Crimson Desert gives you three playable characters to work with across its massive open world, and each one brings a completely different combat style to the table. However, only Kliff is available from the start. Damiane and Oongka both require you to progress through the main story before they unlock. Here is everything you need to know about all three characters, when you get them, how to switch between them, and how to use them as companions.
All Playable Characters in Crimson Desert
| Character | Full Name | Availability | Melee Weapons | Ranged Weapon | Flight | Voice Actor |
| Kliff | Kliff Macduff | Default | One-handed swords, maces, two-handed swords, spears | Bow | Crow Wings | Alec Newman |
| Damiane | Damiane | Chapter 3 | Rapiers, two-handed swords | Guns, muskets | Propeller | Rebecca Hanssen |
| Oongka | Oongka | Chapter 7 | One-handed axes, swords, two-handed axes, staves | Orc Blaster/cannon | Jetpack | Stewart Scudamore |
How to Switch Between Characters
Before getting into each character individually, here is how you actually switch between them once they are unlocked:
- On controller: Hold Up on the D-Pad to open the Character Wheel, use the Right Stick to hover over the character you want, then release to swap.
- On keyboard: Press Tab (default key) to open the Character Wheel, move your cursor to the character, and select them. Note that controls are fully remappable in the settings menu.
The camera zooms out and loads you into whichever character you select, regardless of where they currently are on the map.
It is also worth knowing that main story quests and boss fights lock you to Kliff with no option to switch. Companions are similarly unavailable during certain story segments, so do not rely on them for critical path content.
Kliff: The Default Character
Availability: Unlocked by default
Kliff Macduff is the main protagonist of Crimson Desert and the character you will spend the majority of your time with. He leads the Greymanes and drives the central story forward. Because the main campaign revolves around him, Kliff is also the only character who can complete most main quests and thoroughly explore the Abyss.
What Makes Kliff Stand Out
- Kliff is the most versatile of the three characters, with the largest and most developed skill tree.
- He can equip one-handed swords, maces, two-handed swords, and spears for melee combat.
- His ranged weapon is a bow, and his flight mechanism uses Crow Wings.
- His skills include powerful moves such as Turning Slash, Nature’s Snare, and various elemental powers.
- He is the only character capable of solving Abyss puzzles, which means you should prioritise his skill unlocks and gear upgrades above the others.
- Abyss Artifacts, earned through Abyss exploration and quests, serve as the primary currency for unlocking and upgrading skills. Each character has a separate skill tree, so Abyss Artifacts are spent individually per character.
If you are trying to decide who to invest in first, Kliff is the clear answer for progression. The other two characters are strong in their own right, but Kliff simply has access to more content.
How to Unlock Damiane in Crimson Desert
Availability: Chapter 3, Howling Hill (Homestead sub-section)
Damiane is the second playable character you unlock in Crimson Desert. She appears early in Chapter 3 as part of the main quest “A Fresh Start”, where Marshal Middler introduces her when you arrive at Howling Hill to help set up your new camp. Some quests in this chapter also force a temporary switch to Damiane before she becomes fully available. From that point forward she is available to play and switch to at any time.
Damiane’s Combat Style and Weapons
Damiane is a faster and more agile fighter than Kliff. Her approach suits players who prefer quick, precise attacks over heavy hits.
- Her melee weapons are rapiers and two-handed swords, exclusive to her and cannot be equipped by Kliff.
- Her ranged weapons are guns and muskets, again exclusive to Damiane.
- Her flight mechanism uses a Propeller.
- Her standout abilities include a Shield Toss to stun enemies and Shield Sentinel, which converts her shield into a floating sentry turret that fires at nearby enemies.
- Her heavy attack, Smiting Bolt, deals a blast of light damage.
- Her guns are particularly effective for hunting wildlife due to their range and damage output.
The best approach with Damiane is to build into her stamina and pierce mechanics, using her quick movement to dodge attacks and exploit enemy weak points with precision. Think of her as a glass cannon style fighter: fast, precise, and rewarding when played carefully.
