ESO Transmute Crystals and Death Stranding 2 Chiral Crystals Guide

Whether you’re reforging legendary gear in Tamriel or navigating the treacherous landscapes of a post-apocalyptic America, in-game crystals can make or break your progress. Two of the most sought-after crystal currencies right now are Transmute Crystals in Elder Scrolls Online and Chiral Crystals in Death Stranding 2. This guide covers everything you need to know about obtaining, using, and even recovering these precious resources, so you can spend less time grinding and more time playing.

We’ll start with the intricate system of Transmute Crystals, answer the burning question of whether you can get them back from Mythic gear, then dive into the most efficient Chiral Crystal farming routes in Death Stranding 2.

Transmute Crystals in Elder Scrolls Online

Transmute Crystals are an end-game currency introduced with the Clockwork City DLC. They allow players to change the traits on their weapons and armor, or reconstruct collected set items with new traits, enchantments, and quality levels. Mastering Transmute Crystals is essential for min-maxing your builds.

What Are Transmute Crystals?

Transmute Crystals are a type of currency used exclusively at Transmute Stations. You’ll find one in the Clockwork City zone, or you can purchase a portable Transmute Station for your home. When you use them, you can alter the trait of any eligible piece of gear to another trait you have researched. For example, you can change a Divines chest piece to Infused. You can also use them to reconstruct any set item you have previously collected in your sticker book (Set Collection system), which is often the most efficient way to obtain the perfect gear piece.

How to Get Transmute Crystals

Earning Transmute Crystals requires completing specific activities. The most reliable sources are:

• Daily Dungeon Reward – Completing a random normal dungeon via the Activity Finder awards 1 Transmute Crystal per day (10 for a veteran random dungeon). This resets daily.
• Cyrodiil – Earning at least 25,000 AP during a campaign grants 50 Transmute Crystals at the end of the campaign. You can also buy them from the Elite Gear Vendor using AP.
• Trials – Each week, the first completion of a trial on veteran mode awards Transmute Crystals, with harder trials giving more.
• Pledges – Completing Undaunted Pledges gives a small chance at a Transmute Geode as a reward.
• Endeavors / Daily Rewards – Occasionally, Seals of Endeavor or daily login rewards include geodes containing Transmute Crystals.

Can You Get Transmute Crystals Back from Mythic Gear?

This is a common question among players who have invested heavily in constructing or transmuting a Mythic item. The short answer is: no, you cannot get Transmute Crystals back directly from deconstructing or destroying a Mythic item. Mythic gear, once reconstructed or transmuted, does not refund any Transmute Crystals when broken down. The only way to recover value is if you have another item of the same set and want to change its trait, but that still costs additional crystals.

However, there is an indirect “refund” through the Reconstruction system. If you have collected the Mythic item in your sticker book, you can reconstruct it for a far lower Transmute Crystal cost than the original transmutation. Reconstructing a fully-deconstructed Mythic item costs 25 crystals instead of the standard 50 for transmuting a dropped piece. This does not recover previously spent crystals, but it makes reacquiring the item much cheaper, effectively serving as a soft reset if you need to change traits again.

Always double-check your trait before applying Transmute Crystals to a Mythic item, because mistakes are permanent and expensive.

Using Transmute Crystals for Reconstruction

The Reconstruction system is often the best use of Transmute Crystals. Rather than farming a dungeon endlessly for a specific weapon in the right trait, you can just reconstruct it at a Transmute Station. The cost depends on how many items from that set you have collected in your sticker book. If you’ve collected every piece, reconstruction costs as low as 25 crystals. If you’ve only collected a few, it climbs to 50 or even higher. This encourages filling your sticker book by binding every item you find. Reconstruction also lets you choose the trait, quality, and enchantment at no additional crystal cost, though you must provide the upgrade materials for quality above the basic white level.

Chiral Crystals in Death Stranding 2

In Death Stranding 2, Chiral Crystals serve as both a crafting resource and a fuel source for certain equipment. They are essential for building structures, fabricating items, and even powering advanced gadgets. Efficient farming is key to staying well-supplied without wasting hours in the field.

What Are Chiral Crystals?

Chiral Crystals are crystalline growths formed from chiralium, the mysterious substance that pervades the world after the Death Stranding. They are used to fabricate equipment at terminals, contribute to building roads and other structures, and act as a lightweight energy source for vehicles and exoskeletons. They also directly affect your connection level with the chiral network in a region, so hoarding them early pays off. Unlike in the first game, Death Stranding 2 introduces new forms of chiral crystals that can be refined into denser, more powerful variants.

Best Ways to Farm Chiral Crystals

Farming Chiral Crystals effectively means targeting areas with high chiral density and using the right tools. Here are the proven methods:

• BT Zones with Weapons – BTs now drop crystals when defeated, not just when they release after cutting the cord. Equip hematic weapons or the new Bola Gun 2.0 and clear out a known BT territory. The larger the BT, the more crystals it leaves behind. Catchers (the giant boss BTs) yield huge amounts, so hunt them whenever you have enough firepower.
• Timefall Farm – Timefall rain actually spawns small crystal deposits on the ground. If you wait in a timefall area, crystals will begin to appear. This is slower but entirely passive. Pair this with a shelter nearby, and you can load up while resting.
• Vehicle Routes with Sensors – Equip a truck or trike with chiral density sensors and drive through known high-yield routes. The new map shows hotspots of chiral activity, so mark them and plan a circuit. Stop to manually collect visible crystal formations along the road.
• Share Locker Exploitation – Other players often donate excess crystals to share lockers. Checking highly-populated areas like Distribution Centers or knot cities can net you thousands of crystals in seconds, especially if you’re connected to many bridges.
• Repatriate Precision Drops – When you repatriate after dying, a crater is created, granting a large chunk of crystals to anyone who harvests the area. Coordinate with a friend to die strategically, then collect the massive deposit. This is risky but yields hundreds per event.

Remember that chiral crystals have no weight, so you can carry an unlimited amount. Always pick them up. Use a Power Skeleton to increase your carrying capacity if your inventory is heavy from other materials.

Frequently Asked Questions

Mastering your crystal economy in both games removes a huge barrier to enjoying the content you love. Keep this guide bookmarked, and you’ll never be caught short again.