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Ludvig (Boss)
March 20, 2026 at 12:59 AM
Initial version with full attack table, phase breakdown, strategy, and rewards
Ludvig (Boss) is the first of three mandatory boss encounters against the mercenary Ludvig in Crimson Desert. This fight takes place at Pailune Castle in the Pailune region during the main quest "Lonely Jackals," which falls within Chapter 7: Homecoming, the Dawnrise sub-chapter. Players control Kliff for this encounter.
Ludvig is the leader of the Lonely Jackals, a faction that seeks to dominate cities and rule over survivors through force. He allied with Myurdin after being promised control of Pailune, betraying the Greymanes in the process. This fight is the first confrontation where Kliff faces Ludvig directly, and it feeds straight into the Awakened Ludvig encounter when Ludvig refuses to accept defeat.
Compared to previous bosses, Ludvig is fast and evasive. He wields twin blades infused with lightning and fights with a defensive, counter-heavy style that punishes reckless attackers. His single health bar is deceptive; his speed and evasion make the fight longer than expected. Upon depleting his health, Ludvig uses forbidden magic to consume an imprisoned human, transforming into his Awakened form and triggering a second, harder fight immediately afterward.
Stat | Details |
|---|---|
Quest | |
Location | |
Chapter | Chapter 7: Homecoming (Dawnrise) |
Health Bars | 1 (transitions to Awakened Ludvig on depletion) |
Damage Type | Lightning / Physical (twin blades) |
Weakness | Heavy attacks, knockdown skills |
Playable Character | |
Boss Type | Mandatory (cannot be skipped) |
Ludvig's moveset centers on quick lightning-infused strikes and evasive dashes. He telegraphs most of his attacks with brief electrical charges on his blades, giving players a narrow window to react. His fighting style is defensive, meaning he often waits for the player to commit before countering, so patience is important.
Attack | Description | How to Counter |
|---|---|---|
Twin Strike | A quick double slash with both blades at close range. This is his most frequent attack and comes out fast. | Block or parry, then follow up with a knockdown skill like Clothesline, Leg Sweep, or Lariat. |
Lightning Slash | A wide, sweeping slash with his primary blade charged with electricity. Moderate damage with slight knockback. | Block with your shield. The blockstun is low enough to allow an immediate counterattack. |
Lightning Stab | A forward thrust with one blade crackling with lightning energy. Deals knockback on contact. | Dodge roll to either side. The thrust has a narrow hitbox, making lateral movement effective. |
Lightning Dash | Ludvig closes distance rapidly with a linear dash, dealing knockback damage on contact. He often opens with this after creating distance. | Dodge perpendicular to his path. After the dash, he has a short recovery window where you can land two or three hits safely. |
Electric Missiles | Ludvig generates several orbs of lightning and launches them at the player's position. Each orb deals moderate damage and there is a slight delay between launch and impact. | Dodge the moment the orbs begin tracking. The delay gives you a small perfect-dodge window. Alternatively, use Nature's Snare in Focus mode to lock him down before he fires. |
Lightning Barrage | Ludvig charges from a distance, then manipulates multiple lightning orbs to strike a targeted area simultaneously. High damage, wide area of effect. | Activate Nature's Snare through Focus mode to interrupt the charge. If caught without Focus, sprint laterally out of the target area. |
Area Pull | A glowing blue circle appears around Ludvig as he raises his arms, pulling the player toward him. If it connects, a follow-up combo deals heavy damage. | Dodge backward as soon as you see the blue circle indicator. The pull has limited range, so creating distance early is the safest option. |
Before heading into Pailune Castle, stock up on recovery items. Food is your lifeline in this fight. Purchase Chewy Rice Cakes from Lonnie's shop at the Greymane Camp, and bring Steamed Eggs and Hearty Grilled Meat as well. Aim for at least 30 to 50 total food items, since this encounter chains directly into the Awakened Ludvig fight with no break in between.
Make sure to use the Anvil and Grindstone located outside Pailune Castle before entering. These provide temporary stat boosts to your weapons and armor that last through both phases of the Ludvig fight.
Unlock the Nature's Snare skill before this battle if you have not already. It is one of the most effective tools against Ludvig's Lightning Barrage and gives you free damage windows.
Take an aggressive stance. Ludvig's defensive fighting style means he will punish you for hanging back, since he uses the distance to set up his Lightning Barrage and Electric Missiles. Stay at mid-range and look for openings after his melee attacks.
The core combo loop against Ludvig goes like this: wait for him to commit to a Twin Strike or Lightning Slash, block or dodge it, then chain Blinding Flash into a couple of normal attacks, followed by Force Palm Push for the stagger, and then hit him with two more attacks before backing off. This cycle lets you deal consistent damage while keeping him locked down.
Equip knockdown-capable skills before the fight. Clothesline, Leg Sweep, and Lariat all work well here. When Ludvig stands still after a missed combo, grapple moves can pin him long enough for solid damage. Fill his break bar through these knockdown combos to trigger finishing moves for large chunks of health.
Watch your stamina. Blocking his Lightning Slash is effective, but repeated blocks drain stamina fast. Mix in dodge rolls to keep your stamina pool healthy for counterattack windows.
When Ludvig's health reaches zero, a cutscene triggers. Rather than accept defeat, Ludvig uses forbidden magic to consume an imprisoned human, absorbing their life force to transform into a larger, more powerful form. This immediately begins the Awakened Ludvig encounter with no opportunity to rest, resupply, or save. Any food and health lost in this first phase carries over into the next fight.
If you die during the Awakened Ludvig fight, you are sent back to the beginning of this first Ludvig encounter and must defeat him again before getting another shot at the awakened form. This makes resource conservation in the first phase quite important.
Defeating Ludvig in his initial form does not yield any direct item drops or experience rewards. The fight transitions immediately into the Awakened Ludvig encounter, and all rewards are granted upon completing that second phase. See the Awakened Ludvig article for the full reward list.
Save your food. This fight chains into Awakened Ludvig with no break. Use food only when your health drops below half, and rely on blocking and dodging to avoid unnecessary damage.
Nature's Snare shuts down his ranged game. Activate Focus mode and use Nature's Snare whenever Ludvig backs off to charge his Lightning Barrage. This interrupts the attack and gives you several free hits.
Stay close after dodging. Ludvig's recovery windows are short. If you dodge backward instead of sideways, you lose the counter window to his evasive movement.
Prioritize knockdowns. Grapple moves like Lariat and Leg Sweep are more effective here than raw damage skills. Building the break bar is the fastest way to deal large damage through finishing moves.
The Anvil and Grindstone buffs are free. Do not skip the equipment stations outside Pailune Castle. The temporary boosts to attack and defense make a noticeable difference in both Ludvig phases.
Ludvig (character page)
Awakened Ludvig (second encounter)
One Armed Ludvig (third encounter)
Lonely Jackals (quest)
