Companion System Overview
The companion system is one of Crimson Desert's deepest features. As Kliff, you'll recruit a diverse cast of comrades who fight alongside you, can be dispatched on missions, and have their own personal quests and storylines.
Companions are not just AI fighters — they're characters with unique abilities, personalities, and relationships. Building a balanced party of companions is essential for tackling the game's toughest content.
| Companion Role | Best For | Example Traits |
|---|---|---|
| Tank | Drawing aggro, surviving | High HP, shield abilities, taunt |
| DPS | Burst damage, boss killing | High attack, critical strikes, combos |
| Support | Healing, buffs, utility | Healing spells, stat buffs, crowd control |
| Ranged | Flying enemies, kiting | Bow/crossbow, explosive arrows, precision |
How to Recruit Companions
Recruiting companions happens through several methods:
- Story recruitment: Many companions join automatically as you progress through the main story. These are your core party members.
- Side quests: Complete specific side quests to unlock recruitable NPCs. Talk to everyone in settlements — many recruitment opportunities are hidden in dialogue.
- Bounty apprehension: Some outlaws (like Blix) can be recruited after being apprehended, depending on your choices.
- Camp recruitment: As your camp grows, special NPCs may visit and offer to join. Upgrade the Companion Quarters to unlock more recruitment slots.
- Exploration secrets: Hidden locations and rare encounters may lead to unique companion recruitment opportunities.
Always talk to NPCs with exclamation marks or question marks above their heads. These indicate available quests or recruitment opportunities. Some of the best companions are locked behind seemingly trivial side quests.
How to Level Up Comrades
Leveling up your companions increases their stats, unlocks new abilities, and makes them more effective in combat and dispatch missions.
Leveling Methods
- Active combat: Companions in your active party gain XP from every enemy you defeat. This is the fastest leveling method.
- Dispatch missions: Companions sent on dispatch missions gain XP passively, even when the game is closed. This is great for leveling secondary companions.
- Camp training: The Companion Quarters facility allows you to spend camp funds and materials to train companions directly.
- Personal quests: Completing a companion's personal questline grants large XP bonuses and unlocks their ultimate ability.
- Food buffs: Certain food items provide XP gain bonuses for the entire party. Use them before long grinding sessions.
Leveling Priority
Focus on leveling 2-3 core companions first — the ones you use most in combat. Then use dispatch missions to level up the rest of your roster passively. Don't try to level everyone equally — spread XP too thin and you'll have a weak party overall.
How to Dispatch a Comrade
The dispatch system lets you send companions on missions that resolve in real time, earning rewards and XP while you focus on other content.
Dispatch Process
- Access the Dispatch Board: Located at your camp or in major settlements. Interact with it to view available missions.
- Browse missions: Each mission lists difficulty, duration, required companion level, and rewards. Missions refresh periodically.
- Select companions: Choose 1-3 companions for the mission. Match their traits and levels to the mission requirements for best results.
- Confirm dispatch: The mission begins immediately and counts down in real time. You can continue playing normally.
- Collect rewards: When the mission completes, return to the Dispatch Board to collect XP, materials, camp funds, and rare items.
Always have companions on dispatch missions. It's passive income and XP that requires zero effort. Send your secondary companions (the ones not in your active party) on missions, and rotate them as they level up. High-difficulty missions yield better rewards but have failure risk — only send well-leveled companions.
Using Damiane in the Main Quest
Damiane is one of the most notable companions in Crimson Desert, and many players ask whether she can be used during the main quest.
Damiane Overview
- Availability: Damiane is recruited through the main story or a specific side quest, depending on your progress.
- Combat role: Damiane is typically a support or ranged DPS companion with unique abilities.
- Main quest usage: Damiane can be used as an active companion in most main quest scenarios. Certain story moments may temporarily restrict companion usage for narrative reasons, but these are rare and clearly indicated.
- Personal quest: Damiane has her own companion questline that deepens her character and unlocks additional abilities.
If Damiane is not appearing in your companion list, check that you've completed the required recruitment quest. Some companions become available only after reaching a certain point in the main story. Also ensure you have available companion slots — upgrade the Companion Quarters at camp if needed.
Where to Get Explosive Arrows
Explosive arrows are a powerful consumable for ranged combat, especially against flying enemies and groups of foes. Here's where to find them:
Acquisition Methods
- Merchants: Some merchants in major settlements sell explosive arrows. Check weapon shops and general goods vendors.
- Crafting: Explosive arrows can be crafted at the camp crafting station if you've unlocked the recipe. You'll need arrow shafts, explosive powder, and feathers.
- Enemy drops: Certain enemy types (particularly bandits and ranged enemies) drop explosive arrows as loot.
- Quest rewards: Some quests and dispatch missions reward explosive arrows.
- Hidden chests: Exploration chests in bandit camps and military outposts often contain explosive arrows.
Explosive arrows have area-of-effect damage — be careful not to use them in close quarters or you'll damage yourself and your companions. They're most effective against clustered enemies, flying targets, and destructible obstacles.
How to Switch Characters
Crimson Desert allows you to switch between Kliff and your companions in certain situations. Here's how it works:
- Combat switching: During combat, you can switch control to an active companion using the character switch button/key. This lets you use their unique abilities directly.
- Party management: Access the party menu to change which companions are in your active party. You can have up to 3 active companions plus Kliff.
- Companion commands: Even when not directly controlling a companion, you can issue commands (attack, defend, follow, use ability) through the command menu.
- Restrictions: Some story sequences and specific areas may lock you to Kliff only. The game will notify you when character switching is unavailable.
How to Upgrade Companions
Beyond leveling, companions can be upgraded through several systems:
- Equipment: Equip companions with weapons and armor just like Kliff. Better gear dramatically improves their combat effectiveness.
- Skill trees: Each companion has a unique skill tree. Spend skill points (earned through leveling) to unlock and upgrade abilities.
- Affinity: Building affinity with companions through dialogue, gifts, and personal quests unlocks bonus stats and special interactions.
- Ultimate abilities: Each companion has an ultimate ability unlocked at max affinity or through their personal quest. These are game-changing in tough fights.