Overview
Crimson Desert features 29 mounts spanning rideable creatures, flying mounts, mechanical vehicles, and utility transports. This guide provides a comprehensive comparison of every mount in the game, organized by category. Each mount type offers distinct strengths: horses excel at speed and versatility, bears dominate in ground combat, raptors specialize in hit-and-run tactics, dragons rule the skies, and mechanical mounts deliver overwhelming firepower.
Mounts are obtained through various methods, including taming, story progression, crafting, purchasing, and defeating bosses. Some mounts are available from the beginning of the game, while others require reaching the late-game chapters.
Horse Mounts
Horses are the most common mount type and the first one players encounter. They excel at long-distance travel, support full mounted combat, and can be equipped with Champron, Barding, Saddle, and Stirrups to improve performance.
Mount | How to Obtain | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
Automatically given after the prologue (Unknown Space quest) | Starter horse; levels up through riding. Reliable all-around mount. | |
Brianto | Default mount for Damiane; unlocked in Chapter 3 | Character-specific horse breed. |
Priden | Tamed in the wild across multiple regions | Regular breed; required for Harmonious Hooves 7 challenge. |
Numont | Tamed in the wild across multiple regions | Regular breed; required for Harmonious Hooves 7 challenge. |
Elantrima | Tamed in the wild across multiple regions | Regular breed; required for Harmonious Hooves 7 challenge. |
Tamed at Silver Wolf Mountain, Pailune | Legendary white horse. Best stamina (315) and speed (4) of all legendary horses. | |
Tamed at Spire of Insight, Steel Mountains | Legendary black horse. Highest health of all legendary horses; war horse tank. | |
Tamed in Redtree Forest, Tashkalp | Legendary red horse. Highest attack and defense of any horse. |
Bear Mounts
Bear mounts are heavy combat mounts with massive HP pools, strong damage output, and independent attack actions. Bears can perform claw swipes, bite attacks, and body slams without rider input, effectively doubling offensive pressure.
Mount | How to Obtain | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
Crimson Grizzly | Tamed in oasis regions in the wild | Red-furred desert grizzly. Ground slam staggers all nearby enemies. |
Ironhide Cave Bear | Defeated and tamed inside Ironhide Den, Hernand | Enormous cave bear with iron-tough hide. Massive HP; shields rider. |
Pailune Snow Bear | Found and tamed in mountain cave systems, Pailune | White bear. Claw and bite attacks; frost resistance aura for rider. |
Black Bear War Mount | Captured from Black Bears faction stronghold | Faction-associated bear. Slower than horses but significantly more durable. |
Raptor Mounts
Raptor mounts are the fastest land combat mounts, ideal for hit-and-run tactics. Raptors have high speed and decent stamina with movement-related special abilities.
Mount | How to Obtain | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
Sand Raptor | Tamed in Red Dunes hunting grounds | Lightning-fast desert predator. Double sprint capability in desert terrain. |
Delesyian Swift | Purchased from Delesyia Beast Handler | Nimble raptor with exceptional agility. Sharp turns at full speed without losing momentum. |
Frost Raptor | Pailune hunter quest chain reward | Leaves an icy trail that slows pursuing enemies. |
Lizard Mounts
Lizard mounts are slower than other mount types but offer specialized terrain traversal capabilities that other mounts cannot match. Each lizard is adapted to a specific biome.
Mount | How to Obtain | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
Sand Skimmer | Tamed in Crimson Desert desert flats | Flat-bodied desert lizard. Glides across dunes and ignores quicksand hazards. |
Frost Salamander | Found in frozen caves, Pailune | Ice-immune lizard. Perfect for traversing frozen terrain without penalties. |
Rock Lizard | Tamed on canyon walls, Hernand | Can climb vertical surfaces and scale canyon walls. |
Dinosaur Mounts
Dinosaur mounts are large, heavily armored creatures with slow speed but high stamina and powerful combat abilities. They give riders an elevated vantage point and strong defensive protection.
Mount | How to Obtain | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
Steppe Ceratops | Tamed in Hernand steppes | Massive horned dinosaur. Devastating horn charge sends enemies flying with enormous knockback. |
Armored Ankylo | Tamed in the Bone Fields | Tank-like armored dinosaur. Thick plating reduces incoming damage; tail club swipe knocks back enemies. |
Jungle Strider | Hernand Jungle Canopy area | Tall creature providing elevated viewing position. Kick attack for defense. |
Dragon and Wyvern Mounts
Flying mounts are the most powerful mount category. The Blackstar Dragon is the primary dragon mount, with several wyvern and drake variants also available. See the Dragon Riding article for detailed aerial combat mechanics.
