Crimson Desert has no classes and no skill branches: it has three playable characters, each with their own skill tree, skills that are bought with Abyss Artifacts or learned by watching someone use them, and three shared stats. Anything the sources do not describe is left out. To put a build together from these figures, use the build planner.
1. How skills are learned
One rule shapes everything else: each character has a skill tree of their own. Kliff is playable from the start; Damiane is met at the Greymane Camp in Chapter 3; Oongka becomes playable after the fight with Myurdin in Chapter 7. A skill reaches the tree in one of several ways:
| How it is learned | Examples |
|---|---|
| Unlocked by default | Kliff's Keen Senses, Parry and Shield Bash, and Lv. 1 of Forward Slash, Turning Slash, Stab, Spinning Slash and Grappling. Most of Damiane's and Oongka's base kit, including their Focus, Evasive Roll and Double Jump. |
| A main quest | Axiom Force, Force Palm and Flight during Chapter 1's Traces; Focus and Nature's Grasp during Chapter 2's Unexpected Gift; Mystical Storage during Chapter 4's Mysterious Pot. |
| Raising a base skill | Dodge at Keen Senses Lv. 2 and Counter at Lv. 3; Aerial Maneuver at Axiom Force Lv. 2 and Aerial Swing at Lv. 3; Lariat at Grappling Lv. 2; Nature's Retribution at Nature's Snare Lv. 2; Oongka's Dual Wielding Mastery at Armed Combat Lv. 4. |
| Spending Abyss Artifacts | 1 Artifact buys Evasive Roll, Double Jump or Blinding Flash Finisher outright. Forward Slash, Turning Slash and Stab cost 1 per level up to Lv. 3, Spinning Slash 1 to reach Lv. 2, Grappling 1 per level up to Lv. 5. Many need prerequisites first: Nature's Echo wants Keen Senses Lv. 3 and Forward Slash Lv. 3, Focused Shot wants Marksmanship Lv. 2 and Focus Lv. 2, Winch wants Grappling and Axiom Force at Lv. 3, Ambush wants Winch. |
| Observing it | For many of the Artifact skills, an alternative that costs nothing: Evasive Roll from Kailok the Hornsplitter, Aerial Roll from the Crowcaller in Chapter 5, Damiane's Tornado Kick from a trainee at the Communal Training Grounds. Section 3 lists the locations found so far. |
| A faction quest | Oongka's Flight, from Chapter 8's Fire Breathing Pack. Kliff's and Damiane's Flight come earlier and by other routes. |
| Exploring the Abyss | The four elemental skills per character are unlocked "by exploring Abyss regions": Flame Strike, Frost Mantle, Lightning Surge and Storm Veil for Kliff; Flame Rush, Frost Mantle, Lightning Strike and Storm Pillar for Damiane; Flame Quake, Frost Mantle, Lightning Pulse and Storm Howl for Oongka. Any one of them at Lv. 1, plus 1 Artifact, unlocks that character's Imbue Element. Solving the puzzle at the Precipice of Truth in the Abyss is also listed as an unlock condition. |
Where Abyss Artifacts come from. Defeating enemies, exploring, progressing through quests, defeating bosses and solving Abyss Puzzles. Learn optional skills by observation wherever possible, to keep the Artifacts for what cannot be observed.
Three colours. Every skill is a Stamina skill (blue), a Health skill (red) or a Spirit skill (green), named after the stat it draws on; the builds in section 5 use the same three headings, and Axiom Force sits under the Health tree.
Levels and the four suffixes. A base skill has a maximum level — Lv. 3 for Forward Slash, Turning Slash and Stab, Lv. 2 for Spinning Slash, Lv. 5 for Armed Combat, Marksmanship, Grappling and Unarmed Combat — and each level opens a named follow-up. Kliff's Turning Slash shows what the suffixes mean: Proficiency lets you chain into it from another skill, Expertise adds a downward strike after it, Rend Armor makes it ignore Super Armor; and Forward Slash Sure Hit means it "can no longer miss". Forward Slash Lv. 2 gives its Proficiency and Lv. 3 its Sure Hit; likewise, Stab Lv. 2 grants Skewering Stab and Swift Stab.
A Faded Abyss Artifact resets the skill tree and returns every Abyss Artifact invested in it, and since Crimson Desert Enhanced a single character's tree can be reset on its own instead of all three at once, with consumed Abyss Links refunded as well. No source supports an NPC, a gold cost or a doubling price for respecs.
2. Stamina, Health and Spirit
The three stats sit in the same menu as the skills and are raised with the same currency. In the game's own text, Stamina is "energy consumed when performing actions such as dodging or moving", Health lets you "endure damage taken during combat", Spirit is "power consumed to execute skills and special actions" — and the ceilings: Stamina Lv. 14, Health Lv. 18, Spirit Lv. 12 (Game8; Fextralife puts Spirit's at 14), all starting at Lv. 0 and all three shared by Kliff, Damiane and Oongka. The Abyss Artifact cost of each level rises as you go, but no published table gives it, so no cost per level appears here. Switching character keeps the same level for these "Primary Skills". The three stats come before any skill, and Stamina first, because it serves both combat and exploration.
