Winter Season (2021)

A Season server is a recent event in the life of BDO that is designed to make things easier for old and new players by providing events and rewards to its participants that greatly facilitate the leveling and gearing process. It is very popular with the players as we get a lot of rewards when we take part in it and it gives the new ones a great opportunity to catch up both in terms of level and equipment.

Black Desert Online’s next season event, the 2021 Winter Season, has begun! In this guide, we have gathered all the useful information about the event so that you can get the most out of it as quickly as possible.

Here you will find all the important dates related to the event, how this season is different from the previous ones, and we will also give you fast leveling and gear-plan tips. In the end, we’ll look at what rewards are available and what to choose if you have to choose, personally to whom what is good.

I highly recommend our previously published Ultimate Guide to Season Characters, where you will get an even more comprehensive picture of all the content related to the seasons, since here we will only focus on the 2021 Winter Season.

Winter Season (2021) Schedule

• Event period: Dec 22, 2021, after maintenance – Mar 30, 2022, before maintenance
• Pre-creation: omitted
• Graduation: Jan 5, 2022, after maintenance – Mar 30, 2022, before maintenance

It has been common in previous seasons to get a new class at the same time as the event. This time however, PA has placed a bigger focus on the class reworks.

If you are a beginner and new to the world of Black Desert

 

This event offers you the best catch-up opportunity in terms of both level and equipment. If you haven’t made a seasonal character yet, do it because there’s no other option in this game that will give you such an advantage like this! It holds benefits and rewards for you that make it terribly worth doing, plus if you successfully “finish” the season, you’ll be richer in a gaming experience that will be very easy to build into later. In the end, of course, you can keep this character, and it will become a regular character, along with all the equipment you acquire.

 

In addition to this guide, I highly recommend our already published Season Character Guide because I’m sure you’ll find some very useful information about the season in general in this as well!

All Changes in Winter Season (2021) from Previous Seasons

Let’s see what’s different from previous seasons and what hasn’t changed. These contents have been found in almost every season so far, so let’s run through them with a quick overview. You can read about this content at length in our Ultimate Guide to Season Characters.

1. Bountiful Skill EXP: The book [Season] Secret Book of the Misty Breeze has not changed, is also available this season, and continues to share the bonus Skill EXP.
2. Leveling Aid Boxes: The [Season] New Adventure Box is still available from the Season Pass, they have changed their icon and some of the content as well, but it’s still very OP, it’s our grateful companion throughout the leveling.
3. Enhancement gear of Advice of Valks: Fughar will thank the enhancers again this year: Advice of Valks (+40) and Advice of Valks (+60) will earn for quests if you equip TRI (III) and TET (IV) Tuvala equipment.
4. Collect and Exchange!: This year, too, we can collect the special item from the Season Pass that we can redeem for valuable rewards in the end. As before, it got a new icon and name this season, but what hasn’t changed is that it’s still valuable. You can read more about redeeming it in our last chapter.
5. Rift’s Echo: These boss scrolls also make sense this season and we must use them if we want to finish the Season Pass because it is included.
6. Special Monster Drop: The item that can be obtained by defeating monsters in Valencia, Kamasylvia, Dreighan, or O’dylitta is waiting for us this season as well. It also got a crease: Rift’s Crystal is its new name and it got a nice new purple icon too. Since it can be redeemed for Time Filled Black Stone Bundle, Tuvala Ore Bundle, and Refined Magical Black Stone Bundle, we will meet it many times.
7. Crow Merchants Guild Contribution Certificates: At the end of the Season Pass we will own these items again and then exchange them for valuable things (Item Collection Increase Scroll, Advice of Valks (+20) and [Season] Great Pioneer’s Chest).
8. Season Character exclusive Atoraxxion: Sycrakea: And this is an innovation for the Winter Season, but from now on it will probably be available in every additional season from now on. Season Atoraxxion is now available and is waiting for you on seasonal servers.
9. Weekly Quests: There are currently 22 weekly quests waiting for you to get Rift’s Echo, Time-filled Black Stone, Tuvala Ore or Refined Magical Black Stone. You can find these in-game at the Quest Window (press O), Recurring tab, and below the [Season] Stronger Tuvala Gear title.
10. Regional Quests: These also remain the old ones, if you enter a larger level of monster area, these challenges will automatically pop up. The goal is to kill a certain amount of monsters, and it will reward you with useful things, like stones and accessories.
11. Daily Red Battlefield: Season-exclusive Red Battlefield will be available during the Winter Season. Inside the RB, NPC Daz offers a quest called [Season Daily] Join the Red Battlefield!. This provides items that help develop your Seasonal Character.

