Many pieces of equipment in Crimson Desert carry special abilities that go beyond their base stats. Weapons, helmets, earrings, necklaces, and other gear can grant powerful active effects or useful passive bonuses. However, the game does not explain the activation process clearly, so many players miss out on these abilities entirely. This guide walks through every step required to equip, assign, and trigger item abilities, along with specific examples and troubleshooting advice.
How Item Abilities Work
In Crimson Desert, simply wearing a piece of equipment does not activate its special ability. Equipping an item through the inventory screen only places it on your character for its stat bonuses and appearance. To actually use the item's ability, you need to assign it to a quick slot through the Function Wheel. This two-step process (equip, then assign) is the core mechanic behind item abilities.
There are two categories of item abilities: active and passive. Active abilities require manual activation through a button prompt after being assigned in the Function Wheel. Passive abilities apply their effects automatically as long as the item stays equipped on your character, with no additional input needed.
Step-by-Step: Activating an Item Ability
Step 1: Equip the Item in the Gear Quick Menu
Open the Gear Quick Menu by holding D-pad Left on your controller or F2 on PC. This brings up the radial gear menu with multiple tabs. Navigate to either the Armed Combat tab (for weapons) or the Armor tab (for helmets, earrings, necklaces, and other gear). Select the item with the special ability you want to use and equip it. The item should now appear on your character's model.
Step 2: Open the Function Wheel
Open the Function Wheel by holding D-pad Right on your controller or F3 on PC. The Function Wheel is a radial menu primarily used for food and healing items, but it also contains slots for active equipment abilities. If you have properly equipped an item with an active ability in Step 1, it will appear as a selectable option in the Function Wheel.
Step 3: Assign the Item to a Quick Slot
Cycle through the Function Wheel slots until you find the item you equipped. There is a dedicated slot for active ability items. Select the item to assign it to that slot. When the item is highlighted, the screen displays the button prompt required to trigger the ability. Take note of this prompt before closing the menu.
Step 4: Activate the Ability
Close the Function Wheel and return to normal gameplay. Press the displayed button combination to trigger the item's ability. On most controllers, the default activation is LT + RT (L2 + R2 on PlayStation). Press and release quickly; holding the buttons too long can cause the game to register a different input, such as a regular attack or block.
Controls Reference
Action | PC | PlayStation | Xbox |
|---|---|---|---|
Open Gear Quick Menu | Hold F2 | Hold D-pad Left | Hold D-pad Left |
Open Function Wheel | Hold F3 | Hold D-pad Right | Hold D-pad Right |
Cycle through slots | Mouse scroll / Arrow keys | Right Stick | Right Stick |
Activate item ability | Displayed key combo | L2 + R2 | LT + RT |
Inspect item (view ability) | Tab / I | Triangle | Y |
Active vs. Passive Abilities
Understanding the difference between active and passive item abilities is essential. The quickest way to tell them apart is by checking the Function Wheel: active abilities display button prompts when selected, while passive abilities do not.
Category | Activation | How to Identify | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
Active | Must be assigned in the Function Wheel, then triggered with a button prompt (typically LT + RT) | Shows a button combination on screen when selected in the Function Wheel | Poison Mist, Forest's Breath, Master Du's Circlet projectile |
Passive | Applies automatically while the item is equipped; no button press needed | No button prompts appear in the Function Wheel when the item is selected | Helm of Knowledge (Acquire Knowledge scanning), Daze Immunity helmets |
If you scroll to an item in the Function Wheel and it does not show any button combination on screen, that item's ability is passive. You only need to keep it equipped to benefit from its effects. Do not worry about assigning passive items to Function Wheel slots; wearing them in your armor loadout is enough.
