Obsidian Knight Darksteel Farming and Spending Guide
Darksteel is the currency used with equipment-set upgrade trees. Before farming it, identify the progression problem you want to solve and the next upgrade you can test. This avoids spreading the currency across unrelated sets without knowing what helped.
Check this first
Darksteel and Shards are different resources. Official update notes connect Darksteel to set upgrades and describe Shards as a Mining resource. If the balance or icon is unclear, start with Shards vs. Darksteel.
Open the set upgrade screen and record:
- The equipment set you currently use
- The next upgrade node you want to unlock
- Any resource or prerequisite required in addition to Darksteel
Having enough Darksteel does not guarantee that a node can be unlocked. A different Shard, an earlier node, or another requirement may be blocking it. Use the current in-game requirement display as the final reference.
Confirmed Darksteel sources
Official update notes identify the following Darksteel routes. Exact payouts and reset times are not confirmed here, so check the visible reward before each run.
Source | Confirmed scope | What to check now |
|---|---|---|
Daily Darksteel run | A daily feature for Darksteel exists | Current entry, remaining attempts, visible reward |
Endless Dungeon | Darksteel is listed as a reward | Reachable depth and time per run |
The Hunt | After a full clear, it refreshes twice and awards Darksteel | Remaining targets, refreshed targets, visible reward |
For Hunt-specific steps, use The Hunt and Darksteel guide. For the dungeon structure, use Dungeon types and progression.
How to choose a farming route
1. Choose the upgrade goal before the target amount
Do not begin with “save as much Darksteel as possible.” Record the first failure in your current wall: dying to regular attacks, failing against magic-heavy damage, or reaching the boss without enough damage.
Official notes say that Magic Defense and Damage Mitigation were added through set upgrades. They do not confirm each node's value, formula, cap, or optimal order. Match the current node description to your failure instead of choosing from the name alone.
2. Pick one source that is available now
Choose a Daily run, Endless Dungeon, or Hunt entry that currently displays Darksteel. Compare your own payout and completion time under the same conditions instead of relying on a fixed value from an older guide.
3. Record one run
- Darksteel balance before and after
- Mode and difficulty
- Depth reached or targets defeated
- Time spent
- The reason the run ended
This separates a longer run with little practical return from a shorter route you can complete consistently.
4. Upgrade one node
If you split Darksteel across several sets and nodes, the result is difficult to measure. Upgrade one candidate on the set you regularly use, then retry the same wall. See Set upgrade trees and Darksteel for the broader comparison process.
5. Compare three attempts under the same conditions
Before and after the upgrade, make three attempts with the same mode, difficulty, and a similar Skill Card structure. Compare the first failure, the stage reached, and whether the run was completed. If the result does not change, review equipment and Skill Cards before spending more Darksteel.
If Darksteel is not increasing
- Confirm that the balance is Darksteel, not Shards.
- Confirm that the reward panel currently shows the Darksteel icon.
- Check the current availability and remaining attempts for the Daily run.
- Check whether an Endless Dungeon run takes too long for the depth you can reach.
- Check for remaining or refreshed Hunt targets.
- Check whether another resource or prerequisite is blocking the upgrade.
Recent community reports suggest that Shards, rather than Darksteel, can become the bottleneck at some progression points. This is not a universal rule. Separate the resource name, balance, and current requirement on your own screen.
Values this guide does not fix
These details can change with updates and are not confirmed by the available official descriptions:
- Exact Darksteel payout by mode
- Daily reset time and attempt count
- Total cost of a set upgrade tree
- A universally best upgrade node
- A fixed Pickaxe or secondary-resource requirement
- A single best set for all Darksteel spending
If the current game display differs from this guide, follow the current game display.
Read next
- Shards vs. Darksteel
- Set upgrade trees and Darksteel
- The Hunt and Darksteel guide
- Ruins of Mourn and Endless progression
- Ship, Unified Armada, and Pickaxe collection
- Act 3 progression diagnosis