Kliff Spear Build

Overview

The Kliff Spear Build is a counter-focused, mid-range configuration for Kliff in Crimson Desert. It centers on the spear's unique Counter Stance mechanic, which lets Kliff enter a sustained defensive posture that automatically retaliates against incoming attacks. Combined with the spear's natural reach advantage and a built-in ranged projectile, this build excels at controlling the pace of combat and punishing aggressive enemies.

Unlike the hit-and-dodge rhythm of one-handed weapons, the spear build rewards patience and positioning. Counter Stance stays active as long as your Stamina holds out, giving you a generous defensive window compared to frame-precise parries. Between counters, you chain Tactical Stab and Forward Slash to overwhelm enemies, then fire ranged projectiles with the spear's Stab input to harass targets at a distance. The build is powerful from the early chapters and scales well into mid-game content with upgraded spears and Abyss Gears.

This build is one of the most approachable setups for new players because Counter Stance is far more forgiving than parry timing, and the ranged poke lets you engage safely before committing to melee. It also is a strong secondary weapon for players who primarily use a Sword and Shield or dual-wield loadout, since Quick Swap lets you pull out the spear mid-combat for punishing openings.

Recommended Spears

Spears are two-handed weapons in Crimson Desert, which means they occupy both equipment slots and cannot be paired with a shield. The trade-off is superior reach, strong single-target damage, and access to the Counter Stance and ranged projectile mechanics. The table below outlines the recommended spear progression as you advance through the story.

Spear Progression

The Rhinard Cannon is technically classified as a hand cannon (ranged weapon), but it is the cornerstone of the early-game spear build. Its built-in ranged projectile on the Stab input lets you stagger normal enemies from a safe distance before closing in for melee combos. It comes pre-loaded with Destruction I (x2) and Swift I Abyss Gears, so it is combat-ready the moment you craft it. As you progress, upgrade to the Spear of Righteousness for its 5 Abyss Gear sockets and higher base ATK, then transition to the Soul Spear for endgame content.

Abyss Gear Configuration

Spears benefit from offensive Abyss Gears that amplify their already strong single-target damage. Because you lose the shield's defensive Abyss Gear slots when using a two-handed weapon, prioritize attack and attack speed cores on the spear itself, and rely on armor cores for survivability.

Weapon Abyss Gears

Armor Abyss Gears

Armor Set

The recommended armor for the early-to-mid game spear build is the Canta Plate set, purchasable from the Equipment Shop in Hernand Town after completing the Matthias duel in Chapter 2. The Canta set provides a balanced mix of defense and attack bonuses that complement the spear's playstyle. It can carry you comfortably through the early chapters and remains relevant into mid-game with Tier 4 refinement.

Total base DEF from the set is 15. The Daze immunity from the set bonus is especially valuable for spear users, because getting dazed mid-Counter Stance would cancel the stance and leave you completely open. The ATK bonuses on the gloves and boots also boost your unarmed damage if you weave in Grappling or Lariat between spear combos.

Accessories

Skill Tree Allocation

Kliff's three skill trees (Stamina, Spirit, and Health) each offer abilities that complement the spear playstyle. The Stamina tree is your primary investment because it contains the core armed combat skills that define spear gameplay. The Spirit tree provides defensive reflexes and crowd control, while the Health tree offers survivability and elemental options.

Stamina Tree (Primary)

The Stamina tree contains every skill that makes the spear build work. These abilities should be your first investment priority.

Spirit Tree (Secondary)

The Spirit tree provides the defensive awareness and crowd control tools that make the spear build consistent at higher difficulties.

Health Tree (Tertiary)

The Health tree provides survivability and traversal tools. Invest here after your Stamina and Spirit skills are established.

Stat Allocation

Stat points determine how many skills you can unlock in each tree and directly affect your combat performance. The spear build prioritizes Stamina above all else because Counter Stance duration scales directly with your Stamina pool.

Combat Rotation and Combos

The spear build has a reactive combat flow that revolves around Counter Stance as your primary defensive and offensive tool. Unlike aggressive builds that initiate fights, the spear build lets enemies come to you and punishes them for attacking.

Standard Mob Rotation

1. Open with Blinding Flash Finisher if facing a group. Hold heavy attack during Blinding Flash to trigger the Finisher flurry. This deals massive AoE damage and staggers the entire pack, giving you a safe window to follow up.

2. Enter Counter Stance against any remaining enemies. Let them attack into your stance, which triggers the automatic retaliation: a horizontal swing followed by rapid thrusts. This handles most standard enemies without you needing to attack manually.

3. Chain Tactical Stab into Forward Slash against enemies that survive Counter Stance retaliations. The six-thrust assault from this combo breaks guards and deals heavy single-target damage.

4. Use Turning Slash to push back any enemies closing in from the sides. It chains instantly after Forward Slash and creates breathing room.

5. Fire ranged projectiles at fleeing or distant enemies using the Stab input. The projectile staggers normal mobs, giving you time to close the gap or finish them off.

Boss Rotation

1. Study the boss's attack patterns during the first phase. Identify which attacks can be countered and which are unblockable (glowing red). Counter Stance handles most melee attacks, but grabs and magic require dodging.