Winter Season (2021) Coupon Codes

In the table below we will collect the gift coupon codes issued during the season and contains season-related items. The table is constantly being updated, so it will be worth visiting again.

Coupon Code	Content	Server Availability	Validity Time
HAPP-YNEW-YEAR-2022	[Season] Aurora Snowflake x10 [Event] Blessing of Old Moon Pack (3 Days) x1 [Event] Artisan’s Memory x10 Advice of Valks (+40) x2 Kydict’s Crystal – Adventure x1 Big Garnier Firecracker Box x1	NA/EU SEA Console	December 29, 2021 (Wed) after maintenance – January 9, 2022 (Sun) 23:59 (UTC)

If you do not know how to redeem these codes, visit this official GM note, here you will find a detailed description of it. Or In-game ESC menu -> Adventurer Support (F11) -> [Use Coupon].

Season Pass & Black Spirit Pass for Winter Season (2021)

The season pass is located in the upper right corner, its window will open if you click on the Season Pass icon. The rewards in the first column are available to everyone for free, while the rewards in the second column can only be unlocked if you purchase the Black Spirit Pass from the Pearl Shop (F3).

This schedule is meant to guide you through the developmental stage of your character and reward you with plenty of rewards for it. In both cases, the rewards must be activated and taken out one after the other. However, it is not mandatory to complete the missions in order, the system will save them in case you can activate them in order later.

