Hammers

Overview

Hammers are a family of blunt weapons in Crimson Desert that specialize in staggering enemies and breaking through defensive guards. The hammer family spans three distinct subtypes: one-handed hammers wielded by Kliff, and warhammers and greathammers wielded by Oongka as two-handed weapons. All three subtypes deal blunt damage, which is particularly effective against armored targets and enemies that rely on blocking.

One-handed hammers belong to the same weapon class as maces and share the one-handed weapon moveset, allowing Kliff to pair them with a shield or dual-wield them alongside a faster weapon. Two-handed warhammers and greathammers occupy both hand slots and cannot be paired with a shield, but they deliver significantly higher raw damage and stagger per hit.

There are 9 one-handed hammers, 14 warhammers, and 8 greathammers confirmed in the game, bringing the total to 31 hammer-type weapons. Attack Power across the full family ranges from 10 on the entry-level Balton Hammer up to 27 on the Lightning Greathammer, the strongest blunt weapon available.

Hammer Subtypes

The three hammer subtypes differ in size, wielder, and combat role. The table below summarizes how they compare.

Hammers (one-handed) are compact blunt weapons that Kliff can use in either hand slot. They share the same moveset as maces, swinging slightly slower than swords and rapiers but offering better stagger potential. Because they are one-handed, Kliff can equip a shield in the off-hand for defensive play or carry a second weapon for dual-wield combos.

Warhammers are medium-weight two-handed blunt weapons exclusive to Oongka. They sit between greathammers and one-handed hammers in terms of speed and power. Warhammers swing faster than greathammers while still delivering strong stagger, making them a balanced choice for players who want crowd control without sacrificing too much attack speed.

Greathammers are the largest and heaviest blunt weapons in the game. These massive two-handed weapons are slower than warhammers but hit harder per swing. Greathammers are ideal for players who want maximum stagger and damage on each hit, especially against bosses and heavily armored enemies where fewer, heavier strikes are more efficient than rapid light attacks.

Combat Characteristics

All hammer-type weapons share several combat traits that set them apart from other weapon families in Crimson Desert.

Oongka's Hammer Combat

As a playable character, Oongka uses warhammers and greathammers as his primary melee weapons. His moveset with these weapons is built around trading blows and controlling the battlefield through raw force rather than evasion.

Key Attack Patterns

Oongka's hammer swings have a bowling effect: hitting one enemy into another deals damage to both targets and applies stagger to the secondary target. In dense groups, a single hammer swing can stagger four or five enemies at once. This makes warhammers and greathammers excellent choices for encounters with large packs of enemies.

Oongka complements his hammer with the Arm Cannon, a ranged weapon mounted on his arm. The Arm Cannon provides ranged bombardment to soften up groups before Oongka closes to melee range, giving him versatility despite his close-quarters focus.

One-Handed Hammers

One-handed hammers are wielded by Kliff and belong to the one-handed weapons category alongside swords, axes, maces, rapiers, and daggers. These hammers can be paired with a shield or used in dual-wield combinations. All one-handed hammers have 3 Abyss Core slots. Weapons are sorted by Attack Power from lowest to highest.

Two-Handed Warhammers

Warhammers are two-handed blunt weapons wielded exclusively by Oongka. They occupy both hand slots and provide a balance between swing speed and stagger power. All warhammers have 5 Abyss Core slots. Weapons are sorted by Attack Power from lowest to highest.

Two-Handed Greathammers

Greathammers are the heaviest blunt weapons in Crimson Desert. Like warhammers, they are two-handed weapons wielded by Oongka and require both hand slots. Greathammers swing slower than warhammers but deliver higher damage and stagger per hit. All greathammers have 5 Abyss Core slots. Weapons are sorted by Attack Power from lowest to highest.

Notable Hammers

Lightning Greathammer

The Lightning Greathammer is the strongest hammer-type weapon in the game with a base Attack Power of 27. It sits far above every other greathammer in raw damage output, and when fully refined to level 10, it becomes one of the hardest-hitting weapons in the entire game across all weapon categories. This is a late-game weapon worth pursuing for players who want Oongka to deal maximum damage per swing.

Bonepit Greathammer

The Bonepit Greathammer is the second-strongest greathammer at 20 base Attack Power with a Critical Rate Lv. 1 bonus. It is found as random world loot in the Bonepit region. The combination of high base damage and a critical hit bonus makes it a strong choice for the mid-to-late game before acquiring the Lightning Greathammer.

Aeserion Warhammer

The Aeserion Warhammer stands out among warhammers for its Critical Rate Lv. 2 bonus on 15 base Attack Power. While its raw ATK is not the highest in its class, the elevated critical rate makes it one of the best warhammers for consistent damage output over sustained fights.

