Black Desert Online: How to Use Nodes

Black Desert Online allows for players to do more than just run around and kill things. On top of the standard MMORPG fare (collecting items, slaying monsters, finding locations, completing quests, etc.), players will be able to participate in a bit of world building. If you open your map you will notice hundreds of Nodes that you can interact with in one way or another.

By acquiring a node you’ll be able to do certain things within its area of influence. Some of the things you’ll be able to do are obtain real estate, work the land, and set up trade routes. Nodes are not something you shouldn’t care about as soon as you start the game, but once you reach the first city (Velia) you should start giving them some thought.

Before we get into Nodes, note that you need Contribution Points. These are only obtained through completing quests and are used to unlock Nodes as well as purchase real estate. The good thing about Contribution Points is that they are never wasted. If you decide you don’t want a location anymore, for whatever reason, you can get a full refund of your Points and use them elsewhere.

Now let’s get into Nodes.

Acquiring a Node

In order to acquire a Node you must first find a city. City need no contribution, but you do need to reach them first in order to activate them. Once you do so, you will be able to acquire the nearest Node.

Locate the Node Manager in the location. If you can’t find the NPC simply Right-Click the Node on your map and use auto-run. This will bring you directly to the Manager. Ask to invest and you’ll be informed of how many Contribution Points you need.

That’s all you need to do to acquire the location. It is now yours and you’ll be able to hire workers, or do anything else you need. 

Connections

Nodes branch out from cities, so they need to be connected. It is impossible to acquire one in the middle of nowhere, you must work your way towards it by acquiring all of the points leading up to it. If you look on your map you’ll see possible connections leading to and from different points on the map.

Nodes that are connected (meaning you’ve already acquired them) are connected by a Yellow line. Those that are possible but not yet acquired are connected by white lines. If there’s no line connecting a Node that means you can not yet invest in it. 

How to Level Up Nodes

Black Desert Online has a resource called Energy. You can use it to level up any Nodes you have invested in. Energy is regained over time, so it’s wise to use it whenever you’re full so you can always earn more.

The benefits of leveling up a Node is that it affects its influence area. This area is seen as a large circle surrounding the point on the map. You can obtain better drops from any enemies killed in the area, more resources from your workers, and even better prices from vendors. Focus on areas with resources that you find yourself often in need of. 

Trading, Buying, and Selling

Any connected Node can be worked by people you hire. All of those resources can then be used and sold to any other connected Node. There are other ways you can use these connections outside of your resources, though, and they can prove to be quite lucrative.

There are Trade Managers in each Node. With the world of Black Desert Online being realistic, not all things are available in all areas. Different Nodes will have different needs, and you can make money off of that information. Buy items from one area and haul it off to another to sell for a huge profit. The further the two areas are from one another, the bigger the bonus you will receive.

Those are the basics of Nodes in Black Desert Online. In time you will find yourself running the biggest trade routes in the world while fighting off evil in your spare time.