What the builds in section 5 ask for, in the stats, before the build works as described:
| Build | Stamina | Health | Spirit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kliff — Sword and Shield; Spear | at least 5 | at least 4 | not stated |
| Kliff — Dual-Wield; Longsword | at least 10 | at least 10 | at least 10 |
| Kliff — Unarmed | at least 10 | at least 6 | not stated |
| Kliff — Infinite Arrows | "heavily", for Evasive Shot | not stated | raise it to use Focused Shot more than once |
| Oongka — Dual-Wield | at least 10 | at least 6 | not stated |
| Damiane — all five | no figures given | ||
The equipment stats. Attack is the number on the weapon (or on the gloves, for unarmed attacks); Critical Rate is the chance of a double-damage hit and caps at Lv. 15, or 35%; Attack Speed governs the animation speed of attacks; Movement Speed how fast you move; Defense mitigates damage taken. Attack Speed, Movement Speed and the three elemental resistances (Fire, Lightning, Ice) also cap at Lv. 15, the resistances with thresholds at Lv. 5, 10 and 15. Equipment carries these stats on its own, and Abyss Gear adds to them: at Tier III, Flameward, Frostward and Shockward give +3 to their resistance, Haste raises Movement Speed, Swift Attack Speed, Insight Critical Rate, Destruction Attack, Fortification Defense, Aegis damage reduction, and Composure is the Spirit one. The status window also lists Stamina, Spirit, Health, Damage Reduction and the regeneration rates, which are not broken down here.
3. Learning by observing
Hold the observe button — CTRL on PC, L1 on PlayStation, LB on Xbox — while an enemy or NPC performs the skill; some combat observations trigger on their own during a fight, others need you to be watching. The screen turns a shade of blue, with a "Learning in Progress" indicator. Being hit while observing interrupts the progress bar, and some skills need more than one observation. It works from the Prologue on, where fishing is the first thing you can learn this way. Outside combat, watch the bottom right of the screen, particularly around militiamen.
Every location found so far:
| Kliff learns | By observing | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Forward Slash Proficiency | a swordsman | Communal Training Grounds, south-east of Hernand, or the Training Camp in the Meandering Hills |
| Spinning Slash Proficiency | swordsmen | the same two training grounds |
| Unarmed Combat Proficiency | a trainer | Communal Training Grounds |
| Counter | a trainer, or the guards | Training Camp in the Meandering Hills, or the Hernand Castle Courtyard |
| Charged Shot | a bowman practising between rounds | the Archery Contest at Lioncrest Manor; later the Pailune archery range |
| Force Palm | automatic | end of the Ethereal Pathway, Abyss without Balance, Chapter 1 |
| Nature's Grasp; Focus | automatic | inside the ruins of the Chapter 2 main story |
| Dropkick | bandits, typically the ones with axes | Hernand during Chapter 2, or the blockaded Hernand region |
| Nature's Snare | an apparition | Haunted Hill Ruins, north-east of Hernand, once you have Focus |
| Evasive Roll | Kailok the Hornsplitter | the boss fight at the end of Chapter 2 |
| Swift Stab | the Reed Devil | the boss encounter at the end of Chapter 3 |
| Focused Force Palm | an apparition | the path west of Fort Perwin towards Scholastone, Chapter 4 |
| Aerial Roll | the Crowcaller | the first encounter, Church of Demeniss graveyard |
| Clothesline | Black Bears | any of their camps, Vilkom Outpost for one, or the large battles |
| Turning Slash | Saigord, the Staglord | Icemoor Castle Ruins, around Chapter 7 |
| Body Slam | Sir Catfish | the liberation of Vellua from the Catfish Pirates, Beyond the Silent Waves |
| Evasive Shot | Mistwood Hunters | Pailune; the Ridgehunte Tannery is the easiest of their blockades to reach |
| Explosive Evasive Shot | the Bleed Warpike Commander, or Balthazar, the Wyvernflames | liberating Fort Warspike, or Fort Windridge |
| Multishot | the Bleed Warpike Commander | liberating Fort Warspike, Nemesis' Demise, after Chapter 6 |
| Double Jump | the Shai | the western side of Pororinm, after unlocking the secret village |
| Nature's Echo | the New Moon Reaper | Southern Court of Demeniss, Lunar Judgment, Chapter 8 |
| Blinding Flash Finisher | Master Du | end of Chapter 9, if you evade the attack |
| Meteor Kick | Goyen | Chapter 9's Thinning Blade questline, Spire of the Sun |
| Focused Repulsion | not yet found | |
| Damiane and Oongka learn | By observing | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Tornado Kick (Damiane) | a trainer | Communal Training Grounds south-east of Hernand, the Meandering Hills Training Camp, or the Pailune training grounds after Chapter 7 |
| Quick Reload (Damiane) | Bastier Inquisitors | Demeniss, the church west of the graveyard, Chapter 8 |
| Skewer (Damiane) | Blue Fangs | Fort Askelund after its liberation, Chapter 8 |
| Spinning Scissors Throw; Sword Flurry (Damiane) | not yet found | |
| Charge; Explosive Leap; Rampage (Oongka) | not yet found | |
| Fishing (life skill) | fishermen | the river near Wycliffe Mappery in the Prologue, or any fishing dock |
| Spraying (life skill) | farmers | north-east of Stonewell Farm, Demeniss |
4. Ten skills to get first
A Kliff list, in this order, based on early-game impressions; entries for the other characters are still to come. The descriptions in quotes are the in-game skill text.
-
1
The three stats, Stamina first
Before any skill: Stamina to a maximum of 14, Health of 18, Spirit of 12 (Game8; Fextralife gives Spirit's maximum as level 14), spending Abyss Artifacts. Stamina comes first, because it feeds both combat and exploration.
-
2
Dodge — Keen Senses Lv. 2
"Input evade just before being hit to escape danger." Why: a well-timed dodge slows time.
