TL;DR
- Press D-Pad Left (controller) or T (PC/keyboard) to sheathe your weapon.
- Press D-Pad Left twice for a stylish slow sheathe animation — same result, looks cooler.
- To go fully unarmed, hold D-Pad Left (controller) or F2 (PC) and select Plain Gloves from the weapon slot wheel.
- Unarmed combat is a real skill tree with up to 5 levels — not just a mini-game requirement.
- Some NPC interactions won’t trigger while your weapon is drawn — sheathe first if something isn’t working.
- In certain restricted town areas, you can’t draw or sheathe weapons at all — it’s automatic.
Running around Crimson Desert with your sword out is a habit worth breaking fast. Guards in settlements watch you closely. One accidental swing near an NPC and a big red circle appears on your map — that’s a bounty on Kliff’s head, and it grows the more damage you do. Some NPCs with quests will simply refuse to talk to you while you’re armed.
Knowing how to sheathe your weapon quickly is one of those small things that makes the whole game run smoother. And going fully unarmed is a separate system that opens up mini-games, special interactions, and a dedicated combat style worth investing in.
Here’s everything you need to know.
How to Sheathe (Put Away) Your Weapon in Crimson Desert
Sheathing your weapon is a single button press — the same button draws it again if you want it back out.
| Platform | Button |
|---|---|
| PS5 / Xbox Series | D-Pad Left (once) |
| PC / Keyboard | T |
That’s the quick sheathe. Kliff snaps the weapon away fast and you’re ready to interact with NPCs, use objects, or just walk through town without drawing attention.
The Stylish Double-Tap Sheathe
If you press D-Pad Left twice on a controller, Kliff performs a slower, more dramatic sheathe animation — he twirls the blade and handle before putting it away. It looks great. It is slower. Same end result, just with more flair. Good for screenshots, not ideal mid-conversation.
Why You Need to Sheathe Your Weapon
A lot of Crimson Desert’s interactions are blocked while you have your weapon drawn:
- Quest NPCs may refuse to speak to you. If you arrive at a marker and nothing happens, sheathe your weapon and try again — this fixes the issue most of the time.
- Environmental interactions — doors, chests, switches — often require Kliff to be unarmed before the prompt appears.
- Mini-games including wrestling, arm wrestling, and other activities require you to be fully unarmed before they’ll start.
- Bounty risk — One accidental swing near a friendly NPC triggers a search circle and a bounty. Having your weapon sheathed removes that risk entirely while you’re in settlements.
Tip: In certain restricted zones inside towns, Crimson Desert automatically prevents you from drawing or sheathing your weapon at all. If you try to sheathe and nothing happens, you’re likely in one of these areas. It’s intentional — not a bug.
How to Become Fully Unarmed in Crimson Desert
Sheathing your weapon and being unarmed are two different things in Crimson Desert. Sheathing just puts the weapon on your back. Unarmed means Kliff has no weapon equipped at all — fists and kicks only.
You don’t need to dig through your inventory and manually unequip everything. There’s a quick weapon wheel shortcut:
| Platform | Input |
|---|---|
| PS5 / Xbox Series | Hold D-Pad Left → Select Plain Gloves (slot to the left of your sword) |
| PC / Keyboard | Hold F2 → Select Plain Gloves (slot to the left of your sword) |
Hold the button (don’t tap — tap just sheathes). The weapon wheel opens. The Plain Gloves slot sits directly to the left of your primary weapon slot. Select it and Kliff swaps into unarmed stance immediately.
To go back to your sword and shield, just open the wheel again and select your weapon.
Unarmed Combat Is More Than Just a Mini-Game Requirement
This is the part most guides skip over — and it’s worth knowing before you dismiss the unarmed stance as something only used for wrestling mini-games.
Crimson Desert has a full Unarmed Combat skill tree that can be leveled from 1 to 5 using Abyss Artifacts. Each level unlocks a deeper set of moves:
- Level 1 — Basic punch and kick combos, short chains
- Level 2–3 — Grappling techniques, ground-and-pound sequences
- Level 4–5 — Trip kicks, throws, finishing moves, full barehanded combo strings
The moveset is inspired by martial arts and pro-wrestling. Kick animations were motion-captured from actual Taekwondo practitioners. At Level 5, you have enough variety to fight full encounters without drawing a weapon.
