Revision 4

Overview

The Oongka Greataxe Build is the signature loadout for Oongka in Crimson Desert, pairing a greataxe with the Orc Blaster hand cannon for a blend of devastating melee cleaves and ranged softening fire. This is the build Oongka starts with when you unlock him in Chapter 7 and the one most players stick with through endgame. The greataxe benefits directly from Oongka's inherent stagger bonuses on heavy attacks, making it hit harder in his hands than it does for Kliff.

The core loop is simple: open with Scatter Shot from the Orc Blaster to soften a group, switch to the greataxe, activate Rage for super armor, and then cleave through everything with Rampage and Quaking Fury. Where Damiane relies on precise parries and dodge counters, Oongka powers through incoming damage and relies on raw output to end fights before his health pool runs dry.

This build is widely considered the most straightforward of all character builds in the game. Oongka's wide swing arcs are forgiving on aim, and his combo chains do not require tight timing windows. If you want a character who rewards aggression and punishes hesitation, the greataxe build delivers exactly that.

Recommended Weapons

The greataxe build uses a two-handed weapon as the primary and the Orc Blaster as the secondary. Below are the best greataxes at each progression phase, plus the ranged options available for the secondary slot.

Primary: Greataxes

The Hellhounds' Chopping Axe is the clear endgame target. Its combination of 19 ATK and Crit Rate Lv. 2 is unmatched among greataxes. Until you acquire it, the Dekarr Greataxe that Oongka starts with handles the mid-game without issues. Transfer any Abyss Gear from weapons you are not using into your greataxe's slots to get the most out of it at every stage.

Secondary: Ranged Weapons

The Orc Blaster at 22 ATK dwarfs every other ranged weapon in the game. It is Oongka's starting hand cannon, so you have it from the moment he becomes playable. The explosive projectiles hit in an area, making Scatter Shot effective against both tightly packed groups and single targets. There is no reason to replace it unless you want to experiment with the Rhinard Cannon's crit bonus for boss fights.

Armor Recommendations

Oongka's build philosophy prioritizes high physical defense to compensate for his low evasion. Plate armor is the default choice. There is no equip-load penalty in Crimson Desert, so the heaviest armor available is always the correct pick. Keep all four armor slots filled and refine your pieces regularly through the Sharpen and Repair system.

The Blackwing Leather Armor is the centerpiece of the set with 12 DEF and three Abyss Core sockets. Its three sockets allow heavy investment in offensive or defensive cores depending on the encounter. Odeck's Protector Plate Boots contribute both DEF 5 and ATK 16, making them the strongest boot option for a damage-oriented tank build.

Abyss Gear and Abyss Core Recommendations

Oongka's damage comes in bursts during Rage windows, so Abyss Cores that boost attack power and reduce skill cooldowns are the highest priority. Defensive Abyss Gears help compensate for his tendency to trade hits.

Destruction cores are non-negotiable. Every point of ATK matters more on Oongka because his slow, high-damage swings amplify flat attack bonuses. Crow's Pursuit adds passive damage to every swing, which is significant when each Rampage chain connects five or more times. Stamina Transference is valuable if you find yourself running dry mid-combo, since greataxe swings consume heavy stamina per hit.

Skill Allocation

Oongka's skill tree spans Armed Combat, Unarmed Combat, Grappling, Marksmanship, Keen Senses, and Focus categories. For the greataxe build, Armed Combat and Keen Senses are the top priorities, followed by Marksmanship for Orc Blaster skills. All three characters share Abyss Artifact skill points, so balance your investments across Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka.

Stat Point Allocation

Invest Health as a top priority, pushing it toward Lv. 12 or higher. Oongka's playstyle involves tanking hits during Rage windows, so a large HP pool is non-negotiable. Put Spirit to Lv. 5 to fuel Focus and Rage activations. Remaining points go into Stamina to extend combo chains, since Rampage and Quaking Fury both drain stamina heavily.

Combat Rotations

Standard Mob Clear

1. Open at range with Scatter Shot from the Orc Blaster to soften the group and apply stagger.

2. Switch to the greataxe and activate Rage through Focus for super armor.

3. Use Leaping Smash to close the gap and slam into the center of the group.

4. Chain Rampage to cleave through the weakened enemies.

5. Finish survivors with Quaking Fury for a wide AoE sweep.

6. For any remaining stragglers, switch back to the Orc Blaster and pick them off at range.

Boss Rotation

1. Enter Focus (L3 + R3) to slow time and replenish Spirit.

2. Activate Rage (R1 in Focus) for super armor.

3. Leaping Smash into the boss to close distance and stagger.

4. Slash (R1 + Triangle) into a charged follow-up, then Hack and Slash.

5. Chain into Quaking Fury (R1 + R2) for heavy damage.

6. Rampage (R2) through the boss if still in Rage state.

7. Retreat and switch to the Orc Blaster for Charged Shot while waiting for cooldowns.

Aerial Combo

1. Jump and activate the Orc Blaster's slow-motion aiming window.

2. Fire Charged Shot or Scatter Shot during the bullet-time window.

3. Body Slam (X + Square mid-air) to crash down on the target.

4. Follow up with greataxe swings or Quaking Fury on landing.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Tips and Tricks

• Keep all three playable characters equipped with reasonably upgraded gear, even if you primarily play Kliff. A poorly geared companion deals noticeably less damage.

