Beginner's Guide

18:13 In Crimson Desert you do not level up from experience: Kliff gets stronger by collecting Abyss Artifacts, which unlock skills and raise his health and stamina, and by refining his weapons and armor, so the best start is to follow the main story into Hernand and the Abyss, pick up every Abyss Artifact you pass, learn Force Palm and Blinding Flash, and set the difficulty and controls that suit you before the first big fights. Pywel is large and open from the first hours, and wandering is rewarded. Digital Foundry's PS5 Pro deep dive of Mar 12, 2026 shows the temptation: its reviewer set a waypoint "out in the middle of nowhere" and simply rode, across fields that are all open to a horse. This guide covers what to do first and the systems that confuse new players, as of version 2.03.02 (Sep 23, 2026) and the free Crimson Desert Enhanced update.

Quick facts

What to do first

Follow the main quest for the first few chapters. The Prologue and Chapter 1 teach movement and fighting, Chapter 2 reaches the city of Hernand and the Abyss, and Chapter 3 gives Kliff land at Howling Hill to found the Greymane Camp, where Damiane joins him (according to TheGamer's camp guide). Several systems a beginner needs unlock along that path: Pearl Abyss added a Chapter 3 tutorial quest on Abyss Gear in patch 1.00.02, moved Force Palm earlier in 1.00.03 "to allow players to use it much earlier in the game", and since the Enhanced update (2.00.00, Aug 25, 2026) Bilwise gives Kliff Double Jump during the Chapter 2 quest "Unexpected Gift". The chapters and their quests are on Main Quests and Chapters.

18:53 The Abyss is the other early priority. It floats above Pywel, and its puzzles hold Sealed Abyss Artifacts, the main source of new skills. Pearl Abyss's "50 Minutes of Early Gameplay" (Sep 12, 2024, a pre-release build) shows the trip back down: Kliff drops off the edge of a sky island, falls through the clouds toward the land below, and glides on dark, feathered wings to a town on a cliff. TheGamer's tips of Apr 2, 2026 suggest the same trick for travel: teleport to an Abyss spot high above Pywel and glide, since more stamina means more distance.

How to level up

Crimson Desert has no experience levels or skill points. Abyss Artifacts do that job: each one either raises a stat (health or stamina) or unlocks a skill, and they come from bosses, hidden places and Abyss puzzles (Game Rant, Feb 20, 2026). Kliff can also learn skills by watching people use them, a feature Pearl Abyss calls "Watch and Learn"; since 1.00.03 one observation is enough. Since Enhanced, each Abyss Artifact a character spends also gives the other two characters an equal number of Abyss Links, so progress is shared. The full system, with every named skill, is on Skills and Abyss Artifacts.

TheGamer's advice for spending them: raise Stamina to 8 or higher early, because climbing, gliding, sprinting and dodging all draw on it, and do not raise Spirit more than once or twice until later. The other half of growing stronger is gear: refine weapons and armor at a smithy early and often (Refinement Tokens from quests temper gear up to Stage 4 for free since 1.01.00). See Weapons and Gear.

Health, food and healing

Health comes back through food, not a refilling flask. Patch 1.00.03 raised the health restored by ingredients and food, and the same patch cut the price of Carl's restorative items at the Howling Hill camp from 10 Silver to 1 Silver. Food is automatically put in a quick slot the first time Kliff picks it up. Cooked dishes heal more than raw ingredients, so keep meat, water and cooking oil on hand (TheGamer). On Hard, food takes effect only after the eating animation ends, so eat before a fight turns.

13:56 Do not rush into dangerous ground. Digital Foundry's reviewer admits he reached one hilltop battle "before my character was ready and would die instantly if hit", and spent the visit running from a swarm of enemies. Game Rant's Josh Cotts (Mar 21, 2026) makes the same point about bosses: the game is hardest when players take on main story bosses too early. Come back with more Abyss Artifacts and better gear.

Getting around

25:00 Kliff can climb almost any surface, glide, double jump and ride. Digital Foundry compares the climbing to Breath of the Wild: a stamina meter governs it, and heat and cold make surfaces harder to climb. Gliding at the last second avoids fall damage, and a double jump combined with Force Palm can be chained up to three times in the air for extra height (TheGamer).

Fast travel uses Abyss Nexus points. Pearl Abyss added more of them in 1.00.03, and since 1.03.00 (Apr 11, 2026) teleporting works while mounted, falling, swimming or climbing. TheGamer notes that undiscovered fast travel points sit in areas marked with large question marks on the map, and that Blinding Flash shows the exact spot as you get close. Ringing a bell reveals the map around it; since 1.18.00 the map marks bell-revealed areas apart from explored ones. Kliff's horse comes after the Prologue and levels up when you pet it; other mounts are on Mounts.

