30-Second Quick-Start (TL;DR)
- Travel to Hillside Manor in Hernand (the starting town).
- Climb the exterior wall to reach the upper floor window—guards won’t stop you.
- Hang on the window ledge and open it to slip inside.
- Locate the strongbox in the corner of the room near the window.
- Rotate the five puzzle boards in sequence: 2 rotations (left), 3 (second), 4 (middle), 5 (fourth), 5 (final).
- Press the top-right button to unlock and open the strongbox.
- Grab the Saint’s Necklace and stay inside until your theft bar clears before leaving.
- Sell or equip the necklace (5 defense + vitality skill).
What This Guide Helps You Do
This guide walks you through opening the Hillside Manor strongbox in Crimson Desert—a locked container that rewards you with the Saint’s Necklace, a valuable early-game accessory you can sell for coin or equip for defensive stats and a vitality skill boost. It’s perfect if you’re in Hernand looking to grab better gear early, or if you want to learn how Crimson Desert handles stealth mechanics for locked loot. The necklace is genuinely useful whether you’re chasing gold or building defensive loadouts.
Requirements & Prep
- Location: Hillside Manor, Hernand (the main starting town).
- Prerequisites: None—you can attempt this at any point after reaching Hernand.
- Gear needed: None specific; climbing and window interaction are free actions.
- Inventory space: At least one slot for the Saint’s Necklace.
Pro Tip: Stealing from locked boxes with a mask equipped adds a satisfying sneaky layer to early gear acquisition. If you’ve got one, equip it. The game still lets you proceed without one—just keep the theft bar mechanic in mind (explained below).
Route Overview
The Hillside Manor strongbox is a puzzle-lock hidden inside a manor building in Hernand. Rather than entering through the front doors (which are locked), you’ll approach from outside and climb the exterior wall to reach an upper-floor window. This approach is unguarded and risk-free during daytime. Once inside, you’ll find the strongbox in the corner near the window you entered through. The real challenge is the rotating puzzle mechanism: five circular boards that must be rotated a specific number of times each in sequence. Once solved, a button press opens the strongbox and reveals your reward. Here’s the catch: after stealing, a theft timer appears at the top right of your screen. You must stay inside the building until this bar completes; leaving early triggers a wanted status and combat.
Step-by-Step Walkthrough
Navigate to Hillside Manor
Head to the Hillside Manor location in Hernand. The manor is a distinct building with an exterior you can climb. Position yourself outside where you can see the walls and windows clearly.
Climb the Exterior Wall
Approach the wall of the manor and begin climbing. You can scale the exterior freely—guards and NPCs won’t interfere during the day. Climb upward until you reach the upper floor where the window is located. This is the sneaky entry point the strongbox’s designers didn’t anticipate you’d use.
Hang on the Window Ledge
Once you’ve climbed to the correct height, position yourself on the window ledge. You’ll see a prompt appear allowing you to interact with the window. Hang on the ledge as instructed—this stable position lets you access the window mechanism.
Open and Enter Through the Window
When the open button appears, interact with it to open the window. Slip through into the interior room. You’re now inside the manor without triggering any alarms or locked-door mechanics. The room will contain the strongbox in the corner near the window you just entered.
Interact with the Strongbox
Approach the strongbox in the corner and interact with it. A puzzle interface will appear showing five rotating boards arranged horizontally at the bottom of the screen. Each board rotates independently, and you’ll need to rotate them in a specific sequence.
Solve the Rotating Puzzle
The puzzle requires you to rotate five boards a precise number of times each. Work through them left to right:
- Board 1 (leftmost): Rotate 2 times. Hold the rotate input and count two full rotations, then release.
- Board 2: Rotate 3 times. Hold and count to three, then release.
- Board 3 (middle): Rotate 4 times. Hold and count to four, then release.
- Board 4: Rotate 5 times. Hold and count to five, then release.
- Board 5 (rightmost): Rotate 5 times. Hold and count to five, then release.
Take your time and count carefully. If you mess up, you can reset the entire puzzle by rotating each board back to the top (the starting position), then begin again.
Watch For: The puzzle’s real difficulty comes down to precision and counting. Rushing the rotations or losing count mid-sequence is the most common mistake. Rotate slowly and deliberately, counting each full rotation aloud if it helps you stay accurate.
