Compare Revisions

11 Overview
22  
33 Cannons are the heaviest ranged weapons in Crimson Desert, firing explosive projectiles that deal area-of-effect damage on impact. They are categorized as hand cannons in the game's weapon system and occupy the dedicated ranged weapon slot. Cannons trade fire rate and mobility for raw stopping power and splash damage, making them the most destructive single-shot option available to any playable character.
44  
55 Oongka is the primary cannon user. He begins with the Orc Blaster when the player gains control of him at the end of Chapter 7, and his entire ranged playstyle revolves around explosive cannonball fire. Other characters such as Kliff and Damiane can also equip certain cannon-type weapons, though the weapon class is most closely associated with Oongka's brute-force identity.
66  
77 Compared to bows (versatile, fast, multi-arrow capability), rifles (long-range precision), and pistols (quick mobile shots), cannons fill a distinct niche as the only ranged weapon with true area-of-effect capability. Every shot creates a blast radius that damages all enemies caught in the explosion, staggering groups and interrupting attack animations.
88  
99 Cannon is a siege weapon mount in Crimson Desert.
1010  
1111 Combat Mechanics
1212  
1313 Cannon combat revolves around positioning and timing. Each shot requires a wind-up period before firing, and the reload cycle is significantly slower than any other ranged weapon. Players must aim carefully because ammunition is limited relative to arrows or bullets, and every missed shot wastes both ammo and precious time during the reload window.
1414  
1515 The explosive shots deal heavy direct damage at the point of impact and moderate splash damage to everything within the blast radius. A well-placed shot into a cluster of enemies can stagger every target in the group simultaneously, disrupting formations and creating openings for melee follow-ups with greataxes, greatswords, or other melee weapons.
1616  
1717 Cannons also apply strong stagger on hit. Even large enemies and mini-bosses can be staggered by a direct cannon shot, interrupting their attack animations. This makes cannons valuable as an opener against tough single targets, not just groups.
1818  
1919 One standout feature of cannon combat is the slow-motion aiming window that triggers when Oongka fires the Orc Blaster mid-air. Time slows briefly, letting the player line up precision shots before gravity takes over. This mechanic rewards players who combine jumping or aerial movement with cannon fire.
2020  
2121 Available Cannons
2222  
2323 The following table lists all cannon-type weapons in Crimson Desert. Hand cannons occupy the ranged weapon slot and fire cannonball ammunition. Some cannon weapons are also. It is classified as two-handed weapons that occupy both hand slots, functioning as hybrid melee/ranged tools.
2424  
2525 WeaponAttackCrit RateAbyss Core SlotsTypeHow to ObtainOrc Blaster2205Hand CannonOongka's starting weapon (Chapter 7)Bismuth Cannon2005Hand CannonCrafting (requires Bismuth Ore)Alpha Barrel Cannon19Lv. 15Hand CannonCrafting / LootFinest Rhinard Cannon16Lv. 15Two-Handed CannonHidden chest in Wyvern's SanctumGamma Barrel Cannon14Lv. 25Two-Handed CannonCrafting / LootRhinard Cannon13Lv. 15Hand CannonCrafting (Iron Ore x7, Copper Ore x3)
2626 The Orc Blaster stands at the top with 22 base Attack Power, outperforming every other ranged weapon in the game by a wide margin. It is permanently bound to Oongka's inventory and cannot be sold, dropped, or traded. The Bismuth Cannon (20 ATK) is the strongest craftable hand cannon, trading all critical hit bonus for raw power. The Rhinard Cannon (13 ATK) is the entry-level option, craftable early in the game after reading the Two Handed Weapons of the World Vol. 1 crafting manual at a Blacksmith.
2727  
2828 Refinement and Customization
2929  
3030 All cannons can be upgraded through the Refinement system at a Blacksmith. Refinement raises the weapon's base Attack Power at each level. Most cannons support up to 10 refinement levels, though the Orc Blaster caps at 9.
3131  
3232 Each cannon also has 5 Abyss Core slots for further customization. Cores can be socketed at a Witch vendor to add various bonuses. Cores that boost area-of-effect radius, stagger duration, or raw damage output complement the cannon's role as a crowd-clearing tool.
3333  
3434 Ammunition
3535  
3636 Cannons require cannonball ammunition to fire. Different cannonball types offer varying damage profiles and special effects. Ammunition is equipped in the dedicated ammo slot and can be swapped during combat.
3737  
3838 CannonballDescriptionSmall CannonballStandard ammunition; balanced damage and wide availabilitySmall Cannon BallBasic cannon projectile; Oongka's default starting ammoCrude Bismuth CannonballCannonball crafted from bismuth; enhanced damage propertiesCrude Itano CannonballCannonball made with Itano materialsItano CannonballHigher-grade Itano cannonball with improved damageDisruptor CannonballSpecialized cannonball designed to disrupt enemy actionsMine Spider CannonballCannonball that deploys a mine on impactReplenishing CannonballsSelf-replenishing ammunition that recovers over timeBundle of CannonballsBulk cannonball pack for extended engagements
3939 Managing ammunition is a key part of cannon gameplay. Unlike arrows, cannonballs are consumed in small numbers per engagement due to the weapon's slow fire rate, but each shot counts more. Players should conserve specialized cannonballs for boss fights and difficult encounters, relying on standard ammunition for routine combat.