Inventory and storage

The early inventory fills fast. Pearl Abyss added a Private Storage in 1.00.03, at Kliff's first lodgings in Hernand and at the Howling Hill camp, then made it grow with the camp in 1.02.00: 240 slots at first, up to 1,000 after the five camp expansions. Patch 1.04.00 added inventory tabs (All, Documents, Equipment, Food, Materials and Others), a Lock option that stops an item being sold or discarded, and storage you place in housing mode: a Sturdy Gatherables Chest of 1,000 slots whose materials count for crafting and refinement without being carried, and Kuku Coolers for cooking ingredients. The camp and its upgrades are on Greymane Camp.

The lantern, crime and bounties

4:32 Kliff carries a lantern he can take out at any time, and nights are very dark, as Digital Foundry shows. The lantern also finds clues and reads Memory Fragments: when it glows blue on his hip, a memory is near (TheGamer).

21:53 Crimes have consequences. Digital Foundry's test shows townspeople first backing away from Kliff's blade; keep swinging and the guards come for him while the crowd flees. A bounty can be paid off by asking for absolution at a church, and outlaws on bounty notices can be tackled, tied up and delivered to a constabulary for a reward (TheGamer).

Difficulty and controls

At launch Crimson Desert had a single difficulty. Since 1.04.00 (Apr 23, 2026) Settings > Play offers Easy, Normal (the original) and Hard. Players who found the launch controls awkward can choose a control preset, remap a controller fully (1.09.00), switch the sprint between holding and tapping ("Movement Controls", 1.02.00) and pick how lock-on moves the camera (1.18.00). What each setting changes is on Difficulty and Accessibility, and how fights work is on Combat.

Three habits help in every fight, according to the guides: block and parry rather than spamming dodge, because dodges do not make Kliff invincible (Game Rant); learn Keen Senses, which gives an audio cue before attacks (TheGamer); and use Focus, which slows time and restores Spirit.

Frequently asked questions

How do you level up in Crimson Desert? Crimson Desert has no experience levels. Kliff grows stronger by spending Abyss Artifacts, found in the Abyss, in hidden places and on bosses, to unlock skills or raise health and stamina, and by refining his gear at smithies.

How do you heal in Crimson Desert? Crimson Desert heals through food and restorative items, which go into quick slots. Cooked dishes restore more than raw ingredients, and on Hard difficulty food works only after the eating animation finishes.

How do you fast travel in Crimson Desert? Crimson Desert's fast travel uses Abyss Nexus points, which you unlock by finding them in the world. Since patch 1.03.00 (Apr 11, 2026) you can teleport while mounted, falling, swimming or climbing.

How do you expand your inventory in Crimson Desert? Crimson Desert's Private Storage grows from 240 to 1,000 slots as you expand the Greymane camp (patch 1.02.00), and housing mode adds chests: the Sturdy Gatherables Chest holds 1,000 slots of materials usable for crafting without carrying them.

Is Crimson Desert hard for beginners? Crimson Desert's bosses can be tough, but since update 1.04.00 (Apr 23, 2026) an Easy difficulty reduces the damage you take, slows enemies and widens the parry and dodge windows. You can change it at any time in Settings > Play.

What should you do first in Crimson Desert? In Crimson Desert, follow the main story to Hernand and the Greymane camp at Howling Hill (Chapter 3), collect every Abyss Artifact you find, and learn Force Palm and Blinding Flash, which both fights and puzzles use.

Sources

• Patch Notes Version 1.00.02, Pearl Abyss, Mar 19, 2026
• Patch Notes Version 1.00.03, Pearl Abyss, Mar 23, 2026
• Patch Notes Version 1.01.00, Pearl Abyss, Mar 28, 2026
• Patch Notes Version 1.02.00, Pearl Abyss, Apr 4, 2026
• Patch Notes Version 1.03.00, Pearl Abyss, Apr 11, 2026
• Patch Notes Version 1.04.00, Pearl Abyss, Apr 23, 2026
• Patch Notes Version 1.18.00, Pearl Abyss, Aug 15, 2026
• Patch Notes Version 2.00.00, Pearl Abyss, Aug 25, 2026
• Crimson Desert: Best Pro Tips, TheGamer, Apr 2, 2026
• Greymane camp management guide, TheGamer, Apr 27, 2026
• Crimson Desert skills and leveling system, Game Rant, Feb 20, 2026
• Crimson Desert isn't a Soulslike, Game Rant, Mar 21, 2026
• Crimson Desert main story quests and chapter list, Game Rant, Mar 19, 2026
• Crimson Desert on PlayStation 5 Pro - The Digital Foundry Deep Dive, Digital Foundry, Mar 12, 2026 (video)
• 50 Minutes of Early Gameplay, Crimson Desert, Sep 12, 2024 (video)