Crimson Desert Dye Guide: All Crafting Recipes & Locations
If you are going to get thrown off a cliff by a giant, you might as well have a color coordinated outfit when you hit the dirt.
Crimson Desert has a fantastic armor system, but the pieces rarely match natively. You will constantly end up looking like you raided a discount bin unless you utilize the dye system. You can customize the color of your armor, weapons, and even the repair level (which changes how worn or pristine the metal looks) at any Dyehouse.
You have three ways to acquire dyes: buying them from vendors, stealing them from NPC houses, or crafting them yourself at a Cauldron. Crafting is by far the most tedious method because bug hunting in this game is a massive chore, but it is the only way to fill out your color palette early.
Once you unlock a base dye in your inventory, it unlocks a massive spectrum of 20 hues for that specific color. The only catch is that regional Dyehouses only apply regional colors. You cannot use Hernandian Red at a Pailune Dyehouse. However, once you advance the Greymane recruitment quest and build a Dyehouse in your own camp, your personal vendor can apply any color you have unlocked.
How to Craft Dyes at a Cauldron
To craft your own colors, you need to find a Cauldron. The easiest one to access early on is at the Witch's Lair in the Shadow's Whisper Cave (north of Hernand Castle).
The recipes rely heavily on specific medicinal herbs and a frustrating amount of beetles.
Pink Herbs: Peony, Pink Rosemary, or Begonia.
Yellow Herbs: Dunbaria, Marigold, or Yellow Rosemary.
White Herbs: False Starwort, Snapdragon, or Dendrobium Orchid.
If you are missing a specific color variation use the master recipe list below.
Dyehouse Vendors and Theft Locations
If you absolutely refuse to run around picking flowers and smashing beetles, you can buy or steal the base colors out in the world. Stealing requires sneaking into houses. I highly recommend acquiring the Great Thief's Gloves (a reward from the House Serkis Secret of the Lost Seal faction quest) before you start robbing people. It allows you to steal one item every 30 real-time minutes without triggering a bounty.
Hernandian Reds
Dark Red: Purchased from the Dyehouse southeast of Hernand Castle for 1.5 silver.
Bright Red: Stolen from the second floor study of the Oakenshield Manor. It is sitting on a cabinet next to a map.
Rich Red: Stolen from the very top of the Torchlight Beacon, right behind the fire brazier. Can also be bought at the Witch's House in Chapter 5.
Standard Red: Found in the Mudridge Cabin southeast of the Goldleaf Guildhouse. It is on the top floor table next to a wall map.
Pororin Yellows
Standard Yellow: Purchased from Devin in Pororin Village after completing the access quest.
Bright Yellow: Bought or stolen from the Shadow's Whisper Cave (where the Cauldron is located).
Calphade Greens
Bright Green: Purchased from Lauendell in the southern section of the Calphade Siege Armory.
Demeniss Blues, Purples, and Violets
Bright Blue: Purchased from Linus, located west of Demeniss Castle.
Rich Purple: Purchased from Edmar at the new Dyehouse northeast of the city that unlocks after Chapter 8.
Dark Violet: Purchased from the Dyehouse northwest of the city, just above the farm.
Standard Violet: Stolen from inside St. Halssius's House of Healing. Go into the main cathedral, head to the back right, and check inside the cell next to the bed.
Tommaso Oranges
Dark Orange: Purchased from Cormac, located northwest of Tommaso City.
Delesyia Sky Blues and Greys
Deep Sky Blue: Purchased from Castiel, located west of Delesyia.
Shadow Grey: This is a unique, uncraftable dye. You must buy it from Oliver the Dyer in your own camp. He becomes available for recruitment via a rumor after your third camp expansion.
Pailune Teals
Standard Teal: You must liberate Pailune in the main story first. Once clear, buy it from Laurick at the Dyehouse in the southern part of the city near the gate.
Deep Teal: Found inside the wooden building next to the tower at the Silverbrook Ruins, west of Delesyia. Check the floor near the shelves.
Varnia Spring Greens
Rich Spring Green: Purchased from Alton north of Varnia, near the Nexus.
Standard Spring Green: Found in a camp in the middle of the Trader's Expanse in the Crimson Desert. Check the hearth next to the Desert Lake Gold Mine.
Unlock your base colors, apply them to your armor at your camp Dyehouse, and head back into the wild looking like you actually know what you are doing.