How to Unlock Oongka in Crimson Desert
Availability: Chapter 7, after defeating boss Myurdin
Oongka is the third and final playable character in Crimson Desert, and you will not get access to him until deep into the main story. You actually encounter Oongka much earlier and fight alongside him during Chapter 6. However, he only becomes fully playable after defeating the boss Myurdin near the end of Chapter 7. Depending on how much time you spend exploring the open world versus following the critical path, this can take anywhere from 30 to 40 hours into the game.
After initially unlocking Oongka in Chapter 7, you will need to complete the side quest “Gentle Sound of Flowing River” to make him permanently available at all times.
Oongka’s Combat Style and Weapons
Oongka is a melee bruiser built around heavy, destructive attacks. He is slower than the other two characters but hits significantly harder.
- His melee weapons include one-handed axes, swords, two-handed axes, and staves, all exclusive to him.
- His starting ranged weapon is the Orc Blaster, a powerful cannon arm.
- His flight mechanism uses a Jetpack.
- His key ability Rampage lets him cleave through groups of enemies.
- Scatter Shot cannon fire adds strong ranged burst damage.
- His Rage power grants super armour to boost survivability during tough encounters.
The recommended build for Oongka focuses on super armour and healing skills, leaning fully into his tank identity and letting him absorb damage while overwhelming enemies with heavy hits.
How to Summon Companions in Crimson Desert
Beyond switching to a character as your main, you can also summon Damiane and Oongka to fight alongside you during open world exploration and side content. This lets you bring the full trio into battle together.
Here is how to summon a companion:
- Press and hold Up on the D-Pad (controller) or Tab (keyboard) to open the Character Wheel.
- Hover over the character you want to summon and press X/A (controller) or Space (keyboard) to dispatch them.
- Press Start/Options and scroll to the bottom of the menu, then select “Gather” to spawn the companion directly next to you.
- Your companion will follow you and join combat automatically, unless you tell them to stand by.
- To send a companion home, open the Character Wheel again and press the same button to disband them.
Important Things to Know About Companions
- Companions do not participate in main story boss fights or story-specific missions.
- There are certain points in the story where companions will be temporarily unavailable for summoning.
- Both Damiane and Oongka can be summoned simultaneously if you are playing as Kliff.
Skill Trees and Progression: What You Need to Know
Each character in Crimson Desert has a completely separate and independent skill tree. There is no shared skill pool between Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka. You unlock and upgrade abilities for each character individually using Abyss Artifacts earned through exploration, quests, and Abyss content.
If you want to respec a character, you can reset their skills using Faded Abyss Artifacts or similar items in the skill menu. Importantly, resetting one character’s skills only affects that character. It has no impact on the others.
Because Kliff’s tree is the largest and covers the most content, including exclusive access to all Abyss puzzles, he should naturally receive the bulk of your early Artifact investment.
Character Customisation
All three characters support appearance customisation including hairstyle changes and armour dyeing. You can access these options at Barber Shops and Dyehouses located in camps, which unlock progressively as you advance through the story. There is no full character creation in Crimson Desert since all three are pre-set heroes with fixed designs.
Who Is the Best Character in Crimson Desert?
Kliff is the strongest overall character in Crimson Desert. He has the largest skill tree, the most equipment options, and is the only character with access to Abyss puzzle content. The game is built around him, and the other two feel more like secondary characters with their own stories you can explore through side content.
However, each character does have a clear niche:
- Damiane is the best choice for agile, glass cannon style play, excelling at speed, ranged precision, and hunting.
- Oongka is the best choice for AoE heavy combat, tanking damage, and shattering enemy defences with destructive force.
Two Mystery Slots Remain in the Character Wheel
When all three characters are unlocked, the quick slot Character Wheel still shows two remaining empty slots. Pearl Abyss has not confirmed what these are for. It is currently unknown whether they will be filled by future playable DLC characters or by additional characters already hidden somewhere within the game. Crimson Desert is an enormous open world, so further discoveries remain possible as players continue to explore.
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