Axiom Force is the telekinetic ability at the center of Crimson Desert's puzzle design. Pearl Abyss built the game's Abyss sections around it, and the skill shows up constantly from the early quests all the way through boss encounters like the Crimson Nightmare. The controls feel unintuitive at first, especially on a keyboard, but once the inputs click they become second nature. This guide covers everything: how to unlock it, the exact button inputs across all platforms, what the upgrades do, and how to clear the Abyss Without Balance quest step by step.
How do you unlock Axiom Force in Crimson Desert?
You get Axiom Force automatically during the Polar Opposites quest inside an Abyss Nexus. A mysterious bird triggers the unlock, so there is nothing to buy or grind for — just progress the main story to that point. The skill is required to complete the first Abyss puzzle in the Abyss Without Balance quest, so the game hands it to you right when you need it.
Once unlocked, the basic version sits as the first red node in the Skills tab. Upgrading it requires Abyss Artifacts, which you collect by completing Abyss challenges and puzzles throughout the game.
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Build your stamina before spending Abyss Artifacts on Axiom Force upgrades. Every Axiom Force action drains stamina, and running out mid-puzzle is frustrating.
Full Axiom Force Controls: PS5, Xbox, and PC
The controls differ enough between platforms that it's worth laying them out clearly. After testing all three input methods, the controller versions feel more natural for object rotation, while keyboard and mouse give you finer aiming precision.
PS5 controls
Xbox controls
PC controls
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When you aim Axiom Force, watch the grapple color. A blue grapple means the target object can be grabbed. If it stays another color, reposition your aim before releasing.How to upgrade Axiom Force
The base skill only covers grabbing, pushing, and pulling. The two sub-skills are where Axiom Force becomes genuinely useful for traversal.
- Aerial Swing: Locks onto an anchor point and lets you swing across gaps. Spend Abyss Artifacts to unlock this from the Skills tab after grabbing the base node.
- Aerial Maneuver: A double-tap aerial launch that covers vertical distance quickly. Unlocked the same way, from the same skill tree branch.
Both sub-skills appear as nodes branching off the main Axiom Force entry in the Skills tab. The game doesn't push you toward them early, but unlocking them as soon as you have spare Abyss Artifacts pays off significantly when you start hitting the more open traversal sections.
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The game has long stretches between Abyss puzzles. If you forget the controls, come back to this guide — the inputs are easy to lose track of, especially the rotation commands on PC.
How to solve the Abyss Without Balance quest puzzles
This is the first major Axiom Force test in Crimson Desert and where most players get stuck. The puzzle has two distinct sections.
Step 1: The Polar Opposites tile puzzle
Two round tiles sit in front of a sealed door. Grab each one with Axiom Force and rotate it until the blue pipe line connects through both tiles. On a controller, use the right stick to rotate after grabbing. On PC, use the mouse scroll wheel. The connection completes when the line runs unbroken, which opens the door ahead.
Step 2: Restoring the Abyss
This section has several sub-steps:
- Pass through the forcefield triangle and interact with the precision switch using Axiom Force.
- Adjust the Skybridge Alignment Device dial until the alignment activates the skybridge.
- Cross the skybridge by jumping platform to platform.
- Grab the floating power core (the blue-ish cube) with Axiom Force and carry it to the lantern. Position it directly over the designated spot.
- Learn Force Palm from the figure nearby, then use it to lock the core into place.
- Climb the big dial and use Force Palm at its center to activate it.
Completing these steps finishes Abyss Without Balance and rewards you with an Abyss Artifact.
What else can Axiom Force do outside of puzzles?
The skill isn't limited to puzzle rooms. A few practical uses worth knowing:
- Boss fights: Certain bosses have interactable objects or environmental hazards that Axiom Force can manipulate, including the Crimson Nightmare encounter.
- Traversal: Once you have Aerial Swing and Aerial Maneuver, Axiom Force becomes a movement tool that lets you cross gaps and scale structures that would otherwise require long detours.
- Iron Pot Sealing: After completing The Pot's Use quest in Chapter 4, you gain the ability to seal items inside the Iron Pot using Axiom Force. This opens up a separate set of interactions beyond standard push and pull.
For more on Crimson Desert's systems and mechanics, browse more guides covering everything from boss strategies to crafting.