Overview
Sheathing your weapon is one of the most important habits to develop in Crimson Desert. Many actions cannot be performed while Kliff has a weapon drawn, and walking through populated areas with a blade out puts you one accidental click away from attacking an NPC, triggering the Wanted System, and receiving a bounty. The game does not always make the sheathe controls obvious, so this guide covers every method and explains why it matters.
Controls
Platform | Sheathe Weapon | Unsheathe Weapon |
|---|---|---|
PlayStation (DualSense) | Press Left on D-Pad | Press Square (weak attack) or Triangle (strong attack) |
Xbox Controller | Press Left on D-Pad | Press X (weak attack) or Y (strong attack) |
PC Keyboard | Press T | Press Left Click (weak) or Shift+Left Click (strong) |
The T key on keyboard is not listed in the game's default keybinds menu, which causes confusion for many players. It works regardless of whether you have remapped other controls. On controller, Left D-Pad is consistent across both PlayStation and Xbox.
Stylish Sheathe Animation
On controller, double-tapping Left on the D-Pad triggers a stylish sheathe animation where Kliff twirls the blade and handle with a flourish before putting the weapon away. This animation is slower than the standard single-press sheathe but looks significantly more dramatic. The end result is identical: your weapon is put away.
The stylish sheathe is currently a controller-only feature. Keyboard players have reported attempting double-tap T, holding T, Shift+T, and Ctrl+T without success. Some players have triggered the animation accidentally on keyboard during combat transitions, but no one has found a reliable keyboard input to reproduce it. This appears to be a missing keyboard implementation rather than a hidden keybind.
Going Unarmed with Plain Gloves
Sheathing puts your weapon away, but Kliff still has it equipped. To go fully unarmed for activities like wrestling and other unarmed combat encounters, you need to equip Plain Gloves instead.
Platform | How to Equip Plain Gloves |
|---|---|
PC Keyboard | Hold F2 and select Plain Gloves in the equipment slot to the left of your primary weapon |
Controller | Hold Left on D-Pad and select Plain Gloves from the same equipment slot |
This is a dedicated equipment swap system, separate from unequipping weapons through the inventory menu. Use it whenever a quest or activity requires unarmed status.
Why Sheathing Matters
NPC Interactions
Guards and other NPCs observe you closely when your weapon is drawn. While simply having a weapon out will not automatically trigger hostility, any accidental swing at an NPC or object spawns a red search circle on the mini-map and places a bounty on Kliff's head. The bounty increases with further damage. Sheathing before entering towns eliminates this risk entirely.
Bounty Prevention
Accidentally hitting an NPC while armed triggers the bounty system. Guards will attack you, and you will need to either fight your way out or pay a fine. Sheathing your weapon before walking through settlements like Hernand is the simplest way to avoid this problem.
Accessing Activities
Certain interactions require an unarmed or sheathed state. Wrestling matches, some dialogue options, and environmental interactions may not trigger if your weapon is drawn. If you find yourself unable to interact with something, try sheathing first.
Weapon-Restricted Zones
Certain areas within towns forbid weapons entirely. In these zones, you cannot draw or sheathe your weapon at all. The game automatically handles weapon state in these areas, so you do not need to worry about manually sheathing. If you try to draw your weapon in a restricted zone, nothing will happen.
Tips
Make a habit of pressing Left D-Pad (or T on keyboard) every time you finish a fight before approaching NPCs.
Double-tap Left D-Pad on controller for the stylish flourish animation if you want to sheathe with flair.
If an interaction prompt is not appearing, try sheathing your weapon first.
Use Plain Gloves (hold D-Pad Left on controller or F2 on keyboard) for wrestling and unarmed challenges.
In weapon-restricted zones, do not worry about sheathing; the game handles it automatically.