The Crimson Desert experience drastic changes depending on what input device players are using, and although the game itself recommends using a controller, so far, playing with a mouse and keyboard has proven to be a better option. Crimson Desert's control schemes are one of his biggest points of contention; some players are fine with the way the game controls while others aren't, and if you find yourself in the latter group, changing your input device might be the best solution.
Best Computer Settings for Crimson Desert (Optimization Guide)
Optimize Crimson Desert on PC with the best settings for increased performance, improved FPS and smoother gameplay across a wide range of specs.
Why use a mouse and keyboard over a controller in Crimson Desert?
Anyone who has played the game knows how cumbersome it is Crimson Desert's the controls are. Many actions require multiple simultaneous button inputsso the general gameplay is awkward, unintuitive, and downright annoying at times. Playing the game with a mouse and keyboard alleviates this problem by giving players easier access to the buttons they need to press as well as the ability to rebind the keys.
at the time of writing Crimson Desert does not allow driver key bindings.
Using the controller requires practice
Of course, whether you use a controller or a keyboard entirely up to personal preference. According to our experience using M&KB in Crimson Desert this makes combat less clunky, though some input combos (like F+RMB or Shift+MMB) feel foreign. At least if you play with a mouse and keyboard, you won't have to deal with using any weird claws you just need to make certain moves that require three button inputs.
However, keep in mind that even mouse and keyboard controls Crimson Desert it can sometimes be uncomfortable to use. For example, consuming healing items will make you reach for F3 by default, and there's a lot of tap/hold input to watch out for. Fortunately, the most pressed combat-related buttons don't stray too far from the typical WASD layout, and anything that doesn't sit well with you can always be bounced to the mouse's side buttons. Dodge, which is bound to Left Alt by default, is much better when bouncing on M4/M5.
Moves like Blind Flash can be confusing to use regardless of your input method. In such cases, practice is the only solution. There is no shortage of enemies in the countryside for advanced combat moves. Just ride a horse down any main road and you'll eventually run into bandits.
How to Change Keyboard Shortcuts in Crimson Desert (PC)
Hold down Esc/Start/Options to open the list of menu tabs on the right side of the screen. Then use the scroll wheel/D-Pad go to the Other tab. Here you will find the Options tab which contains the Settings button.
From the Settings menu, go to the Typing section and here you can reconnect your keys with your heart using the Shortcuts and Typing Settings option.. As mentioned, nothing can be overridden with the controllers, but if you're playing on PC, there are already mods that allow this. Fortunately, Pearl Abyss previously stated that they are trying to improve Crimson Desert's controls, and by the time such improvements take effect, all players should have a better experience with the game.
