Character Customization

Character Customization Overview

Character customization in Crimson Desert covers everything from hairstyles and tattoos to armor dyes and mount appearances. Because the single-player campaign features fixed protagonists.Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka. There is no character creation screen at the start of the game. Instead, all visual customization happens through two facilities at Greymane Camp: the Barber Shop Tent for body and facial features, and the Dyehouse for coloring armor, weapons, and mounts. A full character creator with sliders and facial modeling may arrive with the Another Journey multiplayer mode as a post-launch update, though Pearl Abyss has stated this depends on commercial performance and market demand.

Pearl Abyss has confirmed there are no microtransactions or cosmetic shops in Crimson Desert. All customization options are earned through gameplay and exploration.

Barber Shop Tent

The Barber Shop Tent is located at Greymane Camp, the player-built camp that serves as your main base. It becomes available as you progress the main story and expand the settlement. The Barber Shop Tent works for all three playable characters.

The barber is an NPC named Eric, who joins Greymane Camp after you complete the A Rumor at the Inksworth Bindery quest. This quest is part of the Solid Foundation questline within the Greymane faction quest chain. Once recruited, Eric sets up his tent at camp and remains available for the rest of the game. All barber visits are available for a small gold fee. You can change your look as often as you want at no cost.

Both alternate playable characters get identical customization options at Eric's barber tent. You can customize hair, eyebrows, face tattoos, and body tattoos for all three protagonists. Beards are available for Kliff and Oongka only.

Available customization tabs

All customization at Eric's barber tent is available for a small gold fee. There is no currency cost for changing hairstyles, beards, eyebrows, or tattoos. You can preview every option before confirming, and revisit as often as you like with no cooldown or penalty.

Per-Character Customization Options

Each playable character has access to different customization features at the Barber Shop Tent. None of the three protagonists can have their facial structure, body type, or voice modified. Those elements are fixed to preserve narrative consistency.

Dyehouse

The Dyehouse is the facility where you recolor armor, weapons, horse equipment, and the War Robot using dyes. The earliest Dyehouse is operated by Theoric at the Hernand Farmhouse, southeast of Hernand. Later, a dye merchant named Oliver joins Greymane Camp once you complete enough Greymane faction quests and upgrade the Howling Hill base. Dyes are obtained through exploration, purchases from regional merchants, and alchemy crafting at cauldrons.

Dyehouse Locations

The earliest accessible Dyehouse is run by an NPC named Theoric. His shop sits southeast of Hernand at the Hernand Farmhouse. Speak with Theoric to open the dye interface, where you can recolor armor, weapons, and horse gear. Confirming changes costs Silver Coins, with the fee scaling based on how many color zones you modify.

As you progress through the Greymane faction questline and upgrade the Howling Hill base camp, you can recruit Oliver, a dye merchant who sets up shop at your settlement. Once Oliver arrives at Greymane Camp, you no longer need to travel back to Hernand every time you want to recolor your gear.

Ten specialized dye merchants operate across Pywel. Each one focuses on colors associated with their home region. These merchants typically set up on the outskirts of towns, recognizable by the colorful fabrics displayed near their stalls.

These five types represent the named regional dye families. The remaining five specialists sell additional color variations found in other settlements. Once purchased, you must open your inventory and select "Use" on the dye item to permanently unlock it as a customization option at any Dyehouse.

Crafting Dyes

Dyes can also be crafted at a cauldron. Note that cauldrons are different from cooking pots. The most accessible cauldron sits in Hernand, inside the building just north of where the rock-paper-scissors minigame takes place. Dye recipes require a mix of gathered flowers and insects. The general pattern combines 10 to 15 flowers with varying quantities of beetles.

Three beetle types appear in dye recipes: Beetle (common), Longhorn Beetle (uncommon), and Stag Beetle (rare). The flowers you choose determine the base color family, while the specific beetle combination controls which shade you get. Rarer beetles produce deeper, more vivid tones.

If you do not have a specific recipe, select the Improvise option at any cauldron to experiment freely. Different flower and beetle combinations produce different results, so testing various mixes can reveal new dye colors you would not find otherwise.

Finding Dyes in the World

Beyond crafting and purchasing, dyes can be looted from chests scattered throughout Pywel. You can also steal dyes from certain locations, though theft requires wearing a mask to avoid being identified. Regardless of how you obtain a dye (looting, crafting, or purchasing), you must open your inventory and select "Use" on the item before it becomes available at the Dyehouse. Each learned dye unlocks all shades within its color family, so a single dye item gives you access to multiple tones.

How dyes work

• Obtaining dyes: Dyes are found through world exploration or crafted via the alchemy system using flowers, insects, and other gathered materials

• Layered coloring: Each outfit piece has multiple dyeable layers. The main armor surface, cloth details, accent trim, and similar sub-sections can each receive different colors

• Separate slots: Gloves and boots have their own independent dye channels, separate from the main chest piece

• Material options: In addition to color, the system offers options for different material appearances on certain armor pieces

• Color palette: The interface uses a visual color palette for precise color selection

• Cost: Confirming dye changes requires an in-game currency fee

Dyes are not sold through any storefront or cash shop. They are found while exploring the world of Pywel or crafted through the alchemy and life-simulation systems using gathered materials like flowers and insects. Cosmetic progression is tied entirely to gameplay rather than a separate store.

