One of the most common questions new players have is how many playable characters Crimson Desert actually has — and how the character-switching system works. On the surface, the game looks like a traditional single-character RPG. But as you push deeper into the story, you unlock two additional playable heroes, each with a completely different combat identity.
There are three playable characters in Crimson Desert: Kliff Macduff, Damiane, and Oongka. Only Kliff is available from the start. The other two unlock through main story progression, and once they are in your roster, you can switch between all three freely in the open world using a quick character wheel — a mechanic borrowed directly from GTA V.
This guide covers every playable character in detail: their lore, combat style, signature weapons, when they unlock, and exactly how to switch between them on both controller and keyboard. There are also tips on managing your skill progression across all three characters so you do not accidentally weaken Kliff when you unlock the others.
How Many Playable Characters Does Crimson Desert Have?
Crimson Desert has three confirmed playable characters at launch. They are:
- Kliff Macduff — The main protagonist. Available from the very start of the game.
- Damiane — A high-speed glass cannon. Unlocks at the start of Chapter 3.
- Oongka — A heavy-hitting orc bruiser. Unlocks near the end of Chapter 7.
It is worth noting that the character selection wheel in-game shows five slots total — yet only three characters fill them. Pearl Abyss has not confirmed what the remaining two empty slots are for. The community speculates they could be reserved for future DLC characters or other hidden unlockables deeper in the game. For now, only the three above are accessible.
All Playable Crimson Desert Characters: Full Breakdown
Kliff Macduff — The Versatile All-Rounder
Kliff Macduff is the protagonist of Crimson Desert and the character you will spend the vast majority of the game controlling. He is the leader of the Greymane mercenary band, a group left leaderless after the legendary Gian Black Bear falls into a coma. Kliff’s mission is to fill that power void and restore stability to the war-torn continent of Pywel.
As a character archetype, Kliff is the ultimate all-rounder. He has access to the widest range of weapons in the game — one-handed swords, maces, two-handed swords, spears, and bows — and his skill tree gives you enormous freedom to build him however you prefer. You can focus on heavy melee combinations, elemental magic abilities, ranged archery, or a mix of all three.
His signature ability is Force Palm, which allows him to push and interact with objects and enemies in ways the other characters cannot. Force Palm is essential for solving Abyss puzzles, which is one major reason Kliff is the only character who can make meaningful progress in the main campaign. The Abyss is a key story mechanic, and it is designed exclusively around Kliff’s toolkit.
In terms of combat depth, Kliff benefits from skill observation — a system where you can learn abilities by watching enemies perform them in battle. This gives his progression a unique organic quality that the other two characters do not fully share.
Kliff’s weapons: One-handed swords, maces, two-handed swords, spears, bows.
Best for: Players who want full customization freedom, narrative engagement, and access to the complete skill tree.
Unlock: Available from the start of the game.
Damiane — The High-Speed Glass Cannon
Damiane is the second playable character you unlock in Crimson Desert. She is not originally a member of the Greymane clan. She is a guest of the Marquis who ends up stationed at the Greymane camp on Howling Hill, and Barden Middler insists she stays with the group for her own protection. She quickly becomes a committed ally to Kliff’s cause.
In combat, Damiane is a glass cannon in the truest sense. She deals extremely high damage with a combination of a rapier, greatsword, pistol, and musket — but she has a significantly smaller health pool than Kliff or Oongka. Her gameplay rewards precision and positioning. You need to dodge and evade incoming attacks rather than absorb them, making her the most skill-dependent character in the roster.
Her standout ability is Shield Toss — a technique where she hurls her shield at enemies in a sweeping arc, similar to Captain America’s iconic move. This is her primary tool for staggering groups of enemies mid-combo. She also has Shield Sentinel, which turns her shield into a floating turret that fires automatically at nearby enemies while she continues fighting in melee range. This gives her a pseudo-multi-target capability that neither Kliff nor Oongka can replicate.