Examples of Items with Abilities
The following items are known to have notable abilities that players frequently ask about:
Item | Ability | Type | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
Active buff | Active | Grants a combat buff when activated; must be assigned via the Function Wheel | |
Acquire Knowledge | Active / Passive | Active scan detects interactable objects, creatures, and clues from afar (highlighted in purple). Passive Daze Immunity prevents interruptions during exploration. | |
Fire Projectile | Active | Once equipped and assigned, pressing the ability prompt fires projectiles at targets. Updated in Patch 1.01.00 to fire immediately on button press. | |
Sunshine Circlet | Illumination | Active | Generates light around the player, useful in dark caves and underground areas. |
Forest's Breath earring | Forest's Breath | Active | When activated, reveals nearby herbs and flowers by highlighting them in the environment. Helpful for gathering crafting materials. |
Poison Mist earring | Poison Mist | Active | Releases a cloud of poison around the player, dealing damage over time to nearby enemies. |
Music Box earring | Music Box | Active | Plays a short tune when activated. Can be triggered by selecting the earring in the Armor Wheel and pressing the ability prompt. |
Common Mistakes and Troubleshooting
Item abilities are one of the most commonly misunderstood mechanics in the game. The following issues come up frequently:
Item Ability Not Working
The most common cause is that the item has been equipped on your character but has not been assigned in the Function Wheel. Remember, equipping and assigning are two separate steps. Open the Function Wheel (D-pad Right / F3), find the item, and assign it to the active ability slot. Only after this step will the LT + RT (L2 + R2) button prompt become functional.
No Button Prompt Appearing
If you open the Function Wheel, select an item, and no button combination appears on screen, the item has a passive ability. Passive items do not require manual activation. Their effects apply automatically as long as they remain equipped. Check the item tooltip or inspect the item (Y / Triangle) to read the ability description.
Wrong Attack Firing Instead of Ability
When pressing LT + RT to activate an ability, you must press and release the buttons quickly. Holding them for too long can trigger a regular combat action (such as a block or heavy attack) instead of the item ability. Tap the buttons sharply and release.
Item Not Appearing in Function Wheel
Some items need to be equipped through the Armor Wheel (accessed via the Gear Quick Menu) before they appear in the Function Wheel. If the item does not show up, go back to the Gear Quick Menu, make sure the item is actually worn by your character, then open the Function Wheel again.
Boss Weapons with Special Effects
Unique weapons dropped by bosses can have special effects that set them apart from standard gear. While these are not activated through the Function Wheel in the same way as armor abilities, they provide unique combat properties. Keep all unique boss weapons in your inventory rather than selling or discarding them, since their special effects often make them far more powerful than their stats suggest.
Weapon | Where Found | Special Effect |
|---|---|---|
Boss #2 (story) | Excellent for quick attacks with bonus speed scaling | |
Boss #6 (story) | Enhanced heavy attacks and crowd control capabilities |
For a complete list of boss weapons and their effects, see the Unique Weapons and Boss Weapons pages.
Other Equipment Interactions
Beyond item abilities, several equipment-related features are worth knowing about:
Grindstone and Anvil buffs: Interacting with a Grindstone temporarily increases your weapon's attack stat, and using an Anvil temporarily boosts your armor's defense stat. Both are free to use and available at camps and certain settlements.
Palmer Pills: These special consumable items act as a revival mechanic. If you die with Palmer Pills in your inventory, you are revived at your location with partial health instead of respawning at a checkpoint.
Equipment Sockets: Some gear has sockets that can be filled with enchantments for additional passive bonuses. These are separate from the built-in item abilities described in this guide.
Weapon sheathing: Press D-pad Left (T on PC) to sheathe your weapon. Many actions, including certain NPC interactions and gathering, cannot be performed while holding a weapon.
Tips for Managing Item Abilities
Toggle through your Gear Quick Menu regularly to check which items have special abilities. The ability description appears in the item tooltip, and you can press Y (Triangle) to inspect for detailed activation instructions.
You can swap between items with abilities during combat by reopening the Function Wheel and selecting a different item. Keep in mind that opening the radial menu briefly pauses your character's actions.
