Shards are one of the most important currencies in Abyss, and if you don’t farm them efficiently, progression slows down very quickly. They’re mainly used for skipping geode timers, rerolling races, and unlocking certain upgrades, which means running out of shards can block your progress entirely.
The good news is there are several reliable ways to farm them, and some methods are much faster than others if you know how the systems work.
1. Claim Shards from the Bestiary (Easiest Method)
The fastest and most overlooked method is claiming shards from your Bestiary.
Every time you discover a new fish, the game rewards you with shards. Early discoveries give smaller amounts, but as you fill more entries, the rewards become larger.
Because of this scaling system, exploring new fishing areas and targeting undiscovered fish is one of the best passive ways to build up shards over time.
This method requires no grinding strategy—just normal gameplay and consistent discovery.
2. Completing Achievements (Most Reliable Long-Term Source)
Achievements provide one of the biggest total shard payouts in the game.
You earn shards for completing milestones such as:
- Catching large numbers of fish
- Traveling long distances
- Finding treasure chests
- Reaching playtime milestones
- Level progression
Some achievements start small but gradually scale to much higher shard rewards as you progress through their tiers.
For example, catching a large number of fish or traveling long distances can eventually reward hundreds of shards in total.
3. Farming Shards by Dying (Fastest Grinding Method)
This is the most commonly used farming trick.
The game gives shards for reaching death milestones, meaning repeatedly dying can rapidly increase your shard count.
However, there are two important risks:
You lose 25 percent of your carried fish when you die.
You also lose money, up to a maximum amount.
To farm safely, deposit all your fish into your stash and spend your money before dying. Once you have nothing to lose, you can repeatedly respawn from the menu to quickly trigger death achievements.
This method can earn hundreds of shards relatively quickly.
4. Completing NPC Quests
Many NPC quests reward shards upon completion, although the amounts are usually smaller compared to achievements.
Delivery quests and simple objectives are especially useful because they can be completed quickly while you continue normal gameplay.
The best strategy is to accept multiple quests at once so you progress toward several rewards simultaneously.
5. Redeeming Codes
Codes occasionally provide free shards.
For example, the code “release” previously granted a large amount of shards along with other rewards.
These are limited-time bonuses, so it’s always worth checking for active codes whenever updates release.
6. Daily Login Rewards
Daily rewards provide shards on certain login days.
You can’t grind this method directly, but logging in consistently ensures a steady passive supply over time.
Later daily rewards typically offer higher shard amounts compared to the early days.
Best Strategy for Fast Shard Farming
The most efficient approach is combining multiple methods at once.
Start by depositing your fish and repeatedly respawning to farm death achievements. While doing this, continue working on long-term achievements like travel distance and playtime.
At the same time, focus on discovering new fish to collect Bestiary rewards whenever possible.
This layered strategy allows you to earn shards much faster than relying on a single method.
Shards are essential for progressing smoothly in Abyss, but farming them doesn’t have to be slow. By focusing on Bestiary discoveries, achievement milestones, and safe death farming, you can build a large shard supply without needing to spend real currency.
Players who understand these systems early will have a major advantage, especially when it comes to skipping timers and optimizing their builds.