Mounted Combat

Overview

Mounted combat is a core pillar of Crimson Desert's gameplay, not simply a traversal convenience. Pearl Abyss has designed mounts as an integrated part of the combat loop, stating that "players can adapt to each encounter by using different mounts and, in combat situations, using the environment to their benefit." The game features multiple mount types, each with unique combat applications, from standard horses to bears, dragons, and even a late-game battle mech.

Mounted combat has been described by journalists as "heavier, more grounded gameplay" compared to on-foot combat, which leans more toward fantasy-oriented acrobatics. The distinction creates a deliberate contrast between the two modes, with horseback fighting emphasizing charging, sweeping attacks, and the mount's own abilities.

Mount Types

Crimson Desert features a diverse roster of mounts, each with its own movement speed, health, and combat attacks.

Horses

Horses are the primary and default mount, available from early in the game. Players can attack enemies while on horseback, charge through enemy lines during large-scale battles, and run over opponents while riding. At least two distinct horse types have been observed in preview footage: a muscular variant potentially suited for snow traversal, and a slimmer, more agile variant.

Horses feature a unique "horse drifting" mechanic for executing sharp turns at speed. Kotaku described this feature as "over-the-top in a very video game sort of way," comparing it to drifting in racing games.

Bears

A Black Bear mount was shown in the Features Overview #2 trailer. Bears have their own attack set, including paw swipes that hit enemies. During bear-mounted combat, both Kliff and the bear attack simultaneously. GamingBolt confirmed that "Kliff isn't just commanding the bear to attack; he's also adding in his own sword swipes into the mix," creating a dual-attack system unique to this mount.

Wolves

Wolves are confirmed as rideable mounts, though detailed combat mechanics specific to wolf riding have not been extensively documented in preview coverage.

Raptors

Dinosaur-like raptor creatures are confirmed as rideable mounts with combat applications.

Dragons

Dragons serve as aerial mounts that allow players to "scorch entire battlefields with aerial fire attacks" and rain fire on fortresses and enemy positions from above. One source describes a sequence where players "meet a dragon in the air, fight it, train it, and then use it as a weapon to fire down on enemies."

Dragon usage is time-restricted per use, preventing the mount from becoming a game-breaking tool. This limitation ensures that dragon combat remains a powerful but temporary advantage rather than a default mode of play.

Battle Robot

A late-game mount engineered by the Dwarves, the battle robot (or mech) is armed with a machine gun, lock-on missiles, jump jets, and an EMP blast. Every weapon drains the mech's energy reserves, requiring players to balance destruction with strategy before it overheats and shuts down. Like dragons, the battle robot is available for a limited period per use.

Mount Combat Abilities

Horse Taming

When Kliff encounters a wild horse, the game triggers a taming mini-game. The horse does not cooperate willingly; instead, Kliff must jump on its back and cling on while the horse tries to throw him off. Journalists have compared this mechanic to horse taming in Breath of the Wild and Red Dead Redemption 2.

Preview footage shows Kliff smoothly landing from a glide onto a wild horse's back, triggering the taming sequence. Once tamed, horses can be summoned at almost any time by whistling.

Horse Customization

Horses have three armor pieces (head, body, and saddle/stirrups), each with multiple dyeable sections. Customization is performed at the Dye Station in the Greymane Settlement. Players can change both the color and material of each armor piece.

The battle robot also supports color customization through the same dye system. Pearl Abyss has confirmed that all mount cosmetics, including dyes, hairstyles, and tattoos, are earned exclusively through gameplay with no microtransactions.

Grappling Enemies Off Mounts

A confirmed advanced combat mechanic allows players to grapple enemies off their mounts and commandeer the creature for themselves. This is listed alongside heavy finishers, launchers, and crowd-control abilities as part of the game's expanded unarmed combat system.

Horse Physics

Crimson Desert features exceptionally detailed horse physics powered by Pearl Abyss's BlackSpace Engine. GameSpot highlighted a specific example: when Kliff rides through a stream, "only the parts of the horse that actually touched the water remained wet after leaving the stream." The game accurately reflects whether only hooves, legs, or partial submersion occurred, using a volumetric masking system rather than applying a uniform wet texture to the entire horse. GameSpot described this as potentially "the most realistic in-game physics" they had ever seen.

Large-Scale Mounted Battles

The Calphade siege demo showcased mounted combat in the context of large-scale warfare. Players approach the battlefield on horseback before dismounting to fight on foot, demonstrating the seamless transition between mounted and ground combat. During these sequences, dozens of combatants fight simultaneously with environmental destruction, siege equipment, and cavalry charges.

One journalist described the experience as riding into battle, "tearing through legions of NPCs," before dismounting for more precise close-quarters combat. Even during full-scale warfare with large numbers of on-screen combatants, the game maintained its visual fidelity, though some journalists noted NPC pop-in when approaching large groups at high speed on horseback.

Aerial Boss Encounters

Mounted combat extends to aerial sequences during boss fights. The Golden Star boss fight, a multi-phase encounter against a colossal mechanical dragon, features an aerial chase sequence where Kliff rides a companion dragon while pursuing the boss. The companion dragon attacks Golden Star from range while Kliff clings to the mechanical dragon's body during the pursuit.

This encounter was described as "definitely more of a set piece than other boss fights," combining mounted aerial combat with the game's climbing mechanics.

Seamless Transitions

Crimson Desert emphasizes fluid transitions between all movement and combat modes. Confirmed seamless transitions include:

• Landing from a glide directly onto a horse's back

• Dismounting from horseback into on-foot combat mid-fight

• Mounting a horse while sprinting through the open world

• Grappling an enemy off their mount and immediately riding the captured creature

• Transitioning between horseback riding, gliding, climbing, and ground combat without loading screens

Mounted vs. On-Foot Combat

Related Articles