Crimson Desert Guide | How to Use Item Abilities

Here’s a guide on how to use Item Abilities in Crimson Desert.

Game Guide by TauxicPandA on Mar 20, 2026

There is a slight clumsy feeling when going through the menus in Crimson Desert since it is one thing to wear something and another to actually use its abilities. In order to achieve maximum out of the gear, you should learn how to switch between your equipment and your functions.

Crimson Desert, Guide, How to Use Item Abilities

Equipping and Using Items

Stuff you are carrying is divided into two separate wheels. One is the Armor Wheel and the other is Weapon Wheel . Here is where you cycle through the outfit you are in at the moment.

As an instance, when you wear some equipment such as the Sunshine Circlet or Master Du's Circlet, you have merely equipped it. To use these items, one will not activate their special powers by merely pressing attack buttons while they are on.

In order to use an item, you have to open the Function Wheel, which is assigned to the right on the D-pad. Your healing wheel is this one. When this wheel is open, cycle to the item that you are wearing in Crimson Desert.

A button combination, such as L2 and R2 (LT and RT) will be displayed on the screen. Press that combo and then release it right away in order to make the power work.

By pressing the buttons inappropriately long, the interface can become disorganized and cause regular attacks instead.

Crimson Desert, Guide, How to Use Item Abilities

Item Abilities and Passives

The powerful effects can be triggered using the Function Wheel. As an example, when you turn on Forest's Breath, you will be able to see some herbs and flowers around. The game contains dozens of these items, and numerous of them possess active abilities of the greatest power.

Remember that there are those items which are passive. You will be aware whether an item is passive or not by the fact that it will not present any button prompts on the Function Wheel.

In the latter, you just have to maintain them equipped so that you enjoy their benefits in Crimson Desert.

It is necessary to equip most of your special gear, however, in the Armor Wheel before you can find it and use it in the Function Wheel.

Also, check our Crimson Desert Review and other guides below: