There are 10 Operation Challenges in Crimson Desert. They are part of the Combat Category. Finishing all Operation Challenges unlocks the Brilliant Tactician trophy & achievement.
Challenges Overview:
Challenge 1: Waves of Lightning
- How to Unlock: Pick up Sealed Abyss Artifact in Delesyia, at the intersection south of Gate to Advancement.
- Challenge: Hit 10 enemies at once with the disruptor.
- How to Complete: The Disruptor is a unique equipable item that is used to specifically attack machines. There are two possible ways to get it, the first is by picking one up in Gorthak which can be done at any time prior to liberating the area from the mechanical bugs.
In Gorthak from the start of the game there are friendly Ironflame Orcs being attacked by large numbers of mechanical bugs. If you run around the area you should eventually find an orc with a strange looking backpack. Stick around this orc until the bugs kill them, then pick up the backpack, which is the Disruptor. Equip it in your inventory, then select it on the Function
wheel. You can then press 
+ 
when in a large group of enemies in Gorthak to attack them with the Disruptor, and if you hit at least 10 at once you will complete the challenge.
If you don’t obtain one this way, the second way to obtain one is by first reaching Chapter 12 of the story, then you have access to the research facility at the City of Delysia. The first level of research Delesyian Institute: Basic Science Research awards you with the ability to send expeditions to Rustfield Scrapyard in Delesyia to obtain more Disruptors. At this point there will likely only be a couple places in Delesyia with robots left if you hadn’t cleared them already, notably the area around Marni’s Steel Armory which is controlled by H.A.L.L. and not cleared by story progression.
If you clear all areas and there are no more hostile robots, you can attack the friendly robots at the Aeronautical Research Base to cause them to become hostile, then group up a bunch and use the Disruptor on them. - Reward: 1x Abyss Artifact, 1x Steelbane
Challenge 2: Hidden Banner Pike
- How to Unlock: Pick up Sealed Abyss Artifact in Crimson Desert, along the road southwest from Varnia Gate.
- Challenge: Defeat 10 soldiers with Banner Pikes in the Demeniss region within 30 minutes.
- How to Complete: This challenge requires defeating 10 soldiers in the Demeniss region who are wielding banner pikes as weapons within a 30-minute window. The soldiers that have this do not spawn very frequently, so there is only specific spots you seem to be able to find them.
One location where they can be found is at the location Southern Court, along the road west of the city of Demeniss. There is an Abyss Nexus on the road nearby, so to exploit this area fast travel to this location and see if there are banner pike enemies spawned there. If there are, defeat them and any other nearby enemies (or run away to escape) then fast travel back to the Abyss Nexus which will respawn the enemies. If there aren’t any spawned, walk a short distance away from the Abyss Nexus and fast travel back to it to reset the enemies.
The same thing can be done with the locations Western Court and Eastern Court as long as you have not liberated all of them.
If you have cleared all of these locations, it is possible to attack the banner wielding friendly NPCs around Demeniss castle, then killing them when they become hostile. Quickly leave the area and come back to respawn them in the same manner described for the other locations. You can still do it at Demeniss castle after the story and after liberating all enemy camps, so therefore is not missable. - Reward: 1x Abyss Artifact, 1x Faded Abyss Artifact, 1x Destruction II
Challenge 3: End of the Shadow
- How to Unlock: Pick up Sealed Abyss Artifact in Pailune, along the road northwest of River Breeze Hearth
- Challenge: Assassinate 5 enemies at night.
- How to Complete: This requires assassinating a cumulative total of 5 enemies at night, not in a single night. You can assassinate enemies by crouching to sneak up to them, then holding interact which will kill them instantly.
- Reward: 1x Abyss Artifact, 1x Faded Abyss Artifact, 1x Destruction II
Challenge 4: Judgment of the Storm
- How to Unlock: Pick up Sealed Abyss Artifact in Hernand, up the hill west of North Hernand Watchtower.
- Challenge: Defeat 30 enemies within 1 minute.
- How to Complete: As stated, you must defeat a total of 30 enemies within 1 minute of defeating the first one. This is most easily done with weapons other than Kliff’s basic sword, either using one like the Sword of the Lord that is obtained near the end of Chapter 2 of the story, or secondary weapons like Longsword that can more easily hit multiple enemies at once. Doing this in areas with lots of weak enemies is also easier, such as at the large enemy encampments in Hernand.
- Reward: 1x Abyss Artifact
Challenge 5: Seeds of Discord
- How to Unlock: Pick up Sealed Abyss Artifact in Delesyia, at intersection north of Delesyia South Gate.
- Challenge: Commit a crime in the City of Delesyia while wearing Varnian Contribution Armor & Commit a crime in the City of Varnia while wearing Delesyian Contribution Armor.
