Beginner Stage
🐟 Forgotten DeepIf you're still in the Forgotten Deep, your money-making options are limited — but don't worry. The goal here is to progress out of this area as quickly as possible. Focus on these two reliable income sources.
Every quest you can find in this area is worth doing. Three quests in particular stand out for early rewards:
If you're struggling to progress, look up a full progression guide to help you advance out of the Forgotten Deep efficiently.
Head out into the open ocean and kill as many fish as you can. This is your most reliable early-game income source — straightforward, repeatable, and requires no special gear.
Watch your oxygen! Running out of oxygen means you'll lose gold on death and drop any fish you were carrying — especially painful when you have valuable catches.
Mid-Game Stage
📦 Ancient Deep & Spirit RootsOnce you leave the Forgotten Deep, two strong income methods open up. Run these in parallel to stock up gold before heading into end-game zones.
Before heading into the Ancient Deep, stop at the Submarine and pick up delivery quests from the Diver NPC. These are among the easiest and most time-efficient quests in the game — each run takes about 1 minute and pays around $7,800.
Talk to the Diver NPC and accept a delivery quest.
Deliver the package to the specified NPC — destinations vary from Spirit Roots to the Ancient Sands.
Return to the Diver NPC to collect your reward.
Time per run
~1 min
Reward per run
~$7,800
If the package weight exceeds your carry limit, upgrade your tube first then return. Use the teleporter when available to save travel time.
If you're unsure how to complete the Diver Delivery Quest, watch the video below for a full walkthrough.
Once you reach the Ancient Sands, this area is one of the best gold sources for newer players. There's a lot going on here — here's how to maximise your income:
If you're unsure how to get, equip, or use the Radar, watch the video below.
End-Game: Spirit Roots
💰 $100,000+ / hrThe Spirit Roots is currently the best area for making money in the entire game. You need to be able to move comfortably through this zone, but once you can — the gold potential is enormous.
Before you start farming, make sure you've done these — they compound your income significantly.
Recommended Gun
Lost Spirit Gun
Recommended Tube
Lost Spirit Tube
Best Quest Reward
Victor's — $70,000
Stacking gold bonuses before selling dramatically increases your take. Two sources offer passive sell bonuses:
Pro tip: Switch to your "coins artifact" slot right before you sell — this is an easy extra bonus many players miss.
Killing whales is the fastest way to earn gold in the Spirit Roots. A solo kill yields 3 whale pieces, each selling for approximately $2,500–$3,000, plus a whale head worth up to $9,000. At roughly one kill every 4–8 minutes, you can conservatively earn around $60,000 per hour.
Drops per kill
3 whale pieces
Price per piece
$2,500–3,000
Whale head
up to $9,000
Kill rate
1 per 4–8 min
The Mosasaurus spawns in the Sunken Wilds area and requires at least the Ruin Tube or Wild Tube to access. Its drops sell for roughly the same as whale pieces ($2,000–$3,000 each), but it has significantly more health — making kills slower.
Extra Tips
Don't Run Out of Oxygen
Dying from oxygen depletion costs you gold and causes you to drop fish you were carrying. The more valuable your haul, the more this hurts. Stack oxygen artifacts.
Equip Gear Manually
New guns and tubes don't auto-equip when purchased. Always check your loadout after buying new equipment — it's an easy mistake to make.
Use the Day/Night Cycle
Mutated fish — which sell for much more — spawn at higher rates at night. Plan your fishing sessions around the cycle to maximise rare catch rates.
Max Your Render Distance
In every farming area, increasing your render distance helps you spot whales, rare fish, and bosses from farther away — giving you a huge advantage.
Switch Artifact Before Selling
Remember to equip your coins artifact right before you sell your haul. This quick swap is easy to forget but adds up significantly over time.
Server Hop for Spawns
If your target (whale, Mosasaurus) isn't spawning, hop to a new server. You'll rejoin at the same location, so no time is lost running back.
Quick Summary
| Stage | Zone | Best Methods | Est. Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐ Beginner | Forgotten Deep | Quests (Kraken, Mr. Black, Artifact NPC) + Ocean fishing | Low — variable |
| ⭐⭐ Mid-Game | Ancient Deep & Ancient Sands | Diver delivery quests + Mutated fish farming + Grumpy Hank quests | ~$7,800 / run |
| ⭐⭐⭐ End-Game | Spirit Roots | Victor's Quest + Whale farming (+ Spirit Race & King's Fortune bonuses) | $60,000–100,000+ / hr |
| ⭐⭐⭐ Alt. End-Game | Sunken Wilds | Mosasaurus farming | ~$60,000 / hr |
FAQ
What is the best money-making method in Abyss?
The current best method is whale farming in the Spirit Roots, which can earn $60,000–$100,000+ per hour. Pair this with the Spirit Race (+8% gold) and King's Fortune artifact (+10% gold) for maximum efficiency. Don't forget to switch to your coins artifact right before selling.
How much can I earn per hour in Spirit Roots?
Conservatively around $60,000 per hour from whale farming alone. With race and artifact bonuses stacked, and if Dragon Fish also spawn, you can exceed $100,000 per hour.
What gear do I need for Spirit Roots farming?
The recommended loadout is the Lost Spirit Tube and Lost Spirit Gun. You should also equip multiple oxygen-boosting artifacts to stay underwater longer without needing to surface.
Is whale farming or Mosasaurus farming better?
Whales are generally preferred because they have lower health and can be killed faster. The Mosasaurus offers similar drop values but takes longer to kill. Both methods are comparable in earnings — it comes down to personal preference and which zone you enjoy farming.
What should I do if no whale is spawning in Spirit Roots?
Server hop. Leave the server and rejoin a different one. When you rejoin, you'll respawn at the same location in Spirit Roots, so you won't lose any travel time. Keep hopping until you land in a server with an active whale spawn.
How do I unlock the King's Fortune artifact?
The King's Fortune artifact is obtained by completing King Cat's quest in the Spirit Roots area. The quest is quite difficult, but the permanent +10% gold bonus on all sales makes it one of the best long-term investments in the game.