The marketing for Crimson Desert, much like its game design philosophy, embraced an everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach. Prior to its launch, the game's previews showcased an impressive array of seemingly disparate features, resulting in a fascinating, albeit bewildering, promotional campaign. A notable highlight was the protagonist, Kliff, demonstrating the ability to domesticate a wide variety of creatures—including bears, wolves, dodo birds, dinosaurs, and even dragons—and use them as mounts.
Unleash Your Inner Beast Tamer, But Only Temporarily!
The Initial Enthusiasm and Subsequent Disappointment Regarding Mounts in Crimson Desert
Anticipating players were naturally thrilled by the prospect of commanding such a diverse collection of mountable creatures. However, following Crimson Desert's recent release, these same players, embodying the spirit of Kliff, have come to a disheartening realization: the game does not permit them to permanently acquire its more exotic mounts.
Temporary Mounts: A Fleeting Privilege in the World of Pywel
Regrettably, any instance where Kliff can utilize a mount more captivating than a standard horse is merely a transient experience. For example, bears can only be ridden for a brief period after they are vanquished in combat, and they revert to a hostile state the moment their rider dismounts. Similarly, the avian kuku, reminiscent of a dodo, can only be ridden for a limited duration after its original rider is subdued.
Dragon Riding and Stable Limitations: When Dreams Meet Reality
Furthermore, Kliff's dragon, a coveted reward obtainable late in the game, can only be summoned once every hour for a mere few minutes of fiery aerial maneuvers. Should players attempt to bring any non-equine creature to a stable, they will discover that stable masters are unwilling to accept these potential companions for permanent boarding.
Community Outcry: The Call for Permanent Exotic Mounts
Given the undeniable appeal of riding a bear over a horse, players are understandably quite frustrated that their aspirations of traversing the world atop creatures with more formidable diets than oats have been dashed. The level of unified disappointment from a new player base is remarkable, with numerous discussions on platforms like the Crimson Desert subreddit urging Pearl Abyss to reconsider their restrictive stance on fantasy mounts.
The Single-Player Conundrum: Why Not Allow Permanent Mounts?
As one Redditor aptly questioned, “In a solo game, who am I harming by stabling a bear?” While the practicalities of housing a bear alongside horses might raise some eyebrows, the sentiment highlights a valid point: in a single-player game, where is the disadvantage in granting players the freedom to enjoy a bear cavalry? Beyond the potential inconvenience to fictional stable hands, the impact on game balance in a non-MMO setting is minimal, unlike in a multiplayer environment such as Pearl Abyss’ Black Desert, where such abilities could create imbalances.
Hope for the Future: A Potential Shift in Mount Policy
Considering the widespread dissatisfaction among players regarding the current mount system, it would not be surprising to see some of these exotic mounts eventually become permanent fixtures, even if it means a rebalancing of their combat utility. In the interim, players can at least take solace in the adage that it is better to have briefly ridden a bear than to have never experienced the thrill at all.
