Overview
Unarmed combat in Crimson Desert is not a separate weapon you equip. It functions as its own parallel system of moves and skills that can be woven into armed combat at any time. Punches, kicks, wrestling holds, and MMA-style grappling attacks can all be chained into your equipped weapon's combos through the game's hotkey and input system. The result is a fighting style where you might swing a greatsword, follow up with a grapple throw, and transition back into a blade combo without ever pausing.
The grapple animations include recognizable wrestling moves: German suplexes, chokeslams, and even an Angle Slam. Windows Central described the system by saying, "I can chokeslam and Angle Slam enemies in this game? Sign me up now." Dedicated Abyss Tree upgrades strengthen and expand your unarmed repertoire.
Unarmed move types
Move Type | Description |
|---|---|
Punches | Quick striking attacks with fists. Can be used as combo starters or to interrupt enemy attack patterns |
Kicks | Mid-range unarmed strikes. Includes drop kicks that can be performed from jumps or dive kicks from elevated positions |
Suplexes | German suplexes that grab an enemy and slam them over your head into the ground behind you |
Chokeslams | Grab an enemy by the throat and slam them into the ground. High single-target damage with a dramatic animation |
Angle Slam | A wrestling-style throw that lifts an enemy and slams them at an angle. Sends nearby enemies staggering from the impact |
Shoulder tackles | Charging physical attacks that close distance quickly and can knock enemies off balance |
Hammer throws | Grab and spin an enemy before releasing them. Can launch enemies into other foes for collateral damage |
Headscissors takedown | An advanced wrestling move unlocked through the Abyss Tree. Wraps legs around an enemy's head and takes them to the ground |
Integration with armed combat
Unarmed moves are designed to chain seamlessly with weapon attacks. Combat in Crimson Desert thrives on chains: light attacks flow into heavy attacks, jumps transition into dive kicks, and melee swings connect to grapples for wrestling finishers. This means a typical combat sequence might look like:
Open with a greatsword heavy slash to stagger an enemy
Chain into a punch combo while the enemy is reeling
Grapple the staggered enemy into a suplex
Transition back to weapon attacks as they get up
This fluidity is central to Crimson Desert's combat identity. Players are never locked into a single combat style and can shift between armed and unarmed attacks based on what the situation demands.
Skill tree
Unarmed combat falls under the Blue branch of the Abyss Tree. Investing points in this branch unlocks new bare-handed combos, additional wrestling moves, and improved damage for unarmed strikes. Players who fully commit to the unarmed branch can build a viable brawler playstyle.
Early upgrades: Extended punch combos, improved kick damage, basic grab attacks
Mid-tier upgrades: Suplex and chokeslam unlocks, increased grapple damage, faster transition speed between armed and unarmed attacks
Late-tier upgrades: Headscissors takedown, enhanced area-of-effect grapple throws, unarmed damage scaling improvements
Learning moves from NPCs
Some unarmed techniques can only be acquired by observing NPCs in the world. This uses the same observation-based learning system as other skills in Crimson Desert. For example, watching a passive NPC perform a palm strike teaches Kliff that technique. Similarly, if an enemy uses a body slam attack during combat, Kliff can learn to mimic that move for use in subsequent encounters.
This learning mechanic rewards exploration and paying attention to what NPCs and enemies are doing. A combat move that an enemy uses against you could become part of your own arsenal.
Tips
Mix unarmed attacks into weapon combos to extend your chains and deal extra damage during stagger windows
Grapple moves like suplexes and chokeslams ignore enemy guard states. Use them against enemies who are blocking heavily
Invest in the Blue branch of the Abyss Tree if you enjoy the wrestling and grapple mechanics. The later unlocks are powerful
Watch every NPC and enemy carefully. Some perform unique unarmed techniques that can only be learned through observation
Drop kicks from elevated positions deal extra damage and can knock enemies prone. Look for opportunities to use terrain to your advantage
Unarmed attacks do not consume weapon durability. If your weapon is nearly broken and you cannot repair it, lean on unarmed moves until you find a Whetstone or blacksmith