Damiane also excels at ranged combat. Her musket provides genuine long-range damage output, and once you invest in her Spirit tree’s Focus skills, it becomes a reliable tool rather than a situational one. Her Smiting Bolt heavy attack adds a burst of light-elemental damage, giving her elemental utility on top of her physical burst.
She also has access to Unarmed Combat skills, which let you weave in kicks and grapples alongside her weapon attacks. This creates unpredictable combo strings that can break enemy defensive patterns.
Damiane’s weapons: Rapier, greatsword, pistol, musket. These weapons are exclusive to Damiane and cannot be equipped by Kliff or Oongka.
Best for: Experienced players who want a high-risk, high-reward combat style with aggressive positioning.
Unlock: Chapter 3 — after completing the End of Greed questline and unlocking your camp at Howling Hill.
How to unlock Damiane: Progress through the main quest into Chapter 3. When you arrive at Howling Hill to establish the Greymane base camp, Barden Middler will introduce Damiane to the group. The moment your camp becomes accessible, she is ready to play.
Oongka (The Brute) — The Devastator
Oongka is the third and final confirmed playable character in Crimson Desert. He is a Greymane orc with raw physical strength that exceeds both Kliff and Damiane by a significant margin. He has been a member of the clan for years, and his reunion with Kliff is one of the most anticipated moments in the later chapters of the story.
Getting to Oongka requires real commitment. Most players report being 30 to 40 hours into the campaign before reaching his unlock point, depending on how much open-world content they engage with. But the wait is worth it.
Oongka is a melee bruiser built entirely around aggressive forward pressure and area-of-effect destruction. His combos are comparatively straightforward, making him the most beginner-friendly of the three characters despite arriving last. If you want to wade into a group of enemies and dismantle them with brute force, Oongka is the character for that.
His signature ability is Rampage, which lets him cleave through multiple enemies in a single sweep — ideal for clearing bandit encampments and dense enemy groups. His Rage power grants him super armor during the animation, meaning incoming attacks will not interrupt or stagger him. For a slow character, this effectively neutralizes one of his biggest weaknesses in high-density fights.
For ranged options, Oongka uses an Orc Blaster — essentially a wrist-mounted hand cannon. It is slower than Damiane’s musket but hits considerably harder per shot, making it well suited for targeting single high-priority enemies from a safe distance.
Oongka also has a jetpack for traversal. Yes — an orc, with a jetpack. It is as entertaining as it sounds and gives him unique mobility that partially compensates for his ground-level slowness.
Oongka’s weapons: One-handed axes, swords, two-handed axes, staves, Orc Blaster hand cannon. These weapons are exclusive to Oongka.
Best for: Players who want maximum AoE damage output and a straightforward, punishing combat style.
Unlock: Chapter 7 — after the Myurdin boss encounter inside Ashclaw Keep.
How to unlock Oongka: Progress through the main campaign until Chapter 7. Advance to Ashclaw Keep and trigger the Myurdin encounter following the main quest objectives. During this fight, Kliff is incapacitated, and control shifts automatically to Oongka. After this initial unlock, you need to complete the side quest “Gentle Sound of Flowing River” to make him permanently available at all times outside of story-locked sections.
How to Switch Characters in Crimson Desert
Switching between playable characters in Crimson Desert uses a radial character wheel, similar in design to the character swap system in GTA V. You can only switch to characters that are currently unlocked and not tied up in an active main quest or story cutscene.
When you switch, you do not teleport. The game loads to wherever the selected character currently is on the map, which means you effectively travel to a new location instantly. Keep this in mind if you are mid-exploration and switch characters — you will need to navigate back to your original position.
How to Switch Characters on PC (Keyboard and Mouse)
Press Tab to open the character wheel. Move your cursor to the character you want to control and click to select them. The screen transitions and you take control of the chosen character at their current location. Note that controls are fully remappable in the settings menu, so if you have reassigned Tab, check your key bindings.
Alternatively, you can hold F1 on keyboard to open the quick slot character wheel. Move the selector to your desired character and release.
