Crimson Desert Meta Weapons – Best Weapons for Early Game

The best early game weapons in Crimson Desert can make the difference between actually enjoying combat and getting destroyed by every bandit camp in Hernand. The game is brutally gear-dependent, and it barely tells you where to find anything good. The meta right now for early game is clear: get the Hwando katana from Lioncrest Manor and pick up the Bekker Axes right after the prologue – those two alone will carry you through the first several chapters. Below, we’ve ranked the best Crimson Desert meta weapons you can grab early, with exact locations and what makes each one worth picking up. Find all of these locations on our Crimson Desert Interactive Map.

Hwando – #1 Crimson Desert Meta Weapon for Early Game

The Hwando is a two-handed katana with 19 ATK that you can grab as soon as you reach Hernand, and it’s widely considered the single best early weapon in the game. It comes pre-loaded with three Abyss Gears already installed – Critical Rate 1, Stamina Siphon Lv1, and Attack 1 – with room for five total. That means it scales with you and stays relevant well into the mid-game.

Where to find it: The Hwando is inside a treasure chest in a locked room at Lioncrest Manor, northwest of Hernand. You’ll need a Mask and a Key (both available from Grimrak’s Back Alley Shop southeast of Hernand for 10 copper and 30 copper). Head to the manor, go around to the side building next to the main house, and climb through a window to get inside. On the second floor, you’ll find a locked door – walk into it with a Key in your inventory and it’ll open. The chest inside has the Hwando plus a Refined Palmar Pill (revives you at 100% HP instead of 30%).

Why it’s meta: The combination of 19 ATK, pre-loaded Abyss Gears, fast two-handed animations, and room to upgrade makes the Hwando feel like a late-game weapon that accidentally spawned in the starter area. The Stamina Siphon is especially good since two-handed weapons are stamina-hungry. If you’re only going to pick up one weapon from this list, make it this one.

Pro tip: While you’re at Lioncrest Manor, you can also steal a gold bar from the fireplace in the main building – check out our Gold Bar Early Money Guide for the full strategy on that.

Bekker Axes – Free Dual-Wield Weapons Right After the Prologue

The Bekker Axes are two axes at 12 ATK each that you can pick up during the opening sequence of the game, making them the earliest Crimson Desert meta weapons you can get your hands on. They immediately unlock Kliff’s dual-wield combat system without needing to buy or farm anything.

Where to find them: In the Underbridge area, right after the prologue as Kliff is traveling with his Greymane companions. One axe is hidden in a tree stump to the right of the path, and the second is sitting on a nearby rock heading toward the horses. They’re easy to miss if you’re just following the story path, so keep your eyes open.

Why they’re meta: Dual-wielding the Bekker Axes gives you fast, wide-sweeping AoE attacks that shred groups of enemies. Early-game Crimson Desert throws a lot of mob encounters at you, and having crowd-clearing capability from the very start is huge. You can also mix and match – pair one axe with a sword for a different combat stance, or go full berserk with both axes for maximum aggression.

Hollow Visage – Early One-Handed Crimson Desert Meta Weapon

The Hollow Visage is a fast, katana-style one-handed sword with 14 ATK and some of the best pre-loaded bonuses you’ll find early in the game. It comes with Abyss Artifacts that boost Critical Rate, Attack Speed, and Regular Attack damage right out of the chest. Pair it with a shield and you’ve got a seriously fast and safe setup.

Where to find it: It’s in a hidden waterfall cave in the southern part of the map, near the Reed Devil boss area. Head to the Abyss Nexus near Sanctum of Temperance and teleport, then go south toward the river. Look for a waterfall on the right side and use your forward stab skill to reach the ledge next to it and access the hidden cave. The Hollow Visage is inside.

Why it’s meta: Attack speed is king in Crimson Desert’s combat system, and the Hollow Visage has it built in. The Critical Rate bonus means you’ll be landing crits consistently from the start, and since it’s one-handed, you can run it with a shield for blocking. Many players use this from Chapter 2 all the way through Chapter 6 before needing to upgrade, making it one of the most reliable Crimson Desert meta weapons for one-handed builds. Its Abyss Artifacts can also be swapped out for higher-tier ones as you progress.

Sword of the Lord – Your First Boss Drop With Abyss Gear

The Sword of the Lord is the first weapon you’ll get that comes with Abyss Gear attached, and it drops from defeating Kailok the Hornsplitter at the end of Chapter 2. It’s a one-handed sword with Lvl 2 Attack Speed and the Wind Slash ability, which sends a wide-arc projectile that hits multiple enemies.

