Crimson Desert’s first paid expansion, Charting the Unknown, added fully explorable underwater regions beneath the Great Ocean of Pywel, but players need a diving suit to breathe long enough to explore them. Pearl Abyss released the $24.99 DLC on October 29 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, after delaying it two weeks from its original October 15 date for additional polish.
Key points
- Pre-ordering Crimson Desert's Charting the Unknown DLC grants the Charter's Diving Set for Kliff and Oongka and the Charter's Light Diving Set for Damiane.
- The Charter's suit raises max breathing by 120 and adds a 2% swim speed multiplier per piece, letting players stay underwater about four minutes.
- Players who skipped the pre-order can buy a standard diving suit from Sulivan's Relic Exchange at Demeniss port using Shattered Ancient Relics.
- The standard suit only adds 60 max breathing, giving roughly two minutes underwater, half of the pre-order version.
- The Propulsion Breathing Device and its enhanced version, found in the Dead Coral Sea and South Sea, extend breathing by 600 and 900 respectively.
The diving suit matters because underwater exploration is new to Crimson Desert, and staying submerged drains a breath meter fast without the right gear. Pearl Abyss built multiple paths to get one, so players who skipped the pre-order are not locked out of ocean content.
Claiming the Charter’s Diving Set From a Pre-Order
Anyone who pre-ordered Charting the Unknown already owns the best diving gear in the game. The pre-order bonus includes the Charter’s Diving Set for playable characters Kliff and Oongka, plus the Charter’s Light Diving Set for Damiane. To claim it, launch the game, pause, open the Others tab, select Add-ons under the Options sub-category, and redeem the set. All eight pieces land directly in the inventory and can be equipped right away.
The Charter’s Diving Helm and Suit each add 120 to max breathing, so wearing both brings a combined 240-point boost. That translates to roughly four straight minutes underwater before needing to surface. The Gloves and Boots each carry a 2% swim speed multiplier, stacking to a 4% speed increase across the full set.
Buying a Diving Suit Without a Pre-Order
Pearl Abyss did not lock underwater exploration behind the pre-order bonus. Players without the Charter’s set can buy a standard diving suit, known in some guides as the Marine Charter’s Diving Suit, from Sulivan’s Relic Exchange shop at Demeniss port. That shop is separate from the NPC who sells ships in the game. Inside, selecting Buy brings up both the Marine Charter’s Diving set and the Marine Charter’s Light Diving set, purchasable with Shattered Ancient Relics rather than regular currency. Kliff and Oongka wear the standard diving set, while Damiane uses the light version, mirroring how the pre-order gear is split.
The catch is a smaller breathing boost. The purchasable suit raises max breathing by only 60, giving players about two minutes underwater, half of what the pre-order Charter’s set provides. It is still enough to reach nearby wrecks, reefs and treasure chests without constant trips back to the surface.
Diving In and Extending Time Underwater
Reaching the ocean floor requires no prior skill or unlock. Once in the sea, pressing the Dive button sends the character underwater immediately, though breath still runs out quickly without equipped gear. Players should equip either the Charter’s Diving Suit or the Marine Charter’s Diving Suit before diving to make exploration worthwhile. Beyond the suits, Pearl Abyss scattered items across the new regions that stretch dive time further, according to guides covering the DLC’s Charting the Unknown content.
- Propulsion Breathing Device: found in a treasure chest in the Dead Coral Sea, adds 600 to max breathing.
- Enhanced Propulsion Breathing Device: crafted from a blueprint inside an underwater pyramid in the South Sea, adds 900 to max breathing.
- Ocean Drifter Mount: found in a treasure chest in the South Sea, increases underwater swimming speed.
Pearl Abyss also built out longer-term progression tied to diving, including suit refinement that permanently raises breath capacity, breath-restoring food items, and underwater gear for the A.T.A.G vehicle. None of these replace the base suit, but they stack on top of it for players who want to push further into the Great Ocean of Pywel.
Why the Underwater Content Arrived Now
Charting the Unknown is the first paid expansion for a game that has sold more than six million copies since its March launch. Since then, Pearl Abyss has pulled generative AI art from the title, patched the story, added cross-save support and shipped an Enhanced Version last month. At $24.99, the expansion is a modest bet that adds new storylines, ocean exploration, romance options, stronghold management and boss rush modes alongside the diving mechanics, according to the official DLC announcement on Xbox Wire. PlayStation Plus Premium and Deluxe subscribers, along with Xbox Series X|S owners, can also try the Enhanced Version free for five hours as part of the launch promotion.
