Black Desert Mobile FAQ

Black Desert Mobile is a mobile Fantasy MMO based on the popular Korean MMO Black Desert Online and published by Pearl Abyss.  For more information (like my First Impressions or Playthroughs, check out the links below.

This FAQ will actively be updated as more information comes out.  If you'd like to help or if anything needs changing, please contact me on discord at Hakurai#1379.

When will Black Desert Online be Launched?

Black Desert Mobile is available as a soft-launch in Canada, Chile, Sweden, Malaysia, Turkey, Ireland, and Australia as of October 24th, 2019.  The game will have its full launch in North America and Europe during December 2019.  

What do I need to play the Game?

The minimum specs for the APK recommend a phone as powerful as the Samsung Galaxy S8, with at least 2.5 GB of storage for the full game.  My playthrough was done on an LG V30+.  

Is there Cross Platform Play? 

No, Black Desert Mobile is separate from Black Desert Online.  Thus pets, mounts, gear, etc. will not carry over.

What are the differences between Black Desert Online and Mobile?

For the most part, the experience is the same, while some systems like enhancements are simplified and can be transferred more easily.  For a better rundown, check out this article on Inven. 

Where Can I Pre-Register for the game?

Preregistration can be done on the official site here:

Does this game have microtransactions/is it Pay-To-Win?

Black Pearls are the premium currency of the game, and can be used to buy cosmetics, weight increase (item storage capacity), pets, and certain enhancements.  While pearls can be bought, F2P players can save up the pearls they receive as rewards from achievements. 

However, many players have noted that PvP is gear-level based, so whales will most likely fight whales while F2P players fight each other, though it is very difficult to be completely PvP competitive in the long term as an F2P.  However, difficult PvE content is still possible for F2P/light spenders, and the overall game experience should be unmitigated.  

What Class should I start off with?

Black Desert Mobile is a game that encourages making multiple characters.  If Global follows the other servers, each new class that comes out will be strong on release.  Since a lot of strength that comes from the Black Spirit/Gear can be exchanged between characters on an account, many people recommend creating starting with a character well-versed in farming (i.e. Mages) and transferring the goods to other characters.

If you are a casual player though, play whoever sparks joy!

What is Early Gameplay like?

My playthrough mostly saw the usual kill-quota quests, with the highlight being the boss fights.  If you enjoy farming, grinding, auto-play, and the standard MMO experience, you might enjoy Black Desert Mobile.

Money?

The common in-game currency is Silver, which can be earned by doing just about everything, and likewise is used in just about everything.  Silver is required to get better gear through enhancement and the like, so it will always be a relevant concern for players to farm.

How to Enhance Gear?

Enhancing Gear will increase its stats.  Gear is enhanced by using Black Stones. Each black stone will offer a chance of success on enhancement (up to 100%), with more or higher tier Black Stones offering higher chances of success.  As the equipment's enhancement level goes up, more Black Stones are required to reach the same success rate. Gear enhancement can be transferred, which is also helpful.  

Black Stones can be gained through a variety of methods, such as drops, quest rewards, or even passively gained from the Camp Refinery.  

Storage is limited by Weight. 

Unlike many RPG's which have a set storage quota, BDM uses a weight system.  The amount of weight a player can carry can be increased by using premium currency.

Character Name

For those who haven't played Black Desert before, the player's "Family Name" will be what all the NPCs use to refer to them.  The actual character's name rarely, if ever, comes up. Choose your family name wisely!

Camera Angles and targeting

Being able to manipulate the camera will be an important skill for new players, especially since wrestling with the auto-focus can cause some unwanted aggro from stray spells.

Black Desert Mobile also launched their own Q&A back in 2018 for Korea.  Although some of the points are already covered and might have changed, check it out here!