-
3
Nature's Retribution — Nature's Snare Lv. 2
"During Nature's Snare, lash out with the energy stored while focused." Worth it for bosses and flying enemies that throw projectiles, which it sends back. Nature's Snare itself needs Keen Senses Lv. 3, Focus Lv. 2 and 1 Artifact — or the apparition at Haunted Hill Ruins (section 3).
-
4
Aerial Maneuver — Axiom Force Lv. 2
"Lock onto a target, then jump to leap a great distance using the Axiom Force." Why: reaching walls and ledges while exploring, and specific bosses.
-
5
Nature's Echo — Keen Senses Lv. 3, Forward Slash Lv. 3, then 1 Artifact or observe it
"Creates an illusion that replicates your attacks." The best early combat skill: the extra hit adds stagger damage. It can be observed from the New Moon Reaper in Chapter 8, so early on it is an Artifact purchase.
-
6
Lariat — Grappling Lv. 2
"Slam your enemy into the ground with overwhelming force." It takes the grappled enemy down and knocks down the ones nearby.
-
7
Forward Slash to Lv. 3 — 1 Artifact per level
The basic heavy attack, unlocked by default. Why: the levels keep the animation speed and add damage, and it closes distance. Lv. 2 is Proficiency ("Lunge forward and follow up with a finishing slash"), Lv. 3 Sure Hit.
-
8
Turning Slash to Lv. 2 — 1 Artifact per level
"Perform a spinning overhead strike that sends enemies flying." Use it on a stunned boss, paired with the Momentum Abyss Gear, which adds 35% Turning Slash damage (section 7).
-
9
Blinding Flash Finisher — 1 Artifact or observe it
"While enemies are blinded by Blinding Flash, rush in and deliver a rapid flurry of strikes." The best early combo skill for its damage; it costs 5 Spirit to use. It can be observed from Master Du at the end of Chapter 9.
-
10
Focused Shot — Marksmanship Lv. 2, Focus Lv. 2, then 1 Artifact
"While aiming your bow, use Focus then fire up to 4 shots. Each level invested in this skill increases the maximum number of shots by two." Worth it for Abyss puzzles and hard bosses.
5. Twelve builds
Six builds for Kliff, five for Damiane and one for Oongka, each with the same things: the equipment with its stats and the Abyss Gear socketed in it, the skills grouped by Stamina, Spirit and Health tree, sometimes a minimum in the stats, and a rotation. Where a build lists a piece with a slot still "to be determined", it says so here too. Several of these builds are based on early-game impressions and may be updated; the figures are the ones published on 21 September 2026.
Kliff
The aim is an effective setup that is easy to assemble; the build does well in the early chapters, where enemies are squishier but still punishing, and that it is easy to play once you know how weapons and skills chain. One overview lists Sword of the Wolf and the Warspike Spear for this build; the full build lists what follows, and this page follows the full build.
| Slot | Piece | Stats | Abyss Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Sword of the Lord | ATK 30, ATK Spd 2 | Crow's Pursuit, Stamina Transference, Wind Slash |
| Shield | Staglord's Shield | DEF 6, ATK Spd 2 | Fortification I, Aegis I |
| Head | Leather Helm of the Fallen Kingdom | DEF 3, Lightning Res 1 | Gourmet III, Vigor I |
| Chest | Bolton Plate Armor | DEF 8 | Vigor I, Haste I, Frostward I |
| Gloves | Blackwing Leather Gloves | DEF 3, ATK 13, CRIT 2, Lightning Res 1 | Swift I, Malicebane I |
| Boots | Odeck's Protector Plate Boots | DEF 5, ATK 16, ATK Spd 1, Move Spd 1 | Swift I, Swift I |
| Cloak | Leather Cloak of the Fallen Kingdom | DEF 1, Lightning Res 3 | — |
| Earring | Engraved Gold Earring | DEF 3, Move Spd 2 | — |
Skills. Stamina: Armed Combat with Quick Swap and Charge, Blinding Flash, Grappling with Throw, Restrain, Lariat, Lariat Follow-up, Back Hang and Giant Swing, Stab with Swift Stab, Forward Slash with Proficiency and Sure Hit, Turning Slash with Proficiency, Expertise and Rend Armor. Spirit: Force Palm with Proficiency and Force Current, Focused Shot, Nature's Grasp, Keen Senses with Dodge, Parry and Evasive Roll, Nature's Snare with Nature's Retribution, Nature's Echo with Echoing Forward Slash. Health: Axiom Force with Aerial Maneuver.
Stats. At least 5 in Stamina for combos and moving around the map, at least 4 in Health.
Rotation. Two heavy attacks, a Force Palm to open the enemy up again, two more heavies. When a boss staggers, Quick Swap to a spear for heavier damage, or use Turning Slash. Against groups, Lariat or Meteor Kick for area damage.
A purely offensive build meant to stagger bosses and survive large groups while staying easy to play; it holds up against the bosses of the later chapters.
| Slot | Piece | Stats | Abyss Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Melted Ambition | ATK 30, ATK Spd 2 | Swift III, Destruction III |
| Weapon | Legionary's Gladius | ATK 12, ATK Spd 1 | Destruction III, Swift III, Destruction III |
| Head | Skyblazer Cloth Helm | DEF 12, Move Spd 1 | Gourmet III |
| Chest | Skyblazer Cloth Armor | DEF 21, Move Spd 1 | Vigor III, Vigor III, Fortification III |
| Gloves | Tariv Cloth Gloves | DEF 12, ATK 27, ATK Spd 3 | Momentum, Aegis III |
| Boots | Dark Marksman's Plate Boots | DEF 4, ATK 14, Move Spd 1 | Swift III, Swift III |
| Accessories | Plate Cloak of the Shadows; Ogre's Ring; Green Coral Reef Earring; Faded Earring; Mark of Darkness; Tarnished Ring | DEF 3, Fire Res 7; ATK 5; DEF 1, Move Spd 1; DEF 3, Move Spd 1; ATK 2, ATK Spd 2; ATK 2, ATK Spd 1 | — |
Skills. Stamina: Armed Combat with Evasive Slash, Charge, Rush and Quick Swap, Forward Slash with Proficiency and Sure Hit, Turning Slash with Proficiency and Expertise, Spinning Slash with Proficiency. Spirit: Force Palm, Nature's Grasp, Keen Senses with Parry, Dodge and Counter, Nature's Echo with Echoing Forward Slash and Echoing Spinning Slash. Health: Axiom Force with Aerial Maneuver.
