Blackstar Dragon in Crimson Desert: The beautiful thing about Crimson Desert is that there are many moments to remember, but none like flying around the skies on the powerful Blackstar Dragon. This massive fire-breathing wyvern hooked into players’ minds from its very first release in the initial trailer. But it’s not something that will happen after the first few hours. Patience, story progression and careful preparation are necessary.
Let’s say you don’t know how to unlock the Blackstar Dragon, how the flight system works, and if the “infinite flight” feature is indeed feasible; this is the guide for you. While this may be a reference for those new to the game or for those getting ready for the final chapters, here is a full list of the most powerful mount in the Crimson Desert.
What Is the Blackstar Dragon?
The Blackstar Dragon (Abyssal Dragon) is the highest-level flying mount in Crimson Desert. Blackstar differs from other ground mounts like horses in that players can soar through the air with devastating fire attacks against their enemies.
In addition to its unparalleled aerial mobility, the dragon evolves into an integral and valuable component of the main story of the adventure, one of the most valuable in the entire game.
When Do You Unlock the Blackstar Dragon?
The Black Star Dragon won’t be available early in the game. Rather, players will have to go through the main story to unlock permanent access.
The adventure starts with Blackstar in the Shattered Stars questline of Chapter 9. You interact with the dragon for a short time, but can’t permanently ride the dragon at this phase.
The actual unlock is much further along in Chapter 11 for the quest Foreboding Shadow: Whispers in the Wind. With the completion of all of the main story events and defeating the Golden Star boss encounter, Blackstar becomes your permanent mount in a story cutscene. Unless you keep going with the main campaign, you cannot miss this unlock.
Prepare Before the Chapter 9 Sequence
Many players make the mistake of not taking their characters’ stamina into account. You can only do the riding sequence in Chapter 9 after achieving Stamina Level 5. It’s a mandatory requirement to use the aerial manoeuvre to mount Blackstar, which will drain 200 Stamina.
If the stamina is not high enough, it can’t be completed successfully, and the player must improve the character before then.
How to Ride Blackstar for the First Time
The dragon is introduced in the Chapter 9 quest, where players are called upon to undergo a tame script.
The fundamental steps are:
- Stay on the rooftops until Blackstar gets close.
- Jump off the platform and glide towards the dragon.
- Apply the grapple ability to achieve a backflip.
- Finish the ‘Flight’ movement with ‘Stamina’.
- Keep the resistance prompt while performing the dragon movements.
- Purify Blackstar, who is corrupted by the brand Focused Force Palm.
This is a very memorable moment in your film, but you still need to go through the story before you can gain permanent access.
Chapter 11 Gives You Permanent Access
The actual point of the game comes in during Chapter 11. In Foreboding Shadow: Whispers in the Wind, the player fights the mechanical dragon called “Golden Star” as they make their way through the game.
Eventually, Blackstar enters the fray, and an air duel ensues. After the battle has concluded and the story returns to the Nest of Valour, the dragon is now yours for life. Blackstar is a direct reward of the main story, so once you complete Chapter 11, you’ll get Blackstar too.
How to Summon the Blackstar Dragon
Unlocking the dragon will be easy once unlocked. To open the mount wheel, hold the summon button and select Blackstar. The enormous wyvern then flies down from the sky to land close by, poised to fly.
Flying the Blackstar Dragon
Flying Blackstar is a much different experience than riding traditional mounts. Players are not restricted to any flight paths, and have complete control over their altitude and direction. By looking up, the dragon will ascend in flight, and by looking down, the dragon will dive and gain much in its speed of flight.
The dive-bombing move is one of the fastest in the game, and travelling long-distance by dive-bombing across Pywel is much faster than walking or riding horses.
Powerful Combat While in the Air
Blackstar isn’t limited to exploration. It is also used during combat as a deadly weapon. Ranged attacks will include powerful Fireballs, and close-ranged attacks will include devastating Firebreath. Barrel rolls are used defensively for moving around, and a dive attack is used offensively for moving quickly around in battle.
It’s crucial to deal with stamina because Fire Breath consumes stamina much faster than normal fireball attacks. Using both abilities in a sequence is a better attacking rhythm.
Understanding the 15-Minute Flight Limit
A very controversial mechanic is Blackstar’s ability to only fly for a certain amount of time. Summons will take about 15 minutes in real time. After this time, the dragon vanishes and goes into a 50-minute cooldown.
At this time, there is no way to shorten this cooldown in the game. This is why many veteran players prefer to use Blackstar in their long-distance missions, challenging combat or significant exploration missions rather than for smaller conflicts.
How to get Infinite Dragon Flight?
Players want to find ways to get rid of the cooldown. PC users can use community-made mods, which can remove the cooldown completely, while also providing longer rides and an option for infinite stamina.
But for those who prefer to play the standard game, there are still ways to make the most out of dragon play to stay time flying longer. This does not allow infinite flight but does make for a smoother flight in the air without changing the game.
Important Restrictions to Remember
While Blackstar is extremely capable, there are a few drawbacks to its use. The dragon will not appear in the Abyss and will be dismissed if he goes into the Abyss.
Also, when Blackstar’s health hits 0 during battle, it will take the cooldown period to recover to 100% before being summoned again. Planning each flight carefully helps maximise its effectiveness.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Q1. How to unlock Blackstar Dragon in Crimson Desert
Blackstar will be permanently unlocked at the end of the main story quest, Foreboding Shadow: Whispers in the Wind, in Chapter 11.
Q2. How many stamina points does it take to ride Blackstar?
The aerial manoeuvre will take 200 stamina, so you have to achieve Stamina Level 5 to complete the riding sequence in Chapter 9.
Q3. What’s the maximum time it’ll take me to fly the Blackstar Dragon?
Each summon lasts for around 15 minutes, after which you will have a cooldown of 50 minutes in real time.
Q4. Is there any possibility of using the Blackstar Dragon in the Abyss?
No. Blackstar can not be summoned in the Abyss and will disappear automatically when entering the area while riding on it.
Q5. How to unlock unlimited Blackstar flights?
Limited flights in the standard game. Community-made mods are available for PC players, and more advanced aerial flight manoeuvres for regular players help maximise flight time.
Disclaimer: This guide is based on the information available at the time of writing. Gameplay mechanics, flight duration, cooldown timers, and other features may change through future Crimson Desert updates or patches. Always refer to the latest official game updates for the most accurate information.
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