Revision 16

Overview

Oongka is one of three playable characters in Crimson Desert, alongside Kliff and Damiane. He is an orc and a steadfast member of the Greymanes mercenary group, serving as the team's frontline powerhouse. Oongka fights with massive weapons and brute strength, making him the most beginner-friendly of the three playable characters with easy-to-learn combos that obliterate enemy groups. He is voiced by Stewart Scudamore, known for his roles as Blackthorne in Final Fantasy XVI, Marneus Calgar in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, Rictus in Arcane, Klaus in Lies of P: Overture, and Boz Ghaidos in Carnival Row.

Backstory

Oongka is one of Kliff's most trusted Greymane comrades. After the Black Bears led by Myurdin ambushed and shattered the Greymanes, Oongka was among the survivors scattered across the continent of Pywel. Kliff eventually learns that Oongka has made his way to the region of Calphade, where Marquis Stefan Lanford, an ally of the Greymanes, governs.

Upon arriving in Calphade, Kliff discovers the situation has deteriorated. Cassius Morten, a subordinate of Marquis Lanford, has betrayed the Marquis and allied with the Black Bears, sparking a violent rebellion. Oongka has been fighting alongside Lanford's forces against the rebels throughout the conflict, demonstrating his loyalty and martial prowess even while separated from the rest of the Greymanes. Kliff reunites with Oongka and together they fight through a siege involving cannons, watchtowers, and siege engines, culminating in a boss fight against Cassius Morten at the castle. This questline was featured as the playable demo at Summer Game Fest 2025.

Personality

Despite his imposing physique and fearsome combat style, Oongka possesses a philosophical side that reveals itself over time. Scudamore initially pictured him as a "beastlike, ferocious" archetype, but came to realize the character is "someone who understands how the world works" with practical wisdom and a grounded perspective on life. Scudamore described him as "passionate about everything" but carrying a "nomadic, wise view of the world" that goes well beyond the stereotypical orc brute.

Oongka communicates through a mix of grunts and measured words. Scudamore noted that "finding those levels of grunt" to convey different emotional shades was one of the main challenges of the role. The character combines physical authority with quiet intelligence, reflecting a wise warrior beneath a gruff exterior. His understanding of the world's realities makes him a steady, reliable presence within the Greymanes.

Appearance and Customization

Oongka has a massive, orc-like build and is clad in heavy armor designed to expose his upper torso and parts of his legs, distinguishing him from the more fully covered characters. His physical design emphasizes his role as the heavy-hitting powerhouse of the trio. Like all playable characters, his base appearance is fixed, but cosmetic customization is available through in-game Barber shops.

Weapons

Oongka wields the heaviest weapons in the game, each designed for maximum impact and crowd control. Players equip two weapons at a time, and different pairings create distinct build identities.

Weapon Builds

Oongka's weapon pairing system creates distinct loadout builds, each with a different tactical identity.

Key Abilities

Body Slam:

Oongka can grab enemies and slam them into the ground for massive damage. This works similarly to Kliff's grapple moves but with greater force and a wider impact zone, sending nearby enemies staggering from the shockwave.

Leap Slam:

A signature move where Oongka launches into the air with his great axe and crashes down on targets below. The impact creates a shockwave that damages and staggers surrounding enemies, making it an excellent gap closer and crowd-control tool.

Spinning Attacks:

With his great axe, Oongka can execute wide spinning attacks that hit everything in a full 360-degree arc. These are effective against groups and can be chained into follow-up slams for continuous area damage.

Punches and Kicks:

Beyond his weapons, Oongka can use bare-handed punches and kicks in combat, adding close-range options when enemies get inside his weapon range.

Traversal

Unlike Kliff's Crow's Wing and Damiane's Parasol Machine propeller, Oongka's unique traversal gadget has not been revealed. His approach to the world is grounded, relying on raw physical strength to navigate obstacles. He can still ride mounts and use the grappling hook for vertical traversal, and later in the game gains access to dragon riding and mech piloting alongside the other characters.

Playability

Oongka is not available from the start of the game. He is unlocked by progressing through the main story, specifically after the Calphade questline where Kliff reunites with him. Once unlocked, players can freely switch to Oongka for open-world exploration and unique missions tailored to his character. Only Kliff can advance the main campaign.

Combat Role

Oongka's straightforward, high-damage combat style makes him the most accessible character for players new to action games. His large weapon arcs are forgiving when it comes to aiming, and his high health pool means he can absorb punishment that would stagger lighter characters. His combat has been compared to Black Desert Online's Giant class in terms of easy-to-learn combos that obliterate enemy groups. The addition of the Arm Cannon gives him surprising ranged versatility, allowing him to alternate between devastating melee crowd control and explosive ranged bombardment. Players who prefer direct, powerful combat over finesse will find Oongka the most satisfying to play.