Stats. At least 10 in each of the three, with Stamina and Spirit the ones that lengthen the combo chain.
Rotation. Two Spinning Slashes, two Forward Slashes, finish with Turning Slash; repeat until the boss staggers.
Same stated goal as the Dual-Wield page — easy to play, kills bosses, survives groups, viable for most combat in the later chapters — around one two-handed sword. The armour's Abyss Gear is all defensive (Vigor for stamina regeneration, Swift for attack speed) and the accessories chase Critical Rate, Attack Speed and Movement Speed.
| Slot | Piece | Stats | Abyss Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Righteous Verdict | ATK 23, ATK Spd 2, CRIT 3 | Crow's Pursuit, Destruction III, Insight III, Insight III |
| Head | Blackwing Mask | DEF 4, Move Spd 1 | Gourmet III |
| Chest | Dark Marksman's Plate Armor | DEF 9 | Vigor III, Vigor III, Fortification III |
| Gloves | Dark Marksman's Plate Gloves | DEF 5, ATK 12, Move Spd 1 | Aegis III, Aegis III |
| Boots | Dark Marksman's Plate Boots | DEF 4, ATK 14, Move Spd 1 | Swift III, Swift III |
| Accessories | Plate Cloak of the Shadows; Surreal Necklace; Green Coral Reef Earring; Faded Earring; Mark of Darkness; Tarnished Ring | DEF 3, Fire Res 7; ATK 5, CRIT 4; DEF 1, Move Spd 1; DEF 3, Move Spd 1; ATK 2, ATK Spd 2; ATK 2, ATK Spd 1 | — |
Skills. Stamina: Armed Combat with Evasive Slash, Charge, Rush and Quick Swap, Blinding Flash with its Finisher, Forward Slash with Proficiency and Sure Hit, Turning Slash with Proficiency and Expertise, Spinning Slash with Proficiency. Spirit: Force Palm, Nature's Grasp, Keen Senses with Parry, Dodge and Counter, Nature's Echo with Echoing Forward Slash and Echoing Spinning Slash. Health: Axiom Force with Aerial Maneuver, Imbue Element, Flame Strike.
Stats. At least 10 in each.
Rotation. Spinning Slash chained into Forward Slash until the boss staggers, then an Elemental Turning Slash on the staggered target. Notes: Forward Slash, Spinning Slash and Turning Slash are the main attacks, Keen Senses should be maxed, and Imbue Element with Flame Strike is there to make Turning Slash hit harder.
The aim: a strong but simple setup for the Rhinard Cannon, cheap to assemble and upgrade, with a ranged option that has some area damage. The Canta set is chosen because it can be bought as soon as you reach Hernand.
| Slot | Piece | Stats | Abyss Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Rhinard Cannon | ATK 13, CRIT 1 | Destruction I, Destruction I, Swift I |
| Head | Canta Plate Helm | DEF 3 | — |
| Chest | Canta Plate Armor | DEF 6 | Vitality I |
| Gloves | Canta Plate Gloves | DEF 3, ATK 13, ATK Spd 1 | — |
| Boots | Canta Plate Boots | DEF 3, ATK 13, ATK Spd 1 | — |
| Accessories | Disguise Cloak; Tarnished Necklace | DEF 3, Ice Res 3; ATK 1 | — |
Skills. Stamina: Armed Combat with Counter Stance, Blinding Flash with its Finisher, Grappling with Lariat, Stab with Tactical Stab, Forward Slash. Spirit: Force Palm, Nature's Grasp. Health: Axiom Force with Aerial Maneuver.
Stats. At least 5 Stamina, at least 4 Health.
Rotation. Open with Blinding Flash Finisher, chain Tactical Stab and Forward Slash, use Stab's button combination to fire the spear's projectile, and Counter Stance as the defence.
The aim is simply workable gear and skills for fighting bare-handed. The build is easy to set up and upgrade, does well in the early chapters, kills groups easily and does high physical and stagger damage to bosses.
| Slot | Piece | Stats | Abyss Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gloves (the weapon) | Combat God's Plate Gloves | DEF 7, ATK 19, CRIT 1 | Insight III, plus Destruction III in the armour table and The Showstopper in the weapon table of the same page |
| Head | Golden Greed Plate Helm | DEF 24 | Gourmet III |
| Chest | Dark Marksman's Plate Armor | DEF 6 | Aegis III, Momentum |
| Boots | Dark Marksman's Plate Boots (or Canta Plate Boots, DEF 3, ATK 13, ATK Spd 1) | DEF 4, ATK 14, Move Spd 1 | Swift III, Swift III |
| Accessories | Plate Cloak of the Shadows; Surreal Necklace; Green Coral Reef Earring; Faded Earring; Mark of Darkness; Tarnished Ring | DEF 3, Fire Res 7; ATK 5, CRIT 4; DEF 1, Move Spd 1; DEF 3, Move Spd 1; ATK 2, ATK Spd 2; ATK 1 | — |
Skills. Stamina: Grappling with Lariat, Clothesline, Pump Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Flying Punch with Rising Dragon and Repel, Iron Fists with Proficiency and Sure Hit, Tiger's Fury with Proficiency and Expertise. Spirit: Force Palm, Nature's Grasp, Keen Senses with Parry, Nature's Echo with Echoing Iron Fists. Health: Axiom Force with Aerial Maneuver.
