In BDO, Knowledge is a measure of how much questing, hunting, and overall game experience your characters have. The most important reason to acquire Knowledge, is because it rewards your family account with increased Max Energy. Energy is like a type of currency in the game. With Energy, you can do fun and profitable things in Black Desert Online, like gathering goodies and hiring workers. See below for a list of ways to spend your Energy.

This BDO Knowledge Guide will help you do some Max Energy farming, by showing you all the ways to improve your Knowledge. For a detailed instruction about Energy Recovery, please visit our BDO Energy Guide.

Obtain Knowledge Step by Step

Talk to every NPC that has a ? on the minimap. Most Character type knowledge requires 1st time dialog. NPC knowledge is especially important in towns. You’ll need this later for Amity Games. Do every quest! If you don’t like questing, then Adventure Journal knowledge will be a challenge. Some Adventure Journal quests are hidden within the Amity Game or require specific quest chain completion. Discover all nodes. Use a good map site and visit all nearby Node Managers. Topography knowledge often only requires you to visit a location to obtain the knowledge. (This way you might be able to avoid some of those pesky Amity conversations!) Check Ecology then Academics. Before you leave an area, use the Knowledge Locator to be sure you have completed all monster knowledge categories nearby. Finally, complete any Amity requirements.

Why Obtain More Knowledge?

S Monster Knowledge Rank =

S: +% rare drop chance

+% rare drop chance A+: ++damage

++damage A: +damage

+damage B: -damage received

-damage received C: view monster HP %

The highest monster knowledge rank of S helps fatten our skinny silver bags!

Monster rank rewards are cumulative. For example, S rank also provides damage and defense benefits, as well as a detailed monster HP bar for that S ranked enemy.

Monster (Ecology) Knowledge Interface

You can view the hidden Ecology Knowledge you have obtained by pressing H key then clicking on the option to view each monster’s Knowledge. Each monster’s Knowledge grade will become visible to the right of their name.

Patch Notes – 13th March 2019

The monster HP bar color will change depending on its HP, even when you don’t have the monster’s Knowledge yet.

100 – 75% Yellow

75 – 50% Purple

50 – 25% Red

25 – 10% Green

10 – 5% Light Green

5 – 0% Gray

+20% Item Drop Rate via “Knowledge (Ecology) Effect”

On top of the monster Knowledge rank buffs specific to one monster, you can obtain a visible item drop buff for all enemies no matter what rank of Knowledge you have on them. The more Ecology Points you obtain by gaining more and higher monster Knowledge ranks, the better your rare drop chances after defeating all creatures.

Knowledge Window (H): press H key to view Ecology Points and “Knowledge (Ecology) Effect”

Ecology Points Item Drop Rate 501-1000 +2% 1001-1500 +3% 1501-2000 +5% 2001-3000 +7% 3001-4000 +10% 4001-5000 +12% 5001-6000 +14% 6001-7000 +16% 7001-8000 +18% 8001+ +20%

Important Note: Item drop buff does not apply to junk loot and party drops!

How to Obtain 8000 Ecology Points and S Enemy Rank:

Strike the killing blow or harvest the corpse with a tool. Bookshelves can also be used and take one hour. For each mob you gain knowledge of, you earn points depending upon which rank you were randomly given.

S: +10 Ecology Points

+10 Ecology Points A+: +5 Ecology Points

+5 Ecology Points A: +2 Ecology Points

+2 Ecology Points B: +1 Ecology Point

+1 Ecology Point C: +1 Ecology Point

Obtaining S mob knowledge rank is RNG/chance, but if you keep hunting, you will eventually obtain it. Higher ranks automatically replace lower ranks.

Knowledge Buffs

Monster Knowledge Rank Helpers:

There are game items that will help speed your path to 8000 Ecology Points and S Monster Rank. They help by increasing the chances of obtaining knowledge faster and obtaining a better rank/grade.

Chance to Gain Knowledge:

Increases the frequency of Knowledge rolls when you kill etc. You may gain a lower grade than the one you currently have, but lower grades will not lower your rank. Only higher ranks are applied.

Chance to Gain Higher-grade Knowledge:

Increases the chance that the Knowledge learned will be a higher rank/grade than the Knowledge you currently know.