Challenge Name	Challenge Target	Completion Rewards	Additional Rewards with the Black Spirit Pass
Leveling Up, One Step at a Time! 1	Reach Lv. 10 on a season character	[Season] New Adventure Box x1	[Event] Classic Outfit Box x1
Leveling Up, One Step at a Time! 2	Reach Lv. 15 on a season character	Inventory +2 Expansion x1	[Event] Value Pack (7 Days) x1
Leveling Up, One Step at a Time! 3	Reach Lv. 20 on a season character	Elion’s Tear x3	Inventory +2 Expansion x1
Black Spirit’s Gift!	Receive Black Spirit’s Gift (Inventory Slot)	[Season] Secret Book of the Misty Breeze x3	[Event] Maid for Hire Box x1
Horses, the Adventurer’s Companion	Complete the [Horse Emblem] Seal of the Secret Guards quest	[Season] Aurora Snowflake x5	[Season] Aurora Snowflake x5
Leveling Up, One Step at a Time! 4	Reach Lv. 25 on a season character	Inventory +2 Expansion x1	Elion’s Tear x3
Leveling Up, One Step at a Time! 5	Reach Lv. 30 on a season character	[Season] Finto’s Box of Juices x10	Inventory +2 Expansion x1
Equipping Naru Adventure Gear 1	Enhance a Naru main weapon to +3 or higher, then equip it	Inventory +2 Expansion x1	[Event] Maid for Hire Box x1
Equipping Naru Adventure Gear 2	Enhance Naru Armor to +3 or higher, then equip it	[Season] Secret Book of the Misty Breeze x3	Inventory +2 Expansion x1
Leveling Up, One Step at a Time! 6	Reach Lv. 35 on a season character	Inventory +2 Expansion x1	Megaphone x11
Leveling Up, One Step at a Time! 7	Reach Lv. 40 on a season character	[Season] Aurora Snowflake x5	[Season] Aurora Snowflake x5
Leveling Up, One Step at a Time! 8	Reach Lv. 45 on a season character	Elion’s Tear x5	Inventory +2 Expansion x1
To a Higher Goal	Complete the [To Level 50!] Go Beyond Your Own Limits quest	[Event] Sealed Book of Combat (7 Days) x1	Elion’s Blessing x2
Leveling Up, One Step at a Time! 9	Reach Lv. 50 on a season character	Book of Training – Combat (1 Hour) x10	Book of Training – Skill (1 Hour) x10
Trading Energy for EXP!	Summon the Black Spirit and exchange energy for an EXP buff	Laila’s Petal x10	Elion’s Tear x5
Equipping Naru Adventure Gear 3	Enhance a Naru main weapon to +15 or higher, then equip it	Combat or Life Box x1	Combat or Life Box x1
Equipping Naru Adventure Gear 4	Enhance Naru Armor to +15 or higher, then equip it	[Season] Aurora Snowflake x5	[Season] Aurora Snowflake x5
Equipping Naru Adventure Gear 5	Enhance a Naru sub-weapon to +15 or higher, then equip it	[Season] Finto’s Box of Juices x10	[Season] Finto’s Box of Juices x10
Leveling Up, One Step at a Time! 10	Reach Lv. 55 on a season character	[Event] High-Quality Draught Box x3	Premium Elixir Box x3
Blacksmith of Altinova	Speak to Mevo Muranan, the Blacksmith of Altinova	Tuvala Ore x25	Tuvala Ore x25
Equipping Tuvala Adventure Gear 1	Enhance a Tuvala ring to PRI (I) or higher, then equip it	Time-filled Black Stone x100	Time-filled Black Stone x100
Save the Abandoned Iron Mine!	Defeat 100 Rhutums, Saunils, and other monsters at Abandoned Iron Mine	Refined Magical Black Stone x20	Refined Magical Black Stone x20
A Whole New Me	Reach Lv. 56, complete the Awakening or Succession questline	[Season] Aurora Snowflake x5	[Season] Aurora Snowflake x5
Different Skills for Different Situations	Complete the [Skill Preset Coupon] Using a Variety of Skills quest	Advice of Valks (+20) x3	Advice of Valks (+20) x3
Equipping Tuvala Adventure Gear 2	Enhance a Tuvala Main Weapon to DUO (II) or higher, then equip it	Cron Stone x50	Cron Stone x50
Equipping Tuvala Adventure Gear 3	Enhance a Tuvala ring to TRI (III) or higher, then equip it	Frozen Tides Black Stone x1	Old Moon Costume Coupon x1
Abundant Inventory Support	Complete one of the [Suggested] [ADV Support] Inventory Expansion! quests	Item Collection Increase Scroll (60 min) x5	Item Collection Increase Scroll (60 min) x5
Pets, Loyal Companions	Complete one of the [ADV Support] Pets, Loyal Companions quests	Combat & Skill EXP 300% Scroll (60 min) x2	Combat & Skill EXP 300% Scroll (60 min) x2
How to Progress Faster	Use the Combat & Skill EXP 300% Scroll	[Season] Aurora Snowflake x5	[Season] Aurora Snowflake x5
Defeat the Monsters at Bashim Base	Defeat 100 monsters at Bashim Base	Time-filled Black Stone x200	Time-filled Black Stone x200
Exterminate the Gahaz Bandits	Defeat 100 Gahaz Bandits	Tuvala Ore x50	Tuvala Ore x50
Leveling Up, One Step at a Time! 11	Reach Lv. 57 on a season character	Refined Magical Black Stone x40	Refined Magical Black Stone x40
Weekly Chance to Get Stronger!	Complete one of the [Recurring] [Season Weekly] Stronger Tuvala Gear quests	Advice of Valks (+40) x1	Advice of Valks (+40) x1
Leveling Up, One Step at a Time! 12	Reach Lv. 58 on a season character	Cron Stone x50	Cron Stone x100
Finding Traces of Agris, God of Abundance	Complete the Book of Margahan – Chapter 1	[Season] Aurora Snowflake x5	[Season] Aurora Snowflake x5
Abundant Junk!	Consume 3,000 Agris Fever points	Combat & Skill EXP 300% Scroll (60 min) x5	Combat & Skill EXP 300% Scroll (60 min) x5
Leveling Up, One Step at a Time! 13	Reach Lv. 59 on a season character	Item Collection Increase Scroll (60 min) x5	Item Collection Increase Scroll (60 min) x5
My Flying Friend	Complete the [ADV Support] Fairy, Mysterious Companion questline from the [Suggested] tab	Advice of Valks (+50) x1	Advice of Valks (+50) x1
The Legendary Blacksmiths?!	Complete the [Suggested] [Lv. 51] Mediah: The Legendary Blacksmith questline	[Event] Sealed Book of Combat (7 Days)	Elion’s Blessing x2
Magically-filled Naderr’s Belt!	Complete the [Suggested] [Lv. 58] Naderr’s Belt questline	Advice of Valks (+60) x1	Advice of Valks (+60) x1
An Invitation You Can’t Refuse	Complete the [Invitation from I] Invitation from I quest, then find hints about Atoraxxion	[Season] Aurora Snowflake x5	[Season] Aurora Snowflake x5
Shakatu’s Hidden Treasure	Complete the [Suggested] [Lv. 60] Bag of the Stars questline, then get your Family Inventory	Advice of Valks (+70) x1	[Event] Blessing of Kamasylve (7 Days) x1
A Whole New Experience Presented by Fughar!	Complete the [Winter Season] Fughar’s Special Timepiece quest	[Event] Tachros’ Spirit Stone x1	[Event] Secret Book of Old Moon (7 Days) x1
I’m a Seasoned Adventurer Now!	Reach Lv. 60 on a season character	Advice of Valks (+80) x1	Valks’ Cry x10
Silenced the Echo	Defeat the monster summoned from the Rift’s Echo	Combat & Skill EXP 300% Scroll (60 min) x5	Combat & Skill EXP 300% Scroll (60 min) x5
Steps to Greater Heights	Complete the [Season] To Greater Heights! quest	Item Collection Increase Scroll (60 min) x10	Supreme Old Moon Box x1
All Are Equal Before Me	Defeat 1 boss from the Dark Rift	[Season] Aurora Snowflake x5	[Season] Aurora Snowflake x5
Yar!	Defeat Igor Bartali, Chief of Velia, at a game of Yar!	Artisan’s Memory x7	Artisan’s Memory x15
Apex Adventurer	Reach Lv. 61 on a season character	Cron Stone x100	Cron Stone x100
Honorary Crow Merchants Guild Member	Finish the Season Pass	[Season] Crow Merchants Guild Contribution Certificate I x15	[Season] Crow Merchants Guild Contribution Certificate II x15

