BDO Enhancement Guide (Black Desert Online)

RNG Me Away!
Enhancement is very RNG heavy. Players frequently flood chat and video channels with how unfair the Enhancement system has been to them. Unsafe Enhancement is a gamble, especially when you approach +13 and above. TET and +15 begin with a mere 2% chance at succeeding. PEN? Forget about it! I won’t depress you with the numbers. 🙂

It makes me wonder how many players have quit BDO over this sometimes infuriating mechanic.

There are a few oddballs who actually enjoy Enhancement… but never mind the craziest. It’s safest to avoid them, and any mention of them actually. They might be reading this right now *gulp*.

What about Safe Enhancement?
Black Desert has implemented some safe ways to to achieve Enhancement like Force-Enhance, Caphras Stones, and Magical Black Stones, but these options seem overly time consuming and expensive when one thinks about a “lucky” one touch TET, etc. Many people forgo the “Safe Enhancement” options. To complicate matters, there is no safe enhancement for boss gear at certain levels. Of course, this leads to frustration upon frustration for the unlucky and the heights of joy for the lucky few…

Which path will be yours?

Enhancement Basics

Enhancement Requirements

You must have completed the quest called [Awakening] Traces of Edana. This quest is not very far into the first Main quest chain given by the Black Spirit. Some Enhancing items also have a level 30 requirement in order to use.

You will also need plenty of Enhancement items. A typical TET enhancement session can run 1000+ Black Stones. 300+ Memory Fragments and much more. I will detail all the enhancement items below.

Enhancement Window

To view the Enhancement interface, talk to the Black Spirit by pressing (,) key. Click the “Enhancement” button.

An easier way is to just right click the Enhancement item consumable, such as a Black Stone.

Max Durability & Enhancement Failure

Failstacks are a good thing, but they do cost you! Every time you fail Enhancement, you lose at least 5 Max Durability on the item you are trying to upgrade, plus your Enhancement mats.

For higher level gear enhancement of DUO+, you can actually downgrade the item. So a DUO could become a PRI on failure. (Unless you use Cron Stones.)

Accessories have different failure costs. Both accessories are destroyed upon failure. (Cron Stones will allow the item to be downgraded instead of destroyed.)

Max Durability is repaired by visiting the Blacksmith and clicking Repair > Recover Max Dur.

Max Durability can be repaired by destroying another of the same kind.

For expensive repairs, like boss gear, you can use Memory Fragments (and optionally a Pearl item called Artisan’s Memory with it).

In unsafe Enhancement, the Max Durability lost depends upon the enhancement consumable used.

Black Stones: -5 Max Durability.
Concentrated Black Stones: -10 Max Durability

Total Cost of Failstack = Black Stones + identical gear for repair or Memory Fragments.

Safe Enhancement methods have much higher Max Durability repair costs.

Force-Enhance

“Force-Enhance” gives a 100% Enhancement Chance for gear that has or had a base green grade. It costs a set amount of Max Durability and Black Stones. You can only Force-Enhance up to TRI. For this reason, there are some players who disagree with using it because they say you need Failstacks anyway for TET and PEN. But, for other players, who don’t like the gambling aspect of Enhancement, it’s an option.

After gear reaches TRI, you can get 100% Enhancement Chance by using Caphras Stones, which are a rare drop from higher level mobs and given via daily quests. Caphras quantities required for this Safe Enhancement option are high though. Please see our Caphras Guide for details.

Force-Enhance Cost for Armor

Note: Force-Enhancement for PRI or greater uses Concentrated Black Stones (Heated Shard + Black Stone)

Force-Enhance Cost for Weapons

Note: Force-Enhancement for PRI or greater uses Concentrated Black Stones (Heated Shard + Black Stone)

Enhancement Options: Durability vs Enhance

Enhancement Option – Durability: Selecting this option before Enhancement decreases the Max Durability lost on failures. It also increases the difficulty of enhancing. This can be used for an easier time building Failstacks. However, if you are a new player and don’t need Failstacks, select the “Enhance” option instead.

Enhancement Option – Enhance: Selecting this option before Enhancement doubles the Enhancement Chance, so that gear is easier to Enhance. Use this option if you are not interested in building Failstacks for higher level Enhancements.

