Overview
Matthias is one of the first fights in Crimson Desert that actually demands something from you. He's not some towering creature or supernatural horror — just a guy with a sword and a chip on his shoulder — but that's exactly what makes him easy to underestimate. Rush in swinging and he'll punish you for it. Play it patient, and the game will hand you everything you need to take him down.
You'll run into him at the City of Hernan during the Hernand in Chaos main questline. Get close to the group arguing about the Greymanes and a cutscene kicks off, ending with Matthias deciding he'd rather settle things with his fists — and a blade.
Can You Beat Him?
Yes, and the fight is more straightforward than it first looks. Matthias is designed as an introduction to the Watch and Learn mechanic — the game is basically walking you through how to defeat him while the fight is happening. Pay attention and he practically beats himself.
How to Fight Him
Steal his own move and use it against him
At some point during the fight, Matthias will wind up and launch a Pump Kick — a double flying knee that'll drop you flat if it connects. The moment he does it, hold the interact button (F on PC, Triangle on PS5, Y on Xbox) and your character will clock it and add it to their arsenal. Back off, charge it up, and land it on Matthias — he'll be left wide open, giving you a solid window to deal real damage.
Don't chase him — let him come to you
His sword combos have very readable wind-up animations and long recovery windows afterward. The temptation is to close the distance and stay aggressive, but his slashes can catch you off guard if you're already in his face. Hang back, watch for the tell, and start punishing after he finishes a combo rather than trying to trade hits.
Keep your shield raised
Nothing Matthias does is unblockable, so there's no reason to drop your guard. Keeping your shield up while you're reading his movements means the occasional unexpected attack won't knock you down and leave you scrambling. It removes most of the risk from the fight.
Attack Patterns
Move | What to Watch For |
|---|---|
Pump Kick | He winds up before charging in with a two-hit flying knee. Watch his left knee — the moment he commits, roll back to avoid it, then use Watch and Learn to copy the move. |
Double Slash | A wide horizontal sweep immediately followed by an overhead. The animation is slow enough that you have time to roll backwards and get clear before either hit lands. |
Rewards
Defeating Matthias — or more precisely, using Watch and Learn during his Pump Kick — unlocks the skill permanently. It's a powerful two-footed kick that sends enemies flying, and it's worth having in your toolkit well beyond this fight.
Note that Watch and Learn only works if the camera is actually facing the boss when they perform the move. If you miss it, you won't get a second chance in that session, so don't spend the whole fight staring at the floor.
Drops
Pump Kick ×1
Story Context
Matthias shows up as an obstacle during a questline centered on political unrest in Hernan. He's not a villain in any grand sense — more of a mid-level troublemaker who picks the wrong fight at the wrong time. The encounter is brief narratively, but mechanically it sets the tone for how Crimson Desert handles boss fights throughout the rest of the game: watch, learn, adapt.