Crimson Desert features a wide variety of mounts that Kliff unlocks by story progression, exploration, and taming. Kliff can acquire numerous mounts ranging from legendary horses to A.T.A.G. Mech and Dragon. Every mount in Crimson Desert has unique characteristics, providing diversity for your playstyle.
Blackstar stands out as one of the most impactful unlocks tied to the main campaign, shifting traversal and combat once it becomes available. The process unfolds in two distinct phases—a scripted encounter that introduces the dragon and a later storyline that fully unlocks it as a mount.
1. When Does Blackstar Dragon Unlock?
Blackstar is the main dragon mount in Crimson Desert, unlocked late in the main story and tied directly to key narrative events. It isn’t obtained through exploration or side systems—progression is strictly locked behind specific chapters and boss encounters.
The full unlock spans two major story points: an early encounter in Chapter 9 and the permanent unlock in Chapter 11.
2. Blackstar Dragon First Encounter – Chapter 9
Blackstar Dragon cutscene
The first interaction with the dragon happens during the Shattered Stars questline in Chapter 9. Travel to the Urdavah region as part of the main quest and enter the palace area, where a cutscene introduces Blackstar.
2.1. How to Cleanse the Dragon
Riding Blackstar dragon
When you meet Blackstar Dragon, he is corrupted, and the main objective is to cleanse him of the corruption. Follow these steps to cleanse the dragon:
- Wait for the dragon approach event at the Urdavah battlements using the “Wait” prompt
- Jump down from the bridge and begin gliding as Blackstar flies beneath you
- Use the Axiom Force (grapple) to latch onto the dragon’s back
- Immediately perform an Aerial Maneuver after attaching (this consumes a large amount of stamina)
- Hold the “Resist” input when the dragon dives or spins to maintain grip
- Continue riding until prompted to use Focused Force Palm (L3+R3)
- Activate Focus, charge the attack, and release it at the glowing weak point on the dragon’s back
NOTE: To complete the riding sequence and perform the Aerial Maneuver, upgrade the Stamina skill to level 5 because each Maneuver costs 200 Stamina.
3. Start the Foreboding Shadow Questline
The final phase of unlocking Blackstar begins once the story reaches Chapter 11. This section reconnects directly to the earlier encounter and sets up the final requirement for obtaining the dragon. Advance the main story until Foreboding Shadow becomes active in Chapter 11. Follow the objective chain that leads into the Delesyia region.
Progress through the remaining objectives until reaching the Golden Star boss arena. This encounter pits you against a mechanical dragon, and defeating it is required to unlock Blackstar.
3.1. How to Defeat Golden Star Boss
Golden Star boss
- Avoid wide-range attacks such as flame tornadoes and bombardment barrages, which cover large portions of the arena
- Maintain distance during active attack phases, as the boss frequently controls space with sustained fire patterns
- Wait for vulnerability windows when the boss slows down or becomes stationary
- Use the electrical spears in the arena to deal huge damage
- Use high-damage options, including thrown weapons like spears, to capitalize on these openings
After defeating Golden Star, a cutscene triggers in which Blackstar joins the fight. Once the encounter ends, the story returns to the Nest of Valor—where Blackstar was first introduced—unlocking it as a permanent mount.
4. How to Summon Blackstar Dragon
Summoning Dragon
Once unlocked in Crimson Desert, Blackstar uses the standard mount system with a few additional conditions tied to positioning.
The summon process works as follows:
- While airborne: Press Up on the D-Pad or H on PC to instantly call Blackstar
- While on the ground: Hold Up on the D-Pad or H, select Blackstar as the active mount, then summon
- When summoned, the dragon flies overhead, and Kliff automatically grapples onto it
Summoning mid-air is generally more consistent, as it directly transitions into mounting without relying on ground positioning.
5. Blackstar Dragon Controls and Abilities
The dragon uses standard movement inputs for flight, with additional combat abilities tied to stamina. The table below outlines all core controls and their functions.
| Action | PlayStation Input | Xbox Input | PC Input | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steer / Move | Left Stick | Left Stick | WASD | Controls flight direction |
| Camera / Aim Direction | Right Stick | Right Stick | Mouse Movement | Adjusts the camera and targeting |
| Summon Dragon | D-Pad Up | D-Pad Up | Hold H (menu) | Calls Blackstar |
| Aim Mode | Hold L2 | Hold LT | Hold Right Click (RMB) | Enables targeting for attacks |
| Fireballs | Press R1 | Press RB | Left Click (LMB) (while aiming) | Rapid ranged projectiles |
| Fire Breath | Press R2 | Press RT | Hold/Press Left Click or Alt Fire (varies by bind) | Continuous flame attack |
| Dodge / Barrel Roll | Double tap Circle | Double tap B | Alt | Mid-air evasive roll |
| Ascend / Descend | Movement-based | Movement-based | W / S + camera control | Adjust altitude |
6. Blackstar Dragon Cooldown
After mounting Blackstar, keeping an eye on its health becomes just as important as using its abilities. If the dragon takes too much damage and its health is depleted, it is immediately forced into cooldown, cutting the flight short and removing access to it for a long period.
