Desperate Rescue is a Sealed Abyss Artifact challenge in Crimson Desert that asks you to "heal 3 allies using Force Palm Healing." The wording is misleading. Healing a companion who still has health remaining does absolutely nothing for your progress. The real requirement is to revive a fully incapacitated ally — one who has been knocked down and can no longer stand — using the healing variant of Kliff's Force Palm. Do that three times, and the artifact unseals.
Quick answer: Summon a companion, let enemies knock them completely down, then use Force Palm Healing (hold Right Stick → press Left Stick → release Right Stick) to revive them. Repeat three times total.
Where to Find the Desperate Rescue Artifact
The Desperate Rescue Sealed Abyss Artifact is located south of the Hernand region, near Sunset Valley. A marker will appear on your mini-map once you get close enough. Pick up the relic to begin the unsealing challenge. Completing it also rewards Faded Abyss Artifacts, which can be used to respec Kliff's skill tree.
Prerequisites Before You Start
You need the Healing Force Palm unlocked in Kliff's skill tree before attempting this challenge. The base Force Palm ability — learned automatically during Chapter 1's "Abyss Without Balance" main quest — only handles combat and traversal functions. The healing variant is a separate skill tree unlock that converts Force Palm into a revival tool.
You also need at least one companion available to summon. Kliff gains access to various companions throughout the main campaign, and once unlocked, they can be called in at any time during open-world exploration.
How to Summon a Companion
Step 1: Hold the Up button on the D-Pad to open the character radial menu.
Step 2: Select any available companion from the wheel.
Step 3: Press the corresponding summon button to bring them into the world beside you.
Once your companion is present, lead them toward an enemy encounter. A small, controlled fight works best — you want enemies to focus on your ally and knock them down without the situation spiraling out of control.
Why "Healing" Doesn't Work the Way You Think
The core confusion with Desperate Rescue comes down to a single distinction. Using Force Palm Healing on a companion who is injured but still standing grants zero progress. The ally must be fully incapacitated — lying on the ground, unable to get back up on their own. Only reviving someone from that downed state counts as a successful heal for the challenge.
If you've been targeting low-health allies and wondering why nothing happens, this is the reason. The in-game description never clarifies this, but the mechanic is consistent: partial healing doesn't register, only full revivals.
Force Palm Healing Input Sequence (Controller)
The input for Force Palm Healing is a two-part sequence that requires specific timing. Getting the order wrong or releasing the wrong stick first will cause it to fail silently.
Step 1: Hold down the Right Stick (R3) to activate the base Force Palm. Keep holding it.
Step 2: While still holding the Right Stick, press and hold the Left Stick (L3) to switch Force Palm into its healing mode.
Step 3: Release the Right Stick while continuing to hold the Left Stick. This triggers the healing ability, reviving your downed ally.
Step 4: Repeat this process two more times on downed allies to complete the challenge.
| Platform | Base Force Palm | Switch to Healing | Spirit Recharge |
|---|---|---|---|
| PS5 | Press/Hold R3 | Press L3 while holding R3 | Hold L3 + R3 |
| Xbox | Press/Hold Right Stick | Press Left Stick while holding Right Stick | Hold Left Stick + Right Stick |
| PC / Mac | Click Mouse Wheel | Press L3 equivalent while holding | Press "X" key |
Best Method to Down Your Ally Quickly
The most reliable approach is to summon a companion and bring them into an enemy fight. Find a small group of hostile NPCs — a roadside bandit camp or a lone enemy patrol works well. The enemies will target your companion, and after enough hits, the ally will collapse. Once they're fully down and no longer getting up on their own, move in and perform the Force Palm Healing sequence.
An alternative that some players have found effective is using Force Palm Healing on prisoners or refugees who get knocked down during camp or castle clearing encounters. These NPCs count as allies for the purpose of the challenge, so reviving them registers progress just like reviving a summoned companion would.
Common Failure Reasons
| Problem | Cause |
|---|---|
| No progress after using Force Palm Healing | The ally was injured but still standing — they must be fully downed |
| Healing ability won't activate | Healing Force Palm not yet unlocked in Kliff's skill tree |
| Input doesn't trigger properly | Right Stick released before Left Stick was pressed, or both released simultaneously |
| Can't use Force Palm at camp | Combat abilities are disabled in camp zones — move to the open world |
| Horse revival doesn't count | Only humanoid allies count toward the Desperate Rescue challenge |
Once all three revivals register, the Desperate Rescue artifact unseals and you receive your Faded Abyss Artifacts reward. The whole process takes only a few minutes once you understand that "heal" really means "revive" — and once you nail the slightly finicky stick input sequence, Force Palm Healing becomes a genuinely useful tool for keeping your companions alive during tougher encounters.