Press the Unlock Button
Once all five boards are rotated to their correct positions, a button will appear at the top right of the puzzle interface. Press this button to unlock the strongbox. If you’ve rotated the boards correctly, the strongbox will open with a satisfying click.
Claim the Saint’s Necklace
The strongbox contains a small box holding the Saint’s Necklace. Interact with it to add the necklace to your inventory.
Wait for the Theft Bar to Clear
After stealing the necklace, a theft bar appears at the top right of your screen. This bar represents your “heat” level. You must stay inside the manor building until this bar fully depletes. Don’t leave the building while the bar is active—exiting triggers an immediate wanted status and forces you into combat encounters.
Stay calm, wait indoors, and let the timer run down naturally. Once the bar is completely gone, you’re safe to exit the building and leave with your prize.
Troubleshooting & Common Mistakes
- Can’t climb the wall: Make sure you’re at the correct exterior position. The manor walls are climbable; if you’re getting a “can’t climb here” message, reposition and try a different section of the wall.
- Window won’t open: You must be hanging on the ledge first. Approach the window, hang on it, and then the open prompt will appear. Don’t try to open it while standing.
- Puzzle rotations aren’t working: Hold down the rotate input (don’t tap it). Each hold should rotate the board once. Count rotations visually, not by input presses.
- Lost count on rotations: Reset the puzzle by rotating each board back to the top. It’s faster to reset and restart than to guess. Precision beats speed here.
- Unlock button didn’t work: Double-check that all five boards match the target sequence: 2, 3, 4, 5, 5. If one is off by even one rotation, the button won’t activate.
- Got caught by guards after stealing: You left the building before the theft bar cleared. Next time, stay inside and wait for the bar to fully disappear before exiting.
- Can’t find the strongbox: It’s in the corner of the room near the window you entered through. Look around the interior carefully—it’s a distinct metallic container.
What to Do With the Saint’s Necklace
Once you’ve successfully stolen and secured the Saint’s Necklace, you’ve got two main options:
- Sell it: The necklace sells for a substantial amount of coin, making it a solid early-game money source if you’re short on gold.
- Equip it: The necklace provides 5 defense and grants a vitality skill, making it a genuine defensive accessory worth wearing if you’re building a tanky loadout or need the extra survivability.
The choice depends on your current needs. If you’re desperate for coin to upgrade gear, sell it. If you’re struggling with enemy damage, equip it and enjoy the defense boost.
FAQ
Can I do this at any point in the game?
Yes. The Hillside Manor strongbox has no quest requirements or level gates. You can attempt it as soon as you reach Hernand.
What happens if I leave the building before the theft bar clears?
You’ll immediately trigger a wanted status and be forced into combat with guards. The safest approach is to stay inside and wait for the bar to fully deplete before exiting.
Do I need a mask to steal from the strongbox?
The transcript doesn’t explicitly state a mask is required. However, equipping one adds a thematic layer to the theft and may affect how NPCs react. It’s optional but thematically satisfying.
What if I mess up the puzzle rotations?
You can reset at any time by rotating each board back to the top position. There’s no penalty for resetting—just rotate all five boards back to their starting point and try again.
Is the Saint’s Necklace worth keeping or selling?
Both are valid. Selling nets you early gold for gear upgrades. Keeping it gives you a solid defensive accessory with a vitality skill. Your call based on your current build and resource needs.
Can guards see me climbing the wall?
No. You can climb the exterior wall freely during the day without triggering any alarms. This is the whole point of the sneaky entry approach.
Quick Reference Card
- Location: Hillside Manor, Hernand (main town)
- Entry method: Climb exterior wall → hang on upper window ledge → open window → slip inside
- Strongbox location: Corner of interior room near the window you entered
- Puzzle solution: Rotate boards 2, 3, 4, 5, 5 times in sequence (left to right)
- Unlock: Press top-right button after all rotations are complete
- Reward: Saint’s Necklace (5 defense + vitality skill)
- Critical step: Wait inside until theft bar at top right fully clears before leaving
- Reset method: Rotate each board back to top if you make a mistake
- Sale value: High; good early-game money source if you don’t need the defense
- Equip benefit: 5 defense + vitality skill; solid early defensive accessory
