You've probably heard that by now Crimson Desert is a tough game. In fact, you may have even experienced it firsthand if you've played it, especially if you've managed to get your first big ego check of a boss fight. Some reviews have even given Crimson Desert a lower score due to its difficulty, which is understandable, but maybe only from a certain point of view. Difficulty is mostly subjective, but games have been known to stretch that idea by pitting players against bosses they couldn't hope to defeat due to obscure mechanics or impossible learning curves. Crimson Desert tends to look like one of those games if you approach the main story boss battles too early, but there are ways around these difficulty spikes, and it starts with not trying to play it like a Soulslike game.
Firstly, Crimson Desert is not a Soulslike, however difficult it may be at times. But that's exactly why you might be tempted to play it like one, spamming until your fingers cramp. But I can say with certainty that this is the wrong way to play this game, even if it makes you think it's the right way. Trying to approach Crimson Desert the same way you might approach a game that Fire Ring or Dark souls will cause you to fail repeatedly, to the point where you may feel like giving up. I myself had a handful of such moments while playing through it. But once you play it the way it's meant to be played, it becomes much easier.
Crimson Desert Review: A Remarkable Open World That Often Asks Too Much
Crimson Desert offers one of the most impressive worlds in gaming, but the deeper you go, the more it begs you to face it on its own terms.
Stop spamming Dodge Crimson Desert and start blocking, parry instead
Many of Crimson Deserts bosses are so chaotic and move around arenas so quickly that your natural reflex will probably be to hit that dodge button. After all, that's what we usually do when we get attacked in a Soulslike game, so why not? Plus, if I have plenty of stamina to do it, I guess I can too, right? But the problem in Crimson Desert is that there are no invincible frames when sneaking from what I've experienced.
Who is that character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Start
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s) Medium (5.0s) Hard (2.5s) Permadeath (2.5s)
In Soulslike games, you at least generally have some i-frames after a dodge that will keep you from getting hit while the dodge is running. Although spamming is discouraged in these games because it eats up your stamina, it's still one of the most effective ways to avoid damage. IN Crimson Desertthe lack of these frames means you can still take damage while dodging, so not only will you use a lot of stamina to do so, it could all be a waste if not done at exactly the right time and in the right direction. Timing these i-frames still matters in Soulslike games, but it's arguably even more important in Crimson Desert.
Blocking and parrying attacks is the best solution to Crimson Desert's challenge
So what you should do instead—which the game actually encourages you to do pretty early on—is block and parry. Thankfully, the ability to do so isn't limited to having a shield equipped, meaning you can do it with a variety of weapons. But the main benefit of at least parrying an attack is that successfully executing it will slow down enemies briefly, which is all but necessary in a game as challenging as Crimson Desert. Even bosses suffer from a temporary parry-induced stun, which makes learning their attack patterns all the more worthwhile so you can throw up your shield or sword at exactly the right time.
I didn't actually learn this until I was about 30 hours into it Crimson Desertfacing what I would consider one of the hardest early bosses in the game. Despite being an optional boss, I knew I needed to tackle it because all the other reviewers said it dropped an extremely powerful weapon that made future encounters much easier. But what ultimately made the fight so challenging wasn't just that the boss moved too fast, but that I wouldn't stop dodging. Because no matter how much I dodged, he somehow found his way through and hit me anyway.
Note that parrying attacks in Crimson Desert requires the Keen Senses skill in the Spirit tree, which is also useful for more effective dodging.
As a result, I began to discipline myself to parry. All of a sudden, attack sequences that seemed endless and inevitable could be interrupted, giving me just enough of an opening to strike. In the end, that fight went from being one where my heart was pounding and my breath was short to one where I felt smarter, more powerful than the boss. Where my first 10-20 attempts saw me chipping away at insignificant chunks of his health bar, my last attempt saw me deplete it within about 60 seconds.
If you really insist on ducking in the Crimson Desert, there are skills that can help
Now, if you just absolutely have to sneak in Crimson Desert since you can't kick the habit for whatever reason, there are skills that can help with that. Keep in mind that these skills won't suddenly give your dodges i-frames or make them overwhelmed maneuvers. They will simply allow you to move faster around the battlefield and make it easier for you to dodge attacks.
Best Combat Avoidance Skills in Crimson Desert
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Evasive roll
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Focus
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Eager minds
Firstly, the most important thing you can do is invest in your stamina stat first and then your health stat next to it. This allows you to dodge more often and also survive the frequent attacks you receive from bosses. But the three skills you want to focus on besides those stats are Evasive Roll, Keen Senses, and Focus – all of which are in the Spirit tree.
Evasive Roll is one you'll likely acquire early in the game, but if you want to get it even earlier than that, it only costs an Abyss Artifact. This allows you to actually perform a proper dodge, where by pressing the dodge button/key you can roll away and possibly avoid an attack. Focus is another good skill to invest in for dodging, as it allows you to slow down time enough to avoid being hit. That said, Focus is still just as useful, if not more so, for parrying attacks in Crimson Desert.
The main benefit of at least parrying an attack is that successfully executing it will slow down enemies briefly, which is all but necessary in a game as challenging as Crimson Desert.
However, the most important skill on this list is Keen Senses – an absolute must if you want to rely on evasion during combat. When Keen Sense is upgraded, you can perform a timed dodge right before you are hit that removes you from the attack and prevents it from hitting you. It's honestly one of the most satisfying maneuvers to pull off Crimson Deserts battle, but it takes practice, and it still can't be spammed without consequences. Even with these escape-based skills are the most effective way to succeed though Crimson DesertThe toughest boss encounters are by becoming adept at parrying attacks.
At a glance, Crimson Desert may feel like it's asking you to play it the same way you would a Soulslike, but that assumption is what can cause so much unnecessary frustration. Once you stop relying on ducking as your primary defense and start doing what it actually tells you to do, the game becomes much more manageable. Its toughest fights aren't about reacting faster or rolling more often, but about reading, timing and taking control of the encounter. Learn it early, and what once felt punishing begins to feel intentional, giving you the kind of confidence that only comes from understanding how the game actually wants to be played.
- Released
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March 19, 2026
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood, drug reference, intense violence, strong language
- Developer
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Pearl Abyss
- Publisher
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Pearl Abyss
