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All vikisKliff
Kliff is Crimson Desert's protagonist, a warrior of the Greymanes and their leader, who sets out to reunite his scattered comrades after the Black Bears' night ambush. He is voiced in English by Alec Newman, fights with the widest range of weapons of the three playable characters, and gained eight new skills in Crimson Desert Enhanced.
Kliff is the protagonist of Crimson Desert, a warrior of the Greymanes and their leader, voiced in English by Alec Newman, who introduces himself first in Pearl Abyss's "Meet the Cast" video (Feb 25, 2026): "My name is Alec Newman and I play Kliff." "The story of Crimson Desert centers on Kliff", in the words of Pearl Abyss's Steam page: after the Black Bears' night ambush scatters the Greymanes across Pywel, he sets out to find the survivors and rebuild the band, and is drawn into the struggle over The Abyss. He is the only playable character for the first chapters; Damiane and Oongka join later (see Characters).
Quick facts
| Role | Protagonist; leader of the Greymanes |
| Homeland | Pailune, the north of Pywel |
| English voice | Alec Newman |
| Playable | From the start; the only playable character until Chapter 3 |
| Comrades | Oongka, Yann, Naira, later Damiane |
| Sworn enemies | The Black Bears and their leader, Myurdin |
| Weapons | Swords, shields, spears, halberds, maces, bows, dual wields; muskets and shotguns since 1.08.00 |
| Signature skills | Force Palm, Axiom Force, Blinding Flash, Flurry of Blows |
| Enhanced | Eight new skills unlocked through the main story (2.00.00, Aug 25, 2026) |
Who Kliff is
Pearl Abyss's featurette of Jan 29, 2026 calls Kliff "a warrior of the Greymanes, a faction from the northern region of Pailune known for its commitment to peace and unity", and its 2024 gameplay release calls him "the game's protagonist and leader of the Greymanes". Steam's description says he has "lost his family in all but name" when the Black Bears strike, and is determined to reunite the survivors and rebuild the faction.
Alec Newman describes him as a man of few words. "There's no denying that he is very stoic", he says in "Meet the Cast", and one could take him for a closed book, but among his Greymanes "you begin to see him open out as a character a little bit". Newman also calls Kliff "fiercely loyal", with "a really strong moral compass", and says he found the voice almost at once by leaning into a particular family member's.
His story
Spoilers follow.
Kliff's story begins on the night of the ambush. Pearl Abyss's "50 Minutes of Early Gameplay" (Sep 12, 2024, a pre-release build) opens in a burning camp where Kliff fights the Black Bears, a skirmish that, in Pearl Abyss's description, separates and scatters him and his comrades Oongka, Yann and Naira. According to Game Rant, his first fight with their leader, Myurdin, in the Prologue cannot be won.
From there the story takes Kliff through Hernand and into the Abyss. In the 2024 footage he meets a figure in a white robe and wide white hat in white ruins above the clouds, then glides down across the land; Pearl Abyss says that in the Abyss Kliff meets "the enigmatic Alustin and White Crow", who gives him his gliding ability. In Chapter 3 he founds the Greymane Camp at Howling Hill; in Chapter 7 he takes the war back to Pailune and faces Myurdin again at Ashclaw Keep, where, according to Game Rant, he is incapacitated and Oongka takes over.
Late in the story Kliff fights Golden Star, Marni's golden mechanical dragon; IGN's "Golden Star Quest Gameplay" (Oct 13, 2025, a pre-release build) ends with him on the dragon's back high above Pywel. The Collector's Edition diorama shows the same duel: Kliff facing Golden Star. He then gains the dragon Blackstar as his mount and follows the trail into the Abyss for Chapter 12, where he defeats "Myurdin, the Avatar of Umbra" and Umbra, the final boss. The Story page tells it in full.
How he fights
Kliff is the most varied fighter of the three. Steam describes his combat as weapon skills "paired with hard-hitting bare-hand hits and kicks, as well as a wide range of grapples", and he can use swords and shields, spears, halberds, maces, bows and dual wields, with muskets and shotguns since patch 1.08.00 (May 22, 2026). In "Meet the Cast", Newman says some of his favorite sessions were matching the sound of the fight sequences, and that having done combat with broadswords helped him into "that element of Kliff". See Combat and Weapons and Gear.
At launch Kliff was also the only character who could solve Abyss puzzles, and Game Rant called him "by far the most overpowered" of the three (Mar 19, 2026). That changed in patch 1.13.00 (Jul 3, 2026), when Damiane and Oongka could enter the Abyss too; some main quests still need Kliff.
