Loot & Progression in Crimson Moon

# Loot & Progression

Per the official Loot & Progression post:

> "One of the most exciting parts of every hunt in Crimson Moon is never knowing what you'll discover next. As you fight your way through the fallen city of Gildenarch, you'll uncover a huge variety of weapons, armour, trinkets, consumables and powerful upgrades that can dramatically change the way you approach combat."

## Loot categories

The game has five types of loot:

1. Weapons — including the one-handed + shield and two-handed slots
2. Armour — 4 pieces per Nephilim
3. Trinkets — 2 per Nephilim
4. Consumables — used during hunts
5. Powerful upgrades — the post uses this term but does not specify what category these fall into (likely attached to gear as Boons, per How Builds Work)

## How loot is earned

Per the official post:

> "Every Hunt Rewards Exploration — Loot can be earned in a variety of ways throughout [a hunt]."

The full text of this section is gated by what the official source published. Based on the post, loot sources include:
- Combat (drops from enemies)
- Elite encounters
- Mini-bosses
- Secrets (found by exploration)
- End-of-Ward boss

Specific loot tables and drop rates are not in any official source.

## What you do with loot mid-hunt

Per How Builds Work, the Nexus Gates let you choose temporary Boons that remain active for the rest of the run. These are not new gear — they are buff-style choices that augment your existing build.

## What you do with loot after a hunt

### Purify

> "Successfully complete a hunt and you can Purify the equipment you've discovered, permanently adding those weapons, armour and trinkets to your collection."

Purify happens after a successful hunt completion. Purified gear becomes part of your permanent collection for future runs.

### Trade

NPCs at Sanctus Clypeus accept specific items in trade:
- Mereda — Lore Scrolls → new Boons, Souls → Blessings
- Gajov — Souls → gear, equipment → increased rarity
- Lotte — sells trinkets, throwables, and consumables

See Sanctus Clypeus for NPC details.

### Equip

After a successful run, you can equip your Purified gear at Sanctus Clypeus before your next hunt. Future runs begin with stronger starting gear.

## Run-only vs. permanent loot

Run-only (lost on death):
- Non-purified gear from the failed hunt
- Nexus Gate Boons
- Consumables used during the hunt

Permanent (kept across runs):
- Purified weapons, armour, trinkets
- Boons unlocked via Lore Scrolls → Mereda
- Souls (currency, presumably carried forward)
- Upgrades and unlocked equipment

## What we do not yet know

The community will surface once players start playing:
- Specific weapon and armour names
- Trinket effects and names
- Set bonuses for matching armour sets
- Loot drop tables and rarity tiers
- Specific upgrade paths

This page will be updated as official sources publish more detail.

## Source

- Gameplay Explained: Loot & Progression in Crimson Moon — official Steam News post
- How Builds Work — explains gear slots and Boons
- How Runs Work — explains Purify timing

## Related

- Getting Started
- Sanctus Clypeus — where you trade and Purify
- Updates