Thalwynd Hammer

The Thalwynd Hammer is a standout among one-handed hammers. At 12 Attack Power with Critical Rate Lv. 1, it offers the best stat combination at its price point: equal raw damage to the Bekker Hammer but with an additional crit bonus that the Bekker version lacks. It is available for purchase from equipment merchants, making it easy to obtain.

Sydmon Hammer

The Sydmon Hammer is notable for its Attack Speed Lv. 1 bonus. Among one-handed hammers with 13 ATK, it is the only one that trades critical rate for faster swing speed. This makes it feel noticeably smoother in combat and pairs well with on-hit effects from Abyss Cores.

How to Obtain

Hammers can be obtained through several methods across Pywel:

• Equipment merchants and Quartermasters: Many hammers, warhammers, and greathammers are sold by equipment shops in settlements throughout the world.

• Crafting: Several hammers can be crafted at a Blacksmith using basic materials like Iron Ore and Copper Ore. Crafting recipes for two-handed hammers require reading the appropriate crafting manual (for example, "Two-Handed Weapons of the World Vol. 1" unlocks the Bekker Greathammer recipe).

• Enemy drops: Armored enemies, boss encounters, and general combat loot can drop hammers of various tiers.

• Treasure chests: Found in dungeons, ruins, and hidden locations throughout the world.

• World pickups: Some hammers appear as fixed or random world loot in specific regions. The Bonepit Greathammer, for example, can be found as random loot in the Bonepit region.

Refinement and Abyss Cores

All hammer-type weapons support up to 10 levels of refinement at any Blacksmith. Each refinement level increases the weapon's base Attack Power by roughly 2 to 3 points. Refinement requires materials (typically ores and sometimes monster parts) along with a silver fee that increases with each level.

One-handed hammers typically have 3 Abyss Core slots, while two-handed warhammers and greathammers have 5 Abyss Core slots. Players can socket Abyss Cores to add passive effects such as increased Critical Rate, Attack Speed, Spirit restoration, or elemental damage. The extra two slots on two-handed hammers provide more room for customization, which helps compensate for their slower swing speed.

Hammers vs Maces

One-handed hammers and maces both belong to the blunt weapon family and share the same one-handed weapon moveset. In practice, the distinction between the two subtypes is primarily cosmetic and statistical. Some weapons that are. It is classified as "hammers" in name (like the Desert Hammer and Drakhan Hammer) are internally categorized alongside maces in the one-handed weapon system.

The key differences come down to individual weapon stats rather than subtype mechanics. When choosing between a hammer and a mace at the same ATK tier, compare the secondary stat bonus (Critical Rate vs Attack Speed) and pick whichever complements your build. The stagger potential and swing speed are functionally identical between the two subtypes.

Tips

• Hammers excel against enemies that rely on blocking or have high physical defense. The stagger damage from blunt hits breaks their guard faster than swords or daggers.

• When playing Oongka, use the ground pound attack when surrounded. It clears space quickly and gives you time to focus on individual threats.

• The bowling effect from Oongka's hammer swings (hitting one enemy into another) is one of the strongest crowd control tools in the game. Position yourself so that your swings push enemies toward each other for maximum chain staggers.

• Switch to the Arm Cannon to deal with ranged enemies or soften up groups before closing to melee range. The Arm Cannon complements the hammer's close-quarters focus.

• For one-handed hammer builds, pair a hammer with a shield for a defensive tank playstyle, or use it alongside a faster off-hand weapon like a dagger to balance stagger power with attack speed.

• Refining a Bonepit Greathammer or Lightning Greathammer to level 10 produces one of the highest-damage weapons in the entire game. Prioritize refinement materials for these weapons if you play Oongka as your main.

• Among warhammers, the Aeserion Warhammer, Iris Warhammer, and Tardik Warhammer all offer Critical Rate Lv. 2, making them the best warhammers for consistent crit-based damage builds.

• The Sydmon Hammer is the only one-handed hammer with an Attack Speed bonus at 13 ATK. If you prefer faster swings over critical hits, it is the best choice in the one-handed hammer lineup.

• Keep your hammer's durability high. A degraded hammer loses stagger effectiveness, and stagger is the most important stat for blunt weapons.

See Also

• Two-Handed Weapons - Complete list of all two-handed weapons

• One-Handed Weapons - Complete list of all one-handed weapons

• Maces - Overview of the mace weapon subtype (one-handed blunt)

• Equipment - Overview of all equipment types

• Gear Refinement - Guide to upgrading weapons at the Blacksmith

• Abyss Cores - Slottable cores that add passive effects to weapons

• Oongka - Character page for Oongka, the primary warhammer and greathammer wielder

• Kliff - Character page for Kliff, who wields one-handed hammers