How to Level in Winter Season (2021)

Leveling for New Players

In this section, we will try to gather the things you need to know to be able to progress effectively during leveling as a beginner. When the game starts at Ancient Stone Chamber, from there your task is to move along the main quests. As with most MMORPGs, these quests are designed to guide you through the game as you progress at the right pace. It’s important to mention that in the case of seasonal characters, this is complemented by the Season Pass, which fits perfectly with your quests, your current level, and your gear as well. So you have to take the Season Pass with the main questline (which of course is not mandatory, only recommended).

Servers have been created specifically for seasons (Season 1-4 and PVP), with additional Combat EXP and Skill EXP bonuses for adventurers. Many activities related to the season can only be accessed on these servers, and the EXP bonus is also worth leveling here. However, this is not mandatory. On the journey, you will get Scrolls that give you extra combat EXP. It is worth using them, these are added to the EXP bonus provided by the server.

You may sometimes need to grind, in which case just open the Map (M) and look around to see what level of mob areas are nearby. Under the name of each monster area is indicated the level at which it is advisable to visit there, so it is easy to see where to start. But it also means that your gear must evolve with you. The Season Pass is a good help in this because it requires you to improve as well. At the beginning of the game, it’s worth “trashing” everything, everywhere and from everyone, constantly changing your gear from worse to better. Your important gear will be Naru and Tuvala ones anyway, I’ll write more about that in the chapter below.

