Crimson Desert is already one of the densest open-world RPGs released this year, and Pearl Abyss is not slowing down. The Charting the Unknown DLC lands on October 29 across PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, and it is significantly larger in scope than the name suggests. This is not a story add-on with a few side quests. It is a structural expansion that adds an entirely new explorable region, overhauled housing construction, romance and marriage, business management, castle ownership, and a boss-rush challenge mode, all on top of three new character storylines.
Exploring Pywel's ocean depths
What does Charting the Unknown add to Crimson Desert?
Here's the short answer: a lot. The DLC expands the game in six distinct directions at once. Ocean exploration and shipbuilding represent the headline addition, but the housing overhaul, romance system, castle claiming, business management, and Garden of Trials are each substantial enough to carry a smaller expansion on their own.
The table below summarizes every confirmed feature and its unlock requirement.
| Feature | How to unlock |
|---|---|
| Ocean exploration and diving | Complete "Howling Hill" main story quest |
| Shipbuilding | Complete a related questline after setting up Greymane Camp |
| Upgraded housing system | Complete Luke's Request under "Grounds of the Sunrise" Greymanes Faction quest |
| Greymane Castles (3 available) | Complete main story and liberate each stronghold |
| Business management | Complete faction quest to liberate relevant region and set up Greymane Camp |
| Romance and marriage | Build trust with specific NPCs over time |
| Garden of Trials | Complete the main questline |
| New character storylines (Kliff, Oongka, Damiane) | Complete the main story, then access via Journal menu |
| Ocean-focused storyline | Complete "Howling Hill" from the main story |
Ocean exploration and shipbuilding
How does underwater diving work?
Once you have completed the Howling Hill quest, all three main characters, Kliff, Oongka, and Damiane, can dive into the Great Ocean of Pywel. No special conditions are required to enter the water, but breath is a finite resource. You will want to prepare gear like a diving suit to extend your time below the surface. Sunken ruins, treasure chests, new creatures, and new mounts are all waiting down there.
Ship construction at a Pywel port
How do you build a ship?
Shipbuilding unlocks through a related questline that becomes available after establishing your Greymane Camp at Howling Hill. Two methods exist once you are there:
- Send comrades on a ship-building dispatch mission at a port
- Purchase a vessel directly from a Fleet Office manager
Once you have a ship, you can customize it and set sail across the Great Ocean. Islands offer new strongholds to establish alongside your Greymane comrades, hostile factions to defeat, and rewards for venturing further from the mainland.
Housing, castles, and business management
What changed with the housing system?
The existing housing system gets a meaningful overhaul in Charting the Unknown. Players can now design their residence from the ground up, choosing the placement of walls, windows, and other structural elements rather than just placing furniture inside a preset shell. The upgraded housing system becomes available after setting up the Greymane Camp at Howling Hill and completing Luke's Request under the Grounds of the Sunrise Greymanes Faction quest.
For players who want something grander, three specific castles across Pywel can be claimed. Liberate each stronghold after finishing the main story and completing the relevant quests, then unlock missions that let you take ownership. Both the courtyards and interiors can be decorated with unique objects and furnishings. If you want more detail on the base game's decoration options before the DLC drops, the Crimson Desert housing guide covers the existing system thoroughly.
How does business management work?
Once you have liberated a region and set up your Greymane Camp, you can access various facilities across Pywel from the world map. The DLC lets you rent and manage different businesses, including a restaurant in Vellua and a smithy at Zargan Tankworks. You assign comrades and equipment, select goods to sell, and manage operations to grow recognition and profits.
Romance, marriage, and companion visits
Building trust with certain NPCs over time can progress into romance and eventually marriage for Kliff, Oongka, and Damiane. This is not a passive system. You need to actively interact with characters to deepen those relationships. The payoff extends to your camp: once the Greymane Camp reaches a certain upgrade level, companions you have grown close to may visit and spend time there, making the base feel less like a tactical hub and more like a home.
Romance system in Charting the Unknown
New storylines
Charting the Unknown adds four new storylines in total:
- Kliff's story (accessible via Journal menu after completing the main story)
- Oongka's story (same unlock condition)
- Damiane's story (same unlock condition)
- Ocean-focused storyline (unlocks after completing the Howling Hill main story quest)
The official description frames these as stories that span an ominous desert presence, a dangerous political conflict, a journey beyond time, and an ancient secret beneath the waves. Each character forges their own path with returning and new allies and enemies.
Garden of Trials: the boss gauntlet
Garden of Trials is Charting the Unknown's answer to players who want a pure combat challenge after finishing the story. It pits you against bosses encountered throughout your time in Pywel, one after another, in a successive gauntlet format. Completing the main questline is the only requirement to access it, and special rewards are available for clearing the challenge. If you need a refresher on any specific boss encounter before attempting the gauntlet, the Crimson Desert Chapter 4 walkthrough covers several of the tougher fights you will face.
Garden of Trials boss gauntlet
What's the context behind this DLC's size?
Pearl Abyss shipped 17 patches between the game's March 19 launch and August 12, adding more than 20 features, 120 new mounts and pets, and 70 new outfits, equipment pieces, and items. That pace makes Charting the Unknown feel less like a standalone add-on and more like the next chapter of an ongoing expansion of Pywel. Several systems the DLC builds on, including housing and combat challenges, already received multiple patch improvements before this expansion arrived.
For a broader look at what the base game delivers before you commit to the DLC, our full Crimson Desert review breaks down the strengths and rough edges in detail.
FAQ
Do you need to finish the main story to access Charting the Unknown content? Most of it, yes. The new character storylines, Garden of Trials, and castle claiming all require main story completion. Ocean exploration and shipbuilding unlock earlier, after the Howling Hill quest.
Can all three characters dive underwater? Yes. Kliff, Oongka, and Damiane can all dive. Breath management applies to all three, and gear like a diving suit extends the time limit.
What platforms is Charting the Unknown available on? PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, and the Epic Games Store.
Is there a pre-order bonus? Yes. Pre-ordering grants the Charter's Diving Set for Kliff and Oongka and the Charter's Light Diving Set for Damiane.
For more on Pywel's systems, check out the full Crimson Desert guides collection covering everything from research institutes to companion mechanics.