What can be dyed

The dye system supports per-section precision when coloring armor. Rather than applying a single color to an entire armor piece, players can target individual sections within each piece, such as the main surface, cloth inlays, accent trim, and metal hardware. This layered approach applies to all dyeable equipment categories:

• Character armor (individual sections within each piece, plus separate channels for gloves and boots)

• Weapons

• Horse caparison and horse armor

• War Robot mechanical plates

Mount customization

Mounts in Crimson Desert have their own customization systems. The game features horses, bears, raptors, dragons, and the War Robot, though horses and the War Robot have the most detailed customization options.

Horse customization

Horses have four equipment zones that can be equipped and dyed independently:

Each settlement's blacksmith and tailor offer horse equipment that matches the region's aesthetic. Mix and match pieces from different settlements for unique combinations, then apply dyes at the Dyehouse.

War Robot customization

The War Robot is a combat mech built by the Ironflame Orcs at Gorthak using Marni's technology in Delesyia, which becomes available during Chapter 10. It is equipped with machine guns, rockets, and jump jets. It has more customizable parts than horses:

• Main chassis. The central body shell, the largest visual surface

• Limbs. Arms and legs can be dyed separately from the chassis

• Additional components. Smaller metal parts and accent pieces each have their own dye channels

War Robot customization is entirely done through the Dyehouse. Equipment swaps for the War Robot (if any) are handled through the crafting and upgrade systems rather than the cosmetic dye system.

Equipment and gear appearance

Beyond dyes, your character's visual appearance is primarily determined by equipped weapons and armor. Key points:

• Blacksmiths across Pywel provide weapons, while tailors provide armor. Each settlement's offerings match the region's specialty

• Equipment can be mixed and matched freely. There is no set bonus that locks you into matching armor visually

• Individual armor slots (chest, gloves, boots, helmet) each affect your character's appearance independently

• All equipped gear is visible in gameplay and cutscenes

Another Journey mode

The Another Journey mode is a separate multiplayer/co-op experience that will be released as a post-launch update. Pearl Abyss has indicated that its development will depend on the game's commercial performance. It is the only way to access a full character creation system in Crimson Desert.

Full character creator

Another Journey uses Pearl Abyss's advanced character creation technology. The same system behind Black Desert Online's famously detailed character creator. Players will be able to build a completely custom character with sliders for facial features, body proportions, and other attributes. Specific details about the range of options have not been officially revealed yet, but given BDO's precedent, expect one of the most detailed character creators in any action RPG.

Integration with single-player

• Levels, items, and skills earned in single-player carry over to Another Journey

• Single-player and multiplayer are organically connected. No multiplayer-exclusive content gates your progression

• Drop-in/drop-out cooperative gameplay

• Players who prefer solo play are not required to engage with Another Journey at all

Transmog and Appearance Override

Crimson Desert does not include a transmog system. Equipped armor and weapons always display their assigned appearance on the character model, and there is no way to override one piece of gear's look with another's. This applies to all three playable characters.

The only partial exception involves face accessories. Players can toggle the visibility of face accessories through the character settings menu, hiding or showing items like eye patches and scarves. This toggle does not extend to helmets, body armor, or any other equipment slot.

Because there is no transmog, visual appearance is tied directly to the gear you choose to equip. Players who care about both stats and aesthetics should note that the Dyehouse offers some control over color, but the fundamental look of each armor piece is fixed.

Pearl Abyss has not announced plans to add transmog in post-launch updates. Given the studio's track record with Black Desert (which added transmog years after launch), it remains possible but unconfirmed for Crimson Desert.

No microtransactions

Pearl Abyss has confirmed that Crimson Desert has no cosmetic shop and no microtransactions. All customization. Hairstyles, dyes, tattoos, mount armor, War Robot colors. Is earned through gameplay. Director of Marketing Will Powers stated: "This is made to be a premium experience that you buy and you enjoy the world... that is the transaction, full stop."

Tips

• Visit the Barber Shop Tent before major cutscenes. Your customized appearance carries into story cinematics

• Experiment with unconventional hair colors (bright purple, green, etc.) for a unique look. The full color palette is available from the start

• Collect flowers and insects as you explore Pywel. These are alchemy ingredients for crafting dyes. Rare colors require rarer materials

• Each settlement has region-themed equipment. Visit multiple areas to expand your wardrobe options

• Gloves and boots are dyed separately from the chest piece. Do not forget to color them or they will stand out with default colors

• The War Robot has the most dye channels of any customizable entity. Save your rarest dyes for it if you want a cohesive color scheme

• If you want full character creation (face sculpting, body sliders), wait for the planned Another Journey post-launch update

• Preview all changes before confirming at both the Barber Shop Tent and Dyehouse. You pay the fee on confirmation, not on preview