The cooldown system works as follows:
- Active duration: Blackstar can be used for about 15 minutes per summon
- Cooldown trigger: Starts when the timer expires or if the dragon is defeated in combat
- Cooldown length: Around 50 minutes (real-time) before it becomes available again
- Unavailable during cooldown: Blackstar cannot be summoned until the full timer completes
NOTE: Be sure to check that there is no Dragon cooldown before heading to quests that require Dragon and long traversals.
6.1. How to Reset Dragon Cooldown
While Blackstar normally has a long cooldown, there is a late-game method to bypass it using a special crafted item. This allows immediate reuse of the dragon instead of waiting for the full timer. The reset system revolves around a consumable item called Narima’s Horn.
6.2. What is Narima’s Horn?
Narima’s Horn is a craftable item obtained through Witch NPCs that removes the dragon’s cooldown. It is a single-use consumable that instantly clears the full 50-minute timer, making it especially useful when immediate access to Blackstar is needed for quests or long-distance traversal.
6.3. How to Get Narima’s Horn Blueprint
Narima’s Horn
Before crafting the horn, the blueprint must be obtained through progression tied to dispatch activities.
- Complete Timeworn Ruin dispatches (long-duration missions with special icons)
- These missions typically take 48–72 hours (in-game) to finish
- Each completion has a chance to reward special crafting blueprints. The Narima’s Horn blueprint is included in this reward pool
These dispatches require at least one explorer and become available through standard research and progression systems.
6.4. How to Craft Narima’s Horn
Narima’s Horn recipe
- Travel to a Witch NPC in any major settlement
- Open the interaction menu and enter Craft Abyss Gear
- Switch to the Special Craft / Special Items tab
- Locate Narima’s Horn in the list of unlocked recipes
- Select the item to view the required materials and confirm crafting
6.5. Narima’s Horn Recipe
The Narima’s Horn requires a small set of materials gathered from different activities across the world.
| Material | Quantity | How to Get |
|---|---|---|
| Dragonclaw Horns | 3× | Obtained from excavation/dispatch missions such as Tinkerton Dig Site |
| Stallicite | 1× | Mined from crystal formations inside caves |
| Feathers | 2× | Common drops or purchased from provisioner shops |
7. Abyss Dragon Armor
Abyss Dragon Armor Cutscene
Abyss Dragon Armor becomes available late in the main story and is tied to both progression milestones and a multi-step crafting chain. It is mainly a visual upgrade for Blackstar, with a cinematic transformation when equipped. The only stat you get from Abyss Dragon Armor is 50 defense, which can help prolong health in longer fights.
7.1. How to Get Abyss Dragon Armor
- Reach the end of Chapter 11 in the main story
- Complete the encounter involving Blackstar and the Flying Fortress Obian
- Unlock the Abyssal Fusion crafting system after progression events with the witches
7.2. How to Craft Abyssal Fusion
Abyssal Fusion acts as the core item required to trigger the armor unlock quest.
- Open the Kuko Pot crafting system
- Unlock the blueprint through the side quest “New Designs”
- Craft required components using materials gathered from exploration and enemies
7.3. Abyssal Fusion Materials and Recipe
Abyssal Fusion
Abyssal Fusion sits at the center of the armor unlock path, acting as the final crafted component needed before the Wings of Iron quest becomes available. Most materials come from late-game enemies, dispatch activities, and story progression.
| Material | Source |
|---|---|
| Cog Wheels | Dropped from mechanical enemies and dispatch missions |
| Small Batteries | Dropped from mechanical enemies and dispatch missions |
| Abyss Cells | Obtained from stone worms and other abyss-type creatures |
| Golden Star Component | Acquired during the Chapter 11 Golden Star boss |
| Assyrian Scales | Collected from the Serpent Shrine or the dispatch mission |
| Power Core / Equivalent resource | Dropped by bush enemies and stone worms |
7.4. How to Activate Abyss Dragon Armor
Blackstar Dragon Nest of Valor
Once Abyssal Fusion is successfully crafted, the progression shifts into a dedicated questline that leads directly to the armor unlock. A new quest titled “Wings of Iron” begins automatically after Abyss Fusion is completed.
Travel back to the Nest of Valor, a key story location previously used for unlocking Blackstar. A cutscene plays, showing the witches initiating the Abyss infusion process. Abyss Dragon Armor is applied directly to Blackstar during the cinematic.
NOTE: The Armor will be slotted to the Dragon slot, giving 50 defense, which can be useful in keeping the dragon from dying early.