Some quest items have one-time abilities that are consumed on use. Always read the item description before activating to avoid wasting a single-use effect.
If you acquire a new piece of equipment with an ability, do not forget to re-assign the Function Wheel slot. Swapping gear in the Armor tab does not automatically update the Function Wheel assignment.
The Helm of Knowledge's scanning ability is particularly valuable during exploration. It highlights interactable objects in purple from a distance, letting you spot hidden paths, quest items, and environmental puzzles without approaching every object individually.
Earring abilities like Forest's Breath are ideal for farming materials. Activate Forest's Breath before entering a dense forest area to spot all collectible herbs and flowers at a glance.
Secondary Use Functions in the Inventory Menu
Beyond the active and passive equipment abilities covered above, a large number of ordinary inventory items carry a second layer of hidden functions that can only be accessed directly from the inventory menu. Opening an item's context menu in your bag often reveals options that the regular gameplay UI never surfaces. Because these functions are easy to miss, players can go dozens of hours without realizing that their own inventory is full of tools and resources waiting to be unlocked.
Seed Extraction From Plants and Foods
The most valuable secondary function is seed extraction. Your farm vendor starts with a very limited selection of seeds, which makes it difficult to grow the crops you actually want. Instead of buying everything through the vendor, check any plant, flower, fruit, or food item you have gathered in the open world. Many of them let you extract seeds directly from your inventory, which you can then plant at the camp farm.
Some of the extraction sources are unexpected. Rubber trees can be grown from seeds extracted through this menu, and even Abyss Cell items can yield seeds for cultivation. Always check every new plant or consumable for a seed option before selling it or using it, because the alternatives are often substantially more expensive or time-consuming to obtain.
Food Removal and NPC Reactions
Food items can be taken out of your inventory and placed on the ground through the secondary use menu. Dropped food produces visible NPC reactions: guards, bandits, and civilians notice and respond to it. The gameplay implications are still being explored by the community, but the mechanic is consistent with the classic stealth game trope of tossing an object to distract a guard. At minimum, it is a fun interaction; at best, it is a potential tool for distracting patrols during stealth approaches to enemy camps and buildings.
Opening Lockboxes Directly From the Inventory
Lockboxes looted from enemies and containers do not need to be sold or taken to a vendor. Open them straight from your inventory using the secondary use function, and the contents are added to your pack immediately. A common early-game mistake is treating lockboxes as junk loot to liquidate at the nearest merchant, which throws away the actual items inside. Always crack them open in your bag first.
This ties in with a recent rules change: stealing no longer affects your contribution points unless you are actually seen doing it. You can grab lockboxes and other stolen items freely as long as you stay out of sight, which makes opening them in the inventory a safe source of extra loot with no reputation penalty.
Opening Animal Cages for Meat and Bones
Animal cages picked up in the world behave the same way as lockboxes. Instead of releasing the animal in the overworld and fighting it, open the cage directly from your inventory to extract the animal's yields: meat and bones are added straight to your pack. This turns insect collecting and small-animal traps into one of the fastest meat and bone farming loops in the game, because gathering cages in the open world is much quicker than hunting deer or boar.
Rule of Thumb: Check Every Item
The design pattern across the entire inventory is that roughly any item you can pick up might hide a secondary use. Before you sell, drop, or consume a new item, highlight it in your bag and scroll through the full action menu. A quick audit on every new inventory entry will surface seeds, crafting components, tools, and loot extractions that the regular gameplay UI never tells you about.
Related Articles
Equipment - Overview of all equipment types and how gear works
Equipment Sockets and Enchanting - Guide to socketing and enchanting gear for additional bonuses
Weapons - Full list of weapon types and weapon abilities
Controls - Complete control reference for PC and consoles
Helm of Knowledge - Detailed page on finding and using this unique helmet
Unique Weapons - Boss drop weapons with special effects