His skills
Kliff has no experience levels: he learns skills with Abyss Artifacts found on bosses, in hidden places and in the Abyss, or by watching others ("Watch and Learn"). Skills and Abyss Artifacts has the whole tree. His signature skills, named in Pearl Abyss's patch notes, are Force Palm (with Focused, Aerial, Descending and Pulse forms), Axiom Force, Nature's Snare, Blinding Flash and Flurry of Blows. Patches since launch added:
- 1.00.02 (Mar 19, 2026): a finishing blow for Flurry of Blows.
- 1.03.00 (Apr 11, 2026): Focused Aerial Roll, used with Focus during flight.
- 1.04.00 (Apr 23, 2026): Weapon Throw while dual wielding, faster Force Palm, and up to three charge stages for Force Palm Pulse.
- 1.06.00 (May 11, 2026): Blinding Flash without a weapon.
- 1.07.00 (May 15, 2026): Blinding Flash Finisher for unarmed combat.
- 2.00.00 (Aug 25, 2026): Double Jump from Bilwise in Chapter 2, and eight new skills that unlock at points in the main story. Pearl Abyss's notes do not name them.
Crimson Desert Enhanced
Crimson Desert Enhanced, the free update of Aug 25, 2026, gave Kliff's story new cutscenes and his skill tree a rework. Its trailer speaks to him directly: "This time, you will surely break the cycle. You'll struggle. But you'll turn back. Face your foe. Because that's the Kliff I know." Patch 2.00.00 added the eight skills, introduced Abyss Links, which pass a share of every skill Kliff learns to Damiane and Oongka, and reset all skills once, refunding every Abyss Artifact spent.
Appearance and customization
Kliff's look can be changed at barbers and dye shops. Patch 1.05.00 fixed a bug that stopped him from being customized or dyed after defeating Umbra, and later patches added body tattoos at the barber (1.06.00) and style previews (1.08.00). His wardrobe has grown with the updates: the Baltheon armor (1.04.00), some of Oongka's outfits (1.06.00), new headgear and armor (1.12.00) and boss equipment (1.13.00). The editions added sets such as the Kairos Plate Set, and the DLC pre-order bonus is the Charter's Diving Set for Kliff and Oongka.
The actor
Alec Newman is Kliff's English voice, as Pearl Abyss announced with "Meet the Cast" on Feb 28, 2026. In the launch trailer (Mar 12, 2026) it is Kliff's enemies who do the talking about him and his band: "You Greymanes are a hard lot to kill." At launch Kliff spoke English, Korean and Simplified Chinese; Crimson Desert Enhanced added German, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese and Japanese voice-over.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the main character of Crimson Desert? Kliff is the main character of Crimson Desert, a warrior of the Greymanes and their leader, who sets out to reunite his comrades after the Black Bears' ambush.
Who voices Kliff in Crimson Desert? Alec Newman voices Kliff in the English version of Crimson Desert.
Is Kliff the only playable character in Crimson Desert? No. Kliff is Crimson Desert's only playable character at first, but Damiane joins in Chapter 3 and Oongka in Chapter 7, and the player can switch between them.
What are Kliff's new skills in Crimson Desert Enhanced? Crimson Desert Enhanced (patch 2.00.00) gave Kliff eight new skills that unlock at points in the main story; Pearl Abyss's notes do not list their names.
Can you change Kliff's appearance in Crimson Desert? Yes. Crimson Desert lets you change Kliff's hair, tattoos and colors at barbers and dye shops, including after the final boss.
What happened to Kliff's family in Crimson Desert? Crimson Desert's Kliff thinks of the Greymanes as his family; Steam's description says he has "lost his family in all but name" when the Black Bears scatter them.
