Patches 1.03 and 1.04 changed how all three playable characters work in Crimson Desert — some of it quietly, some of it in ways that directly affect how you fight bosses on Hard Mode. Kliff got a new aerial ability and a speed fix that made it actually usable. Damiane picked up a new skill acquisition path and an exclusive weapon. Oongka and Damiane both gained access to Axiom Force and Nature’s Snare, which closed a big gap between them and Kliff for open-world play.
This guide covers what those changes actually do in practice, when to use each ability, and how to spend Abyss Artifacts without regretting it twenty hours in.
One thing worth clarifying upfront: Focused Aerial Roll and the Axiom Force additions for Damiane and Oongka came in patch 1.03. Patch 1.04 introduced Hard Mode, fixed bugs, added Damiane’s Sword of Starlight, and made Quick Reload acquirable via Abyss Artifacts. This guide covers the post-1.04 state of the game, so all of it applies to your current playthrough.
Kliff's Focused Aerial Roll: How It Works and When to Actually Use It
Focused Aerial Roll was added in patch 1.03, but if you tried it around launch and found it sluggish, that was a real bug — patch 1.04.01 fixed an issue where the flight speed dropped below its intended value. It should feel noticeably faster now.
To unlock it, you need Focus Lv. 3, Flight Lv. 2, and Aerial Roll already learned. Once those prerequisites are met, activate Focus during flight and press the dodge key. That’s it.
What it actually does: it gives Kliff a directional aerial dodge with momentum — useful for repositioning mid-air during boss fights without dropping out of flight. Before this skill, your options in the air were glide, attack, or fall. Now you have an evasive option that keeps you airborne.
When it’s worth using:
- During aerial boss phases where ground dodging puts you out of range
- When you want to dodge a projectile without losing your flight angle
- Chaining it with Swift Flight for faster traversal over terrain
It consumes stamina, so it’s not a replacement for ground evasion in prolonged fights. But on Hard Mode, where aerial positioning on certain bosses matters a lot more, it earns its prerequisite investment.
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Damiane Skills in Patch 1.04: What's New and How She Stacks Up Against Kliff
Patch 1.04 made one specific change for Damiane: Quick Reload can now be acquired with Abyss Artifacts, not just through skill observation. Before this, if you missed the observation window or just didn’t know where to look, you were stuck waiting. Now you can just spend an artifact and move on.
She also got an exclusive one-handed weapon — the Sword of Starlight — obtained through a quest added in 1.04. It’s Damiane-only, which is worth knowing if you’re planning her gear around a specific build.
From patch 1.03, her Shield Toss was updated to work the same way as Kliff’s Force Palm. That means she can interact with puzzle mechanics, push objects, and trigger switches using Shield Toss, without needing a separate Force Palm input. Her Skystep controls were also adjusted in that patch, so if you haven’t revisited her keybindings since 1.03, worth checking.
Here’s a quick comparison of where Kliff and Damiane sit right now:
| Trait | Kliff | Damiane |
|---|---|---|
| Combat speed | Medium | Fast |
| Ranged option | Bow and arrows | Firearm + Shield Toss |
| Projectile defense | Nature's Snare barrier | — |
| Aerial mobility | Crow Wings glide | Skystep + Propeller |
| Abyss access | Full | Limited (no Abyss teleport) |
| Skill tree | Independent | Independent |
Damiane plays faster than Kliff. Her sword combos chain quickly, Shield Toss hits multiple enemies in one throw, and her firearm handles range. The tradeoff is precision — her flurry requires tight inputs, and juggling ranged and melee positioning adds complexity that trips up players coming from slower action games.
If you’ve played something like Sekiro or Bayonetta, Damiane will click faster for you. If you’re newer to action combat, Kliff’s pacing gives you more room to breathe.
Oongka's Axiom Force and Nature's Snare: Full Ability Breakdown
Before patch 1.03, Axiom Force was Kliff-only. That’s no longer the case — both Oongka and Damiane now have access to it, along with Nature’s Snare and related abilities.
What Axiom Force does for Oongka:
It lets him grab and move puzzle elements, reach higher ledges via the grapple, and complete most Abyss puzzles at world level and inside Sanctums. Before this patch, Oongka was genuinely limited in open-world exploration — the Rocket Pack takes a lot of investment to unlock, and without flight, covering terrain was slow. Axiom Force’s grapple changes that.
