Crimson Desert Playable Characters Guide: Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka

Crimson Desert gives players three distinct characters to control across its story: Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka. Each brings a different weapon roster, combat identity, and unlock timing. Knowing who does what and when you can use them helps you invest skill points wisely from the start.

1. Kliff

Kliff.

Kliff is the main playable character in Crimson Desert. He is the only one who can complete most main quests, and the only one who can thoroughly explore the Abyss. That alone makes him the character you should prioritize when spending Abyss Artifacts and upgrading gear.

His greatest strength is versatility. Kliff can equip one-handed swords, one-handed maces, two-handed swords, spears, a bow for ranged combat, and Crow Wings for aerial movement. Few characters in any action RPG match that breadth, and his skill tree reflects it accordingly.

1.1. Voice Actor

Kliff is portrayed by Alec Newman, whose notable video game roles include Dryleaf Dane in Elden Ring, Adam Smasher in Cyberpunk 2077, and various characters in the Dragon Age series. Newman won a BAFTA Games Award for Performer in a Leading Role for his performance as Caz McLeary in Still Wakes the Deep.

Kliff in Hernand.

1.2. Starting Weapons

Kliff begins the game with two items:

• Sword of the Wolf (one-handed sword)
• Grey Wolf Wooden Shield

These starting pieces reflect his default role as a sword-and-shield fighter. His full weapon roster expands as you progress and acquire new gear.

1.3. Weapon Types

Kliff supports the widest weapon variety in the game:

• Melee: One-handed swords, one-handed maces, two-handed swords, spears
• Ranged: Bow
• Flight: Crow Wings (aerial traversal and combat)

This range lets you adapt him to almost any build archetype, from a tanky shield-bearer to an aggressive spear user or a ranged harasser.

Preparing to fight.

1.4. Key Abilities

Kliff’s combat kit includes several core skills worth learning early:

• Turning Slash: A pivoting melee strike useful for repositioning mid-fight
• Nature’s Snare: A crowd control ability that roots or slows enemies
• Quick Swap: Allows fast weapon switching mid-combo for fluid playstyle transitions
• Evasive Roll: A defensive dodge ability, learnable for free by observing the Hornsplitter boss during the early encounter with him

The Hornsplitter encounter is one of the earliest examples of the game’s “Watch and Learn” system, where time slows as Kliff observes an enemy’s technique and gains the skill at no cost.

1.5. Skill Tree

Kliff’s skill tree has three branches, each tied to a different playstyle:

• Red Branch (Stamina / Flight): Upgrades stamina capacity and enhances aerial combat via the Crow Wings
• Blue Branch (Health / Unarmed): Boosts health and powers unarmed and grapple-based fighting styles
• Green Branch (Spirit): Enhances the Spirit Gauge, which fuels powerful special attacks

Kliff’s health, stamina, and spirit levels are shared among all characters. However, other abilities and perks still require individual Abyss Artifact investment for your other allies. Prioritize Kliff’s tree first to stay fully equipped for critical story moments.

Kliff’s Skill Tree.

1.6. Best Kliff Builds

The following builds are suitable loadouts for Kliff:

• Abyssal Knight: Longsword and Shield. A defensive, sustained-damage build suited for Abyss exploration and tough boss encounters.
• Grey Druid: Spear and Axiom Bracelet. Focuses on reach and Spirit-enhanced attacks, ideal for crowd control in open-world encounters.
• Iron Fist Monk: Unarmed and Axiom Bracelet. An aggressive, high-mobility build that leans heavily on the Blue Branch’s unarmed bonuses.
• Wrestler: Grapple Master. A niche but powerful build centered on grab attacks and enemy throws, favoring the Blue Branch’s grapple nodes.

2. Damiane

Damiane.

Damiane is the second playable character in Crimson Desert, available in Chapter 3 during the main quest “A Fresh Start” at Howling Hill. She is not a Greymane, but a guest of the Marquis. As you unlock her in Chapter 3 in the Greymane Camp, she stays with the Greymanes for her safety.