Even if you don’t invest heavily in the skill tree, some kicks and grapples from the unarmed kit carry over into weapon combos. You’ll use them naturally without realizing it. And importantly — switching from armed to unarmed mid-combo doesn’t break your attack chain. Crimson Desert’s combat system is built for fluid transitions.
One thing to watch: unarmed combo chains burn through Stamina faster than most weapon attacks. Keep reserves for dodges and blocks, especially against tougher enemies.
If you want to upgrade your combat capabilities further, check out our guide on how to upgrade weapons and armor in Crimson Desert.
When You’ll Actually Use the Unarmed Stance
Here are the main situations where going unarmed in Crimson Desert matters:
Mini-games — Wrestling, arm wrestling, and other physical challenges scattered across settlements require you to be unarmed before they’ll start. Equip Plain Gloves before approaching the NPC running the activity.
Certain quest interactions — A few NPCs and quest triggers specifically check whether you’re armed. The game usually tells you, but sheathing or going unarmed is the fix when a prompt doesn’t appear.
Bounty avoidance inside settlements — Going unarmed in busy NPC areas is the safest way to guarantee no accidental bounty from a misclick. Combined with sheathing, it removes all weapon-related risk while you’re socializing.
Dedicated combat build — If you invest Abyss Artifacts into the unarmed skill tree, going barehanded becomes a legitimate and effective fighting style, not just a utility mode.
Want to see how the full combat system fits together? Read our Crimson Desert review for a detailed breakdown.
Full Controls Reference
Here’s a quick reference for all weapon management inputs:
| Action | PS5 / Xbox | PC / Keyboard |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Sheathe Weapon | D-Pad Left (once) | T |
| Stylish Sheathe | D-Pad Left (twice) | — |
| Open Weapon Wheel | Hold D-Pad Left | Hold F2 |
| Go Unarmed (Plain Gloves) | Hold D-Pad Left → Plain Gloves | Hold F2 → Plain Gloves |
| Return to Sword | Hold D-Pad Left → Sword | Hold F2 → Sword |
Other Helpful Crimson Desert Guides
- How to change the time of day in Crimson Desert
- How to solve the Abyss Without Balance puzzle in Crimson Desert
- How to enter Hernand Castle in Crimson Desert
- How to steal items in Crimson Desert
- How to fast travel in Crimson Desert
- How to increase inventory space in Crimson Desert
- How to complete Renee’s Request in Crimson Desert
- How to complete Rhett’s Request in Crimson Desert
- How to get and use Palmar Pills in Crimson Desert
- How to get iron ore in Crimson Desert
- How to get a dragon in Crimson Desert
- How to get Crimson Desert Twitch drops
- How to ascend Lioncrest Watchtower in Crimson Desert
- Crimson Desert Reunion Quest Walkthrough
- How to claim pre-order and Deluxe Edition items in Crimson Desert
Where to Get Crimson Desert
FAQs
Q: How do I put away my weapon in Crimson Desert?
A: Press D-Pad Left once on a controller, or press T on keyboard/PC. This quickly sheathes your weapon. For a stylish slow animation, press D-Pad Left twice — same result, just cooler looking.
Q: How do I become unarmed in Crimson Desert?
A: Hold D-Pad Left (controller) or F2 (PC) to open the weapon wheel, then select the Plain Gloves slot to the left of your primary weapon. This switches Kliff into a fully unarmed stance without needing to go into your inventory.
Q: Why won’t an NPC talk to me in Crimson Desert?
A: Your weapon is likely drawn. Sheathe it by pressing D-Pad Left or T, then approach the NPC again. Many quest NPCs and interactive objects require Kliff to be unarmed or have his weapon put away before they respond.
Q: Can you fight unarmed in Crimson Desert?
A: Yes — unarmed combat is a full skill tree that can be leveled from 1 to 5 using Abyss Artifacts. Higher levels unlock grapples, throws, kick combos, and finishing moves. At max level, you can complete full fights without ever drawing a weapon. Kicks and grapples can also be woven into armed weapon combos naturally.
Q: What happens if I accidentally swing my weapon at an NPC in Crimson Desert?
A: A large red circle appears around your location — this is the guard search area — and a bounty is placed on Kliff. The bounty increases with further damage. To prevent this, keep your weapon sheathed while in settlements. If you get a bounty, leave the search area quickly or surrender to the guards to pay it off.