Stats. At least 10 Stamina, at least 6 Health.
Rotation. Iron Fists, then a light attack to trigger the flurry, two more heavy attacks, then Flying Punch. Tiger's Fury on a staggered boss; the grapples for a little area damage against groups.
A cheese build that simplifies boss fights and clears groups fast, strong from mid-game to endgame, and hard to set up: the Infinite Arrows Abyss Gear comes from dispatch missions to dig-site excavations. The idea is to stack Infinite Arrows on the bow until the effect reaches 100%, then stack Destruction for raw damage rather than critical hits; the armour stacks Movement Speed to reposition between fights and Vigor for stamina regeneration, because the playstyle is spamming Evasive Shot.
| Slot | Piece | Stats | Abyss Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Noble Man's Bow | ATK 34, CRIT 1 | Destruction III ×3, Infinite Arrows III ×2 |
| Head | Skyblazer Cloth Helm | DEF 12, Move Spd 1 | Gourmet III |
| Chest | Dark Ringleader's Cloth Armor | DEF 3, Move Spd 2 | Aegis III, Fortification III |
| Gloves | Sunset Reed Cloth Gloves | DEF 12, ATK 30, ATK Spd 1 | Vigor III ×2 |
| Boots | Dark Marksman's Plate Boots | DEF 4, ATK 14, Move Spd 1 | Vigor III ×2 |
| Accessories | Plate Cloak of the Shadows; Ogre's Ring; White Horn's Earring; Faded Earring; Mark of Darkness; Tarnished Ring | DEF 3, Fire Res 7; ATK 5; DEF 2, Move Spd 1; DEF 3, Move Spd 1; ATK 2, ATK Spd 2; ATK 2, ATK Spd 1 | — |
Skills. Stamina: Marksmanship, Charged Shot, Multishot, Evasive Shot with Proficiency and Expertise. Spirit: Focused Shot, Focused Evasive Shot, Focused Charged Shot. Health: Axiom Force with Aerial Maneuver, Imbue Element, Elemental Turning Slash, Elemental Charged Shot, Flame Strike.
Stats. Stamina heavily, to keep firing Evasive Shots; Spirit so Focused Shot can be used more than once.
Rotation. Spam Evasive Shot to drain a boss; Focused Charged Shot for burst.
Damiane
Four of Damiane's five pages share the same armour (Demenissian Uniform Leather Gloves, DEF 18, ATK 29, CRIT 3, Lightning Res 1, socketed on two of the pages with Vitality I, Aegis I and Haste I; Demenissian Uniform Leather Cloak, DEF 3, Lightning Res 3; Engraved Gold Earring, DEF 1, Move Spd 1), list no other armour — all four mark the body armour "to be determined" — and give no stat minimums. All four are for new players. Only the Fire Gunslinger page is fully specified.
The aim is one-shotting mobs and bosses with Elemental Charged Shot: the Volcanic Eruption and Flames of Judgement gear on the chest raise fire damage, and Marksmanship Lv. 5 is recommended for the damage.
| Slot | Piece | Stats | Abyss Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Demenissian Hero's Musket | ATK 13, Crit Rate Lv. 1 | Destruction III ×3, Insight III, Malicebane III |
| Shield | Shield of Radiance | ATK 15, Guard Rate 30, Move Spd Lv. 2 | Aegis III ×3 |
| Head | Goldlight Plate Helm | DEF 2, Daze Immunity | Composure III |
| Chest | Light of the Battlefield Plate Armor | DEF 9 | Volcanic Eruption, Flames of Judgement, Gourmet III |
| Gloves | Official Knight's Leather Gloves | ATK 10, DEF 1, Crit Rate Lv. 1 | Composure III |
| Boots | Official Knight's Leather Boots | ATK 9, DEF 1, Crit Rate Lv. 2 | Composure III |
| Accessories | Light of the Battlefield Cloth Cloak; White Lion Necklace; Tigerfang Ring; White Horn's Ring; Witch's Earring | DEF 4, Ice Res 3; ATK 4, CRIT 3 (at +3, +0.3 Spirit per second); ATK 1; ATK 1, ATK Spd Lv. 1; DEF 3, Move Spd 1 | — |
Skills. Stamina: Marksmanship, Charged Shot, Evasive Shot. Spirit: Focused Shot, Focus. Health: Imbue Element, Flame Rush.
Rotation. Focused Shot to slow time, mark targets, charge the Elemental Charged Shot and release, recover Spirit in Focus, repeat.
The rapier lands many hits in a short time, the pistol handles range, and the build is about managing position.
| Slot | Piece | Stats | Abyss Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | White Wind Rapier | ATK 10, ATK Spd Lv. 2 | Swift I |
| Shield | Demenissian Gold-Plated Shield | DEF 6, Move Spd Lv. 2 | Fortification I, Aegis I |
| Ranged | Spencer Pistol | ATK 13, ATK Spd Lv. 2 | — |
Skills. Stamina: Evasive Shot with Proficiency and Expertise, Sword Flurry with Proficiency, Piercing Light with Uppercut, Skewer and Rend Armor, Smiting Bolt with Proficiency and Sure Hit. Spirit: Focused Shot, Focused Evasive Shot, Focused Charged Shot. Health: Flight, Swift Flight.