Her combat style reflects a more refined fighting tradition. She is exceptionally fast, utilizing rapiers and dual blades for rapid strikes. Her heavy attack, Smiting Bolt, blasts enemies with blinding light.

Adding a Musket or Pistol gives her a powerful ranged option that Kliff’s bow-centric style does not replicate.

2.1. Voice Actress

Damiane is played by Rebecca Hanssen, known for voicing Eve in Stellar Blade and Alfira in Baldur’s Gate 3, and for playing Queen Meve in the Witcher Netflix series. Her performance gives Damiane a sharp, composed presence that suits a character navigating political danger.

2.2. How to Unlock Damiane

Damiane becomes available in Chapter 3 at Howling Hill during the Homestead sub-section of the main quest. Some quests in this chapter also force a temporary switch to her before she becomes fully available.

From that point forward, she is available to play and switch to at any time.

Meeting Damiane during story quests.

2.3. Starting Weapons

Damiane begins with two weapons:

• White Wind Rapier (one-handed precision blade)
• Absolute Justice Greatsword (heavy two-handed weapon)

The contrast between these two pieces reflects her dual combat identity: fast and precise, or heavy and overwhelming.

2.4. Weapon Types

Damiane’s weapon roster centers on blades and firearms:

• Melee: Rapier, Greatsword (exclusive to her, cannot be equipped by Kliff)
• Ranged: Pistol, Musket (also exclusive)
• Flight: Propeller (mechanical, replaces Kliff’s magical Crow Wings)

Her sword flurry ability chains rapid Rapier strikes after a dodge, and her marksmanship abilities let her pressure enemies at range or follow up after a firearm shot with a drawn blade.

2.5. Key Abilities

Her standout abilities include Shield Toss to stun enemies and Shield Sentinel, which converts her shield into a floating sentry turret that fires at nearby enemies. Her sword flurry combo chains rapid Rapier strikes after a dodge, and her firearms let her pressure enemies at range or follow up a shot with a drawn blade.

Damiane’s Shield Toss.

2.6. Damiane Best Builds

These builds elevate Damiane’s specialties in combat:

• Heavy Vanguard: Greatsword and Musket. A front-line build that combines heavy melee hits with ranged suppression, effective for both solo combat and sieges.
• Aerial Skirmisher: Greatsword and Propeller. A mobile build that uses the Propeller for vertical repositioning, pairing aerial dives with Greatsword slams.

3. Oongka

Oongka.

Oongka is the third and final playable character. He is slower than the other two characters but hits significantly harder. He becomes available after the encounter with Myurdin in Ashclaw Keep in Chapter 7, when Kliff is incapacitated and control shifts to Oongka.

Where Kliff relies on finesse and Damiane on precision, Oongka operates through pure force. One key detail sets him apart mechanically: the Great Axe performs noticeably better in his hands than Kliff’s, making him the definitive pick for any axe-focused build.

3.1. Voice Actor

Oongka is voiced by Stewart Scudamore. His most well-known role could be Blackthorne in Final Fantasy XVI, but he also played Calgar in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2.

3.2. How to Unlock Oongka

Oongka is first playable near the end of Chapter 7. After that brief section, he locks again until you complete the side quest “Gentle Sound of Flowing River”, which makes him permanently available at all times.

Fighting One-Armed Ludvig.

3.3. Starting Weapon

You receive a two-handed axe automatically when playing as Oongka for the first time at the end of Chapter 7. It is his starting weapon.

3.4. Weapon Types

Oongka’s weapons are all heavy-hitting and built for aggressive forward pressure:

• Melee: One-handed axes, swords, two-handed axes, staves
• Ranged: Hand Cannon / Orc Blaster (arm-mounted explosive firearm)
• Flight: Jetpack

Oongka lacks Kliff’s weapon variety but compensates with sheer damage output and his axe-scaling advantage.