How to Switch Characters on Controller (PS5 / Xbox)
Hold Up on the D-Pad to open the character wheel. Use the Right Stick to hover over the character you want to play. Release the Right Stick with the character highlighted to switch. The screen will go dark briefly and then load in at your chosen character’s current position.
Switching Restrictions to Know
There are two important restrictions on character switching:
Main story missions are Kliff-only. Only Kliff can progress the core main quest and explore the Abyss. If you switch to Damiane or Oongka, you cannot advance main questline objectives.
Story-locked sections block all switching. During certain narrative moments and boss fights, the game restricts the character wheel entirely. You will know this is happening when the wheel does not respond to input.
How to Summon Companions in Crimson Desert
Beyond playing as a character directly, you can summon your unlocked companions to fight alongside you as AI-controlled allies in open-world exploration and side content. This is a separate feature from character switching, and it lets you bring all three characters into a fight at the same time.
How to Summon a Companion
On controller: Hold Up on the D-Pad to open the character wheel. Hover over the companion you want to summon and press X (PlayStation) or A (Xbox) to dispatch them. Then press Start / Options and scroll to the bottom of the menu, selecting “Gather” to spawn them directly next to you.
On keyboard: Press and hold F1 to open the character wheel. Hover over the companion and press Space to dispatch them. Press Escape to close the menu, and the companion will appear near your location.
Once summoned, your companion follows you automatically and joins combat without additional input. They will also mount their horse when you call yours, though this can occasionally be buggy.
To send a companion home: Open the character wheel again and press the same dispatch button to disband them.
Companion Limitations
Companions are powerful support tools, but they come with two hard limitations. First, they do not participate in main story boss fights or mandatory narrative encounters. Second, there are specific story sections where companions are temporarily unavailable regardless of whether they have been unlocked.
Character Skill Trees and Progression: What You Need to Know
Each playable character has their own independent skill tree. Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka all have separate Stamina, Spirit, and Health node progressions. However, there is one important shared element: the base attributes for Health, Stamina, and Spirit are shared across all three characters. If you raise Kliff’s base Stamina, all three characters benefit from that increase.
The catch is Abyss Artifacts — the primary skill-point resource. These are shared across all characters. When you spend Abyss Artifacts on Oongka’s skills, those same points are no longer available for Kliff. Resetting one character’s skills also resets the skills of all three simultaneously.
The critical advice here: Do not invest heavily in Damiane or Oongka until Kliff is in a comfortable position for the main campaign. Kliff is the only character required for main story progression, including Abyss dungeon content. If you drain your Abyss Artifacts into your secondary characters early, you may find Kliff under-specced for story boss fights at critical moments.
Once you have a solid Kliff build and excess Artifacts to spare, invest in Damiane and Oongka to make open-world exploration and side content more varied and enjoyable.
Can You Create Your Own Character in Crimson Desert?
No. Crimson Desert does not have a character creator. You play as Kliff Macduff, a pre-designed protagonist with a fixed identity and an established lore role in the story. This is very different from sandbox RPGs like Skyrim or Dragon’s Dogma 2, where the player character is a blank slate.
However, the game does offer meaningful appearance customization at camp facilities. Barber Shops and Dyehouses at the Greymane base camp let you change hairstyles, hair color, and outfits for Kliff and the other playable characters at any time. Cosmetic outfits — including pre-order bonus items — can be purchased and swapped freely throughout your playthrough.
Does Crimson Desert Have Multiplayer? A Note on Co-Op
The companion system in Crimson Desert — with three characters traveling together, fighting side by side, and swapping on the fly — genuinely looks like co-op gameplay from a distance. But it is not. Crimson Desert is a strictly single-player experience with no multiplayer mode of any kind.
There is no online co-op, no local co-op, and no PvP. The companions Damiane and Oongka are AI-controlled when not directly played, not slots for other human players. This is a point of confusion for many players because of Pearl Abyss’s background with Black Desert Online, which is a full MMORPG.