Knowledge Item Knowledge Buff Acquisition Pearl Ear/Head Slot

Chance to Gain Higher-grade Knowledge +5% Outfit > Accessory >

Ear Cuffs & Earrings

(500 Pearls / $5) Pearl Eye Slot

Chance to Gain Knowledge +50% Outfit > Accessory >

Glasses & Eye Patches

(500 Pearls / $5) Pearl Bird Pets

Base Tier 1 Talents (upgradable)

+5% Knowledge Chance

+1% Higher-grade Knowledge Chance



Pet Buffs Stack: up to 5 pets

Example: T3 + T1 +T1 gives +25% Knowledge, +5% Higher-Grade ● Sky Hawk

● Brown Guide Hawk

● Long-tailed Rosefinch

● Scarlet Macaw

● Carmadum Owl

● Crow

(1100 Pearls / $11)

● [Event] Kuku (Attendance Reward) $0 Knowledge Boosters Simple Cron Meal

Knowledge Gain Chance +10%

Chance to Gain Higher-Grade Knowledge +5%



Duration: 120 min Simple Cooking:

Knight Combat Rations x1 + Mediah Meal x3 + Valencia Meal x3 + Ancient Cron Spice x1 OR Special Drieghanese Meal x1 + Serendia Meal x3 + Mediah Meal x3 + Ancient Cron Spice x1 Special Drieghanese Meal

Knowledge Gain Chance +5%

Chance to Gain Higher-Grade Knowledge +2%



Duration: 90 min Master 1 Cooking:

Ingredients: Skewered Llama Cheese Melt x1 + Stir-Fried Bracken x1 + Roast Marmot x1 + Ghormeh Sabzi x1 + Honey Wine x2 [Event] Glasses Box

Chance to Gain Knowledge +50% 3000 hours logged-in game time reward.

(only 125 days or 4 months! *wink*) Weenie Elixir

+7% Knowledge Chance

Duration: 5 min.

Cooldown: 10 sec. +10% Knowledge Chance

Duration: 8 min.

[Party] Duration: 15 min. Alchemy Tool:

(Apprentice 1, Crit: Professional 1)

4x Moss Tree Sap

2x Blue Umbrella Mushroom

3x Powder of Time

5x Monk’s Branch

1x Sky Blue Flower Looney Elixir

Higher-Grade Knowledge +3%

Duration: 5 min.

Cooldown: 10 sec. Higher-Grade Knowledge +5%

Duration: 8 min.

[Party] Duration: 15 min. Alchemy Tool:

(Apprentice 1, Crit: Professional 1)

4x Moss Tree Sap

2x Volcanic Umbrella Mushroom

3x Powder of Flame

5x Red Tree Lump

1x Violet Flower Bookshelves

● random knowledge acquired within a subcategory

● read on an alt while you hunt (Read (R) » Esc » Disconnect » Char Portrait » Change) Can’t switch servers while reading.

● takes one hour per knowledge chance and does not automatically keep reading afterwards

● not guaranteed a knowledge/rank you don’t have already, but lower rank does not replace higher ● Exchange your completed knowledge category and 100k for a bookshelf with Annolisa Rosie in SE Calpheon City library

● Bookshelves can also be purchased in the Pearl Shop (300 Pearls, $3)

● “Handcrafted” Bookshelves require different recipe ingredients depending upon the type of bookshelf crafted. (source: bddatabase — I don’t believe this is implemented yet?)

Knowledge Pets

Knowledge Pets are usually bird pets in BDO. [Event] Kuku gives knowledge as well. You receive this pet from Attendance Rewards. In the past, “Rookie”, “Guild”, and “Returning” have given this pet as a gift for logging in every day.

Knowledge Increases Max Energy

Convenient Node Purchase: via the map (requires value pack and contribution points + 10 energy)

via the map (requires value pack and contribution points + 10 energy) Level 10 Node Investment: +10% rare loot obtain chance. Each node level gives +5% Item Drop Rate for 10% of monsters killed. Does not affect Party drop items and junk items that always drop 100% Simple Example: Investing 11,350 energy for Node level 10 gives +50% higher Item Drop Rate for 1 out of every 10 monsters killed Detailed Example: Elite Sentinel pirate has a Blue Coral Ring drop rate of .1% (1 per 1000 kills). So a level 10 node would increase the drop rate to a .15% chance for 100 pirates out of 1000 pirate kills

+10% rare loot obtain chance. Gathering: mining, farming, lumbering, skinning, butchering, plant picking, and blood/sap sucking

mining, farming, lumbering, skinning, butchering, plant picking, and blood/sap sucking NPC Interactions: Amity Game and other interactions including F5 to greet (3 Energy for 3 Amity) and stealing

