Grounded 2 Into the Abyss: The Crown Jewel Location and Smashing Attack Effect

The Crown Jewel is a secret trinket added in the Into the Abyss update for Grounded 2, and it sits on a table inside a hidden cave built into the northern wall of Skunk Pond. Once equipped, it grants Smashing Attack, which layers extra smashing damage onto your weapon hits and rewards breaking enemy blocks. You can reach it without diving to the bottom of the pond.

Quick answer: Go to the north wall overlooking Skunk Pond (near the Masked Stranger symbol), drop into the water, walk up the twig leaning against the stone wall to enter the elevated cave, clear the O.R.C. enemies, and take The Crown Jewel off the table beside the computer monitor.

The Crown Jewel location in Skunk Pond

The trinket is tucked into an outcropping cave on the northern edge of Skunk Pond, marked on the rock face by the purple Masked Stranger symbol. On the Resource Finder map the spot lines up with the north wall, roughly around 8° North, 8° East. You do not need diving gear to grab it, since the cave sits above the waterline and is reached by a twig that acts as a natural ramp.

Resource Finder map open with You selected, showing the north wall marker at Skunk Pond — The Resource Finder map pinpointing the starting spot on the north wall of Skunk Pond. Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment / via @TinyPirateGaming

How to reach the cave and grab The Crown Jewel

Stand on the north wall that overlooks Skunk Pond and look for the purple Masked Stranger symbol on the stone. This confirms you are above the correct opening before you drop down.

Glide or jump down into the pond below. The objective marker to explore the bottom of the pond will be active, but you are heading for the wall, not the depths.

Character gliding down into Skunk Pond with the explore the bottom of the pond objective active — Gliding down into the pond toward the stone wall and the twig ramp. Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment / via @TinyPirateGaming

Swim toward the twig resting against the stone wall. This branch is angled up to the rocky ledge and is your way into the elevated cave.

Swim control prompt shown while the character moves through the pond toward the twig — Swimming across to the twig that leans against the wall. Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment / via @TinyPirateGaming

Walk up the twig into the elevated cave. Expect resistance on the way, including an O.R.C. Northern Scorpion Jr. and other oak enemies such as earwigs and scorpions.

Character climbing the root into the elevated cave with the explore the bottom of the pond objective visible — Heading up the twig ramp into the elevated outcropping cave. Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment / via @TinyPirateGaming

Clear the enemies as you push through the cave so the climb stays controlled, then follow the path until it opens into the small overlook area at the end.

Take The Crown Jewel from the hexagonal table next to the computer monitor. Picking it up adds the trinket to your inventory.

What Smashing Attack does

The Crown Jewel applies the Smashing Attack effect to your equipped weapon. It adds extra smashing damage to your attacks, and that bonus scales with your current attack power rather than being a flat increase. On top of that, breaking an enemy’s block triggers additional smashing damage.

Inventory screen showing The Crown Jewel description and its Smashing Attack ability — The inventory entry for The Crown Jewel and its Smashing Attack ability. Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment / via @TinyPirateGaming

Because the damage scales with attack power, high attack-power, two-handed smashing weapons benefit most. It fits naturally with mace, hammer, or club builds that already lean into charged hits and block breaks, so pairing it with a heavy smashing weapon gives you the strongest return.

Crafting The Crown Jewel at a Forbidden Workbench

After you discover it, additional copies of The Crown Jewel are crafted at a Forbidden Workbench rather than a regular crafting bench. You cannot build these workbenches yourself. They appear at certain Ranger outposts, with Pine Hill being a reliable location to check first, and the Ceremony area as another possibility.

Material	Quantity
Phantom Quartz Shard	3
Gold Foil	2
Mighty Glob	2

Note: If the recipe does not show up at your usual bench, that is expected. The Masked Stranger equipment only appears in the crafting list once you are standing at a Forbidden Workbench.

Confirming you got it

You know the pickup worked when The Crown Jewel appears in your backpack with its description and the Smashing Attack ability listed. This is a fixed-location item, so you do not need to farm O.R.C. Waves or defeat the Masked Stranger boss to obtain it. If you cannot find the entrance, you are likely on the wrong side of the pond. Return to the north wall, look for the purple symbol, and take the twig up rather than trying to swim deeper.