Crimson Desert lets you equip multiple weapons simultaneously and switch between them mid-fight. Choosing the right weapon pairing is just as important as picking individually strong weapons, because weapon switch combos let you chain attacks from one weapon type directly into another. This guide covers the strongest weapon pairings for each playable character, along with explanations of why these combinations work.
How Weapon Switching Works
Each character can equip two weapon sets at once. During combat, you can swap to your second weapon mid-combo by pressing the weapon switch input. The game allows you to cancel the recovery frames of one weapon's attack into the startup of another weapon's attack. This means fast weapons can set up openings that slow, heavy weapons finish off, and vice versa.
Weapon switch combos are the backbone of high-damage play. Learning which transitions chain smoothly is key to mastering combat.
Kliff's Best Loadouts
As the primary playable character, Kliff has access to the widest weapon variety: swords, spears, axes, hammers, bows, and more.
Loadout | Playstyle | Strengths | |
|---|---|---|---|
Aggressive Melee | Close-to-mid range hybrid | The recommended early-game pairing. Sword provides fast close-range aggression while Spear adds mid-range poke and spacing control. Switch from Sword combo into Spear thrust for safe distance damage. | |
Stagger and Smash | Stunlock into burst damage | Use Rapier's speed to stagger enemies, then switch to the heavy weapon for a devastating finishing combo. Extremely effective against armored enemies and bosses with stagger gauges. | |
Balanced Shield | Sword + Shield | Defensive all-rounder | The safest loadout. Shield provides damage reduction and Parry opportunities, while Sword handles consistent damage output. Ideal for players who prefer a cautious approach to boss fights. |
Ranged Hybrid | Any melee weapon + Bow | Mixed range | Weave ranged shots between melee combos. The Bow lets you deal damage while repositioning and is particularly strong for kiting multiple enemies. |
Dual Swords | Two one-handed swords | Pure speed DPS | Dual-wielding swords turns you into a blender. Extremely high hit count with fast attack speed. Excels against groups of weaker enemies. |
Early game recommendation: Sword of the Wolf + Warspike Spear. This pairing gives close-range aggression and mid-range poke options through chained attacks. Both weapons are accessible in the first few chapters.
Endgame recommendation: Fated Shadow (Chapter 9 sword) paired with a spear or hammer. The Fated Shadow has the highest starting damage of any sword, and pairing it with the Crow's Pursuit Abyss Core adds ranged projectiles to your heavy strikes.
Damiane's Best Loadouts
Damiane excels with finesse weapons and firearms. She unlocks in Chapter 3 and brings a unique fighting style focused on ripostes and ranged follow-ups.
Loadout | Playstyle | Strengths | |
|---|---|---|---|
Steel Rose (Best Overall) | Rapier + Pistol | Riposte and shoot | Damiane's strongest combination. The Rapier's riposte bonus chains seamlessly into the Pistol's dodge-and-shoot mechanic. Parry with the Rapier, then immediately fire a Pistol shot during the recovery window. |
Heavy Vanguard | Greatsword + Musket | Power and range | For players who prefer slower, harder hits. The Greatsword's follow-up skills added in Patch 1.00.02 make this viable. Switch to Musket for ranged pressure between melee engagements. |
Gunslinger | Pistol + Musket | Full ranged | A ranged-only setup for players who want to keep their distance. Less effective against fast-closing bosses but strong for clearing bandit camps and ranged encounters. |
Recommended: Steel Rose (Rapier + Pistol) is Damiane's strongest pairing by a wide margin. The riposte-to-shot chain is one of the most fluid combos in the game.
Oongka's Best Loadouts
Oongka is the heavy-hitter of the group, unlocking at the end of Chapter 7. He has inherent stagger bonuses on heavy attacks, making high-damage weapons perform noticeably better in his hands.
Loadout | Playstyle | Strengths | |
|---|---|---|---|
Raging Berserker (Best Overall) | Great Axe + Crossbow | Stagger and ranged support | Oongka's signature loadout. The Great Axe's inherent stagger bonus stacks with his character passive, breaking enemy poise quickly. Switch to Crossbow for ranged damage while closing gaps. |
Siege Titan | Great Axe + Arm Cannon | Maximum destruction | Replace the Crossbow with an Arm Cannon for explosive area damage. Less precise but devastating against groups and large bosses. |
Dual Wielder | Speed hybrid | Oongka's dual-wield stab received a follow-up attack in Patch 1.00.02, making this a more viable option than at launch. |
Recommended: Raging Berserker (Great Axe + Crossbow). Heavy weapons are where Oongka truly shines thanks to his inherent stagger bonuses.
General Pairing Principles
Fast + Heavy = Best Combo Pattern. Use a fast weapon to create openings and stunlock enemies, then switch to a heavy weapon for burst damage during the stagger window.
Melee + Ranged = Versatility. Always consider having at least one ranged option. Weaving ranged attacks into melee combat keeps enemies off-balance and deals damage with minimal risk.
Match Abyss Cores to Your Primary Weapon. Choose Abyss Cores that complement your main weapon. For example, cores that boost critical rate pair well with fast weapons, while cores that boost stagger pair well with heavy weapons.
Practice Switch Timing. The window for switch combos is tight. Practice the transition timing on regular enemies before attempting it against bosses.