Amity Game and other interactions including F5 to greet (3 Energy for 3 Amity) and stealing Energy Potions: visit Alustin, the Alchemist, in any of his locations: Alustin in Alejandro Farm (NW of Heidel) or Alustin (Velia location). Also located in Glish, Port Epheria, Keplan, and The Great Library of Calpheon. His quests, called Realization of Energy, instantly exchange a character’s energy for an energy pot that players can sell at the Marketplace or use later. Energy Potion (Small) 50 energy cost: (recover 10 energy) Energy Potion (Medium) 100 energy cost: (recover 20 energy) Energy Potion (Large) 150 energy cost: (recover 30 energy) Energy Potion (Extra Large) 200 energy cost: (recover 50 energy) NOTE: All energy potions have a 10 minute cool down!! (Small potions are only good if you plan on gathering for short bursts of time.)

visit Alustin, the Alchemist, in any of his locations: Alustin in Alejandro Farm (NW of Heidel) or Alustin (Velia location). Also located in Glish, Port Epheria, Keplan, and The Great Library of Calpheon. His quests, called Realization of Energy, instantly exchange a character’s energy for an energy pot that players can sell at the Marketplace or use later. Object Interactions (to gain Knowledge, etc)

(to gain Knowledge, etc) Hiring Workers: at Work Supervisors in every major town (5 energy/worker chance)

at Work Supervisors in every major town (5 energy/worker chance) World Chat (1 energy)

(1 energy) Reset Boss Monster Knowledge: 10 energy to Annolisa Rosie in SE Calpheon City library

10 energy to Annolisa Rosie in SE Calpheon City library Level 50+ Black Spirit Combat/Life Skill Exp Buff: 50 energy for 20% Combat Exp or 8% Life Skill Exp (30 min.)

50 energy for 20% Combat Exp or 8% Life Skill Exp (30 min.) Trade Bargain: Spend energy to attempt to bargain with a Trade Manager to get a % increase in the price he will pay for your trade goods.

Spend energy to attempt to bargain with a Trade Manager to get a % increase in the price he will pay for your trade goods. Locate Another Player: Spend 5 energy and 10k to “Black-Robed Man” in Velia to locate another player. (Must be on the same channel and use character names not family.)

Spend 5 energy and 10k to “Black-Robed Man” in Velia to locate another player. (Must be on the same channel and use character names not family.) Altar of Blood: Spend 100 Energy to start and 20 for each new level inside Altar of Blood, a 3-man cooperative defense mode. Earn item rewards in exchange for defeating each level and end boss.

Spend 100 Energy to start and 20 for each new level inside Altar of Blood, a 3-man cooperative defense mode. Earn item rewards in exchange for defeating each level and end boss. Night Vendor (Patrigio): Spend 50 Energy to try your luck and possibly obtain boss gear.

Knowledge = Special Fame =

Special Fame Silvers/Day 50 – 250 100,000 251 – 500 175,000 501 – 750 250,000 751 – 1,000 325,000 1,001 – 1,250 400,000 1,251 – 1,500 475,000 1,501+ 600,000

How To Improve and Speed Up Amity Gain

Chance to Gain Knowledge and Higher-grade Knowledge Lv. 1Chance to Gain Knowledge: +5%Chance to Gain Higher-grade Knowledge: +1%Chance to Gain Knowledge and Higher-grade Knowledge Lv. 2Chance to Gain Knowledge: +10%Chance to Gain Higher-grade Knowledge: +2%Chance to Gain Knowledge and Higher-grade Knowledge Lv. 3Chance to Gain Knowledge: +15%Chance to Gain Higher-grade Knowledge: +3%Knowledge increases the maximum energy on your account. When you obtain all or most knowledge in the lowest knowledge subcategory, then all characters on your account have their max energy increased by up to 7 energy for each completed knowledge subcategory. Sometimes, you can earn a partial max energy reward for partially completing a knowledge subcategory. For example, if a knowledge list rewards 2 max energy for full completion, then if you complete half of that, then you might obtain half the reward, which is 1 max energy.Gain enough Knowledge and you can earn passive income every day. Special Fame = Knowledge/10 + Contribution Points. View your Knowledge points by pressing H key.

Academic knowledge often requires Amity, which is shown as a number level when you converse with an NPC. Here are a few tips to help speed Amity progression.

