When playing a game like The First Descendant, you probably want to make the most of your gaming experience by avoiding common in-game mistakes.
Whether you’re a new or experienced player in The First Descendant, several mistakes can slow you down and hurt your gameplay.
Here’s a list of 12 big mistakes to avoid to make sure you’re on the right track.
1). Poor Management of External Parts
A major mistake is not making the best use of your external parts. You might think always using a four-piece set like Bravery is best.
But that’s not always true. For some setups, using two different two-piece sets can give you more varied benefits. For example, the Tomb Vanguard set boosts defense by 25%, which can be paired with an Annihilation set to make skills last longer.
Also, you should set up at least four of your external parts just for grinding. Look for things that increase how often items drop, how far away you can pick up items, or how much experience you gain.
Many players miss these bonuses, but they can help you grind more efficiently.
2). Not Using Animation Cancelling
Animation canceling can boost your damage per second (DPS). You can cancel animations for both reloading and using skills. For example, with the character Lepic, you can cancel his Z ability animation to save time and do more damage.
When reloading, try dodging when the reload bar is about 80% full to cut the animation short but still get the ammo, saving time and increasing your DPS.
3). Grinding in Bad Spots
Farming in the wrong places can slow down your progress. The Valby grind, Bunny Jump Cave, and Ambush Point are three popular grinding spots. Each has its benefits:
- Valby Grind: Best for gold and decent experience. You need the Descendant Valby.
- Bunny Jump Cave: Best for experience points. You need to have Bunny.
- Ambush Point in Sterile Lands: Good all-around option for mods, reactors, weapons, and gold with lots of enemies.
Choose where to grind based on what you need most – whether it’s gold, experience, or specific materials.
4). Ignoring Survival Mods
Staying alive is crucial in The First Descendant. Focus on mods that increase defense and health. Stem Accelerant and Spear and Shield mods give big boosts to health and defense.
Using mods like HP Collector, which gives you health back every few seconds when you kill enemies, can make a big difference when fighting lots of enemies. These mods not only help you stay alive but also make grinding and boss fights much easier.
5). Not Using Presets Well
Many players forget about presets. Set up different presets for grinding, boss fights, and fighting regular enemies.
This lets you quickly swap external parts, reactors, and weapons with just one click. Label your presets and weapons clearly to avoid confusion and make sure you’re always using the best setup for what you’re doing.
6). Not Focusing on Mastery Rank
It’s important to level up your Mastery Rank. At level 20, you get the most benefit. Use secondary weapons to level up your Mastery Rank, even if you never plan to use them in fights. Use external part mods that increase how fast you gain weapon proficiency to speed this up.
Switching between descendants can also help level them up to 40, giving you the most mod slots available. Remember, you only earn proficiency once on a weapon or descendant, so plan your leveling carefully.
7). Misunderstanding Weapon Stats
Understanding your weapon’s basic stats is crucial. Don’t just add critical hit chance and damage to every weapon. Some weapons aren’t good for critical hits and work better with status effects or specific roles.
For example, Python’s low critical hit stats mean it’s better for status effects like poison rather than critical hits. Always look at the basic stats of a weapon before deciding how to build it.
8). Ignoring Reactor Optimization
Finding the right reactor can make or break your build. Use the map’s difficulty level rewards filter to find specific reactors. For example, if you need a reactor with fire and tech stats for Lepic, you can filter missions to find where these specific reactors drop.
Also, understand the difference between gold and purple reactors. Gold reactors are best for specific weapons, while purple reactors offer more balanced benefits.
Don’t throw away a good purple reactor just because it’s not gold; it might be more useful if you often switch weapons.
9). Not Setting Maps to Private
If you’re grinding alone or with friends, setting your map to private can stop others from interfering with your grinding.
This is especially useful for the Valby grind, where other players can kill the boss and mess up your farming. Keep control of your game to maximize your farming efficiency.
10). Not Using the Right Patterns
When trying to get specific patterns for weapons or descendants, make sure you’re choosing the right ones in the infiltration operations.
Many players miss out on valuable patterns because they don’t switch to the specific pattern they need. Always check and double-check the pattern settings before starting your missions.
11). Choosing the Wrong Blueprints and Tasks
When farming for blueprints and amorphous pattern materials, focus on tasks that offer the highest drop rates.
For example, some tasks might have a 15% drop rate but take 30 minutes to complete. Others might offer a 32% drop rate and take much less time. Compare these factors to choose the most efficient farming route.
12). Inefficient Weapon Adjustment
When re-rolling weapon stats, lock in only two stats you want before continuing to roll for the third. This minimizes resource use.
For example, rolling for firearm attack and critical hit damage together can reduce the number of resources spent. Once you get the two desired stats, you can then tweak the third stat without wasting too many resources.
Conclusion
Avoiding these common mistakes can greatly improve your gameplay in The First Descendant. Always be mindful of your builds, grinding spots, and equipment optimization. By using these tips, you’ll save time, resources, and potentially a lot of frustration.
I hope this article helps both new and experienced players in The First Descendant to improve their gameplay and avoid common mistakes.
