Crimson Desert Character Customization Guide

No Initial Character Creator

Unlike many open-world RPGs, Crimson Desert does not offer a traditional character creator at the start of the game. Instead, players step into the shoes of pre-written protagonists, primarily Kliff, the central figure, with additional characters like Damiane and Oongka becoming playable as the story progresses. Kliff, for example, has a fixed face, body, and voice, meaning his fundamental appearance cannot be altered from the outset. The game's approach to character identity is often compared to titles like The Witcher 3, where players embody a defined character rather than creating one from scratch.

Unlocking Customization Features

While a full character creator is absent, Crimson Desert provides two comprehensive in-game customization systems: the Barber and the Dye system. Both of these are not immediately available and require significant progression through the game's main story and faction quests to unlock.

To unlock the Barber, players must recruit a Greymane comrade named Eric. This process involves completing the quest "A Rumor at the Inksworth Bindery," which is part of the "Grounds of the Sunrise" storyline under the Greymanes Faction Quests. This quest becomes accessible after players have completed their third camp expansion, which unlocks at the conclusion of the "Gathered Will" storyline. Specific steps include completing the first 25 quests in the "Grounds of the Sunrise" storyline, followed by "Rumors of Comrades," "The Greymanes' Cabin," and "New Information" before Eric's recruitment quest appears. Some sources indicate that completing "The Greymanes' Cabin" and reuniting with Morrow is key to unlocking the Barber. The entire unlocking process can take approximately 20-30 hours of gameplay. Once Eric is recruited, he establishes his shop at the Greymane Camp, typically located between the Provisioner's Shop and the Quartermaster. Customization sessions at the Barber cost 1 Silver.

The Barber Shop: Personalizing Your Protagonist

The Barber Shop allows players to personalize the appearance of Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka in several ways. While core facial and body features remain fixed, players can modify various aesthetic elements:

It's important to note that these customizations are purely aesthetic and do not impact gameplay or combat abilities.

The Dye System: Armor and Gear

Alongside the Barber, the Dye system offers another layer of personalization. Located at the Dyehouse within the Greymane Camp, this system enables players to recolor various in-game assets. This includes every piece of armor and weaponry, as well as gear for your horse and War Robot. This allows players to express their aesthetic preferences beyond simply swapping different armor sets.

Community Mods for Expanded Creation

Despite the game's lack of a native full character creator, the Crimson Desert modding community has developed solutions to expand customization options. Mods are available that effectively transform the in-game barber feature into a more comprehensive character creator, allowing players to customize aspects like gender, facial presets, and a wider array of hairstyles. These community-made tools, often found on platforms like Nexus Mods, offer options like numerous face presets and hairstyles, and even voice mods. While not officially supported, these mods provide an avenue for players seeking a more traditional character creation experience.