Enhancement Items

Black Stone (Armor)

Black Stone (Armor) is used to enhance defense gear. (Chest, shoes, feet, hands) You can upgrade armor up to +5 without failure. After this, there is a chance of failing enhancement, unless “Force-Enhance” is selected.

Black Stone (Armor) is used in all levels of armor Enhancement.

• used to Enhance up to +15
• used in a recipe for enhancing PRI to PEN armor. 2 are Heated with 1 Hard Black Crystal Shard to create a Concentrated Magical Black Stone (Armor)

Black Stones can be obtained via rare drop from many different creatures. View Black Stone (Armor) page and drop rates on bddatabase.net

Hunter’s Seals from boss fights and repeatable quests can be turned in for Black Stones. View our guide on Hunter’s Seals

Black Stone (Weapon)

Black Stone (Weapon) is used to enhance AP gear. (main, awakening, and sub-weapons) You can upgrade weapons up to +7 without failure. After this, there is a chance of failing enhancement, unless “Force-Enhance” is selected.

Black Stone (Weapon) is used in all levels of weapon Enhancement.

• used to Enhance up to +15
• used in a recipe for enhancing PRI to PEN weapons. 2 are Heated with 1 Sharp Black Crystal Shard to create a Concentrated Magical Black Stone (Weapon)

Black Stones can be obtained via rare drop from many different creatures. View Black Stone (Weapon) page and drop rates on bddatabase.net

Hunter’s Seals from boss fights and repeatable quests can be turned in for Black Stones. View our guide on Hunter’s Seals

Hard Black Crystal Shard

Hard Black Crystal Shard is used to enhance Black Star Weapons and defense gear. (Chest, shoes, feet, hands) It’s required in the recipe to create Concentrated Magical Black Stone (Armor).

• for PRI to PEN armor Enhancement
• Heat: 1 Hard Black Crystal Shard + 2 Black Stone (Armor) to create a Concentrated Magical Black Stone (Armor)
• used to craft an item for PRI to PEN Black Star Weapon Enhancement

Obtained By:

• Processing > Heating certain accessories (See detailed table below.)
  • Bensho’s Necklace has a 0.1% drop rate from Wilderness Golem, Gravestone Golem, and Stone Golem
  • Scarla Necklas has a 2% drop rate from Helm Golem. (0.0375% from Helm Hunter and 0.075% from Helm Iron Shield)
  • Necklace of Good Deeds received from events and Gift of Repayment
• All gathering types: mining, butchering, herbs, etc
  • 0.243% drop rate from Ore, Timber, and Underwater gathering
  • 0.0608% drop rate from Flowers, Herbs, Fruits, Mushrooms, and other food Gathering
• Loot from Grinding: 0.243% drop rate from Trolls and beasts like Bison, Sheep, Elk, Bear, Waragon, Salamander, Lizard, etc
• Certain Non-repeatable quests and events/rewards
• Hunter’s Seals from boss fights and repeatable quests. View our guide on Hunter’s Seals

View Hard Black Crystal Shard page and drop rates on bddatabase.net

Heating Accessories for Black Crystal Shards

Icon	Black Crystal Shard	Heated Item	Heating Produces
	Hard Black Crystal Shard	Scarla Necklace	7x Melted Platinum Shard 1x Pure Platinum Crystal 1x Resplendent Sapphire 1x Hard Black Crystal Shard
	Hard Black Crystal Shard	Bensho’s Necklace	2x Hard Black Crystal Shard 7x Melted Platinum Shard 1x Resplendent Sapphire
	Hard Black Crystal Shard Sharp Black Crystal Shard	Necklace of Good Deeds	7x Melted Platinum Shard 1x Polished Opal 2x Hard Black Crystal Shard 1x Sharp Black Crystal Shard
	Sharp Black Crystal Shard	Ogre Ring	2x Sharp Black Crystal Shard 7x Melted Gold Shard 1x Blood Ruby
	Sharp Black Crystal Shard	Ancient Guardian’s Seal	1x Sharp Black Crystal Shard 7x Melted Gold Shard 1x Pure Gold Crystal
	Sharp Black Crystal Shard	Witch’s Earring	1x Sharp Black Crystal Shard 2x Melted Gold Shard 1x Resplendent Ruby
	Sharp Black Crystal Shard	Ancient Weapon Core	1x Sharp Black Crystal Shard 5x Melted Gold Shard 1x Pure Gold Crystal 1x Silver Crystal 7x Melted Silver Shard

Sharp Black Crystal Shard

Sharp Black Crystal Shard is used to enhance AP gear. (main, awakening, and sub-weapons) It’s required in the recipe to create Concentrated Magical Black Stone (Weapon).

