 80 Silver.
• Secret Tools of Life.
  • Allows you to dispatch missions to craft the Magic Scythe and the Pororin Fishing Rod.
  • Costs 500 Silver.

As with the other research institute, you need to physically turn the first research in to collect the reward and unlock some short local quests to gain knowledge for the remainder of the research tree.

These involve observing a couple of locations in the natural environment and speaking to some research assistants in the village.

If you want to check in on the progress of your research without visiting the locations in person, you can press Y/Triangle on the village on the map and tab over to research from the diorama screen.

It’s also worth noting that some research tasks halt and you have to head back to complete a sidequest to move things along.

Urdavah Research

Over in the sands of the Crimson Desert, in the archway city of Urdavah, there’s another research assistant where you can learn the following.

• Desert Lifestyle Research
  • Rewards Varnian Equipment Blueprint
• Bioenergy Amplification Research
  • Makes cooked food more potent.
• Wind Energy Fusion Device Research
  • Unlock a mission to craft the propeller spear, gale shield, and air blaster.
• Gold Vein Research
  • Foundational research for further gold research.
• Red Seaweed Research
  • Unlocks materials to level up stamina beyond initial cap.
• High Capacity Energy Power Device Research
  • Unlocks missions to craft ATAG Plating Mk II and III.
• Circulating Energy Research
  • Grants various accessory blueprints.