Amity For Dummies: Do you want to *sob* when you peek into the complexities of BDO’s Amity Wonderland? I understand your suffering! Follow these simple steps. Amity Requirement: Look at the requirement 1st. Meet this to win the game or loose 2+ energy and all previous rounds. Choose High Interest with High Favor Cards: pick cards that have equal or more Interest Level than the NPC you are conversing with, (unless there’s a fail requirement) Usually, you can’t go wrong with high interest + high favor cards.

Do you want to *sob* when you peek into the complexities of BDO’s Amity Wonderland? I understand your suffering! Follow these simple steps. Keep Talking: For Amity games that have proven to be easy wins, press the Keep Talking button to multiply your amity gain without consuming more energy. If however, the NPC proves stubborn, then exit after the first round is successful.

For Amity games that have proven to be easy wins, press the Keep Talking button to multiply your amity gain without consuming more energy. If however, the NPC proves stubborn, then exit after the first round is successful. Greet with F5: Amity can be frustrating! When you find yourself failing allot, don’t forget the option to Greet with F5 for 3 Amity (costs 3 energy). As Amity becomes higher and more expensive to even attempt to win, sometimes this is the best option and it relieves allot of head ache for those stubborn and unamicable NPCs!

Amity can be frustrating! When you find yourself failing allot, don’t forget the option to Greet with F5 for 3 Amity (costs 3 energy). As Amity becomes higher and more expensive to even attempt to win, sometimes this is the best option and it relieves allot of head ache for those stubborn and unamicable NPCs! Family = Energy: Fill up all your character slots with Alts. All characters share the same max energy and amity gains, but each character has it’s own usable energy pool that constantly regenerates at 1 per hour when logged off.

Fill up all your character slots with Alts. All characters share the same max energy and amity gains, but each character has it’s own usable energy pool that constantly regenerates at 1 per hour when logged off. Energy Regeneration: Amity is an energy hog. Regenerate energy by the following: 1 energy every 3 minutes (logged in) 2 energy every 3 minutes (regular bed + logged in) 3 energy every 3 minutes (cash shop bed + logged in) 1 energy per hour (logged out) [Loyalties] Energy Tonic (Small): 15 energy costs 100 Loyalties Blessing of Kamasylve:

Energy Recovery +2, Item Drop Rate +20%

Cost: 1000 Loyalty (1 day) or 1250 Pearls (15 days for $12.50) Quests: completed quests often reward +2 energy or more. Quests that recover +2 Energy — Quests that recover +3 Energy — Quests that recover +5 Energy Repeatable ones include the daily cart quests. Marketplace Energy Potions: 220k for 10 energy, all the way up to the largest size pot giving 50 energy for 1.6 mil Magic Crystal of Infinity Energy:

Max Energy +10 in shoe sockets

Cost: 490k at marketplace or craft with Alchemy Tool (Skilled 1)

Amity is an energy hog. Regenerate energy by the following: Move Faster: +5 Movement Speed will really help when running to and fro while talking to all the NPCs in town and hunting down prey. Read how to travel faster in this +5 Movement Speed Guide

Amity Game Helpers

Wonderful Black Desert Online Players that Rock!

Knowledge Locator

Knowledge List Heading Knowledge List Column Explained Type After pressing H key these are the first categories you see in game Subtype Sometimes there is a 2nd level of the category after clicking on a main category Knowledge Complete all knowledge in this lowest subcategory to obtain a max energy increase E Maximum energy of your account will increase by this much if all subcategory knowledge is finished NPC non-player character or object needed to obtain this knowledge Hint After pressing H key and hovering over a knowledge item you haven’t obtained, this hint will pop up in game Black Desert Knowledge Guide Contains further instructions, amity, and travel direction help Node Closest map node icon to gain this knowledge City Closest city/town map icon to gain this knowledge Zone Knowledge is obtained in this territory/country

Highest total possible amity buff increase is +75% stacking food, potion, villa buff, and other items. Here is a list of the amity items you can obtain in game to help speed knowledge progression along.Thank you to all the players who created programs, guides, maps, images, and helpful tidbits of info to help us in our Knowledge adventures!Use the Knowledge Locator to find nearest knowledge to your character’s location by using the select boxes at the top of the listed entries. More than one filter can be chosen to decrease range and render more specific results. To remove the filter, click the filter link at the bottom of the select box or click reset to reset all filters. Click table headings to sort columns alphabetically or numerically. Searches are applied to the filtered data only. To search the entire database, remove all filters first. Use “” around your search to do an exact search and achieve more precise results, narrowing the knowledge list. Select rows and hide/show them using the Checkbox Filter.