Crimson Desert is a new action-adventure game where you explore a vast open world as a mercenary named Cliff, trying to rebuild his clan after a crushing defeat. Along the way you’ll fight bosses, tackle side quests, uncover secrets, and solve all kinds of puzzles.
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One such puzzle is hidden in the Root Ruins on the southern edge of Paylun. Here’s how to crack it and what you’ll earn for your trouble.
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Where to find the Root Ruins puzzle
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There are two ways to reach the puzzle. First, complete the entire Abyss chain on Slit Island, starting by killing the boss in the basement of the Spire of Resonant Truth. This is the tougher route, but it unlocks both elemental affinities—Flame and Frost.
Alternatively, you can simply stumble upon the spot by heading south through Paylun, just north of the Sage’s Peak mountains. When you arrive you’ll find an Abyss Gate you can activate, and to its south a cluster of thick cables running down the cliff face. Follow them into a cave to discover the Root Ruins puzzle.
Solving the Root Ruins puzzle
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Inside the cave, look for a lift opposite the huge central pillar. Step on, hit the switch, and ride up to the control booth. Use Axiom Force on the yellow toggle to shift the camera’s view to the central pillar and gear.
While controlling the Pillar, tilt the camera toward the ceiling. Your goal is to align the Pillar with each of the three glowing blue circles and lock them in place with the gear.
Move the Pillar under one circle and press X (Xbox) / Square (PlayStation) to “Control.” This drives the big gear into the circle like a key.
Now rotate the gear left or right until you hear a very distinct click. Note: if the gear stops and sparks, that’s not the lock—keep turning until you hear the unique sound, then press the Control button again to detach.
Repeat for the other two ceiling circles. You may need to crank your volume to catch the clicks—there’s no visual cue until all three are locked. Once the last circle is fixed, the area between them glows blue; move the Pillar back to the center and hit “Control.”
This activates a pressure plate on the surface directly above you. Ride up, step on it, and you’ll finish the puzzle and start a huge fan that lifts you to another Abyss island overhead.
Beat the boss: Kutum of the Abyss
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Surprise—you’re not done yet!
In the Twisted Thicket you’ll find an Abyss Gate you can activate. Do so and enter the arena to summon the boss: Kutum of the Abyss. You can beat him the normal way or the cheesy way.
If you want to skip almost the entire fight, sprint right at the start and stand behind one of the huge trees. You’ll take a bit of damage, but wait until Kutum fires his Laser Barrage. The beams will break the tree at its base, letting you use Lift on it.
Simply have Cliff raise the tree and slam it onto Kutum when he surfaces.
This knocks about 75 % off the boss’s health, making the rest of the fight trivial. If you’re struggling, I recommend this method—it erases the hardest parts of the encounter.
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For a fair fight, use Axiom Force the moment Kutum finishes (or is about to start) an attack to rip the red diamond Abyss Core from his body. This makes him extremely vulnerable, letting you whale on him.
Specifically, watch for Kutum to open his maw, fire Axiom Force into the core, then pull LT to yank it out. This deactivates him and gives you a few seconds to land your hardest hits on the core.
The main attacks to watch for are the Laser Barrage and a triple ground-pound that sends out lightning shockwaves. Dodge the first by simply running sideways when Kutum starts charging. For the second, time your roll just before each ground hit; mistiming it can stun you and leave you open to follow-up waves.
Once Kutum falls, a large circular button appears overhead. Use Palm Strike to press it and claim the Artifact of the Abyss that spawns on the altar.