Where to find it: It’s a guaranteed drop from the Hornsplitter boss fight, which is only the second boss in the game. You’ll reach this fight by following the main quest to the Goldleaf Guildhouse in Unicorn Cliff during The End of Greed quest.

Why it’s meta: Wind Slash is an incredible crowd-control tool, and the Lvl 2 Attack Speed makes it great for dual-wielding. A popular combo is running the Sword of the Lord alongside the Sword of the Wolf (your starter weapon) in a dual-wield setup, sacrificing block for a Flurry of Blows attack that melts groups. After meeting the first Witch, you can also transfer Wind Slash to other weapons, making this a permanently useful pickup. The sword stays viable until around Chapter 6.

Balton Longsword – Free Two-Handed Sword Stuck in the Ground

The Balton Longsword is a two-handed sword that’s literally just sitting in the ground waiting for you to pick it up. No quest, no boss fight, no key required. It’s got solid stats, plenty of Abyss Gear sockets for upgrades, and it can carry you for 20+ hours if you invest in upgrading it at the smithy.

Where to find it: Travel south of Hernand Castle to a crossroads on the map. You’ll see a two-handed sword literally stuck in the ground. Walk up to it and take it. That’s it. No tricks, no mask, no climbing through windows.

Why it’s meta: It’s free, it’s accessible immediately, and it has enough upgrade sockets to stay relevant for a huge chunk of the game. If you prefer two-handed weapons but don’t want to deal with sneaking into Lioncrest Manor for the Hwando, the Balton Longsword is a great alternative. Upgrade it to Level 4 at the smithy using basic materials (iron, copper ore, cloth, wood) and you’ll notice a massive power spike.

Any Spear + Evasive Slash – The Most Overpowered Early Skill

This one isn’t about a specific weapon pickup – it’s about unlocking a skill that makes any spear borderline broken. Once you reach Armed Combat Level 3, you unlock Evasive Slash, and when used with a spear, it becomes a counter stance that’s way safer and more powerful than a standard parry.

How to get it: Invest skill points into the Stamina tree to reach Armed Combat Level 3. This unlocks Evasive Slash for all weapons, but on the spear it transforms into the overpowered counter stance. Early spear options include the Rhinard Cannon (which also fires projectiles that stagger mobs) or any generic spear you can buy from a vendor.

Why it’s meta: The Evasive Slash counter stance with a spear lasts as long as your stamina holds, blocks attacks that normal guards can’t handle (including from larger enemies), and the follow-up hit deals massive damage in a wide arc. You can use it against mobs and bosses alike. It’s so strong that many players consider it the single most overpowered skill in the entire game, and any spear paired with Evasive Slash easily earns its spot among the top Crimson Desert meta weapons. Prioritize stamina upgrades to extend how long you can hold the stance.

Crimson Desert Meta Weapons – Early Game Tips

1. You can equip multiple weapons and switch mid-combat. This is one of the most important things the game doesn’t explain well. You’re not locked to one weapon – equip the Hwando for big damage, the Bekker Axes for mob clearing, and a sword and shield for when you need to play safe. Switch between them on the fly with Quick Swap.

2. Don’t sleep on bare-handed combos. Martial arts attacks chain into every weapon’s moveset as a combo extender or finisher. Mixing fist combos into your weapon rotations is basically a free damage multiplier and it works with every weapon type.

3. Upgrade your weapons at the smithy. Even a mid-tier weapon upgraded to Level 4 will outperform a better weapon at Level 1. The power spike from upgrading is way bigger than most players expect. Use iron, copper ore, cloth, and wood – basic materials you’ll find everywhere.

4. Weapon type changes your entire combat style. Equipping dual axes gives you a completely different stance and move tree compared to a sword-and-shield setup. Experiment with different combinations early – the game rewards you for finding what clicks with your playstyle

5. Abyss Gears can be swapped. Once you meet the first Witch, you can transfer Abyss Gears between weapons. That means abilities like Wind Slash from the Sword of the Lord can be moved to whatever weapon you prefer using. Don’t feel locked into a weapon just because it has a good Abyss Gear.

More Crimson Desert Resources

If you’re tackling puzzles in Crimson Desert, check out our Dragon’s Stone Chamber Puzzle Guide and our Abyss Without Balance Quest and Puzzle Guide for full walkthroughs. For early silver, don’t miss our Gold Bar Early Money Guide. Explore weapon locations and secrets on our Interactive Map, and browse all of our walkthroughs on the Crimson Desert Guides page. Stay up to date with the latest gaming news on MetaForge and join our Discord community to discuss Crimson Desert and more!