• Oongka's aerial slam creates a shockwave that damages and staggers surrounding enemies. Use it as both a gap closer and crowd control tool.

• Rage (super armor) is not permanent. Activate it right before you commit to a big combo chain, not preemptively.

• Mix in unarmed strikes (kicks and punches) between greataxe swings to deal damage while your stamina recovers. A quick kick can interrupt an enemy during your weapon recovery frames.

• Jump first before firing the Orc Blaster to trigger the slow-motion aiming window. This lets you line up precision shots before gravity takes over.

• Cook and eat meat before boss fights. Cooked meats provide both health and stamina recovery. Stock up with 40+ cooked meats for tough encounters.

• The Hellhounds' Chopping Axe is worth hunting for as soon as possible. The jump from 14 ATK (Dekarr) to 19 ATK with Crit Rate Lv. 2 is one of the biggest single-weapon upgrades in the game.

• If the greataxe playstyle feels too slow, consider respeccing into the Oongka Dual-Wield Build for faster Raging Lightning spins, or the Oongka Greathammer Build for maximum crowd disruption.

Comparison to Other Oongka Builds

Related Articles

• Oongka - Character overview and background

• Oongka Skills - Complete skill tree reference

• Best Oongka Builds - Quick-reference build comparisons

• Build Guide: Oongka - Comprehensive Oongka build guide

• Orc Blaster - Oongka's signature ranged weapon

• Hellhounds' Chopping Axe - Best greataxe for Oongka

• Two-Handed Weapons - Full list of greataxes, greathammers, and more

• Abyss Gear - Complete list of Abyss Cores

• How to Respec Skills - Resetting your skill points

• Builds - All character builds overview

Post-Patch Crit Rate Fix

A recent patch corrected what the notes described as a visual bug on jewelry and the Kuku Flame Resistant Chest. In practice the issue was functional, not cosmetic, so those pieces really were handing out double critical rate. After the fix, a critical rate necklace such as the Engraved Silver Necklace now gives the advertised 4 critical rate instead of 8, and the chest no longer contributes a doubled amount either.

The practical consequence for builds is that critical rate has to be rebuilt around weapons and Abyss Gear slots. To hit the 15 critical rate cap you generally need the highest crit-rate weapon available for your type plus 2 to 3 Insight III gears in the weapon, with a crit necklace and a crit ring filling out the remainder.

Post-Patch Stat Targets

With the doubling bug gone, the practical crit-rate math for a two-handed Oongka setup is:

• Great axe: up to 4 critical rate at max refinement, so only 2 Insight III gears are needed to close the gap with the necklace and ring.

• Great hammer: caps at 3 critical rate at max refinement, so you need roughly 7 critical rate in the weapon's gear slots to still hit crit rate 15.

• Necklace: a crit-rate necklace such as the Engraved Silver Necklace contributes 4 critical rate after the fix, not 8.

• Ring: one crit-rate ring adds 1 critical rate; the other ring slot is used for attack speed.

Whirlwind Template

A full double-two-handed whirlwind loadout settles around the following slots:

• Great axe slot: 4-crit great axe, 2x Insight III, 2x Stamina Siphon (optionally swap one Stamina Siphon for Hounds Claws since the main attack is spinning slash).

• Great hammer slot: 3-crit great hammer, Insight gears totalling 7 critical rate, 2x Stamina Siphon.

• Necklace: crit-rate necklace, for example the Engraved Silver Necklace.

• Ring 1: crit-rate ring (+1 critical rate).

• Ring 2: attack speed level 4 ring such as the Mark of Darkness; this also adds 6% stamina regeneration.

• Helmet and chest: 3 Stamina Regen abyss gears total across the two pieces (18% stamina regen).

• Gloves: 1 Relentless plus one of Bane, Shred, Rend, or Shatter matched to the enemy type.

• Boots: 2x Swift (attack speed 3) to land at attack speed level 10.

Armor visuals are cosmetic for Oongka in this build. There is no attack-speed glove or crit chest piece he can equip to compete with the abyss-gear numbers above, so pick what you like and slot the correct gears. The final line reads roughly 15 critical rate, attack speed 10, and 30% stamina regeneration, which is the regen cap.

Playing the Loop

Stay in Rage whenever you can so the super armor lets you trade through incoming hits, then hold Raging Lightning. Use the whirlwind's forward drift to close on mobile targets, cancel into Turning Slash when you need a burst, and let Stamina Siphon and stamina food top you back up during short breaks.