If you have a super nice friend, you can ask him to power level up in one of the higher-level areas and you will go back to do the main quests afterward. It’s a quick way, but I think the game mechanics get worse.

You’ll be somewhere around level 57 by the time when you should start gathering EXP through quests. You have to complete a series of quests to get to the  Chenga – Sherekhan Tome of Wisdom, which is an Adventurer’s Tome which gives a Combat Grade EXP obtained through Quest Reward + 30% bonus. I used to start this around Calpheon City, I have to visit the surrounding nodes and look for Story Quests and complete them. Such quests can be found from Calpheon to Kamasylvia and then to Duvencrune. However, if you get stuck, there are plenty of very helpful tutorial videos on the internet about this where you can learn more about this process. This whole process can be replaced and or supplemented with Mirumok Ruins farming/leeching.

Skipping Main Quests for Veterans

Since skipping Main quests is now available, any veteran can breathe a sigh of relief. This is available to those who have already completed at least once the entire Mediah main questline and the quest “[Pet] Bareeds’ Junaid” from Bareeds III. When you arrive in Velia with the main quests, NPC Alustin will offer you two crossroads: the main quests and skipping them. Pay close attention when you get here because your decision cannot be changed. This chain of quests is time-saving and all rewards can be earned with it.

This quest gives you a Fughar’s Memorandum – Chapter 1, this is the first part, and then we finally come to the end through 11 chapters. Follow the instructions in the quests until you reach the last chapter. The last quest of the simplified questline, “[Season] Fughar’s Memorandum – Chapter 11,” will make the character have fulfilled the same prerequisites of a character who has completed the Mediah main questline and allow them to start the Valencia questline.

Gear-plan

Special characters deserve special gear. Since Season characters cannot equip regular gear, you have to equip the character with Naru and Tuvala gear. Only the Asula jewelry set is an exception to this, as well as the main story quest’s reward items. Items that can be used are marked with a yellow Black Spirit mark.

So Naru Gear will come after using all the equipment you have collected. You get these during the main quests (at the end of the main story quests in Serendia and Calpheon), and Fughar gives them to those who skipped the main quests (Naru Armor, Gloves, Shoes, Helmet, and a main weapon).  In addition, it can be obtained from other sources: as a monster drop in Serendia, Calpheon, and Mediah or through exchanging Beginner Black Stones.

Naru gear can also be enhanced with Beginner Black Stones. You can obtain them from the main story quest, or by heating regular black stones to turn them into Beginner Black Stones. You don’t need to use failstacks to enhance them and don’t use Cron Stones for enhancement at all, it would be a big waste. Naru armor and weapons can be enhanced up to PEN and accessories up to TRI.

Once you reach PEN Naru armor/weapons, you can exchange them for Tuvala PRI (I) gear in your Inventory (I). The requirement is a finished Mediah main questline or completed [Special Growth] Fughar’s Memorandum – Chapter 8 in the case of skipping main questlines.

In addition to the exchanging, to get Tuvala gear you will need Tuvala Ores. You can get Tuvala Ores by defeating monsters in Valencia, Kamasylvia, Drieghan, and Sycraia Underwater Ruins. When you have collected enough, you can take your Tuvala Ores to blacksmiths to exchange them for weapons, defense gear, or accessories. Blacksmiths NPCs can be found in most large towns.

And then there is nothing left but to enhance as long as you can! You will find excellent help here.

Winter Season (2021) Graduation

If you fulfill the requirements, you can graduate from the Season Servers and receive several special rewards to help you get ready for the normal servers. Graduation allows you to quickly convert your season character to a normal character with its equipment. This system is only available after a certain of time has passed since the start of the season. All that will probably be provided that the character does not possess a Fughar’s Timepiece item and the Season Pass is fully completed and collected. At the end of the season, the non-converted characters are automatically converted and in no case lost.