Rotation. Light attacks to close the gap, a running attack for several hits, a dodge attack, heavy attacks for ranged area damage, then the pistol with Focused Shot while light attacks mark the targets.
The idea: quick melee damage while staying free to dodge and parry, and the easiest of Damiane's builds to set up.
| Slot | Piece | Stats | Abyss Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | White Wind Rapier | ATK 10, ATK Spd Lv. 2 | Swift I |
| Weapon | Grace Rapier | ATK 12, ATK Spd Lv. 1 | Destruction I |
The page's Abyss Gear list as a whole: Swift I, Destruction I, Vigor I, Haste I, Frostward I, Vitality I, Aegis I.
Skills. Stamina: Sword Flurry with Proficiency, Piercing Light with Uppercut, Skewer and Rend Armor, Smiting Bolt with Proficiency and Sure Hit, Armed Combat with Evasive Smite and Quick Swap. Spirit: Focus, Keen Senses with Dodge and Parry. Health: Flight, Swift Flight.
Rotation. A fully charged Piercing Light to close in, a running attack for three quick hits, a dodge attack — which is a Smite and makes distance — then two heavy attacks from mid-range, and again.
The idea: wide melee combos to clear groups. It is based on early-game impressions and that its equipment and Abyss Gear details are still to be filled in.
| Slot | Piece | Stats | Abyss Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Absolute Justice Greatsword | ATK 19 | Wind Slash, Destruction I |
| Ranged | Spencer Pistol | ATK 13, ATK Spd Lv. 2 | — |
Skills. The same list as the Dual-Wield page: Sword Flurry with Proficiency, Piercing Light with Uppercut, Skewer and Rend Armor, Smiting Bolt with Proficiency and Sure Hit, Armed Combat with Evasive Smite and Quick Swap; Focus, Keen Senses with Dodge and Parry; Flight, Swift Flight.
Rotation. Counter Stance to parry, a fully charged Stab to close the gap, hold the running attack for three quick hits, a charged Smite attack to keep the combo going, recover stamina, repeat.
The idea: quick melee attacks over a wide area to clear groups. Body armour is "to be determined", with Vigor I, Haste I and Frostward I recommended for it.
| Slot | Piece | Stats | Abyss Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Warspike Spear | ATK 13, ATK Spd Lv. 1 | Wind Slash, Destruction I, Swift I |
| Ranged | Spencer Pistol | ATK 13, ATK Spd Lv. 2 | — |
Skills. The same list again: Sword Flurry with Proficiency, Piercing Light with Uppercut, Skewer and Rend Armor, Smiting Bolt with Proficiency and Sure Hit, Armed Combat with Evasive Smite and Quick Swap; Focus, Keen Senses with Dodge and Parry; Flight, Swift Flight.
Rotation. As the Greatsword page, with a charged Smiting Strike as the combo's follow-up.
Oongka
A fully offensive build with some reactive play, strong against bosses and groups alike, building stagger fast and gaining damage from consecutive hits. Two two-handed weapons at once is what Dual Wielding Mastery allows — the skill text: "Allows you to wield two-handed weapons with a single hand" — and it comes at Armed Combat Lv. 4. Accessories chase Critical Rate, Attack Speed and Movement Speed, the last two to add hits to Raging Lightning and Rampage.
| Slot | Piece | Stats | Abyss Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Patterned Stone Greataxe | ATK 18, CRIT 3 | Destruction III, Swift III, Stamina Transference, Relentless, Hound's Claws |
| Weapon | Bekker Greathammer | ATK 45 | Destruction III, Swift III, Insight III, Stamina Transference, Shadow Claw |
| Head | Ashad Plate Helm | DEF 21 | Gourmet III |
| Chest | Solas Plate Armor | DEF 41 | Aegis III ×3 |
| Gloves | Eclipsed Solas Plate Gloves | DEF 17, ATK 36 | Fortification III ×2 |
| Boots | Solas Plate Boots | DEF 17, ATK 36, Move Spd 3 | Haste III, Vigor III |
| Accessories | Ashen Wolf's Leather Cloak; White Lion Necklace; White Horn's Earring; Faded Earring; Mark of Darkness; Tarnished Ring | DEF 12, Lightning Res 3; ATK 4, CRIT 3; DEF 2, Move Spd 1; DEF 3, Move Spd 1; ATK 2, ATK Spd 2; ATK 2, ATK Spd 1 | — |
Skills. Stamina: Armed Combat with Leaping Smash, Charge and Dual Wielding Mastery, Slash, Raging Lightning with Proficiency, Rampage with Proficiency and Sure Hit. Spirit: Rage, Keen Senses with Parry, Dodge and Counter. Health: Flight, Vertical Flight. Note: keep investing in Raging Lightning and Rampage until their Proficiency and Sure Hit are unlocked, since they are the main attacks.
Stats. At least 10 Stamina, to keep the Raging Lightning spin going; at least 6 Health for the tougher regions.
Rotation. Rage for Super Armor, Raging Lightning against groups and bosses, Rampage against a single elite, light attacks to get Stamina back.