- How to Complete: As stated, you must commit a crime in the City of Delesyia and the City of Varnia while wearing contribution armor from the opposite city. All Contribution Shop Locations (Faction Merchants)
This does not need to be the full set, only a single item, so you can obtain the Helmet slot item which is the cheapest, requiring 17 Contribution Points. Then while you are wearing it in the opposite city, commit any crime such as stealing an item. You don’t need to be spotted by anyone, only commit any crime while wearing the item. You can then return the Contribution Armor items after completing the requirement to get the points back if you don’t want to keep it to wear. - Reward: 1x Abyss Artifact, 1x Greater Bloodbane
Challenge 6: Touch of Darkness
- How to Unlock: Pick up Sealed Abyss Artifact in Hernand, on north side of road directly northeast of Vilkom Outpost.
- Challenge: Assassinate 3 enemies within 1 minute.
- How to Complete: This requires assassinating 3 enemies within 1 minute from assassinating the first one. You can do this in many locations, and can move enemies apart from each other and then run away so they lose sight of you. They’ll then likely stand in the same spot so you can work between them.
If you are fine waiting to try this until Chapter 9, you can unlock the Wind element from the Abyss Riddle Square and then use the Storm Veil ability while playing as Kliff. This is effectively a smoke bomb that you can deploy and will make enemies lose sight of you, and allows you to immediately assassinate them. Go into the middle of a group of enemies and use it, then quickly assassinate them while they are coughing. Use it again if you don’t manage to get three enemies in one use. - Reward: 1x Abyss Artifact
Challenge 7: Disruption
- How to Unlock: Pick up Sealed Abyss Artifact in Hernand, near the edge of the river directly west of Roothold in a small shrine.
- Challenge: Defeat 10 One-Eyed Jackals while wearing the Black Bear’s Leather Helm.
- How to Complete: The Black Bear’s Leather Helm is a specific helm that can be purchased from the Tailor in Pailune starting in Chapter 8.
After obtaining it you need to wear it and defeat 10 One-Eyed Jackals total. This is the faction that had control of Pailune during the story until chapter 7, so there are very few of them left at the point in the game where you can obtain the helmet. If you have not cleared it then you can find more than enough at the Whispering Forest Dock southeast of Pailune (faction referred to as Lonely Jackals). Otherwise they seem like they can be very found randomly spawned around Pailune within groups of the Black Bears faction at locations they still have control of.
If you liberate all possible locations there is a quest later in the Pailune Faction Quest lines called The Jackals’ Scheme that spawns a bunch more Jackals, but if you have completed all Faction Quests then there currently isn’t a way to fight more Jackals.
- Reward: 1x Abyss Artifact
Challenge 8: Gunshot
- How to Unlock: Pick up Sealed Abyss Artifact in Demeniss, on the side of the road directly north of Scorchrock Castle, in a small wooden shrine.
- Challenge: Neutralize an Elite only using guns.
- How to Complete: As stated, neutralize an Elite enemy only using a gun while playing as Damiane, as she is the only character who can use guns. Elites are represented by a starburst icon on the minimap instead of the diamond like normal enemies, and can be found at most enemy-controlled locations or in random enemy spawns. The easiest way to defeat the elite is to use Focused Shot and then mark them a bunch of times, then use Charged Shot to have all of the marks deal Charged Shot damage.
- Reward: 1x Abyss Artifact, 1x Malicebane II
Challenge 9: Meteor Run in the Dark
- How to Unlock: Pick up Sealed Abyss Artifact in Varnia (north Crimson Desert) on the side of the road north of Varnia Gate, under the rock that is over the road.
- Challenge: Destroy 2 Palisade Gates at night.
- How to Complete: Palisade Gates are the large wooden doors that appear on forts and outposts, typically represented with a wooden fort icon on the map. To destroy the gate you first need to burn them, which you can do by using Focus Light on them for a bit (
+ 
> hold ), or by using Fire imbued attacks. After they completely burn they’ll appear darker, then can be destroyed by attacks such as Turning Slash + or charged Cannon shots. The requirement to destroy them at night means between 9PM and 3AM in-game time, which is what the game seems to consider night.
You can do this at friendly locations such as Roothold, which have a closed Palisade gate. You can still destroy it even though it is a friendly location, but you may be spotted for commiting a crime. The gate will respawn after a week or so in-game time, then you can come back and destroy it again if you didn’t find any other locations. Destroying both gates doesn’t need to be done in a single night.
- Reward: 1x Abyss Artifact, 1x Disarm I
Challenge 10: Dirge Beyond the Border
- How to Unlock: Pick up Sealed Abyss Artifact in Delesyia, on the side of the road on the west side of the bridge, southwest of Timberton.
- Challenge: Subdue the guards in the Storm Veil.
