But the best place to farm dark crystals is really in The Land of Dragons, specifically the Encampment area and the Checkpoint area, or near the cave up in the mountains (and inside the cave). There aren’t a ton of Air Pirates spawning here. But there’s definitely enough to clear each area for drops. Plus both of these locations in Land of Dragons are near save spots. So you can clear the areas, then leave the world and immediately land again to keep farming more. These crystals can be used to synthesize Magic Boosts, AP Boosts, and the Expert’s and Master’s Rings.
Where To Get Dark Crystals
You don’t have many options for getting copies of this crystal material. It’s only dropped by one heartless in the game: Air Pirates. And while these do appear in many different worlds, the best place to farm them is in The Land of Dragons. Anywhere near the village cave & mountain can work for farming. But here’s an even better option: If you disembark at the very first save spot (Bamboo Grove) then you can farm Air Pirates at the Encampment area too (along with the “Checkpoint” area right next to the Encampment). This high-flying swashbuckler heartless comes with an 8% drop chance – which isn’t great, but it’s also not terrible. Try getting some Lucky Strike abilities & equipping some accessories (like Lucky Rings) to increase drop rates. You can also find 2 standalone Dark Crystals in chests: one in the Corridors in Hollow Bastion, and the other in the Canyon in Space Paranoids. But these are one-time chests so once you open ‘em up, you’ll need to farm Air Pirates for more crystals.
Dark Crystal Uses in KH2 + KH2.5
Dark Crystals are used in a handful of great synthesis recipes in KH2. Some are more helpful than others, but here’s a full list of every recipe that requires at least one Dark Crystal: AP Boost – Increases any character’s permanent AP by +1 point. After you obtain the Skill Recipe, you can synthesize the AP Boost with x1 Mythril Gem, x3 Power Gems, x3 Dark Crystals, and x3 Frost Crystals. Magic Boost – Increases any character’s magic stat by +1. This recipe acts like the upgrade to the AP Boost recipe, requiring the same materials but with an added x1 Serenity Crystal by a LVL3 Moogle. Expert’s Ring – This ring is one of the handiest accessories to have on any character. Its only use is to increase your AP by +6, which can be very handy to activate more abilities. The recipe will be unlocked once you’ve collected 20 different types of materials. And to synthesize it, you’ll need x3 Mythril Crystals, x1 Dark Crystal, x1 Dark Gem, x1 Dark Stone, and x1 Dark Shard. Master’s Ring – This accessory works like an upgrade to the Expert’s Ring, requiring all the same materials but with an added Serenity Crystal. The only difference here is that you’ll get +7 AP rather than +6.
Are Dark Crystals Worth Farming?
It’s most certainly worth your effort to get quite a few of these crystals, as the Expert’s Ring & Master’s Ring are very helpful backup accessories. And honestly, any character in your party will benefit from either of those. Plus if you’re in desperate need of a stat boost and don’t feel like level grinding (or if you’re already maxed out) then getting lots of AP Boosts and Magic Boosts will push you in the right direction.
