Crimson Desert: How to Unlock a Dragon

by

Crimson Desert boasts a huge, expansive open world that’s fun to explore. It’s one of the largest game worlds created so far, and can feel daunting to travel across. Fortunately, the game provides several fast travel options, including riding horses, piloting a mech, and even soaring through the air on a dragon.

The dragon is considered one of the best ways to get around in the game. It lets you fly quickly across large areas and is incredibly effective at destroying enemy camps with its powerful fire breath. Unfortunately, the game doesn’t tell you how to actually obtain it.

Want to soar through the world on a dragon? This guide will show you how to unlock the dragon mount in Crimson Desert.

How to Unlock a Dragon in Crimson Desert

Players won’t get their first dragon until fairly late in Crimson Desert – Chapter 9. And you can’t even ride it right away! It doesn’t become a usable mount until Chapter 11, making it essentially an endgame reward for those nearing the game’s completion.

To unlock the dragon in Crimson Desert, you need to complete two parts of the main story. First, remove the spear from the flying dragon in Chapter 9. Then, advance to Chapter 11 and begin the main quest, “Foreboding Shadow: Whispers in the Wind.” During the Golden Star boss fight within that quest, the dragon will come to your rescue. You can’t miss either of these story moments.

How to Use the Dragon in Crimson Desert

Okay, so this dragon is amazing for getting around the map super quickly, but there are a few things you need to be aware of. First, it has a pretty long cooldown – a full 50 minutes, actually! And even when you can summon it, it only sticks around for 15 minutes at a time. Seriously, it’s a bit annoying that I can’t just have it out whenever I want, but that’s how it is.

Once you’ve unlocked the dragon in Crimson Desert, you can call it forth by holding down the D-Pad and choosing it from the menu. When the dragon appears, you can make it attack with Fireballs by pressing R1, and use its Fire Breath by pressing R2. Remember that both attacks use stamina, so watch your stamina bar to make sure you don’t run out!

While riding the dragon, players can dodge attacks by pressing the Circle button, causing it to perform a quick barrel roll. This uses stamina, but the dragon recovers stamina automatically while flying.

Subscribe for Dragon Mount Tips in Our Gaming Newsletter

Get more Crimson Desert strategies by subscribing to our newsletter — practical how-tos on unlocking and using mounts like the dragon, plus in-depth guides and tips to help you master traversal and combat in the game.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

To land the dragon, simply return to the ground and press the land button – that’s the Square button on a PlayStation.

I suggest saving the dragon for long-distance travel when fast travel isn’t available. It’s also great for quickly dealing with large groups of enemies that are overwhelming. Because the dragon has a cooldown, try to only use it when you really need to.

Read More

2026-03-23 16:39