2. Activate Counter Stance when you anticipate an incoming attack. The generous timing window means you can activate it early and hold it until the attack lands. The automatic retaliation deals solid damage and creates an opening for follow-up combos.

3. Punish with Tactical Stab into Forward Slash immediately after Counter Stance triggers. This combo deals the highest single-target damage in the spear build's kit and can push bosses toward stagger.

4. Use Blinding Flash Finisher when the boss is staggered. The time-slow effect lets you land the full flurry uninterrupted for maximum burst damage.

5. Backstep with Keen Senses against unblockable attacks. Backstep has extended invincibility frames that let you avoid grabs, magic projectiles, and ground slams that bypass Counter Stance.

6. Fire ranged projectiles during periods when the boss retreats or uses long wind-up animations. Free damage at no risk.

Key Combos

Stamina Management

Stamina is the most critical resource for the spear build because Counter Stance continuously drains Stamina while held. Running out of Stamina mid-stance cancels it immediately, leaving you completely defenseless. Follow these guidelines to keep your Stamina healthy:

• Invest 5+ stat points into Stamina as your first priority. Each point noticeably extends how long you can hold Counter Stance and how many Tactical Stab/Forward Slash chains you can execute before needing to pause.

• Do not hold Counter Stance indefinitely. Activate it when you see an enemy winding up an attack, not as a passive defensive posture. Entering stance too early wastes Stamina on idle time.

• Slot Vigor I on your armor to accelerate Stamina regeneration. Even a small percentage increase lets you re-enter Counter Stance sooner after it expires.

• Use brief pauses between combo strings to let Stamina regenerate naturally. Even a half-second break between Forward Slash chains allows partial recovery.

• Carry Stamina-restoring food for extended dungeons and boss fights. A full Stamina bar can mean the difference between surviving a boss's combo string and getting caught without Counter Stance.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths

• Forgiving defense. Counter Stance has a generous timing window compared to frame-precise parries. It stays active as long as your Stamina lasts, making it much more accessible for new players.

• Built-in ranged option. The spear's Stab input fires a projectile that staggers normal mobs from a distance. No other melee weapon type offers this without an Abyss Gear.

• Excellent reach. Spears have the longest melee range of any weapon type, letting you hit enemies that would be out of range for swords. This makes spacing and positioning easier.

• Strong single-target damage. The Tactical Stab into Forward Slash combo deals concentrated damage to a single target. Ideal for bosses and elite enemies.

• Easy to set up. The Rhinard Cannon is accessible from crafting manuals early in the game, and the Canta Plate armor is purchasable in Hernand. You can have the full build running within the first few chapters.

• Safe weapon swap option. Quick Swap lets you pull out the spear as a secondary weapon for punishing openings, then swap back to your primary loadout. Great as a complementary tool for other Kliff builds.

Weaknesses

• Weak against ranged attacks. Counter Stance only triggers on melee hits. Archers and magic-wielding enemies bypass the stance entirely, forcing you to rely on Keen Senses dodges instead.

• Struggles with large mob groups. While Counter Stance handles one-on-one fights well, getting surrounded by multiple enemies attacking from different angles can overwhelm the stance. Blinding Flash Finisher helps, but the build is weaker in AoE situations than dual-wield or longsword setups.

• Stamina-dependent. Counter Stance drains Stamina continuously. Misjudging your Stamina bar means the stance drops at the worst possible moment, leaving you exposed.

• No shield Abyss Gear slots. Two-handed weapons sacrifice the shield slot, meaning you lose access to defensive Abyss Gears like Aegis (damage reduction) and Fortification (guard stability).

• Counter Stance can be beaten by large creatures. Some non-human bosses have attack animations fast enough to land before the counter retaliation completes. Against these enemies, dodge-based defense from Keen Senses is more reliable.

Comparison to Other Kliff Builds

The spear build sits in the middle of Kliff's build spectrum, offering a balance between offense and defense. It cannot match the dual-wield build's raw DPS output, but its Counter Stance provides far more reliable defense. Compared to the Sword and Shield build, the spear sacrifices some tankiness for superior reach and a ranged poke option. The Longsword build shares a similar two-handed philosophy but focuses on combo chains rather than reactive countering.

Many experienced players use the spear as a Quick Swap secondary alongside a Sword and Shield primary. This combination lets you block and parry with the shield during defensive phases, then swap to the spear for heavy punishes during boss stagger windows.

Weapon Durability and Repair

Spears degrade faster than one-handed weapons because each Counter Stance retaliation and each Turning Slash puts additional wear on the weapon. Keep Repair Kits in your inventory at all times, especially during extended dungeons like the Antumbra Ritual Grounds. A broken spear deals significantly reduced damage and cannot trigger Counter Stance retaliations, which is effectively a death sentence for this build.

Skill Respec and Flexibility

Crimson Desert allows full skill respecification without penalty. All Abyss Artifacts invested in skills are refunded when you respec. This means you can try the spear build without any permanent commitment. If the counter-based playstyle does not suit you, respec into a Sword and Shield build or dual-wield build at no cost.