• for PRI to PEN weapon Enhancement
• Heat: 1 Sharp Black Crystal Shard + 2 Black Stone (Weapon) to create a Concentrated Magical Black Stone (Weapon)
• used in +1 to PEN for Black Star Weapon Enhancement

Obtained By:

• Processing > Heating certain accessories (See detailed table above.)
  • Ogre Ring has a 0.05% drop rate from Ogres
  • Ancient Guardian’s Seal has a 0.03% drop rate from Helms mobs. (0.07% from Helm Devourer)
  • Witch’s Earring has a 0.02% to 0.2% drop rate from Hexe mobs (3% from Hexe Marie)
  • Ancient Weapon Core has a 0.0065% to 0.05% drop rate from Ancient Weapon mobs
  • Necklace of Good Deeds received from events and Gift of Repayment
• All gathering types: mining, butchering, herbs, etc
  • 0.108% drop rate from Ore, Timber, and Underwater gathering
  • 0.0387% drop rate from Flowers, Herbs, Fruits, Mushrooms, and other food Gathering
• Loot from Grinding: 0.108% drop rate from Trolls and beasts like Bison, Sheep, Elk, Bear, Waragon, Salamander, Lizard, etc
• Certain Non-repeatable quests and events/rewards
• Hunter’s Seals from boss fights and repeatable quests. View our guide on Hunter’s Seals

View Sharp Black Crystal Shard page and drop rates on bddatabase.net

Concentrated Magical Black Stone (Armor)

Concentrated Magical Black Stone (Armor) is used to enhance defense gear past +15. (Chest, shoes, feet, hands)

Craft by Processing > Heating Hard Black Crystal Shard x1 and Black Stones (Armor) x2. This recipe creates 1, and there is no chance for an extra proc.

View Concentrated Magical Black Stone (Armor) page and drop rates on bddatabase.net

Concentrated Magical Black Stone (Weapon)

Concentrated Magical Black Stone (Weapon) is used to enhance AP gear past +15. (main, awakening, and sub-weapons)

Craft by Processing > Heating Sharp Black Crystal Shard x1 and Black Stones (Weapon) x2. This recipe creates 1, and there is no chance for an extra proc.

used in +1 to +15 for Black Star Weapon Enhancement

View Concentrated Magical Black Stone (Weapon) page and drop rates on bddatabase.net

Cron Stone

When you attempt to enhance a DUO or greater level item, there is a chance that it will downgrade its level instead of gaining a level. So your DUO could drop to a PRI. Cron Stones are used to protect an item from downgrading a level after a failed Enhancement attempt.

Accessories are treated differently. Cron Stones protect them from being destroyed, but accessories can still lose a level.

Obtaining Cron Stones:

• Attendance Rewards and Events
• Exchanging Pearl Costumes to Blacksmith (See exchange rates below.)
• 2 million silver each at the Blacksmith

The quantity required to protect Enhancement is about half the item’s cost in Cron Stones. For example, enhancement on a 500 million weapon would be: 500,000,000 / 2 = 250,000,000 then take 250,000,000 / 2,000,000 = 125 Cron Stones.

With a high cost of 2 million each, Cron Stones are expensive. As of this writing, it’s cheaper to let a DUO item downgrade to PRI and then sell the PRI and purchase another DUO off the Marketplace to continue attempting a TRI. (Prices and availability change all the time. Be sure to check the quantity and price of enhanced gear on Central Market.)

Reform Stones

Ultimate Weapon/Armor Reform Stone

100% enhancement chance: “Ultimate”

Ultimate Reform Stone will upgrade green or blue grade armor to yellow grade 100% of the time.

Processing Recipe:
Heating: x10 Grade 3 Reform Stone + x1 Black Crystal Shard

Other lower grade Reform Stones have an RNG chance to upgrade your armor or weapon’s grade.

