If you are struggling in Crimson Desert with the relentless enemy numbers storming out of occupied regions in Pywel, you are not alone. While Kliff has many powerful weapons and skills, the sheer number of options can make it difficult to understand, during the early game, which one is truly the best.
However, there's a weapon type in the game that is so good, it almost feels broken: the Spear. This weapon type doesn't just offer superior reach, but also features a particularly overpowered skill that can make short work of most enemies in the game, bosses included.
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The Broken Counter Stance (R1 + Circle / RB + B)
The skill that truly makes the Spear broken is Evasive Slash (one of the best early skills learned by improving Armed Combat to level 3). While with other weapons, this is a simple retreating poke or a very difficult-to-use launcher, as in the case of the Greatsword, with the Spear, this skill is an overpowered Counter Stance that is significantly safer than a standard parry.
- By holding the buttons, Kliff enters a defensive stance that lasts as long as your Stamina holds. While in this stance, he automatically counterattacks incoming strikes.
- The first part of the counter is a wide horizontal swing that pushes enemies away. The second part is a powerful repeated thrust that staggers enemies and pushes them away if it doesn't defeat them outright.
Unlike a regular parry (L1/LB), which requires perfect timing, thisCounter Stance is incredibly forgiving, as you can have it up for a relatively long time with enough Stamina, which you should level up first as much as possible. With such forgiving timing, the ability to negate damage that a regular block cannot (such as attacks from bigger enemies), a great area of effect, and the serious damage it deals, it is undoubtedly one of the most broken skills in the game, if not the most broken. It can even make short work of most bosses too, making it an essential tool in Kliff's kit, although it has to be used with care against non-human enemies who can still damage Kliff before the counter goes off.
NOTE: Damiane has a similar Counter Stance with the Greatsword. However, its area of effect isn't as wide, thus it is slightly less effective at managing crowds, though it still deals very high damage.
Excellent Crowd Control
While the Spear's Evasive Slash Counter Stance is the weapon's most broken skill, it is a very good weapon even without abusing it. As crowd control is the most important aspect of the Crimson Desert combat, the Spear provides a few other skills to deal with multiple enemies at once effectively to keep distance while staying offensive.
- Turning Slash (R1 + R2 / RB + RT) is a particularly effective crowd control tool. After leveling it up, it triggers almost instantly when chaining it to any other skill, dealing high damage and, most importantly, pushing enemies back to ease off the pressure.
The Guard Breaker
Many of the human enemies in Pywel come equipped with shields, making them slightly more annoying to deal with. The Spear, however, has an answer to this as well.
- The Spear's basic R1 attack is a quick triple thrust that pressures a guarding enemy. If you chain this into the Stab skill (R1 + Triangle / RB + Y) with the correct timing, you can unleashes a rapid-fire six-thrust assault. This is almost guaranteed to break the guard of any standard enemy, leaving them open for a finisher or a grapple.
The Spear is the Ultimate Broken Weapon
If you master the skills above, especially the Evasive Slash Counter Stance, and refine a powerful Spear, you are essentially holding the key to victory for most of the early to mid-game. Even if you are against using such broken mechanics, give it a go. It simplifies the game's complex crowd control and gives you the opportunity to better understand how to use every other skill at your disposal without getting swarmed by countless mobs.
This concludes our guide. For more help, visit our Crimson Desert Complete Walkthrough and Guides Hub.
Guide based on a 30+ hours playthrough in the PC version of the game. Screenshots captured from the same version.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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