Table of Contents
Introduction
Back in February 2019, Black Desert Online introduced the Dark Rifts. These black portals appear at random across the world, and from them emerge potent monsters.
Adventurers who seek to stop these creatures need to be prepared for epic showdowns, but the rewards are well worth it. For those eager to join the fray, the following guide will tell you all you need to know about the Dark Rifts.
Finding A Dark Rift
Before you can find Dark Rifts, your character must reach level 56 and complete their respective Awakening Quests. From this point on, you will receive an alert you when Dark Rifts spawn. The alert will appear in the center of your screen (red text on a smear of black), and also down in the lower right of your interface. The spawn rate for the rifts is at least 1 every 7 days. They can spawn more frequently, and often do, but you are sure to get at least once a week.
Access the Dark Rift tab (the one that looks like a helmet) to bring up all the information you’ll need. You will see how many Rifts you have open and their corresponding bosses. This will include information about their difficulty (Normal, Hard, or Very Hard), the loot they will drop, and their power ranking.
The ranking is from 5 (V) to I (1). When the boss has just appeared, it will be ranked 5. Every 24 hours, the rank will decrease by 1, and the monster’s stats will also decrease. If you are having trouble with higher-ranked bosses, wait a few days before rechallenging them. After 4 days, they will reach rank 1, which will make them significantly weaker. This does not mean they will be easy, especially if your gear is low level, but it will help.
By the way: don’t worry about your loot being diminished. The rank of the boss has no impact on the rewards you receive for defeating it. There’s no downside to this mechanic.
The Dark Rift tab also provides you with an easy way to find the listed Rifts on the map. Just click the arrow button to auto-path to the location. Keep in mind that you won’t be able to attack the boss during a Conquest or Node War on your server.
Challenging Dark Rift Bosses
Finding the Dark Rifts is the easy part. There are 12 regularly appearing bosses (3 additional bosses are event-specific), and none of them are pushovers. Load up on HP potions before heading off to face them. Seek out the best gear you can obtain to make it easier on yourself as well. Be prepared for drawn-out battles.
That said, there are several mechanics to facing these bosses that make the experience less painful. First, when you engage these bosses, you become invisible to other players. No one can bother you by, for instance, targeting you for PVP. Second, the boss will not regen HP lost. It doesn’t matter if you run away, log off, don’t come back for a few days, or die.
Speaking of dying, there is no penalty for being killed by a boss from a Rift!
It does not apply to any mobs spawned by the boss or other mobs that may have been in the area. This means that you can’t get too careless. Try to clear the area around the boss before engaging. Figure out the safest route for retreat as well.
These bosses are heavy hitters, but they do have learnable attack patterns. Characters with excellent mobility, like wizards and archers, do well against them. Anyone can wear these bosses down, though, so don’t be intimidated. Keep in mind that they will not pursue you too far from their spawn points. Strategic retreats are totally viable.
Dark Rift Bosses, Locations and Difficulties
Here are the bosses, their locations, and their difficulties (Normal (N), Hard (H), Very Hard (VH):
Ancient Puturum (Valencia/VH)
Ahib Griffon (Kamasylvia/VH)
Ronin (Kamasylvia/H)
Moghulis (Mediah/H)
Ferrid (Mediah/H)
Dim Tree Spirit (Calpheon/H)
Ruins Guard Tower (Calpheon/H)
Gehaku (Calpheon/H)
Muskan (Serendia/N)
Dastard Behg (Serendia/N)
Giath (Serendia/N)
Red Nose (Balenos/N)
[Event] Titium (Calpheon/N)
[Event] Skeleton King (Mediah/H)
[Event] Leebur (Drieghan/VH)
It is possible to have all 12 bosses spawned simultaneously, but no multiples will spawn. They will remain on the map until defeated as well. You have as much time as you need to defeat them. Even low geared players can chip away at them successfully over time, so have no fear.
Dark Rift Loot
By now, you’re wondering what you get for slaying one of these monsters. Earlier I mentioned that the Dark Rift tab details what treasure you will receive. This loot will always include varying amounts of Black Stone weapon and armor enhancements, Memory Fragments, Ancient Spirit Dust, and Dark Spirit’s Greed. Generally, you will receive higher quantities from Hard and Very Hard bosses.
There will also be one of three boxes that correspond to the level of the boss: They are the Box of Distorted Dead (H), Silent Dead (VH), and Desperate (N). Each box will contain one randomly chosen item or piece of quality gear. Some of the rewards trigger quest chains that yield more significant, more valuable treasure. You will be able to determine which from the item descriptions.
Conclusion
The Dark Rifts are a fun and challenging addition to Black Desert Online. Each player has access to bosses that they can defeat at their convenience, and without the need to join parties and split the spoils. The terms of engagement are favorable, allowing players of all skill levels to experience this content. This feature was thoughtfully implemented and really adds a needed element to the game.
Even with the advantageous conditions, there is no denying that these are meant to be — and are — difficult battles. But now that you have read this guide, you are prepared to seek out the Rifts and vanquish the monsters that they spawn.
Sources
(https://m.blackdesertonline.com/news/view/2378)
“Black Desert Dark Rifts Guide | Silver Grind Guide (2019), 23/Mar/2019 (“Anders,” YouTube)
(https://grumpygreen.cricket/bdo-dark-rift)