---
title: "How Builds Work in Crimson Moon"
description: "Every Nephilim is defined by the build you create — 9 gear slots, Weapon Arts, Boons, and Angels. No traditional character classes."
publishedAt: 2026-09-01
updatedAt: 2026-09-01
difficulty: "beginner"
tags: ["builds", "mechanics", "official"]
source: "/s/how-builds-work-in-crimson-moon"
---
How Builds Work
Per the official How Builds Work post:
"In Crimson Moon, there are no traditional character classes. Instead, every Nephilim is defined by the build they create, giving you the freedom to experiment with different combinations of gear, Weapon Arts, Boons and Angels every time you venture into Gildenarch."
This page is a summary of what the developer has confirmed. Specific gear names and Boon names will be added once the community surfaces them from the game.
Your 9 gear slots
Every Nephilim can equip nine pieces of gear:
You cannot dual-wield one-handed weapons — one of them must be paired with a shield.
How you find gear
"As you explore Gildenarch, you'll discover equipment of increasing rarity. Stronger gear can improve your core stats, while also introducing Boons that can dramatically change the way you approach combat."
So gear has two layers:
1. Rarity → better core stats
2. Boons attached to the gear → these change how you fight
What Boons do
Boons are modifiers attached to gear. The official post lists examples:
"Some Boons increase your damage. Others can debuff enemies, restore health, regenerate flasks, or reward aggressive play."
The exact list of named Boons is not in any official source. The community will discover them through gameplay.
Armour sets
"You'll also discover pieces belonging to larger armour sets, allowing you to combine matching equipment and further specialise your build."
Wearing multiple pieces of the same set likely grants additional set bonuses. Specific set names and bonuses are unconfirmed.
Weapon Arts
"Many weapons have access to powerful Weapon Arts, each with its own cooldown. These give weapons their own identity beyond their standard attacks and introduce even more possibilities when putting your build together."
Every weapon has its own Weapon Art. The specific weapon types and their Weapon Arts will be discovered by the community.
Nexus Gates (mid-run evolution)
"As you fight your way through each Ward, you'll encounter Nexus Gates, where you'll choose between powerful temporary Boons that remain active for the rest of your run. Each one presents a choice. Do you strengthen the build you've already created, or adapt around the equipment and Boons you've discovered along the way? You'll encounter multiple Nexus Gates throughout a hunt, meaning your build can continue to evolve as you push deeper into Gildenarch."
This is the core "build evolution" mechanic. You start a hunt with a planned build, then mid-run Nexus Gates let you pivot or strengthen.
Lore Scrolls → Mereda → more Boons
"Recover Lore Scrolls throughout Gildenarch and return them to Mereda to unlock additional Boons for future hunts."
Persistent progression loop. Find scrolls in hunts, trade to Mereda (the historian NPC at Sanctus Clypeus) for permanent Boon unlocks.
Purify (gear permanence)
"Successfully complete a hunt and you can Purify the equipment you've discovered, permanently adding those weapons, armour and trinkets to your collection."
After completing a hunt, you can Purify your found gear. Purified gear is added to your permanent collection and can be equipped on future runs.
Angels (companions)
"Before beginning your next hunt, you'll also choose an Angel to accompany you into battle, adding another powerful tool to your build."
Each hunt, you choose an Angel. Angels are powerful companions whose abilities stack with your build. Specific Angel names will come from gameplay.
Build examples (general, not confirmed for any specific gear)
The official post describes three general approaches:
Specific examples require specific gear names, which will be added when the community publishes them.
Build in co-op
"Playing in co-op introduces even more possibilities. Rather than thinking only about your own build, you and your partner can coordinate loadouts, choose complementary Boons and create synergies that benefit you both."
In 2-player co-op, you can coordinate builds. The official post suggests strategies like double damage, balanced offense/defense, or two completely different builds that complement each other.
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