Rideable creatures

Overview

Crimson Desert offers a wide variety of rideable creatures and vehicles that go far beyond the standard fantasy horse. Players can ride bears into combat, fly on dragonback raining fire on the battlefield, pilot a dwarven Battle Robot armed with missiles, and float above Pywel in a hot air balloon. Each mount has unique mechanics, combat capabilities, and traversal characteristics, making the choice of mount a meaningful gameplay decision rather than a purely cosmetic one.

Mounted combat is a confirmed feature. Players can fight while riding, and some mounts have their own attack capabilities that complement the rider's actions. The system also allows players to commandeer enemy mounts during encounters, adding a tactical layer to mounted engagements. For general mount information and customization options, see the mounts article.

Complete mount roster

Horses

Horses are the starting mount and the most commonly used form of transportation throughout the game. Kliff can ride horses from early in the campaign, and they remain useful throughout the entire experience. Combat from horseback uses the rider's equipped weapons, allowing for mounted charges, sweeping strikes, and ranged attacks while moving at speed.

Horses support extensive customization through tack sets. These cosmetic options change the visual appearance of the horse's saddle, bridle, and armor plating. Multiple tack sets are available through normal gameplay, with exclusive sets included in the Deluxe and Collector's editions (the Exclaire and Hyperion Horse Tack Sets). Horses are also featured in competitive horse racing mini-games found throughout Pywel's settlements.

Bears

Bears become available as mounts during the mid-game, offering a dramatically different riding experience from horses. The defining feature of bear mounts is their active mounted combat system. When riding a bear, both Kliff and the bear attack independently: Kliff can swing his sword or use abilities from the saddle, while the bear simultaneously mauls, charges, and swipes at nearby enemies with its own attack patterns.

This dual-combat system makes bear mounts particularly effective in melee-heavy encounters where Kliff would normally be surrounded. The bear's own attacks serve as area control, keeping enemies staggered and damaged while Kliff focuses on high-priority targets. The trade-off is speed and maneuverability; bears are slower and less agile than horses, making them better suited for direct engagements than for fast travel or evasive riding.

Wolves and raptors

Wolves and raptors are confirmed as rideable creatures, though detailed information about their specific mechanics and combat capabilities has not been fully revealed. Both are expected to offer distinct movement profiles that differ from horses and bears, with wolves likely emphasizing speed and agility and raptors providing access to terrain that larger mounts cannot navigate.

The inclusion of these creatures expands the mount roster beyond traditional fantasy expectations and reflects Pywel's diverse ecosystem. Players who encounter these animals in the wild through hunting activities may also have opportunities to tame and ride them, though the exact acquisition mechanics have not been confirmed.

Dragons

Dragons represent the pinnacle of the game's mount system. Available in the late game, dragon mounts provide true aerial combat capability. While airborne, the player can direct fire attacks that scorch the battlefield below, turning encounters into one-sided aerial bombardments. The visual spectacle of swooping over an enemy formation while unleashing fire breath is designed to be one of the game's peak power fantasy moments.

Like the Battle Robot, dragons are available for a limited time rather than as permanent mounts. This restriction preserves the moment's impact and prevents aerial fire attacks from trivializing ground-level combat for the remainder of the game. The limited availability means that players must make the most of their time on dragonback, choosing when and where to deploy this power for maximum effect.

Battle Robot

The dwarven-engineered Battle Robot is a fully pilotable mech available as a late-game campaign reward. It is equipped with machine guns for sustained fire, missiles for multi-target lock-on, jump jets for vertical repositioning, and an EMP blast for disabling nearby enemies. All weapon systems draw from a shared energy pool, requiring careful management to avoid shutdown. For a full breakdown of the mech's systems, see the dedicated Battle Robot article.

Hot air balloon

The hot air balloon provides a purely exploration-focused aerial option. Players can board the balloon and fly freely around Pywel, gaining a bird's-eye view of the landscape below. The balloon is particularly useful for reaching floating islands that dot certain regions of the map, providing access to areas that cannot be reached by ground-based mounts or even the grappling hook and Crow's Wing combination.

Unlike dragons and the Battle Robot, the hot air balloon has no combat capability. It is a peaceful traversal option designed for sightseeing, exploration, and reaching remote locations. The contrast between the balloon's leisurely pace and the intensity of dragon or mech combat highlights the range of experiences available within Crimson Desert's mount system.

Mounted combat mechanics

Mounted combat is fully integrated into the combat system. Players can attack with melee and ranged weapons from the saddle, and certain mounts (bears, dragons, the Battle Robot) add their own attack capabilities to the fight. The commandeering system allows players to dismount enemy riders and take control of their mounts during encounters, adding a tactical stealing element to mounted engagements.

The effectiveness of mounted combat depends on the mount and the situation. Horses excel at hit-and-run tactics and sweeping charges. Bears dominate close-quarters brawls. Dragons command the skies. The Battle Robot brings overwhelming firepower. Matching the right mount to the right encounter is part of the strategic depth that the system provides.

Character-specific traversal

In addition to shared mounts, each playable character has unique traversal abilities that function alongside or instead of traditional riding. Kliff has the Crow's Wing glide and grappling hook for rapid aerial movement. Damiane uses a propeller gadget that provides actual sustained flight, mechanically distinct from Kliff's glide. Oongka has his own traversal methods suited to his character design. These individual abilities complement the shared mount roster, ensuring that each character feels distinct even when traversing the same world.

Mount customization

Mounts support cosmetic customization options. Horses have the most extensive customization through tack sets, which modify the saddle, bridle, and armor plating appearance. The Battle Robot can receive custom color schemes. Whether other mounts (bears, wolves, raptors, dragons) support similar cosmetic options has not been fully confirmed, but the game's overall emphasis on visual customization suggests that some level of personalization will be available for most rideable creatures.