6. Weapon tier list
Weapon types ranked, then the pieces rated best in each, with the reasons. The ranking is Game8's verdict, reproduced as such:
| Rank | Weapon type | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| S | Dual weapons; two-handed weapons | the easiest combinations to chain and get used to, and heavy damage to mobs and bosses alike |
| A | One-handed weapons | weaker at clearing groups, but versatile chained with the Grappling skills |
| A | Unarmed | very powerful, but needs careful stamina management and its combos are more complex |
| B | Spears | strong single-target damage, but the defence leans on Counter Stance, which is weak against ranged attacks and groups |
| Weapon | Type | Stats | Why it rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sword of the Lord | one-handed | ATK 30, ATK Spd Lv. 2 | the first weapon you obtain with Abyss Gear attached; its attack speed suits dual-wielding |
| Sword of the Wolf | one-handed | ATK 34 | Kliff's starting sword, with more damage than the earliest pickups |
| Tauria Curved Sword | one-handed | ATK 34 | popular for its unique Abyss Gear, Crow's Pursuit, which makes it top tier |
| Righteous Verdict | two-handed | ATK 23, ATK Spd Lv. 2, Crit Rate Lv. 3 | obtainable early with some exploration, three Abyss Gears attached |
| Darkbringer | two-handed | ATK 39, Crit Rate Lv. 3 | same reasoning as Righteous Verdict; a powerful weapon to swap to |
| Rhinard Cannon | spear | ATK 13, Crit Rate Lv. 1 | strong single-target damage early, and a projectile that staggers |
| Vow of the Dead King | spear | ATK 35, Crit Rate Lv. 4 | three Abyss Gears attached, including Malicebane I for damage against mighty foes |
| Noble Man's Bow | bow | ATK 34, Crit Rate Lv. 1 | one of the highest raw-attack bows, found early by exploring; the Infinite Arrows build's bow |
| Golden-Knotted Ancestral Bow | bow | ATK 33 | same tier and use as Noble Man's Bow |
| Warspike Bow | bow | ATK 30, Crit Rate Lv. 2 | the crit rate scales well with most bow builds |
| Combat God's Plate Gloves | unarmed | ATK Spd Lv. 1, Move Spd Lv. 4, Lightning Affinity | best in slot for unarmed: Lightning Affinity adds lightning damage, and its Abyss Gear includes Relentless, which raises damage the more hits you land. the Unarmed build in section 5 lists the same gloves as DEF 7, ATK 19, CRIT 1 |
Two things the site's FAQ already settles and this list does not change: none of these wear out — only makeshift pickups carry durability — and none of them weighs anything. Sharpening at a Grindstone is free and temporary; the permanent upgrade is Refinement at a Blacksmith, paid in materials. The min-max figures in section 8 show how far Refinement moves a weapon's numbers.
7. Abyss Gear
Abyss Gear is what the socket columns above refer to: pieces attached to weapons, body armour, gloves and footwear that add an effect or a stat. Tiered gear comes in I, II and III; Tier II and III are made by fusion through Elowen, the source of most of the crafted ones, while the unique pieces come from named weapons and quests. The socketing steps are not described here. The best of it, with its effect text:
| Abyss Gear | Effect | Fits | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greysoul Howling | calls forth the phantom of Goyen for a sweeping strike of shadow energy | melee weapons | the Fated Shadow weapon, after defeating Goyen in Chapter 9 |
| Shadow Claw | sweeps the surrounding area with bloodstained claws for extra damage | melee weapons | after defeating Black Fang in the Legendary Wolf side quest |
| Wound of Darkness | sends three blades of dark energy forward that push enemies back and damage them | melee weapons | the Back Alley Shop in Port Delesyia, 40 silver |
| Hound's Claws | the same sweep of bloodstained claws as Shadow Claw | melee weapons | defeating Hemon Beindel in The Hellhounds side quest |
| Groundsurge | shatters the ground in a cone in front of you | melee weapons | extracted from the Melted Ambition weapon after Chapter 7 |
| Insight I / II / III | Critical Rate Lv. 1 / 2 / 3 | weapons, gloves, footwear | crafted by Elowen |
| Malicebane I / II / III | +4% / +8% / +12% damage to mighty foes | weapons, gloves, footwear | the Wolf's Fang sword in Chapter 7, or crafted by Elowen |
| Momentum | +35% Turning Slash damage | — | the Leather Helm of the Fallen Kingdom chest in the Sanctum of Benediction |
| Infinite Arrows I / II / III | 20% / 40% / 60% chance not to consume an arrow | bows only | crafted by Elowen (the Infinite Arrows build page says its copies came from dig-site dispatch missions) |
| Destruction I / II / III | Attack +1 / +2 / +3 | weapons, gloves, footwear | crafted by Elowen |
| Gourmet I / II / III | Food Effect Lv. +1 / +2 / +3 | body armour only | the Animal Meat Life Challenge reward |
| Aptitude I / II / III | +10% / +20% / +30% Skill EXP gain | body armour only | the Plate Boots of the Shadows, or crafted by Elowen |
| Haste I / II / III | Movement Speed Lv. 1 / 2 / 3 | body armour only | various armour pieces, or crafted by Elowen |
The rest of the stat-raising family at Tier III: Flameward, Frostward and Shockward (+3 to a resistance), Swift (Attack Speed), Fortification (Defense), Aegis (damage reduction), Composure (Spirit); the builds add Vigor (stamina regeneration), Vitality, Stamina Transference, Relentless, Crow's Pursuit, Wind Slash, The Showstopper, Volcanic Eruption and Flames of Judgement without printing their effect text, so none is given here.
