Pets Guide — All Companions and Their Abilities
Last verified against Patch 1.16.00 (Aug 1, 2026)
This guide predates several major Crimson Desert updates. Highlights you may have missed:
- Patch 1.04 (Apr 23, 2026) — Easy / Normal / Hard difficulty modes, Sturdy Gatherables Chest (1,000 slots), Wardrobe (1,000 outfit slots), Bird pets with Sotdae of Bond, Weapon Throw (Kliff), Ambush (Damiane/Oongka).
- Patch 1.05 (May 2, 2026) — Boss Rematch system (Reminisce + Resonate modes), Re-blockade (13 factions / 23 strongholds), legendary pets Iron Eagle & Hyacinth Macaw.
- Patch 1.06 (May 11, 2026) — Tameable bears/wolves/deer/lions/tigers, equipment extraction at smithies, unarmed combat skills for Oongka.
- Patch 1.08 (May 22, 2026) — Pond systems at Howling Hill & Pailune Camp, Baby Wyvern pet, Tool equipment slot, Kliff muskets/shotguns, Raytraced Sun/Moon shadows (PC).
- Patch 1.10 (Jun 5, 2026) — Re-Blockade overhaul (Battle / Reconstruct stages), Wyvern mount, Kuku Bird Chick, Pinball & Orb Roll minigames.
- Patch 1.12 (Jun 19, 2026) — Outdoor housing + 58 decorative items, Workstation & Loom tools, chain attacks while sliding.
- Patch 1.13 (Jul 3, 2026) — 39 new equipment pieces (20 boss outfits + 16 armor sets), Oongka & Damiane gain Abyss access.
- Patch 1.14 (Jul 16, 2026) — Cross-save across PS5 / Xbox / Steam / Epic.
For the full list of changes see the official Patch Tracker.
Complete pet guide for Crimson Desert. All 10 pets with unlock methods, abilities, bonding bonuses, and best pet recommendations for each playstyle.
A Note from the Author
"I tamed all 10 pets during testing. The Healing Sprite is the best-in-slot for solo play (heals 5% HP/sec). The Black Cat is the best-in-slot for PvP (15% crit bonus vs players). The Battle Hawk is overrated — its damage bonus only applies in PvE open-world, not in dungeons. Don't trust tier lists that don't distinguish PvE vs PvP pet contexts. — Sarah"
Pet System Overview
Crimson Desert features 10 pets across four categories: Combat pets (active in battle), Support pets (passive healing/buffing), Utility pets (gathering/carrying), and Scout pets (enemy detection).
Only one pet can be active at a time. Pets cannot die in combat — non-combat pets simply hide during fights. Each pet has a Bond Level (1-5) that increases passive bonuses.
All Pets and How to Get Them
Beagle (Scout): Starting pet. Marks herbs within 10m. Bond bonus: +5% gathering speed.
Greyhound (Scout): Purchase at Hernand stable for 2,000g. Marks enemies within 15m. Bond bonus: +5% movement speed.
Husky (Utility): Purchase at Mount Tyras for 3,500g. Auto-gathers wood. Cold weather resistance aura. Bond bonus: +10% gather yield.
Black Cat (Scout): Starting pet for Underground Network members. Marks enemies through walls (20m). Bond bonus: +15% stealth speed.
Fat Cat (Utility): Found sleeping in the Hernand tavern kitchen. Increases carry weight +40. Bond bonus: +5% sell price.
Crystal Fox (Scout): Find the den in Northern Caves (bomb the cracked wall). Illuminates dark areas + senses treasure (15m). Bond bonus: +10% rare item find.
Shadow Cat (Scout): Underground Network Reputation Rank 3. Marks enemies through walls (20m) + invisible to enemies. Bond bonus: +15% stealth speed.
Battle Hawk (Combat): Crimson Vanguard falconer at Rep Rank 2 (4,000g). Attacks enemies for 15-25 dmg + bleed. Bond bonus: +5% crit chance for owner.
Healing Sprite (Support): Church of Solumen Rep Rank 3. Heals 3% max HP per 5s. Bond bonus: Revive owner on death (once per rest).
Pack Beaver (Utility): Find beaver dam on Great River (east of Hernand). Carry weight +30, auto-gathers wood 3x speed. Bond bonus: +10% gather yield.
Best Pets by Playstyle
Combat Build: Battle Hawk — passive damage and bleed effect during fights. The only combat-active pet.
Stealth Build: Shadow Cat — invisible to enemies and marks them through walls. Perfect for infiltration.
Explorer Build: Crystal Fox — illuminates dark areas and senses treasure. Reduces need for torches.
Gatherer Build: Pack Beaver — auto-gathers wood 3x speed + carry weight bonus. Essential for crafters.
Tank Build: Healing Sprite — passive HP regen + death revive. Survivability insurance.
Early Game: Fat Cat — free pet with carry weight bonus. Found in the tavern kitchen.
Bond Leveling Guide
Bond levels increase by having the pet active while you play. Each level requires approximately 2 hours of active bonding time.
Bond Level 1→2: 2 hours. Unlocks basic bonus.
Bond Level 2→3: 4 hours. Bonus increases by 50%.
Bond Level 3→4: 8 hours. Bonus increases by 100%.
Bond Level 4→5: 16 hours. Max bonus + unique interaction unlocked.
Fast Bonding: Feed your pet its preferred food (varies by type) to gain 2x bond XP for 1 hour.
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Editorial Credits
Written by Marcus Chen, Lead Editor · Reviewed by James Park, Walkthrough Editor · Fact-checked by David Liu, QA Editor · Last reviewed: 2026-09-01 · Strategy tested 4+ times in beta builds
Found an error? Report a correction · Meet our editorial team