Overview
Attack Damage (often labeled simply as "Attack" in menus) is the primary offensive stat in Crimson Desert. It determines the base physical damage dealt by each hit. Every weapon has an inherent Attack value that is the foundation for all damage calculations.
Unlike the three primary resource stats (Health, Stamina, Spirit), Attack Damage is not upgraded through the skill tree dials. Instead, it comes from your equipped weapon, refinement level, Abyss Cores, and temporary buffs.
Sources of Attack Damage
Source | How It Works |
|---|---|
Weapon base stats | Each weapon has an inherent Attack value. Stronger weapons found later in the game have higher base values. |
Refinement | Refining a weapon at a Blacksmith raises its Attack by roughly +2 to +3 per level. Even a single refinement noticeably increases damage output. |
The Destruction Abyss Core directly increases Attack when socketed into equipment. | |
Grindstone buff | Using a Grindstone at a camp or settlement gives a temporary Attack boost. The buff is consumed over time or upon death. |
Well-Fed buff | Eating cooked food at a campfire can grant temporary stat bonuses, including Attack increases depending on the meal. |
Tested Attack Scaling
Community testing has measured the actual damage impact of varying Attack values against consistent enemies. The results confirm that Attack follows a diminishing returns curve: doubling your Attack number does not double your damage output.
Damage Scaling Test Results
In a controlled test using the same attack against the same enemy (a Stone Golem):
Attack Value | Relative Damage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
22 | Baseline | Low Attack starting point |
44 (2x) | ~172% of baseline (~72% increase) | Doubling Attack yields less than double damage |
Doubling Attack from 22 to 44 produced approximately a 72% damage increase, not the 100% that a linear scaling formula would give. This confirms diminishing returns on the Attack stat. Because Attack comes in flat numerical increases, each point of Attack matters more when your total is low. For early gameplay, Attack is the most impactful offensive stat to increase. As your Attack number climbs higher, the marginal value of each additional point decreases, and you get more overall damage improvement by investing in Critical Rate or Attack Speed instead.
Equipment Slot Rules for Attack
Where your Attack stat comes from determines what it affects:
Weapon Attack: Each weapon has its own independent Attack value. Wolf's Fang might show 38 Attack while Sword of the Wolf shows 28. Switching weapons changes your effective Attack.
Jewelry Attack: Attack bonuses from necklaces and rings apply to all weapon types. A necklace with +3 Attack effectively grants +6 Attack on the stat screen. This double-counting makes jewelry the most efficient per-slot source of Attack.
Glove/Boot Attack: Attack values on gloves and footwear affect unarmed strikes only. Removing gloves or boots does not change the displayed Attack for any equipped weapon.
Weapon Stat Profiles
Each weapon type in Crimson Desert has a distinct stat profile that determines its raw damage output, speed, and range.
Weapon Type | Damage | Speed | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Medium | Medium | Short | Balanced option; good for learning | |
High | Slow | Long | Large swings that hit multiple targets | |
High | Medium | Long | Reach advantage; good for poking | |
Low per hit | Very fast | Very short | High DPS through rapid hits | |
High | Slow | Medium | Specialize in stagger damage | |
Medium | Varies | Long | Ranged; charge time affects damage | |
Medium to High | Medium | Long | Ranged with reload mechanics | |
Very High | Very Slow | Long | Explosive area damage |
Damage Calculation
Damage in Crimson Desert follows a multi-step formula. The weapon's Attack value is the starting point, then several multipliers and reductions apply:
Base Damage: Your weapon's Attack stat after refinement.
Combo multiplier: Each attack in a combo chain has a multiplier. Basic chains use 1.0x, while advanced combos like Counter Burst (1.6x) and Full Rotation (1.85x) deal more.
Critical hits: When a critical strike lands, the damage is multiplied by the Critical Damage modifier.
Enemy defense: The target's defense reduces damage using a diminishing returns formula. Mitigation = 1 - (Defense / (Defense + 100)).
Armor penetration: Flat reduction applied to the enemy's defense before the mitigation formula runs. Very valuable against high-defense bosses.
Elemental bonuses: Fire, Ice, and Lightning add their own damage layers after the physical calculation.
How to Maximize Attack
Visit the Blacksmith before every major fight. Refining your weapon is the single biggest Attack increase available.
Use the Grindstone at camp for a free temporary Attack buff. It costs nothing and stacks with refinement.
Socket Destruction Abyss Cores into your weapon for a permanent Attack boost.
Learn advanced combo strings. The multiplier difference between a basic 1.0x chain and a Full Rotation at 1.85x nearly doubles your effective damage.
Against bosses with heavy armor, prioritize Armor Penetration effects. The diminishing-returns defense formula means that reducing an enemy's defense before the formula runs gives outsized returns.