3.5. Key Abilities

• Rampage: Lets him cleave through groups of enemies with sweeping heavy attacks
• Scatter Shot: Fires cannon blasts for strong ranged burst damage
• Rage: Grants super armor during activation, preventing him from being staggered by incoming hits

Oongka’s RKO move.

3.6. Oongka Best Builds

Both builds below suit Oongka’s aggressive, high-damage identity:

• Raging Berserker: Great Axe and Hand Cannon. A full-offense build that leans into Oongka’s axe scaling, using the Hand Cannon for gap-closing or ranged pressure between heavy swings.
• Mountain Breaker: Two-handed Stave and Hand Cannon. A slower, high-impact build that pairs the Stave’s wide sweep damage with the Hand Cannon’s explosive range for crowd clearing.

4. Character Comparison

The three playable characters serve different roles across the game’s combat and story systems. Use this table for a quick overview before committing to a build or skill tree investment.

5. Skill Trees

All three characters in Crimson Desert share the same three-branch skill tree structure, though the specific nodes within each branch differ per character. Health, stamina, and spirit levels are shared among all characters.

However, other abilities and perks still require individual Abyss Artifact investment for each ally. Resetting the skills of one character also resets the skills of the others.

The game does not use a traditional XP system. Progression is driven through Abyss Artifacts and skill tree investment, which means every node you unlock carries real weight.

Kliff’s Skill Tree.

5.1. Red Branch (Combat)

The Red Branch governs stamina capacity and aerial abilities. For Kliff, this branch is essential for heavy use of the Crow Wings during exploration or airborne combat. Stamina fuels dashes, sprints, and certain physical attacks, giving this branch value even for players who avoid flying.

Damiane and Oongka have their own Red Branch nodes, though neither has a flight ability tied to magic. Stamina management is still their primary benefit from this branch.

5.2. Blue Branch (Stamina)

The Blue Branch increases total health and enhances unarmed and grapple-based combat. For Kliff, this is the core branch for the Iron Fist Monk and Wrestler builds. High health investment also makes any character more durable for exploration and extended boss fights.

This branch is especially impactful for players experimenting with unarmed combat, a style that requires specific gear such as the Axiom Bracelet to reach its full potential.

5.3. Green Branch (Spirit)

The Green Branch expands and empowers the Spirit Gauge, which fuels the most powerful special attacks in each character’s kit. Builds like the Grey Druid for Kliff rely on a deep Spirit Gauge to maintain high output throughout fights.

Investing here rewards aggressive, ability-driven playstyles over cautious, defensive ones.

Spirit branch.

6. Who to Play As in Crimson Desert?

Choosing a primary playstyle in Crimson Desert comes down to what you want from combat and how you prefer to engage with the story. All three characters are playable, but Kliff is the default for most content.

If story and exploration are your focus, investing deeply in Kliff’s skill tree from the start gives the best return. If you enjoy fast, precision-based combat, Damiane’s sword flurry style rewards mastery of dodge timing and positioning.

For those who want a raw, uncomplicated power character that packs mean punches, Oongka‘s axe scaling makes him the strongest choice for pure melee builds.

Damiane in combat.

6.1. Best for New Players

Kliff is the recommended starting point for all players. Not because the others are weaker, but because he is the only character available for most main quests and the entire Abyss progression system. Building his skill tree first ensures you are never underinvested during critical story moments.

6.2. Best for Experienced Action RPG Players

Damiane rewards players who have mastered dodge timing in other action games. Her sword flurry combo requires precise input, and integrating firearms alongside her melee adds a layer of range management that pure melee characters do not demand.

Shield Sentinel further rewards players who enjoy layered defensive setups.

6.3. Best for Players Who Want Maximum Damage

Oongka has the highest raw damage potential on the Great Axe due to character-specific scaling. Players who prioritize damage output and enjoy slow, crushing hits will find him the most satisfying of the three. His Rage super armor also makes him the most resilient in brawls against large groups.

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Best Weapons Tier List

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How to Get Abyss Artifacts

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Patch 1.01.00 Notes: New Mounts, Flight Fixes, and QoL Changes