Crimson Desert Controls Guide: PC, PS5, And Xbox Inputs
If you cannot remember how to pull your sword out, you are not going to survive your first hour in Pywel.
Crimson Desert is an incredibly complex game. The developers decided that basic light and heavy attacks were simply not enough, so they layered on an intricate web of contextual grappling moves, elemental imbuing, and parkour mechanics. If you panic during a boss fight and forget which button triggers your parry, you are going to be staring at a game over screen.
I have compiled the definitive list of every single control input for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. Whether you are trying to figure out how to call your horse or how to execute a devastating wrestling move, keep this guide open on your phone while you play. If you are still trying to understand the actual timing of these defensive moves, you should immediately read my Crimson Desert parry and perfect dodge guide.
The Remapping Reality Check
Before we look at the default layouts, we need to address accessibility. The controls in this game are heavily debated because the default scheme is incredibly dense.
If you are playing on a PC with a mouse and keyboard, you have total freedom. You can open the pause menu, navigate to the settings, select the inputs sub-menu, and rebind every single key to your liking. If you are playing on PC but using a controller via Steam, you can force a custom remap through the Steam overlay, but be warned: the game's internal tutorials will stubbornly display the original default button prompts.
If you are playing on a PlayStation 5 or an Xbox Series X/S, you are currently stuck. Console players cannot manually remap their controls in the game menus yet. Pearl Abyss has vaguely promised an accessibility patch in the future, but until that drops, you have to adapt to their layout.
Mastering The Combat Inputs
The combat controls are not a simple hack-and-slash affair. You have your standard basic attacks, but the real damage comes from combining inputs to execute specific skills.
Your heavy attack button (Right Click / R2 / RT) is often held down or pressed in tandem with other buttons to trigger massive sweeps and guard breaks. You also need to heavily utilize your Force Palm to stagger enemies. If you want to dive into the absolute most ridiculous offensive mechanics this game has to offer, check out my advanced combat and hidden moves guide. It breaks down how to use these controls to literally suplex a bandit into the dirt.
