Top Early Skills to Master in Crimson Desert
Stay in the loop with the latest highlights and the best deals curated just for you.
Your subscription is confirmed!
Want to subscribe to more newsletters?
Every Friday
Your Weekly Gaming Update
Get your weekly dose of everything you love about gaming, from current favorites to upcoming titles, along with stories from the vibrant communities that support them.
Every Thursday
GTA 6 Insider
Dive into our dedicated GTA 6 newsletter, packed with breaking news, insider insights, and analysis of the latest rumors from our team of experts.
Every Friday
Industry Insights
Brought to you by seasoned writers, this weekly newsletter offers in-depth analysis of the gaming industry, professional guidance, and a look at what’s on the horizon.
Every Thursday
Tech Digest
For the hardware enthusiasts, our free tech newsletter delivers a weekly roundup of the latest gadgets, innovations, and more.
Every Wednesday
Switch 2 Highlights
Join our new Switch 2 newsletter for weekly updates on Nintendo’s latest console, including news and game recommendations.
Every Saturday
Entertainment Roundup
Subscribe for a weekly summary of essential movie and TV news, featuring trailers, interviews, reviews, and more.
Monthly
Exclusive Previews
Receive sneak peeks, exclusive contests, and details about special events each month!
Crimson Desert’s skill tree is more expansive than it initially appears, with many nodes branching into clusters that enhance existing moves and introduce new attacks for chaining combos. You can also upgrade your magic and movement abilities. With so many options, deciding which skills to prioritize after Kliff’s resurrection can be a challenge.
Complicating matters is the need to find or earn Abyss Artifacts to purchase upgrades in the skill tree; it’s not just about leveling up and spending points. I suggest using your first few Abyss Artifacts to boost your stamina and health, but soon you’ll want to unlock powerful new combos. Don’t forget that you can ‘observe skills’ to acquire some for free, including several early ones. Additionally, Kliff is just the first of several playable characters you can unlock later, each with unique skills.
Here are some skills I recommend unlocking first in Crimson Desert:
– This dodging attack may not deal massive damage, but it’s perfect for sneaking in extra hits while evading enemy attacks.
– Lunge at an enemy to inflict bleed damage, which is particularly effective against tougher foes like bosses. The Swift Stab follow-up upgrade is a great addition and can be obtained for free by defeating Reed Devil.
– Lunge and slash in a circle, ideal for when you’re surrounded and need to deal area-of-effect damage. Be sure to grab the following upgrade:
– Execute a heavy lunge attack for significant damage. Also, get the following upgrade:
– A spinning overhead heavy attack that sends enemies flying. Don’t forget to unlock the following upgrade:
– You’ll gain access to Force Palm during an early main story mission, allowing you to enhance a punch attack that lowers enemy defenses. This skill builds up a lot of stun on bosses, making it crucial for taking down tough opponents like Marnie’s Excavatron. Be sure to get the following upgrades:
– Upgrade this base skill to create an illusion that mimics your attacks for bonus damage. With upgrades, the illusion can replicate your Forward Slash, Spinning Slash, and Stab attacks, adding free damage to your combos.
I should mention that I’m not particularly fond of bows in Crimson Desert. While Kliff has some flexibility in playstyle, he’s primarily a melee fighter. Early on, ranged weapons don’t pack much punch or feel as satisfying as melee combat. However, there are viable ranged options with Marksmanship, Multishot, Evasive Shot, and Charged Shot.
Alternatively, you can opt for a bare-handed build if you want to set aside your sword. By upgrading Unarmed Combat, you can leap around the battlefield and slam enemies down like an anime character—it’s that over-the-top. You can also learn moves like Clothesline, Dropkick, and Pump Kick, which aren’t limited to bare-handed combat. The good news is that you can pick up all three from enemies and bosses.
Crimson Desert characters: Unlock each Crimson Desert respec: Swap your skills How to steal in Crimson Desert: Pilfer some loot How to get pets in Crimson Desert: Furry friends How to tame horses in Crimson Desert: Mount up How to fast travel in Crimson Desert: Going places