8. A min-maxed Kliff
One target — Lv. 15, the cap, in Critical Rate, Attack Speed and Movement Speed, with Fire Resistance at Lv. 10 or 15 and/or Ice Resistance at Lv. 5 depending on the cloak — and a piece per slot to reach it (June 2026). Each piece's stats are given at base and at full Refinement, which is the clearest published picture of what Refinement does. With the shield the set reaches 100 Defense, on par with leather armour.
| Slot | Piece | Base → fully refined | Sockets and what goes in them |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Aeserion Mace | ATK 11 → 33; Crit Rate Lv. 1 → 2 | 3: Insight III ×2, Ator's Orb |
| Shield | Balgran Shield | DEF 2 → 14; ATK Spd Lv. 1; Move Spd Lv. 1 | 2: Howling of Chaos, Earthrending Strike |
| Head | Dark Ringleader's Cloth Helm | DEF 0 → 12; Move Spd Lv. 1 | 1: Pillar of Wind |
| Chest | Kuku Flame-Resistant Armor | DEF 4 → 38; Fire Res Lv. 10; Crit Rate Lv. 2 → 3; absorbs fire damage and releases a burst when struck | 1: Ancient Reckoning |
| Cloak | Scorchflame Plate Cloak | DEF 0 → 12; Fire Res Lv. 5; Move Spd Lv. 1 → 2 | — |
| Gloves | Tariv Cloth Gloves | DEF 0 → 12; ATK 9 → 27; ATK Spd Lv. 2 → 3 | 2: Swift III and one free |
| Boots | Tariv Cloth Boots | DEF 0 → 12; ATK 9 → 27; Move Spd Lv. 2 → 3 | 2: Swift III, Composure III |
| Spear | Aeserion Spear | ATK 12 → 35; ATK Spd Lv. 1; Crit Rate Lv. 1 → 2 | 5: Insight III ×2, Relentless, Celestial Transference, Ancient Retribution |
| Bow | Bow of the Fleeting | ATK 10 → 30; Crit Rate Lv. 1 → 2 | 5: Infinite Arrows III ×2, Insight III ×2, Destruction III |
| Dagger | King's Dagger | ATK 12 → 34; ATK Spd Lv. 1; Crit Rate Lv. 5 → 9; chance to skin extra hides 10% → 20% | — |
| Necklace | White Lion Necklace | ATK 0 → 5; Crit Rate Lv. 0 → 4; Spirit regen 0 → 0.3 per second | — |
| Rings | Mark of Darkness; Witch's Ring | each ATK 0 → 3; ATK Spd Lv. 0 → 4; stamina regen 0 → 6% | — |
| Earring | Ancient Earring | DEF 0 → 6; Move Spd Lv. 0 → 4; health regen 0 → 0.6 per second | — |
For the cold. Swap the cloak for the Frostcursed Plate Cloak (DEF 6 → 18, Ice Res Lv. 5, Move Spd Lv. 1 — VULKK's refined figure, though Vandal says it cannot be refined) and, since that costs a level of Movement Speed, the boots for Rabbit Cloth Boots (DEF 0 → 12, ATK 8 → 26, Move Spd Lv. 3 → 4, two sockets with Swift III and Composure III).
9. What update 2.0 added
Patch 2.00.00 — the free Enhanced Update of 25 August 2026 — put eight new skills on Kliff's tree as extra levels of skills he already has. Here they are, with description and Abyss Artifact cost:
| New skill | Slot on the tree | What it does | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flowing Force Palm | Force Palm Lv. 4 | more damage on the first two hits of Force Palm, plus an extra attack | 1 Abyss Artifact |
| Ascending Force Palm | Force Palm Lv. 5 | higher jump and a stronger Aerial Force Palm | 1 |
| Enraged Parry | Keen Senses Lv. 4 | press Parry during other actions to parry | 2 |
| Water Stride | Double Jump Lv. 2 | hold Sprint on water to spring across its surface | 1 |
| Descending Force Palm | Diving Force Palm Lv. 2 | hold Q during Aerial Force Palm to follow with Diving Force Palm | 1 |
| Serenity | Focus Lv. 4 | more Spirit restored while holding Focus | 1 |
| Enhance Flight | Flight Lv. 3 | right mouse button, or the controller equivalent, to dive during Flight | 1 |
| Finishing Rush | Armed Combat Lv. 6 | a light attack after an attack carries you to the next enemy | 1 |
The new skills open after a certain point in the main story. Patch 2.03.00 (18 September 2026) let Water Stride jump, and slide when Vaporwalker is equipped.
Abyss Links. The same update added a second skill currency. When one character spends Abyss Artifacts on a skill, the other two playable characters each receive the same number of Abyss Links, which they spend on their own skills. As section 1 says, a tree can now be reset per character, and the reset refunds the Links that character used. To bring this in, every skill tree was reset the first time the game was launched on 2.00.00, with all the Abyss Artifacts and other resources spent on skills refunded.
A new game from an old save. Once every main quest is complete, a new game can carry over Abyss Links and other in-game currency from the existing save; since patch 2.03.00 it also starts with 1,000 or more silver, as stackable silver pouches.
Double Jump. Since 2.00.00, Bilwise gives Kliff Double Jump during Chapter 2's Unexpected Gift. Only Kliff's new skills are documented.
Cross-checked
Cross-checked on 21 September 2026 and re-checked on 1 October 2026 against the guides of Game8, VULKK, Fextralife and Vandal; section 9 re-checked on 8 October 2026 against Pearl Abyss's patch notes 2.00.00 and 2.03.00 on Steam. Left out for want of a source: the Abyss Artifact cost of each stat level, the socketing steps for Abyss Gear, the effect text of the Abyss Gear the builds name without describing, and any build for Damiane or Oongka beyond the six published. Not from a playthrough: nobody here has played it, and what the sources do not describe is not on this page.