Tips and Tricks

• Practice Counter Stance timing against weaker enemies like bandits before attempting it on bosses. Learn the retaliation animation so you know exactly when you are vulnerable after the counter triggers.

• Against archers, close the distance quickly using sprinting and dodge rolls. Counter Stance is useless against ranged attacks, so your best defense is closing to melee range where your spear's reach gives you the advantage.

• Refine the Canta Plate Armor to Tier 4 as soon as materials become available. The defense boost makes mid-game bosses significantly more forgiving, especially when Counter Stance drops and you take a hit.

• The Soul Spear's passive (shooting soul projectiles after finishing a weakened enemy) has a 10-second cooldown. In groups, try to finish off the weakest enemy first to trigger the projectile and soften up the rest of the pack.

• Mix in unarmed skills like Lariat and Pump Kick between spear combos. These deal higher stagger damage than spear attacks and can break a boss's guard faster when the stagger bar is nearly full.

• Use Blinding Flash Finisher as your opening move against groups, not Counter Stance. The AoE stagger from Blinding Flash thins the pack and prevents enemies from surrounding you, which is Counter Stance's biggest weakness.

• When facing bosses with fast multi-hit combos, do not try to Counter Stance every hit. Instead, counter the first attack and then immediately dodge out. Some bosses have follow-up strikes fast enough to land before your counter retaliation finishes.

• The ranged projectile from Stab has no damage falloff at distance. You can fire it at enemies across an arena for the same damage it deals at close range. Use this to pull individual enemies out of groups.

Crowd Control Blender Loop

The spear has two exclusive techniques that swords do not. The first is its automatic counter on the Counter Stance input, which already has its own section above. The second is a held spinning attack that turns Kliff into a meat grinder against trash mobs and works as a sustained combo-meter builder against bosses.

To trigger it, hold R1 plus the heavy attack input (R1 plus X on PlayStation, R1 plus A on Xbox). Kliff stays in a sustained spinning attack that hits everything in his immediate radius. The exit is automatic when stamina runs out, but you should usually transition out manually into a Turning Slash before that point.

Boss Rotation Using the Blender

Against a boss, the blender becomes a controlled combo-meter generator. After parrying or Counter Stance triggers, follow these steps:

Repeat the loop. The combo meter built during the blender phase carries into Turning Slash, which is what makes the rotation hit so hard compared to swapping straight from a parry into Turning Slash.

Trash Mob Rotation

Against groups of weaker enemies, no setup is required. Walk into the cluster and hold R1 plus heavy. Everything dies. This is the cleanest crowd-clear option in the game on a single-character spear build, and works for forts, ambushes, and quest mobs without any combo planning.

Stab Chain Fallback

When stamina is low and the blender is not an option, the spear has a strong fallback chain: hold R1 to land three stab hits, then press R1 plus Triangle on PlayStation or R1 plus Y on Xbox to break into a forward stab. From there you can either follow with another Triangle / Y or restart with R1.

If you want a dedicated forward-stab payoff, swap Ground Surge out of the spear and slot Queen's Fangs or Piercing Bloom instead. Both abyss gears trigger off forward-stab inputs, so the fallback chain becomes a real damage option rather than a pure stamina-saver.

Min-Max Stat Cap Setup

This variant pushes Critical Rate, Attack Speed, and Movement Speed all the way to fifteen, which is the soft cap for each stat in this build's gearing. The price is the cuckoo flame resistance chest, which gets swapped for a chest that stacks three Relentless gears (see the next section). Use this when you want raw output and do not need the extra fire resistance.

Stat Cap Targets

Hitting all three caps simultaneously is the closest the spear build gets to a true min-max preset. It removes the need to use a horse for travel because the movement speed cap covers most non-mounted exploration, and the attack speed cap shortens every combo's recovery window.

Spear Slot Layout for the Min-Max Setup

Triple Relentless Chest Variant

If you have access to three Relentless abyss gears, slotting all three in a regular chest piece outperforms the cuckoo flame resistance chest in pure damage tests. Relentless stacks, so each duplicate adds another tick of combo-meter scaling to the same payoff. The drawback is that you lose fire resistance, so this variant is best paired with the fire-resist cloak and saved for non-fire content.

Relentless ramps with sustained damage, which is exactly what the blender loop produces, so the synergy is significant during longer encounters. Against shorter fights or burst-only encounters, the cuckoo chest's extra offensive socket can edge ahead. Try both and pick based on the boss list you actually run.

Helmet, Shield, and Cloak Notes

• Helmet: Slot a Movement Speed III gear here so you reach the fifteen cap without burning a boot or shield slot on movement. This frees the boots and shield to focus on offense or defense respectively.

• Shield (stowed): Even when you two-hand the spear, the shield's passive stat applies as long as it is equipped. A movement-archetype shield like Black Sun pushes movement speed even further, while a defensive shield with stacked damage-reduction gears improves survivability against bosses that get through Counter Stance.

• Cloak: Best in slot is a fire-resistance archetype cloak, both as a hedge against fire-damage bosses and to absorb chip damage from your own fire-imbued attacks.

Combo Quick Reference