Weapon Upgrade and Refinement Complete Guide
Updated 2026-08-06 - 12 min read
Weapon Upgrade System Explained
Upgrading your weapon is the single biggest power increase you can get in Crimson Desert. A max level weapon does nearly double the damage of a starting weapon. But upgrading can be confusing and expensive.
This guide covers everything: how to upgrade, what materials you need, fail rates, and the most efficient ways to get your weapon to max level.
Upgrade Basics
Weapons can be upgraded from level 0 to level 15 at the Blacksmith in any major town.
| Level Range | Materials | Cost | Success Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 5 | Weapon Stone x2 | 100g | 100% |
| 5 to 10 | Weapon Stone x5 + Silver | 500g | 70-90% |
| 10 to 15 | Rare Stone x3 + Gold | 2000g | 30-50% |
Safe Upgrade Range (0 to 5)
The first 5 upgrades are guaranteed success. You cannot fail these, so do them as soon as you can afford it.
- Every weapon starts at level 0
- Each upgrade requires 2 Weapon Upgrade Stones
- Costs 100 gold per attempt
- 100% success rate - no RNG here
Always get your weapon to level 5 immediately. It is pure, guaranteed damage for cheap.
Medium Range (5 to 10)
Upgrades from 5 to 10 start having a chance to fail. If you fail, you lose the materials and gold but the weapon does not downgrade.
Success rates gradually decrease:
- 5 to 6: 90%
- 6 to 7: 85%
- 7 to 8: 80%
- 8 to 9: 75%
- 9 to 10: 70%
On average, expect to spend about 25-30 Weapon Stones and 2500-3000 gold to get from 5 to 10.
Endgame Upgrades (10 to 15)
This is where things get expensive and RNG-heavy. Failures here still do not downgrade (thankfully), but success rates are low and materials are rare.
- 10 to 11: 50%
- 11 to 12: 45%
- 12 to 13: 40%
- 13 to 14: 35%
- 14 to 15: 30%
Rare Upgrade Stones are the bottleneck here. They come from world bosses, dungeons, and high-level quests.
Refinement System
Once a weapon is max level, you can further enhance it through refinement. Refinement adds bonus stats like:
- Attack power percentage
- Critical chance
- Attack speed
- Elemental damage
Refinement is endgame content. Get your weapon to max level first, then worry about refining it.
Pro Tips for Efficient Upgrading
- Always upgrade your weapon first. It gives more power than any other upgrade.
- Farm world bosses for stones. World bosses are the most reliable source of Rare Upgrade Stones.
- Buy from the marketplace. Sometimes buying stones from other players can be faster than farming.
- Use luck buffs. Certain food and scrolls give +10% success rate. Use them for level 12 and above.