Sources
- Crimson Desert on Steam, Pearl Abyss, read Oct 20, 2026
- Meet the Cast, Pearl Abyss, Feb 28, 2026
- Pearl Abyss Releases New Crimson Desert Featurette Highlighting Story, World and Gameplay, Pearl Abyss, Jan 29, 2026
- Pearl Abyss Unveils Epic 50-Minute Crimson Desert Early Gameplay Preview, Pearl Abyss, Sep 12, 2024
- Patch Notes Version 1.00.02, Pearl Abyss, Mar 19, 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 1.05.00, Pearl Abyss, May 2, 2026
- Patch Notes Version 1.06.00, Pearl Abyss, May 11, 2026
- Patch Notes Version 1.07.00, Pearl Abyss, May 15, 2026
- Patch Notes Version 1.08.00, Pearl Abyss, May 22, 2026
- Patch Notes Version 1.12.00, Pearl Abyss, Jun 19, 2026
- Patch Notes Version 1.13.00, Pearl Abyss, Jul 3, 2026
- Patch Notes Version 2.00.00, Pearl Abyss, Aug 25, 2026
- Crimson Desert: all playable characters and companions, Game Rant, Mar 19, 2026
- Crimson Desert: can you beat Myurdin in the prologue?, Game Rant, 2026
- Meet the Cast: Kliff, Oongka, and Damiane, Crimson Desert, Feb 25, 2026 (video)
- 50 Minutes of Early Gameplay, Crimson Desert, Sep 12, 2024 (video)
- Crimson Desert: Golden Star Quest Gameplay - IGN First, IGN, Oct 13, 2025 (video)
- Crimson Desert Enhanced Official Announcement Trailer, gamescom ONL 2026, Crimson Desert, Aug 25, 2026 (video)
- Official Launch Trailer, Crimson Desert, Mar 12, 2026 (video)
Moments
Meet the Cast: Kliff, Oongka, and Damiane | Crimson Desert
Crimson Desert
- Kliff is the protagonist of Crimson Desert, a warrior of the Greymanes and their leader, voiced in English by Alec…
- Alec Newman describes him as a man of few words. "There's no denying that he is very stoic", he says in "Meet the…
- Kliff is the most varied fighter of the three. Steam describes his combat as weapon skills "paired with hard-hitting…
50 Minutes of Early Gameplay | Crimson Desert
Crimson Desert
Crimson Desert: Golden Star Quest Gameplay - IGN First
IGN
Crimson Desert Enhanced - Official Announcement Trailer | gamescom ONL 2026
Crimson Desert
Official Launch Trailer | Crimson Desert
Crimson Desert
Photos
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Reception and AwardsCrimson Desert drew mixed to positive reviews, with a Metacritic score of 77 on PC and an OpenCritic Top Critic Average of 78 (read Oct 20, 2026); critics praised its open world and combat and faulted its story and controls, while Steam players rate it Very Positive, about 84% positive. It is nominated for PC Game of the Year and Best Soundtrack at the Golden Joystick Awards 2026.
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Sales and Player CountCrimson Desert sold 2 million copies on launch day and 6 million by Jun 11, 2026, Pearl Abyss's latest total, and peaked at 276,261 concurrent Steam players on Mar 29, 2026, SteamDB's measured all-time peak. SteamDB counted a peak of 28,918 players in the 30 days before Oct 21, 2026.
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TrailersCrimson Desert's newest trailer is the Charting the Unknown DLC reveal of Sep 3, 2026, shown at Sony's State of Play; before it came the Crimson Desert Enhanced trailer (Aug 25, 2026) and the Official Launch Trailer (Mar 12, 2026). Pearl Abyss has released trailers and gameplay videos since the game's reveal in November 2019.
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Crimson Desert EnhancedCrimson Desert Enhanced is the free 2.00.00 update of Aug 25, 2026 that every Crimson Desert owner gets on every platform, adding new cutscenes and story moments, voice-over in German, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese and Japanese, Arabic text and every earlier update. It is not a remaster or a paid version; the stores now sell the game under that name.
See also
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DamianeDamiane is a playable character in Crimson Desert from Chapter 3, when Kliff founds the Greymane camp at Howling Hill (according to Game Rant), an agile fighter with rapiers and guns only she can use, voiced in English by Rebecca Hanssen. Updates since launch gave her the Sword of Starlight, Reckoning, unarmed skills, Blackstar and the Abyss.
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OongkaOongka is one of Kliff's Greymane comrades in Crimson Desert and a playable character from Chapter 7, according to Game Rant: a slow, heavy fighter with massive axes and arm cannons, voiced in English by Stewart Scudamore. Updates since launch gave him Axiom Force, unarmed skills, Devastation, Blackstar and the Abyss.
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PailunePailune, the Tribal State of Pailune, is the northern homeland of the Greymanes in Crimson Desert, the land they lose to the Black Bears' night ambush at the start of the game and win back in Chapter 7, "Homecoming". The Greymane camp can later move there, which gives Kliff the Private Storage.