Since they serve as skill points, finding Abyss Artifacts is a big part of Crimson Desert, allowing you to buff your health, stamina, and spirit, or unlock powerful new abilities. This game's skill system is pretty complex as each skill gains additional abilities as you put more points into it, leaving you with a whole heap of stuff to try in combat and exploration.
Thankfully, there's a fairly generous respec system so you can experiment, but in terms of straight-up earning Abyss Artifacts, there are a number of different ways to get them versus purely slaying out.
