- Primary Subject: Crimson Desert
- Key Objective: Complete all Shield of Unchanging Will mastery challenges
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: April 25, 2026
- Quick Answer: Find all six hidden artifacts, then complete shield-specific tasks using proper mechanics like Shield Bash, counters, and Charge—setup matters more than raw damage.
Crimson Desert’s Shield of Unchanging Will challenges fall under the Mastery system and are meant to deepen players’ understanding of shield use.
There are six total challenges, each tied to a Sealed Abyss Artifact hidden somewhere in the open world.
You won’t see any of these objectives in your log until you physically discover and interact with the artifact first, which makes exploration just as important as combat for this set.
Most of these artifacts are clustered in the Hernand region, usually placed along roads, intersections, or small stone altars just off the main path.
The most efficient approach is to complete Hernand first before moving on to Demeniss and the later-game areas where the remaining challenges are found.
Completing all six not only gives you a steady supply of Abyss Artifacts for upgrades, but also contributes toward the Master of Shields achievement, making them worth doing early instead of leaving them for cleanup.
How Do Shield Mechanics Actually Work in These Challenges
Before diving into each challenge, it’s important to understand that Crimson Desert is very strict about what actually counts as “shield usage,” since most objectives will only register if the action is performed directly with the shield rather than your main weapon.
In practical terms, this means you need to raise your guard first and then follow up with an attack to trigger a proper Shield Bash, especially for kill-based objectives where the final blow must come from the shield itself, not your sword.
Some challenges also lean more on timing than damage, requiring well-timed counters or flips, while others depend heavily on positioning, such as grouping enemies together for a multi-target hit or using Charge effectively to land multiple strikes in quick succession.
Since shields don’t deal much damage on their own, completing these challenges is more about setup (softening enemies, managing distance, or grouping them) before landing the right move at the right time.
When it comes to unlocking the challenges themselves, each Shield of Unchanging Will objective only appears after you’ve collected its corresponding Sealed Abyss Artifact in the world.
These artifacts are most commonly found along roads, at intersections, or beside small altar-like rock formations, often sitting just slightly off the main path rather than directly in the center.
Their placement makes them easy to miss, especially if you’re rushing or sticking to the main road, so a missing challenge usually means you already passed the artifact or didn’t approach it from the right angle.
Here’s how to get and complete every Shield of Unchanging Will challenge in Crimson Desert.
Shield of Unchanging Will I
The first challenge is located in Hernand, near major roadways around the Meandering Hills area and close to the main town routes.
The objective is to defeat 3 enemies using the shield, but what really matters is that each enemy is finished with a shield-based attack.
Since shield damage is relatively low, the easiest approach is to weaken enemies first with your weapon, then switch to a Shield Bash for the final hit.
There’s no time limit and no requirement to chain kills together, so this is more about understanding how shield damage is registered rather than difficulty.
Shield of Unchanging Will II
This artifact is found further south in Hernand near the Kharonso/Scholastone roads, where ranged enemies are more common.
Your goal here is to block 10 arrows using your shield. Unlike other challenges, this one is purely defensive and very forgiving.
You simply need to hold your guard and let enemy archers shoot at you until you reach the required number of blocks.
This doesn’t need to be done in one attempt, and the best place to do it is early-game zones like Hernand where enemies still rely on bows instead of guns.
Shield of Unchanging Will III
You’ll find this artifact along the road southeast of the Sanctum of Benediction, typically placed beside a small stone altar.
The challenge requires you to hit 3 enemies at the same time with a shield attack.
While it sounds precise, the Shield Bash actually has a wider swing arc than expected, which makes this easier if you focus on positioning.
The most reliable method is to gather a group of enemies, wait until they cluster together, then trigger your shield attack from within the group so it connects with all targets in a single motion.
Shield of Unchanging Will IV
This one is located east of Embernest Beacon in Rocca’s Hill, still within Hernand but slightly more dangerous than earlier areas.
The objective is to defeat 5 enemies using the shield without taking any damage, which makes this the first real difficulty spike in the set.
Any damage resets your progress, so you need to approach this carefully.
The safest strategy is to avoid fighting groups head-on.
Instead, pull enemies one at a time, eliminate archers first to remove ranged threats, and weaken targets before finishing them with shield attacks.
Since there’s no time limit, patience is the biggest advantage here.
Shield of Unchanging Will V
The fifth challenge takes place in the Demeniss region, along roads near areas like Furlington Farm.
Here, you need to flip 5 enemies using the shield, which shifts the focus from damage to timing.
A successful flip happens when you counter an enemy at the exact moment they attack, turning their momentum against them.
Depending on your progression, this can be done either through well-timed shield counters or specific abilities tied to other playable characters.
The key detail is that you don’t need to defeat enemies—only perform the flip mechanic successfully five times.
Shield of Unchanging Will VI
The final challenge is found in a later-game area near Argent Peaks or major bridge routes outside Hernand.
This is the only challenge with a strict condition, requiring you to land 10 shield hits within one minute using the Charge ability.
The time limit makes preparation more important than execution, so make sure you find a large group of enemies before starting.
The Charge ability allows you to push through multiple targets, making it ideal for hitting several enemies quickly within the time window.
Completing all six also pushes you closer to the Master of Shields achievement, making it one of the game’s most rewarding mastery paths.
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