If you’ve ever stood at the crossroads between the sunbaked dunes and red rock canyons mid-playthrough, you know how hard the desert hills vs crimson cliffs choice can be. I’ve spent over 120 hours exploring both areas across three different playthroughs, testing everything from stealth builds to heavy melee setups to see which area delivers the most value for different play styles. I’ve seen new players waste 10+ hours in the wrong area, getting frustrated and abandoning playthroughs entirely, so I put this guide together to save you that hassle. This breakdown has no fluff, just real in-game data and personal experience to help you skip the regret of picking the wrong area first.
Core Differences Between Desert Hills vs Crimson Cliffs for Casual Players
Casual players usually prioritize low-stakes exploration and quick resource farming over endgame boss fights, so this is the first comparison I run for friends who just picked up the game. When weighing desert hills vs crimson cliffs for casual play, travel time and enemy difficulty are the two biggest factors to consider. Desert Hills has 7 fast travel points scattered across its 12 square mile map, so you never have to walk more than 5 minutes to fast travel out if you run into trouble. The average enemy level here is 12-25, so it’s perfect for players who just left the starting zone and want to grind without getting one-shot.
Crimson Cliffs only has 3 fast travel points, all clustered near the northern entrance, so you’ll spend a lot of time hiking through narrow canyons if you want to explore the southern end. The average enemy level here is 22-35, so it’s a better pick if you’ve already got a few rare gear pieces and want a bit more of a challenge. Casual players who just want to farm crafting materials should always pick Desert Hills first, as the sandstone and desert fiber spawn rates are 3x higher here than in Crimson Cliffs.
Loot and Quest Rewards Breakdown for Both Areas
Loot is the biggest driver of area choice for most players, so I tracked 20 hours of farming in each area to get accurate drop rate data. If you’re comparing desert hills vs crimson cliffs purely for loot potential, Crimson Cliffs wins for most builds, but there are exceptions. Desert Hills has mostly common and uncommon gear drops, with a 3% chance of rare drops from the sand bandit camps. The quests here are mostly fetch and delivery quests, with rewards ranging from 500-1500 gold and basic crafting recipes. It’s not flashy, but it’s consistent, and you can grind a full set of level 20 rare gear in about 8 hours if you focus on bandit camps.
Crimson Cliffs has far higher rarity drops, with a 12% chance of rare drops and a 2% chance of legendary drops from the cliff raider camps. The quests here are mostly combat and puzzle focused, with rewards ranging from 2000-4500 gold and endgame crafting recipes for enchanted armor. The only catch with Crimson Cliffs loot is that most drops are attuned to magic and ranged builds, so melee players might not get as much value here even with the higher drop rates. I once spent 10 hours farming Crimson Cliffs on my melee tank build and only got 2 usable pieces, compared to 8 usable pieces in 6 hours in Desert Hills.
The most valuable rewards in both areas are the exclusive drops you can’t get anywhere else on the map:
- Desert Hills exclusive: Sandstrider boots, which reduce movement penalty on sand by 70% and are required for the late game desert temple quest
- Crimson Cliffs exclusive: Fireproof cloak, which negates 100% of lava damage and lets you access the hidden volcanic forge for endgame gear crafting
- Shared rare drop: Desert survival pack, which grants unlimited water for 30 days of in-game time, with a 1% drop rate from boss enemies in both areas
Build-Specific Recommendations for Each Zone
Your build will make a huge difference in how much you enjoy each area, so don’t pick based on general recommendations alone. Stealth builds thrive in Desert Hills, as the tall dunes and sparse vegetation let you sneak up on enemy camps without being spotted. The sand bandits have lower perception than cliff raiders, so you can pick off entire camps without ever entering combat if you’ve got a good stealth stat. For example, my level 28 stealth archer build did okay in Crimson Cliffs, but I got way more consistent rare drops and stealth kills in Desert Hills until I hit level 32 and upgraded my bow to a legendary rarity.
Ranged and magic builds do far better in Crimson Cliffs, as the high cliff ledges let you shoot or cast spells at enemies below without taking damage. The narrow canyons also funnel enemies into tight spaces, which is perfect for AOE magic attacks that hit multiple targets at once. Melee players will have a far easier time in Desert Hills until they hit level 30, as the cliff raiders have far higher ranged attack damage that can chip away at your health before you get close enough to hit them. I’ve tried running a level 25 melee build in Crimson Cliffs twice, and both times I spent more time running back to respawn points than actually exploring.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Picking Your First Area
I’ve seen a lot of new players make the same mistakes when choosing between these two areas, so this section will help you skip the frustration. The first big mistake is picking Crimson Cliffs before you hit level 20, even if you see streamers talking about the great loot. The enemy level gap is way too big for low level players, and you’ll spend more time dying than actually earning rewards. A lot of players also make the mistake of not bringing enough water to Crimson Cliffs, as there are almost no water sources in the canyons, so you’ll have to fast travel out regularly if you don’t stock up before you go.
The second mistake is writing off Desert Hills entirely once you hit endgame. The sand fiber and sandstone spawn rates are still the highest in the game, and you’ll need thousands of both to craft endgame gear even at level 50. You should always unlock all Desert Hills fast travel points before heading to Crimson Cliffs, even if you’re a high level player, to cut down on travel time for crafting material runs. The third mistake is skipping the introductory quest for each area. Both introductory quests give you a permanent stat boost for the entire region, so you’ll miss out on +10% damage and +10% defense if you skip them. I skipped the Desert Hills intro quest on my first playthrough, and I didn’t realize I was missing the stat boost until 40 hours later when a friend mentioned it.
At the end of the day, the desert hills vs crimson cliffs choice comes down to your play style, build, and current level. If you’re a low level player, casual explorer, or melee build, Desert Hills is the clear best pick for you. If you’re a level 20+ ranged or magic player looking for rare loot and challenging quests, Crimson Cliffs will deliver far more value. Don’t feel like you have to stick to one area forever either; you can swap back and forth whenever you want, and you’ll get the most out of the game by exploring both fully. No matter which area you pick first, take time to explore the hidden side paths instead of just rushing through main quests – some of the best loot and story moments in the game are hidden off the main path.