Knowing what to buy, sell, and keep can greatly impact your progress, finances, and combat effectiveness. This guide covers the essential items based on proven player strategies.

Best Items to Keep

These items are vital for long-term progression and should never be sold unless absolutely necessary.
  • Unique Weapons: These are one-of-a-kind weapons found in specific locations like dungeons or quests. They cannot be duplicated and require special refinement materials to upgrade. Always retain them as they are powerful and irreplaceable.
  • Special Equipment and Tools: Items like the Thieves Mask for stealing, axes for logging, pickaxes for mining, and fishing rods serve specific purposes. These tools enable gathering and other mechanics essential for gameplay.
  • Crafting and Refinement Materials: Stockpile ores, timbers, cloths, hides, bones, and other resources. They are needed for weapon and armor upgrades at blacksmiths. Selling them early can hinder your progression later.
  • Abyss Cores: These provide extra stats and effects when attached to gear. Keep them to customize your build effectively. They are valuable for long-term character power.
  • Food and Cooking Ingredients: Food is your main healing method in combat. Keep a supply of cooked meals and key ingredients to maintain health during fights and exploration.

Best Items to Buy

Invest your silver wisely in these items to improve your efficiency and capabilities right away.

  • Small Bags: Inventory space is tight in Crimson Desert. Buy Small Bags from nearly every merchant for a small amount of copper. They add valuable slots immediately. Look for Medium Bags through quests for even more space.
  • Abyss Artifacts: Purchase these from vendors like Elowen the Witch north of Hernand. Regular Abyss Artifacts boost skills and stats, while Faded ones allow skill tree resets. They are key for character development.
  • Food, Ingredients, Recipes, and Blueprints: Buy food for immediate healing or ingredients and recipes to cook better meals yourself. This is often more cost effective and provides better restoration effects.

Best Items to Sell

Clear out these items regularly to free up inventory space and earn quick silver.
  • Documents and Quest Items: Books, recipes, bounty posters, and other documents become useless after completing associated quests. Sell them to free up space without losing progress.
  • Collectibles: Paintings, pots, bowls, and similar decorative items can be sold for decent silver. While some can be gifted to NPCs, selling is better if you need money.
  • Damaged or Excess Gear: Broken weapons, armor pieces, and regular loot from enemies or the environment (that are not unique) should be sold. Damaged gear cannot be repaired anyway.
  • Excess Gathering Items: Sell surplus plants, bugs, fish, flowers, and common materials that you do not need for crafting. Focus on keeping only what is required for upgrades.
  • Trading Goods: Unpackaged trade goods can be sold at black market vendors or Goldleaf Trading Posts once unlocked. They provide good returns.
  • Bounties: After completing faction bounties, sell them to earn silver and clear inventory.
Additional Tips for Success:

  • Check your inventory regularly and sell to vendors frequently.
  • Some items can be repurchased from vendors within a time limit if you regret selling.
  • Prioritize selling low-value items to maintain space for valuable loot.
  • Participate in trading runs with wagons for additional income once available.
  • Sell learned recipes and manuals immediately after unlocking their benefits.