The following Reform Stones are created at a housing type called “Refinery”.

Grade 1 Weapon/Armor Reform Stone
0% enhancement chance: “Ultimate”
20% enhancement chance: “of Temptation”
30% enhancement chance: “of Destruction”
30% enhancement chance: “of Crimson Flame”
20% enhancement chance: green grade
Grade 2 Weapon/Armor Reform Stone
1% enhancement chance: “Ultimate”
20% enhancement chance: “of Temptation”
20% enhancement chance: “of Destruction”
20% enhancement chance: “of Crimson Flame”
10% enhancement chance: green grade
Grade 3 Weapon/Armor Reform Stone
5% enhancement chance: “Ultimate”
30% enhancement chance: “of Temptation”
30% enhancement chance: “of Destruction”
20% enhancement chance: “of Crimson Flame”
10% enhancement chance: green grade

Caphras Stone

Weapons and Gear that are TRI to PEN have up to 20 Caphras levels. They start at 0 level and gain experience towards the next level by feeding them Caphras Stones. Every level adds attack or defense stats to your character’s sheet stats, when equipped.

To start Enhancement with Caphras, visit Black Spirit > Enhancement > “Caphras Enhancement”.

100% Enhancement Chance via Caphras Stones:
When your gear reaches level 20, you can increase its Enhancement level by 1. Make sure your item is at 100% Max Durability and click the ‘Upgrade Enhancement’ button.

NOTE: 100% ‘Upgrade Enhancement’ will reduce Max Durability to 0 and reset the Caphras Level

What happens if I want to stop early?
If you get tired of waiting on your gear’s Caphras level to improve, you can still attempt to Enhance the traditional way via Concentrated Magic Stones and luck.

• Enhancement Failure with Caphras EXP: if your enhancement level drops, only 50% of the item’s EXP will be kept.
• Enhancement Success with Caphras EXP: only 10% of the item’s EXP will be carried forward to the next level
• Enhancement Failure with Crons: If you fail enhancement using Cron Stones, 5% of the Cron Stones will be converted into Caphras exp.

To view Caphras Stone charts and learn how to craft and obtain Caphras, please visit our Caphras Stone Guide.

Memory Fragments

Every player will eventually require hundreds of Memory Fragments, which repair the Max durability of expensive boss gear. Max durability is lost as gear is enhanced into greater power. Cheap gear can be repaired using identical cheap gear. But, using boss gear to repair boss gear would get extremely expensive. Memory Fragments can be used instead and are far cheaper.

Memory Fragment Durability Recovery Rates:

• White Grade: Recovers 10 Max Durability
• Green Grade: Recovers 5 Max Durability
• Blue Grade: Recovers 2 Max Durability
• Yellow Grade: Recovers 1 Max Durability

NOTE: Amount of Durability increases fourfold if used with Artisan’s Memory, purchased from the Pearl Shop.

Memory Fragments are obtained by collecting 5 boss scroll pieces and putting them together in a pattern. This creates a 7 day scroll that summons 2 to 3 bosses, depending upon which scroll you use. Using the scroll will automatically give you a [Coop] quest, which rewards the most Memory Fragments. However, you can also loot Memory Fragments from your party member’s boss corpses. Most scroll parties require 5x or 10x scrolls. So make sure you have enough scroll pieces to create 5 scrolls before looking for a party, or you may be cursed as a dreaded and awful Leecher! 🙁 Then, prepare to die…

Boss scroll pieces can be consistently and actively obtained via grinding mobs. Mobs in Southern Calpheon, Mediah, and Valencia level 42+ drop them. Arrange 5 in a + pattern. However, the drop rates can be dismal, depending upon what you hunt. Most mobs have less than .28% drop rate. Players report anywhere from 2 to 9 Memory scroll pieces after grinding for one hour.

3 Different Memory Scroll Pieces:

• Ancient Relic Crystal Shards: grinding in Southern Calpheon
• Forbidden Books: grinding in Mediah
• Scrolls Written in an Ancient Language: grinding in Valencia

You can also obtain Memory Fragments through solo Dark Rift bosses and Shadow Arena. To learn more about obtaining Memory Fragments, please visit our Memory Fragment Guide.