The Great Desert of Valencia, also known as the Black Desert, is a vast area taking up most of the territory of Valencia.
For the most part, this desert is a sandy, desolate land where the scorching sun during the day and the bitter cold at night make it easy for Adventurers to get ill.
In desert areas, the movement speed of mounts such as horses and wagons is reduced, and you will notice that finding your way with the World Map (hotkey: M) and minimap becomes increasingly difficult.
Additionally, sandstorms may suddenly blow your way, posing a serious threat to an Adventurer’s life if they’re unprepared. Due to this, it is necessary to be aware of all the particularities of these regions and prepare accordingly before setting out.
Despite these dangers, many Adventurers frequent the territory because the desert is packed with riches and challenges made more easily accessible thanks to the different features available, such as camels and elephants adapted to the terrain.
Tip!
Before adventuring in the Desert for the first time, try to get a compass. You can get one by purchasing "Part for Explorer's Compass" x3 in the Central Market. Merge three parts of the compass and get a temporary compass for 3 days.
With a compass you will be able to see the minimap and use the automatic navigation in the Desert.
Contents
- 1. Desert Illnesses and Sandstorms
- 2. Ancient Teleporters
- 3. Desert Jail
- 3.1. Escaping the Jail
- 4. Muiquun - The Town of Outlaws
Desert Illnesses and Sandstorms
During the day the hot temperature can cause your character to get the heatstroke debuff, which will slowly but surely deplete their health until a cure is applied.
When you get ill in the desert due to either heatstroke or hypothermia, you can always restore your health with potions and other methods until the debuff eventually disappears, but it is highly recommended to instead use an item specifically made to cure them to have a smoother journey.
- Star Anise Tea
This beverage will cure the hypothermia your character might suffer from at night.
You can obtain it by processing (hotkey: L) star anise, acquired by gathering star anise trees, together with purified or distilled water via simple cooking.
- Purified Water
Purified water will cure the heatstroke your character might suffer from during the day.
You can obtain it by gathering river or muddy water with an empty bottle and processing it via the filtering option (hotkey: L).
When you travel across the desert, it is recommended to have both purified water and star anise tea in your inventory.
Alternatively, if you find yourself suffering from either heatstroke or hypothermia in the middle of the desert and do not have any purified water or star anise tea to cure yourself, seek Ibellab Oasis. If you approach the bonfire there it will cure hypothermia, and if you get into the water it will cure heatstroke.
The other environmental danger of the desert is sandstorms. They will cause great damage to Adventurers caught within them.
If you become aware of an approaching sandstorm, the best thing to do is avoid it by running away. If you’ve already been caught by one, you can set up a tent and hide in it until the sandstorm disappears or moves on from your location.
Desert tent tools can be purchased from Stable Keeper NPCs in the territories of Mediah and Valencia, and can be quickly set up by right-clicking on them. They can only be used within the desert.
Ancient Teleporters
Scattered throughout the Great Desert you will find ancient devices; columns surrounding what appears to be an unstable portal at the center. Crossing them will teleport you to either the Aakman Temple or the Hystria Ruins, the two most dangerous, dungeon-like underground monster zones in all of Valencia.
You must be wondering how can you choose to go to one of the two locations, and not end up on the other by chance.
The type of portal on the left leads to Aakman Temple / The type of portal on the right leads to Hystria Ruins
You can also access Aakman Temple and Hystria Ruins through their normal entrances located at the following places:
Desert Jail
Unlike other regions, Valencia does not care about your previous heroics. If you kill an adventurer in the desert by forcing PvP on them, you will be marked as a villain for 30 minutes. This mark appears as a large sword next to your character name, and will be visible even if you are wearing a camouflage set. This mark will disappear after 30 minutes or if you get sent to jail.
This villain mark will mean that any negative penalties that negative Karma players receive, will also apply to you. If you die in the desert with either negative Karma or the villain mark, you will be sent to the Pila Ku Jail.
All adventurers who are sent to jail will receive 2 debuffs. These debuffs will last for 30/50/60 minutes depending on your character’s Karma. While in jail, you will be unable to fight, your movement speed will be reduced by 50%, and you will be unable to escape using the escape function in the menu. You will also be unable to call your mount while suffering from these debuffs.
As you are defenceless in the jail, there will be no penalties for getting killed. You will also be unable to resurrect outside of the jail, but there is no cost to keep resurrecting inside the jail. Due to the severe restrictions, you will need to wait until the debuff is over or escape.
◈ Escaping the Jail
There are 3 ways of leaving the jail.
1. Serve Your Time
The first is to serve your time, become rehabilitated back into society and enjoy a life outside of the jail. Of course, this takes time, and most people will just want to leave the jail as quickly as possible.
2. Sneaky Sneaky
The first method is to sneak out of the jail without being detected by the guards. This can be quite challenging the first time you do it. Any warden that spots you as you try to make your escape will instantly attack, and can often deal terrible damage to the unarmed prisoner.
Keep in mind that the jail has three different spawn locations, so if you die, you will spawn randomly in one of these three locations.
3. A Favor in Kind
Another method is to complete a quest given by the NPC next to the entrance of the Pila Ku Jail. By completing these quests, you will be able to remove your debuff and leave the jail early. Please remember that you will not be able to sneak out of the jail with the quest still active.
Once you manage to escape the jail, you will be moved to either Ibellab Oasis or Muiquun, depending on your Karma.
Muiquun - The Town of Outlaws
Muiquun is the only safe zone available in the desert. Adventurers with negative Karma will be able to respawn here, and also enjoy every amenity it has to offer. The Muiquun guards will not bother you as long as your Karma is negative.
Those who have positive Karma will have a very different experience here. NPC’s will refuse to talk to you, guards will attack you and you will not be able to use any of the local amenities.
An Encounter with Kreator & Laytenn
As you traverse the Great Desert of Valencia, you may find yourself in front of a couple of huge figures wandering the dunes. During daytime, you can face off against Kreator, while during nighttime, against Laytenn.
Keator is a member of the Aakman tribe that has turned their back on the traditional views of the group, and like those trapped in the Aakman Temple, is using the wisdom of the ancients and the black energy to gain power and take their revenge against the Kingdom of Valencia.
When fighting Kreator, be aware that when its HP is low enough it will summon the ancient weapons Alten and Kalten to assist them.
Laytenn is a mysterious ancient weapon aimlessly roaming the desert, some say in search of something. If you have previously encountered Kreator, do not underestimate Laytenn by believing it on the same level. Like many other monsters in Black Desert’s world are empowered during nighttime, Laytenn, a monster that only appears during this time, is naturally way more powerful than Kreator. Watch out for its axe attacks imbued with lightning, and the movement debuffs that come from being hit by them!
Those who defeat Laytenn have a chance to obtain Laytenn's Power Stone, a popular yellow-grade accessory that offers the same statistics as the even more popular Ogre Ring.
* The content of the game guide may differ from the actual game content, depending on the update and content changes.