One important limit: Oongka and Damiane still cannot enter the Abyss via Axiom Force teleportation. That mechanic stays Kliff-exclusive. So if a specific puzzle or location requires physically stepping into the Abyss through the grapple, you need to switch to Kliff.
There’s also an unresolved issue worth knowing — Oongka and Damiane don’t have access to Axiom Force’s Aerial Swing upgrade, even though the skill has three upgrade levels for them. Whether this is a bug or intentional is unclear, but it hasn’t been addressed as of 1.04.
What Nature’s Snare does:
It creates a barrier that absorbs incoming projectiles — arrows, spells, whatever enemies throw at you. Once you’ve absorbed enough, you release the stored energy in a directed shot. Controls differ by input:
Gamepad: Activate Focus, then rotate the right thumbstick to raise the barrier. Press the thumbstick to release.
Mouse and keyboard: Activate Focus, hold right-click to raise the barrier. Middle mouse button to release.
In combat, it’s most useful against bosses or enemies with heavy ranged attacks. Instead of just dodging arrows, you absorb them and fire back. On Hard Mode, where enemy projectile damage hits harder, this becomes genuinely useful rather than situational.
Oongka’s Scatter Shot:
Also updated in 1.03 — it now functions like Kliff’s Force Palm. That means Oongka can trigger environmental interactions, push puzzle objects, and hit switches with it, the same way Kliff does. It removes a lot of the “I need to switch characters just to move this block” frustration when playing as Oongka.
Best Character for Hard Mode After Patch 1.04: Kliff, Damiane, or Oongka?
Hard Mode was added in patch 1.04. It’s aimed at players who’ve already cleared the game or are comfortable with the combat. Enemies hit harder, boss patterns are less forgiving, and positioning matters more.
Here’s where each character lands for Hard Mode play:
| Character | Damage Output | Mobility | Skill Complexity | Hard Mode Viability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kliff | Medium | High | Medium | Best for new Hard Mode runs |
| Damiane | Medium-High | High | High | Best for experienced players |
| Oongka | Highest | Low | Medium | Best for boss burst damage |
The short version: Kliff for versatility, Damiane for speed, Oongka for raw damage. None of them is unplayable on Hard Mode — they just demand different things from you.
How to Level Skills from Scratch in Crimson Desert: Tips That Actually Save Artifacts
A few things about the skill system that trip up a lot of players:
Each character has a completely separate skill tree. Leveling Kliff’s Focus does nothing for Damiane or Oongka’s Focus — you need to invest Abyss Artifacts separately for each. Stamina and health carry across characters, but active abilities don’t.
Resetting skills resets all three characters at once. This is one of the nastier surprises in the game. If you reset Kliff’s tree, Damiane and Oongka reset too. And Abyss Artifacts spent on gear upgrades can’t be refunded at all. So think carefully before hitting reset.
Here’s how to keep your Artifact spending under control:
Use the Watch and Learn system every chance you get. When you observe an enemy, NPC, or apparition performing a skill, time slows and a progress bar appears. Fill the bar and you unlock the ability for free — zero Artifacts needed. Kill every other enemy in the area before you start watching, so you’re not getting hit mid-observation.
Nature’s Snare is free if you know where to go. After learning Focus in Chapter II, head to the Haunted Hill Ruins northeast of Hernand. There’s an apparition there that teaches it through observation. No Artifacts required.
Get Axiom Force upgraded early. At low levels it’s a puzzle tool. At higher levels it becomes a grappling hook that launches Kliff into the air and covers significant horizontal distance. Aerial Maneuver alone changes how fast you move through the world. The investment pays off faster than most other skills.
Prioritize Kliff first, always. He’s the only character who can complete main quests and access the full Abyss. Putting Artifacts into Damiane or Oongka before Kliff is capped is usually a waste — only invest in them once you have resources to spare.
For Damiane specifically: Quick Reload is now Artifact-acquirable as of 1.04. If you’re building her as your secondary character, it’s worth picking up now rather than hunting the observation location.
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Level Up Your Build With Us
Not sure where to put your Abyss Artifacts? Wasted points on a skill that doesn’t fit your playstyle? We put together character build guides, skill priority lists, and Hard Mode tips for all three characters — updated for patch 1.04.
Whether you’re optimizing Kliff’s aerial kit, getting the most out of Oongka’s Great Axe, or figuring out Damiane’s fastest combo routes, we’ve got the breakdowns you need. Check out our full character guides and get your build sorted.
