Crimson Desert: Unlock the True Ending Guide

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All Endings in Crimson Desert: How to Unlock the True Ending

Crimson Desert offers two distinct endings that significantly alter the conclusion of Kliff's story and the fate of the Pywel continent. The Standard Ending is the default outcome, while the True Ending requires completing specific side content and making a crucial choice during the game's climax. This guide details how to achieve both endings and highlights all missable content.

Spoiler warning: This guide discusses major plot points, including the final chapter. Proceed with caution if you wish to avoid spoilers.

Ending Overview

The Standard Ending occurs when Kliff confronts and defeats the Crimson Arbiter atop the Spire of Ruin. Without meeting the True Ending prerequisites, Kliff must use his own Abyss Core to destroy the Arbiter, sacrificing himself. This ending awards the A New Dawn story trophy.

The True Ending fundamentally changes the final confrontation. If all requirements are met, a dialogue option appears during the Crimson Arbiter battle, allowing Kliff to channel the power of the Sealed Abyss Artifacts instead of sacrificing himself. This option is only available if the game flags three conditions as met. Kliff survives, and the ending cinematic is extended, showing the reconstruction of Gaiast, individual epilogues for major companions, and a final scene setting up future stories. This ending awards The Path Unseen trophy and unlocks the post-ending Sealed Sanctum content.

Standard Ending

The Standard Ending is the default outcome and requires only completing the main story through Chapter 8. The final battle with the Crimson Arbiter is a three-phase boss fight. Phase 1 is melee combat, Phase 2 involves ranged attacks and environmental interaction against a massive abyssal creature, and Phase 3 is close-quarters combat with an Abyss corruption mechanic that drains health. At the end of Phase 3, Kliff must use his Abyss Core for a mutual destruction, ending the Abyssal threat at the cost of his life. The ending cinematic is approximately eight minutes long, showing each companion's reaction and the dawn of a new era for Pywel. You return to a post-game save just before the final boss.

True Ending Requirements

The True Ending has three strict requirements that must all be fulfilled before entering Chapter 7:

Mercenary Brotherhood Questline: Complete this seven-quest chain starting with Commander Halvard at the Brotherhood Hall in Gaiast during Chapter 2. The final quest, Brothers in Arms, concludes with defending the Brotherhood Hall and must be completed before the Siege of Gaiast story mission begins. This questline teaches Kliff the Abyss Channeling technique.
Abyss Scholar Questline: Collect all 12 Sealed Abyss Artifacts and deliver them to the Abyss Artisan. This questline technically begins in Chapter 5 with Abyss Sight, but artifacts are accessible from Chapter 2 onward. The final artifact is in the Frozen Abyss dungeon, cleared during Chapter 6. Delivering all artifacts teaches Kliff how to resonate with their power.
Eileen's Memory Questline: Complete this personal side story exploring Eileen's past and connection to the Abyssal corruption. It begins when you find Eileen's Locket in the Ruins of Ashenmoor during Chapter 3 and involves five quests where you help Eileen recover her memories. The final quest, Echoes of Tomorrow, takes place at Eileen's childhood home in Ashenvale and must be completed before Chapter 7. This questline reveals the Arbiter's true nature and provides knowledge for an alternative to self-sacrifice.