The Garden of Trials is a new feature added to the Crimson Desert DLC. In it, you can pick up 10 unique challenges against various bosses whom you would have already encountered in the main game. While this feature might look like a side activity, completing it will offer a very unique reward.
But first, you need to figure out how to unlock the Garden of Trials, and the best way to complete it is to unlock all Ascend skills in the game. This guide will detail exactly how to do just that, plus some pointers on how to clear the trials, as well as what Ascend skills you can look forward to after completing each Garden of Trials in Crimson Desert.
How to Unlock the Garden of Trials
The Garden of Trials in Crimson Desert is only available after clearing all the main story quests, side quests, and faction quests. You also need to defeat every single boss in the game, and most of the time these bosses can be encountered through the game’s quests. After doing all this, travel to the Axiom Archive via the Abyss Nexus nearby. As you walk closer to the building, a quick cutscene will reveal another tower to the right where the Garden of Trials will take place.
Garden Of Trials Explained
The Garden of Trials is a challenge mode that consists of several boss fights. There are a set of 10 challenges, and each challenge offers 3 different bosses to fight. You can check out all the challenges by checking the Challenges tab under your Journal.
The Garden of Trails is included with the Charting the Unknown challenge mode. If you haven’t unlocked a particular challenge, you can select any of the nodes here to find out which boss you need to tackle in the overworld to have it included in the trials.
How to Beat the Garden of Trials
You can’t use any consumables or healing items while inside the arena, so you need to plan your attacks strategically. Luckily, during my testing, I could complete all the challenges with a team. It is best to tackle one challenge at a time instead of taking them all back-to-back. After completing one challenge, take some time off to replenish your HP and train harder, unless you are already at max level. You could also respec your skills to find out what works for you.
Most of the time, the enemies you find within the Garden of Trials will offer the same moveset as how you encountered them in the overworld. You can use this to your advantage while trying to beat them. I suggest keeping your distance and using a bow to deal damage, but if you prefer melee attacks, then weapons like the Electro-Mecha Longsword or Fated Shadows with Greater Abyss Gear will work well.
All Garden of Trials Rewards
Completing each challenge will reward you with different Ascend sub-skills, and all 10 sub-skills will be combined to unlock the Ascend skill on each character’s skill tree. Ascending a skill will unlock the highest tier of the main skill under a branch, which improves their effectiveness and stats greatly.
In case you are wondering which Garden of Trial challenge offers which Ascend sub-skill upon clearing it, here is a reference table to help you figure it out.
| Trial | Ascend Skill | Description |
| Anomalous Beings | Ascended Evasive Roll | Reduces evasive roll spirit cost |
| Battlefield Piercer | Ascended Stab | Shortens Slash charge time |
| Earth Shattering Beasts | Regeneration | With each unarmed attack, restores spirit and HP. |
| Earth Trampling Giants | Ascended Lariat | Reduces the Lariat spirit cost |
| Harbingers of Death | Ascended Flight | Reduces flight stamina cost |
| Ironbound Warriors | Ascended Turning Slash | Reduces turning slash spirit cost |
| Marni’s Relics | Ascended Elements | Reduces spirit cost if imbuing elements on skills |
| The Apparition Bearers | Ascended Forward Slash | Reduces stamina cost for forward slashes. |
| The Deathbringers | Ascended Evasive Slash | Used with another skill to chain into an evasive slash |
| The Soul Consumed | Ascended Blinding Flash Finisher | While performing a blinding flash finisher, applies abyss gear effects |
Plus, clearing the Garden of Trials will uncover the new Lumen Longsword, which is a unique lightsaber weapon to collect in Crimson Desert.