- How to Complete: This challenge requires that you assassinate a guard while using Kliff’s wind skill Storm Veil. Wind element is obtained by completing the Abyss area Riddle Square, which is able to be completed starting in Chapter 9. Once you’ve obtained it, make sure to set wind as your active element then go into a city and attack a friendly guard to make them hostile. Once they are, use Storm Veil +
to make a smoke cloud, and then use assassinate on the guard. This is a bit finicky and you may need to try multiple times, so be aware you will gain bounty by killing the guards if you need to try it more than once. - Reward: 1x Abyss Artifact, 1x Energy Drain II
Gorgi says
Will the One-Eyed Jackals appear after Chapter 7? And where can I find Black Bear faction clothing?
Jerry says
It is located at Twinpath Post very south to Pailune. And you could buy black bear helmet at Pailun’s Tailor’s shop.
Grogon says
One-Eyed Jackals are gone for me, but I couldn’t get the Black Bear leather helm before liberating Pailune.
No clue if the helm can drop and you’re supposed to farm it and then go for the jackals before liberating Pailine. I’ve searched the entirety for Pailune and all Jackals are gone for me. So this achievement is easily missable if you ask me.
Fred says
A bit south of Pailune, where a smaller river branches off the big one, there’s a location called “Twinpath Post”
On the road around that outpost there are One-Eyed Jackals roaming around.
Gelly says
It Is 100% missable, Im in the same spot, liberated all of pailune, rode around for about 90 mins and didnt find a single hostile enemy.
TrickshotNoobi says
@FRED CAN you give us more détails? I searched around the Outpost you described but no eye jackal found
Tom Hughes says
For challenge 1 – I got the disruptor from an orc near Yulgar Beacon in Gorthak. Once you find an orc with a disruptor on their back, just wait for the nearby robot enemies to kill him (the orcs aren’t hostile). You can try and attack them with AoE attacks, but I’m not sure if this was helping kill it quicker.
Once you get the disruptor, head to the Salt Mine near Mount Benus (South Denesyia).
Run around the area and aggro the robots, then use the disruptor in the middle of them (disruptor only works on robots enemies).
I did this at the start of chapter 6, and without clearing any nearby camps.
Nebzz says
If the story is already over, how can I get this jammer back because I can’t find it anywhere?
Tom Hughes says
For challenge 2 – Use the Western Court and Southern Court locations located in Demeniss. They’re located just above and below the EM on the writing.
There’s fast travel points right next to both, so just keep going between the two. Just keep travelling between the two if they don’t spawn. Sometimes it can take a few travels before they spawn. I got all 10 in around 15 minutes of doing this.
If you fast travel away from Demeniss, your tracker will stop and reset.
I’m on the first mission in chapter 6, so no idea if this will be possible later in the story.
Gad says
This strategy works, but I was trying to do this while on the Chapter 8 quest “The Blood Coronation” and they would very infrequently spawn for me. Wasted about an hour or so failing to do this. After completing Chapter 8, I noticed that quests unlocked at each of the Court locations which made the pike units respawn basically every time I moved between the abyss nexus. Hope the may help someone else in the future.
criz says
For the banner guys, they simply don’t spawn for me, im at the beggining of chapter 7 in Pailune
Roger says
After moving to Pailune, Diederik takes over as tailor, and the black bear helmet disappears. Completely missable.
Siri says
For the assassination challenges, once you literate a POI, you can choose ‘assassinate’ when running after any remaining enemies that are fleeing. I can’t seem to get 3 in a row though this way, as they scatter too quickly. Have managed to get 2 though, and might be a good option for the nighttime challenge since you can chip away at it.
Open to suggestions for how to do the 3 in a minute – even if I manage to get one enemy by themselves, even when in sneak mode the rest get aggro’d and the option goes away
Nebzz says
Head to Dracomort Castle, located above and to the right of Hernand. There’s a teleportation point nearby. Once there, manually save your game. You should encounter some enemies. Reload your save; you’ll reappear at the teleportation point. Three enemies will be waiting for you. I successfully completed the challenge at this location. If you don’t encounter any problems, or if there are more than three enemies, reload your save.
Saudumm says
You can use Sleep Arrows on enemies, once they’re asleep, you can assassinate them.
It’s also a great way to complete the “assassinate 5 enemies at night” challenge.
You can get Sleep Arrows from a Dispatch Mission in Longleaf (you have to complete the Longleaf quest line first)
Royals says
Pearl Abyss needs to do something regarding the extinction of certain enemy types (or all enemies in general) from the game. The way you find challenges from the open world does not make sense at all. So if you accidentally passed from a different area and did not encounter the challenge before clearing Pailune than you are locked out of the challenge, this does not make sense at all. There should be regular enemy respawns.
Tidus says
„Challenge: Commit a crime in the City of Delesyia while wearing Varnian Contribution Armor & Commit a crime in the City of Varnia while wearing Delesyian Contribution Armor„
Where can I find/buy any armor for this?
Gage says
We have a page up now showing the locations of all Contribution Point vendors, I’ve linked it in the challenge info.
Zach says
For Disruption. If you haven’t cleared ancient mine site ruins 1 sw of pailune. Theres 8 Jackals after extinction