Mount | How to Obtain | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
Chapter 11 main story reward | Most powerful flying mount. Fire breath, fireballs, dive bomb. 15-min active, 50-min cooldown. | |
Highland Wyvern | Dragon Ridge Wyvern Egg quest, Pailune | Full flight control with dive-bomb ground attacks. |
Ember Wyvern | Rare spawn in Volcanic Rifts | Fire breathing from sky; scorches terrain creating hazard zones. |
Storm Drake | Tame atop Tesla Ruins during storm events | Lightning breath that chain-damages enemy groups. |
Mechanical Mounts
Mechanical mounts are late-game vehicles offering the highest raw firepower. The ATAG Mech is the primary mechanical mount, unlocked during Chapter 10.
Mount | How to Obtain | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
Unlocked in Chapter 10: Counterattack | Machine gun, cannon, EMP, ramming. Upgradeable with lasers and heavy plating. | |
Golden Star Mech | Boss drop from Golden Star encounter | Homing projectiles and energy shield. |
Scout Automaton | Crafted at Delesyia Workshop with blueprint | Infinite stamina; built-in lantern for dark areas. |
Vehicles and Transport
Vehicles serve utility roles such as cargo transport, aerial exploration, and regional traversal.
Vehicle | How to Obtain | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
Crafted via Greymane Camp dispatch missions after recruiting Brice | Cargo transport for trade goods. Slow but essential for trading. | |
Crafted at Emberwind Workshop (blueprints in Glenbright Manor) | Hot air balloon for altitude-based exploration. Upgrades to Cloudcruiser and Skystreaker. | |
Board by grappling onto active railroad tracks in Delesyia | Railroad vehicle. Fixed route traversal across Delesyia countryside. | |
Skiff | Found at coastal and riverine locations | Water traversal across rivers and coastal waters. |
Exotic Mounts
Exotic mounts are rare, unique creatures obtained through late-game content and specialized quest chains.
Mount | How to Obtain | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
Direwolf | Taming encounter in wilderness areas (Pailune region) | Fast and agile combat mount. Pack-hunting coordinated attacks with rider. |
Abyssal Spider | Tamed in Abyss Depths (requires Beast Taming skill) | Wall climbing; web trail slows pursuing enemies. |
Phantom Steed | Ghost of Gian side quest reward | Ethereal mount with wall climbing capability. |
Mount Comparison by Role
Use this quick reference to find the best mount for each situation:
Role | Best Mount | Reason |
|---|---|---|
Long-Distance Travel | Highest stamina and speed of any horse | |
Ground Combat (Tank) | Highest health of all horses; survives extended fights | |
Ground Combat (DPS) | Highest attack and defense of any horse | |
Hit-and-Run Tactics | Sand Raptor | Fastest land combat mount with desert sprint boost |
Heavy Ground Combat | Ironhide Cave Bear | Massive HP pool with independent attack actions |
Aerial Combat | Most powerful flying mount with fire breath | |
Maximum Firepower | Machine gun, cannon, EMP, missiles; upgradeable | |
Desert Exploration | Sand Skimmer | Glides across dunes; ignores quicksand |
Vertical Exploration | Hot air balloon for reaching elevated areas | |
Trade and Commerce | Only way to transport large quantities of trade goods |
Taming Mechanics
Most creature mounts are obtained through the taming system. The basic process involves:
Approach the creature without startling it.
Jump onto its back to initiate the taming minigame.
During the minigame, use directional inputs to counter the mount's resistance (hold the stick toward the creature's tail).
Fill the taming circle before your stamina depletes.
Some mounts require the Beast Taming skill before they can be tamed. Others are only obtainable through quests, boss defeats, or crafting. Mechanical mounts like the ATAG cannot be tamed and are unlocked through story progression or workshop crafting.
Tips
Keep multiple mount types available. No single mount excels at everything, so switching between mounts based on the situation is the key to efficient gameplay.
The Blackstar dragon and ATAG Mech complement each other perfectly. Use the dragon when it is available, and switch to the ATAG during its 50-minute cooldown.
For general exploration, horses are still the most versatile option due to their speed, stamina, and mounted combat capability.
Specialized terrain mounts (Sand Skimmer, Frost Salamander, Rock Lizard) are essential for reaching areas that standard mounts cannot access.
Legendary horses are always worth pursuing. Royler in particular is the best general-purpose mount in the game.
Invest in Stamina attribute upgrades early. Many late-game mount encounters require high stamina to complete taming minigames.