Winter Season (2021) Rewards

• [Season] Tuvala Conversion Stone Box
• [Season] Boss Gear Exchange Coupon
• Fughar’s Letter of Encouragement
• Graduation Cap
• Advice of Valks (+60)
• Golden Graduation Gown
• [Event] Secret Book of Old Moon (7 Days)
• [Event] Elion’s Tear
• Blessed Message Scroll (100 min)
• [Event] Item Collection Increase Scroll (60 min)
• [Event] Giovan Grolin’s Support Scroll
• [Event] Tachros’ Spirit Stone
• Premium Elixir Box
• Finto’s Filling/Sweet/Fresh Juice
• Season Special Gift Exchange Coupon
• Cron Stone x50

The Season Special Gift Exchange Coupon allows you to redeem with a Special Reward of your choice with Fughar. It is available from the following items (1 only) and only if you have not obtained them in previous seasons:

2020 Summer Season	2020 Autumn Season	2020 Winter Season	2021 Summer Season	2021 Winter Season
PEN (V) Capotia accessories	Perilla’s Star	PEN (V) Capotia Belt	PEN (V) Capotia Necklace	Advice of Valks (+100)

Profit from [Season] Aurora Snowflake

We prepared a table in case someone wants to get the most out of snowflakes just for profit. However, there are cases where you prefer to choose what you need. The market prices are calculated on the basis of the EU server, so this may be different on other servers.

Item	Required Snowflakes to exchange	Buy Price	Value of 1 Snowflake	Sell Price
Old Moon Alchemy Catalyst x3	1	10.050.000	10.050.000	1.050.000
Valks’ Cry x1	2	cannot sell, useful item
Cron Stone x3	2	6.000.000	3.000.000	600.000
Artisan’s Memory x3	5	cannot sell, useful item
Inventory +2 Expansion Coupon	5	cannot sell, useful item
Advice of Valks (+40)	5	cannot sell, useful item
Caphras Stone Bundle (10-50)	10	~ 30.000.000 – 150.000.000	3.000.000 – 15.000.000	~ 30.000.000 – 150.000.000
Caphras Stone Bundle (50-100)	20	~ 150.000.000 – 300.000.000	7.500.000 – 15.000.000	~ 150.000.000 – 300.000.000
Brilliant Crimson Fire Flower x20	10	100.000.000*	10.000.000	2.000.000
Mysterious Blue Conch x20	10	100.000.000	10.000.000	2.000.000
Fruit of Yianaros x20	10	100.000.000	10.000.000	2.000.000
Advice of Valks (+60)	20	cannot sell, useful item
[Venia] Merv’s Tailoring Tool	30	cannot sell, useful item
[Da-Dum-Da-Dum] Merv’s Tailoring Tool	30	cannot sell, useful item
Artisan’s Blessing (30 Days)	30	336.000.000**	11.200.000	cannot sell
Choose Your Pet Box	30	86.500.000	2.883.333	86.500.000
Tier 8 White Horse (With Instant Accel)	30	130.000.000	4.333.333	130.000.000
Manos Riding Crop	30	230.000.000	7.666.666	230.000.000
Mythical Feather x3	30	39.000.000	1.300.000	39.000.000
Advice of Valks (+100)	50	cannot sell, useful item
Advice of Valks (+135)	70	cannot sell, useful item

*: calculated with the values of tradeable Courser Materials, which are replaced by these items
**: calculated with the Artisan’s Memories

You will need to deal with the above if you do not have anything you specifically need from the ones listed. A total of 78 snowflakes can be taken out of the Season Pass, and 118, along with the Black Spirit Pass. Unfortunately, it has to be considered how many times an item can be obtained. So the table above shows that Manos Riding Crop is the best choice in terms of profit. Of the three redeemable items, both Caphras Stone bundles are valuable, especially if we open them with great luck.

If I only had to use 78 snowflakes, it would probably be like this: a Manos Riding Crop, x2 Caphras Stone Bundle (50-100) and x12 Cron Stones.