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Blackstar Dragon
March 21, 2026 at 04:35 AM
Initial comprehensive article on the Blackstar Dragon mount specifically
The Blackstar is the primary dragon mount in Crimson Desert and the most powerful flying mount in the game. This abyssal dragon becomes permanently available to the player in the late game, offering devastating fire attacks, full aerial combat capability, and the ability to fly across the entire continent of Pywel. The Blackstar is an unmissable story unlock, meaning every player who completes the main campaign will obtain it.
While the Blackstar is incredibly powerful, it operates under strict availability constraints. Each summon lasts approximately 15 minutes of real time, followed by a 50-minute cooldown that cannot be reduced. This design prevents the dragon from trivializing ground-level exploration and combat, making each summon a strategic decision.
The Blackstar is unlocked through the main story and cannot be missed:
Event | Chapter | Details |
|---|---|---|
First encounter | Chapter 9: The Sage of the Desert | You first encounter the Blackstar roughly 50 hours into the campaign. The dragon is not rideable at this point. |
Permanent unlock | Chapter 11: Truth and Reality | Complete the Foreboding Shadow: Whispers in the Wind quest to permanently acquire Blackstar. |
During the acquisition sequence in Chapter 11, you travel to Delesyia and eventually face a Mecha Dragon boss known as the Golden Star. Once you deplete the boss's health, Blackstar swoops in to aid you. After the battle, when you return to the Nest of Valor, Blackstar becomes your permanent dragon mount.
After unlocking, summon the Blackstar by holding Down on the D-Pad to open the mount wheel, then select the dragon with the Right Stick. The summon operates under these constraints:
Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
Active Duration | Approximately 15 minutes per summon (real time) |
Cooldown | 50 minutes after dismissal (real time) |
Cooldown Reduction | None; the cooldown is fixed and cannot be shortened |
Summon Location | Any outdoor area with enough open sky |
The long cooldown makes the Blackstar a strategic resource. Save your summons for major objectives: fortress assaults, world boss encounters, or long-distance travel between regions. Do not waste a summon on casual exploration if a major battle is approaching.
While riding the Blackstar, you have access to unique aerial combat abilities. All attacks consume stamina, but stamina regenerates passively during flight.
Ability | Input | Effect |
|---|---|---|
Fireball | R1 / RB | Targeted fireball at ground enemies; moderate stamina cost. Has a lock-on function for targeting multiple fireballs. |
Fire Breath | R2 / RT (hold) | Sustained fire stream scorching a wide area below; high stamina drain. Devastating against grouped enemies. |
Dive Bomb | L2 + R2 / LT + RT | Rapid descent attack dealing massive area damage on impact. |
Barrel Roll | L1 + direction / LB + direction | Evasive maneuver to dodge incoming projectiles. |
Ascend | L2 / LT | Gain altitude for repositioning before attack runs. |
Sprint | L3 / Left Stick press | Burst of speed for rapid traversal; drains stamina. |
Fire Breath is the most devastating ability against clustered enemy groups, spreading the Burn status effect across targets. Fireballs are better for precision strikes against single targets or world bosses. The lock-on function lets you queue multiple fireballs at different targets before launching them simultaneously.
The Blackstar's attacks drain stamina, but stamina regenerates passively even while airborne. Effective stamina management is the key to maximizing your dragon's combat effectiveness during the 15-minute window:
Pace your attacks rather than dumping all stamina at once. Short bursts of Fire Breath followed by gliding recovery maintain sustained damage output.
Fireballs cost less stamina than Fire Breath. Use them for smaller groups and save Fire Breath for dense clusters.
Ascending costs stamina but repositions you for safer attack angles. Use it to gain height before dive-bombing.
Sprinting drains stamina rapidly. Only sprint when you need to cover distance quickly or escape danger.
To mount the Blackstar during the Chapter 11 acquisition sequence, you need:
Stamina attribute level 5 or higher. The Aerial Maneuver needed to mount the dragon costs 200 Stamina points. Insufficient stamina causes the mount attempt to fail.
The ability to glide toward the dragon while it swoops overhead.
The Axiom Force grapple ability to target the dragon's back.
Invest in Stamina upgrades before reaching Chapter 9. While level 5 is the minimum, higher levels give more room for error during the taming sequence and more stamina for fire attacks during flight.
Plan your Blackstar summons around major objectives. The 50-minute cooldown means you get roughly one summon per hour of real play time.
Fire Breath is most efficient against tightly packed enemy groups, while Fireballs work better against scattered or solo targets.
The Blackstar makes clearing exploration challenges trivial since you can fly directly to hard-to-reach areas.
During the 50-minute cooldown, use the ATAG Mech as your heavy combat mount. The two complement each other well.
Avoid using the Blackstar indoors or in tight spaces. The dragon requires open sky to maneuver effectively.
The lock-on Fireball function is especially useful against flying enemies and bosses with mobile attack patterns.