The single-player focus is actually a design advantage in some ways. Pearl Abyss was able to build the entire companion system — character switching, AI behavior, exclusive questlines — without needing to balance it around online multiplayer infrastructure.
If you want the full picture on what Crimson Desert does and does not include in terms of online features — including details about a possible post-launch multiplayer mode Pearl Abyss has hinted at — read our dedicated guide: Does Crimson Desert Have Multiplayer?
Which Crimson Desert Character Should You Play?
The short answer is: Kliff, most of the time.
Kliff has the deepest skill tree, the most weapon variety, and is the only character capable of completing main story missions and Abyss content. He is also the most narratively central character, which makes the story feel more coherent when experienced through his perspective.
That said, switching to Damiane and Oongka for open-world activities, side quests, and encampment raids adds a lot of variety to the experience. Damiane is the ideal pick when you want fast, precise, combo-driven play. Oongka is perfect when you want to bulldoze through large groups of enemies without overthinking it.
If you are a new player, stick with Kliff until you are comfortable with the combat system, then start experimenting with the others once you have unlocked them. Once you have excess Abyss Artifacts to invest, build Damiane for precision content and Oongka for density-heavy fights where raw power solves the problem faster than technique.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many playable characters are in Crimson Desert?
There are three confirmed playable characters in Crimson Desert at launch: Kliff Macduff, Damiane, and Oongka. The in-game character wheel shows five total slots, with two remaining empty. Pearl Abyss has not confirmed whether those slots will be filled by future DLC characters or other unlockables.
How do you switch characters in Crimson Desert?
On controller, hold Up on the D-Pad to open the character wheel, use the Right Stick to highlight your choice, and release to switch. On keyboard, press Tab to open the character wheel and click to select. You can only switch to characters that are unlocked and not story-locked at that moment.
When do you unlock Damiane in Crimson Desert?
Damiane becomes playable at the start of Chapter 3. After completing the End of Greed questline, you travel to Howling Hill to establish the Greymane camp. Once the camp is accessible, Damiane is unlocked and added to your character wheel.
When do you unlock Oongka in Crimson Desert?
Oongka becomes fully playable near the end of Chapter 7, after the Myurdin boss encounter inside Ashclaw Keep leaves Kliff incapacitated. After the initial story unlock, you must complete the side quest “Gentle Sound of Flowing River” to make him permanently available outside of story-restricted sections.
Can you play as a female character in Crimson Desert?
Yes. Damiane is a female character and fully playable after unlocking her in Chapter 3. However, Kliff Macduff — the main protagonist — is male, and you cannot change his gender. The game does not allow custom character creation from scratch.
Do skill points carry over between characters in Crimson Desert?
Partially. Base attributes for Health, Stamina, and Spirit are shared across all three characters. However, individual combat skills and Abyss Artifact points are character-specific and draw from a shared pool. Prioritize building Kliff first, as he is required for all main story content.
Can you use Damiane and Oongka in boss fights?
No. Neither Damiane nor Oongka can be used during main story boss fights or mandatory narrative encounters. These sections are exclusively Kliff-only. You can summon them as AI companions during open-world exploration and side content, but they will not appear during critical story combat sequences.
Conclusion
Crimson Desert gives you three distinct playable characters, each built around a different combat philosophy. Kliff Macduff is your versatile protagonist, available from the start and required for main story progression. Damiane brings a high-skill glass cannon experience that rewards precision and aggression. Oongka delivers raw destructive power that makes large-scale battles feel effortless once you reach him in Chapter 7.
The character-switching system is smooth and intuitive once you understand its limitations. Stick with Kliff for the campaign, use the others to diversify your open-world experience, and manage your Abyss Artifact points carefully to avoid weakening your main character at a critical moment.
Whether you are working out when each character unlocks, deciding who to switch to first, or trying to figure out the companion summoning system — all playable characters in Crimson Desert are worth your time. Each one makes the world of Pywel feel richer for it.
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