4040  
4141 Cannon Skills
4242  
4343 Several skills enhance cannon combat. These abilities modify how shots behave and add elemental effects to the explosive blasts.
4444  
4545 SkillEffectUnlockCharged ShotHold the aim button to charge the shot, increasing its damage output on releaseDefault for Oongka and Damiane; learnable by Kliff via ObservationScatter ShotFires a dispersed cannon blast that hits multiple targets in a cone in front of the userOongka skillElemental Charged ShotImbues the charged shot with an elemental effect (Fire, Ice, Lightning, or Wind)Skill upgradeElemental Scatter ShotAdds elemental properties to the scatter blast for additional status effectsSkill upgradeFocused Charged ShotUnleashes a rapid volley during Focused Shot or Charged Shot; requires 10 Spirit per useUpgrade Focused Shot to Level 3MarksmanshipPassive skill that increases the damage of cannon-type weaponsOongka passive skill
4646 Elemental variants are particularly effective in the Cannon Challenges, which require defeating enemies with normal, Fire, Ice, Lightning, and Wind Enhanced Charged Shots.
4747  
4848 Cannon Challenges
4949  
5050 The Cannon Challenges are a set of five Mastery challenges focused on hand cannon proficiency. Completing all five awards the Master of Artillery achievement. Each challenge is activated by picking up a Sealed Abyss Artifact at specific locations across the world.
5151  
5252 ChallengeObjectiveLocationRewardsBarraging Cannon IHit 3 enemies at once with a hand cannonDelesyia, west of Redfox Trading PostAbyss Artifact, Steelbane IBarraging Cannon IIDefeat 3 enemies with normal, Fire, Ice, Lightning, and Wind Enhanced Charged ShotsDemeniss, northwest of Silvermoon TradehouseAbyss Artifact, Greater DestructionBarraging Cannon IIIDefeat 10 enemies within 30 seconds using a hand cannon without destroying any surrounding objectsDelesyia, southeast of Sweetbloom PlantationAbyss Artifact, Greater SwiftBarraging Cannon IVDefeat a mounted enemy from a distance of 30 meters or more using a hand cannonDelesyia, south of Windrose FarmAbyss Artifact, Faded Abyss Artifact, Steelbane IIBarraging Cannon VDestroy 2 Watchtowers with a hand cannon within 10 secondsNorth side of road, west edge of TommasoAbyss Artifact, Shatter I
5353 Tips and Strategy
5454  
5555 Use cannons as fight openers. Fire an explosive shot into a packed group of enemies before charging in with a melee weapon. The stagger effect gives you a free window to close the distance.Conserve ammunition for groups. Against a single isolated target, the area-of-effect component goes to waste. Save cannonball shots for clusters of three or more enemies and rely on melee weapons for one-on-one encounters.Combine jumping with cannon fire. Firing the Orc Blaster mid-air triggers a slow-motion aiming window. Use this mechanic to line up precision shots against high-value targets or bosses.Upgrade Marksmanship early. The passive damage increase applies to every cannon shot and scales well as you refine your weapon to higher levels.Match cannonball types to encounters. Specialized cannonballs like the Disruptor Cannonball and Mine Spider Cannonball provide utility beyond raw damage. Reserve them for challenging fights and boss encounters.Pair cannons with stagger-focused builds. Socket Abyss Cores that boost stagger duration to maximize the crowd-control window created by each explosive shot.
5656  
5757 Cannon Grades
5858  
5959 GradeDescriptionMythicThe rarest and most powerful cannons. Often tied to major story events or legendary figures. Extremely difficult to obtain.EpicStrong mid-to-high tier cannons. Available through quests, merchants, and exploration throughout Pywel.Rare+Above-average weapons sitting between Rare and Epic tiers. Obtained from mid-level quests, specialized merchants, and challenging enemy encounters.RareSolid mid-game weapons. Easily obtained from merchants, crafting, or basic quest rewards.UncommonBasic starter weapons. Often the first cannons players encounter. Useful for the opening hours but quickly outclassed.
6060 Base Stats
6161  
6262 StatValueHealth300Stamina100Movement Speed1Attack Speed1Climb Speed Multiplier1Swim Speed Multiplier1Seats1
6363 Variants
6464  
6565 Cannon has the following variants:
6666  
6767 Flimsy CannonStationary Cannon
6868  
6969 Notes
7070  
7171 Mounts can be obtained through taming, purchasing, or completing specific quests.
7272  
7373 Related Articles
7474  
7575 Weapons - Full weapon type overviewRanged Weapons - All ranged weapon categoriesHand Cannons - Detailed hand cannon mechanics and combat guideOongka - Primary cannon-wielding characterOongka Skills - Full skill breakdown for OongkaBest Oongka Builds - Recommended builds featuring cannonsCannon Challenges - All five Barraging Cannon challengesCombat System - General combat mechanics
7676  
7777 Mounts - All mounts in Crimson DesertMount Equipment - Gear for mountsMounted Combat - Fighting while riding