The First Descendant: 100 Tips and Tricks

If you love playing “The First Descendant,” these 100 tips will help you get the most out of your game.

Using Cover and Position

  1. Partial Cover: Stand so only part of your body is visible; you’ll take less damage this way.
  2. Right Side Advantage: At outposts, move to the edge with your right side out to hit enemies while staying safe.

Weapons and Reloading

  1. Reload Early: Some weapons let you shoot before the reload animation ends; know which ones for an edge.
  2. Cancel Reload: Use abilities or roll to stop reloading early. Once the magazine is in, you’re set.
  3. Quick Turns: Hold the back movement input and roll to keep speed during a 180-degree turn.

Using Characters Well

  1. Speed and Effects: Bunny’s area attack works faster based on your speed; run, roll, double jump, or grapple to make it stronger.
  2. Handling Extras: Combine four extra red modules to get a guaranteed red one.
  3. Module Swaps: Combine four yellow modules for a chance to get a red module.

Boss Strategies

  1. Hanged Man’s Beam: Destroy the cannon during the Hanged Man’s beam charge; it takes 6 seconds.
  2. Outpost Timer: Fast travel away and back to reset the 5-minute outpost timer.
  3. Quick Mission Restart: At the end of a mission, hold F2 and restart to save time.

Exploring and Traveling

  1. Unlock Fast Travel: Visit gray map icons to unlock fast travel spots.
  2. Nearby Fast Travel: Find Transporters in Albon for quick travel points.
  3. Reset Abilities: Fast travel or let yourself die to reset long cooldown abilities.

Gear and Levels

  1. Ultimate Weapon Stats: Manually change stats at the workbench after leveling Ultimate Weapons.
  2. Recoil Patterns: Learn how weapons like the Eternal Willpower AR kick back for better aim.

Smart Use of Abilities

  1. Void Interception Hooks: Grapple bosses and hold secondary fire to stop damage counting towards their frenzy bar.
  2. Boss Stun and Damage: Break what you’re hanging on during boss fights to stun them.

Using Modules

  1. Grapple Modules: Use long-distance move modules for easier grapples in interceptions.
  2. Crystallization Catalyst: Upgrade grapple slots with crystallization catalysts for more capacity.

Character Skills – Sharon

  1. Sharon’s Sneaking: Build for skill duration to make Sharon’s sneaking abilities last longer.
  2. Invisible Actions: Sharon can run, roll, and grapple while invisible, great for outpost and terminal hacking.

Farming Strategies

Best External Components

  1. Void Fragment Runs: Bunny is best for void interceptions because of her area attacks.
  2. Shard Fragments: Pick places based on the type of shards you need for efficient grinding.

Defense Tactics

  1. Health Modules: Always use at least one increased health module.
  2. Defense Cap: Defense past 27.5k gives less benefit; plan your builds accordingly.

Boss Resistance and Damage

  1. Resist Status Effects: Use golden mods to resist bosses’ damage over time effects.
  2. Jumping Dodges: Jump to avoid artillery attacks instead of moving out of the circle.

Wall Attacks

  1. Area Attacks Through Walls: Use area attacks as they can go through walls.
  2. Speed and Area Farm: Bunny is great for fast farming due to her abilities.

Outpost Runners

  1. Outpost Teams: Bunny is usually best for running and clearing bosses because of speed and area attacks.
  2. Runners in Boss Fights: In some boss fights, like Hanged Man or Frost Walker, have Bunny be the runner.

Mastery and Builds

  1. Skill Duration Build: For Sharon, maximize skill duration in your build for best results.
  2. Leveling Efficiency: Use high proficiency parts and multiple same-type weapons to level up faster.

Combat Skills

  1. Weapon Practice: Practice with weapons like SMGs to master random spread patterns.
  2. Single Target Tips: Some characters are better against single targets; choose wisely based on mission.

Co-Op and Team Play

  1. Public vs. Private: Run certain missions in public for efficiency; and others in private to avoid random interference.
  2. Communication: Use Discord groups to find reliable teammates.

Deep Strategies

  1. Farmer Loadouts: Have a separate loadout for farming with bonuses for gold, module drops, etc.
  2. Bunny Hopping: Time your jumps to keep momentum, moving better and avoiding attacks.

Frame Rate Help

  1. Lower Graphics: Reduce graphics settings to boost frame rates, directly affecting damage per second.

Navigation Shortcuts

  1. Waypoint Timers: Use waypoints for quick time checks on outpost refreshes.
  2. Resource Tracking: Scan for resources and enemies using in-game scanners.

Boss Weaknesses and Tricks

  1. Element Boosts: Use element boosts like fire or electric for more damage against boss weaknesses.
  2. Specific Weak Points: Study boss’s weak points for targeted damage.

Crafting and Modules

  1. Best Crafting: Use the right crafting materials and improve gear at the reactor.
  2. Mission Re-Roll: Reroll challenges for higher score bonuses in hard missions.

Timing and Efficiency

  1. Battles and Stamina: Manage your fights smartly, taking breaks and planning your next moves.
  2. Dungeon Access: Use terminals in Albon to quickly enter dungeons.
  3. Jump Tricks: Use jump mechanics to quickly cross maps.
  4. Favorite Gear: Mark important items as favorites to avoid auto-scrap.

Tracking Progress

  1. Combat Awareness: Watch for signals like red circles that show critical attack spots.
  2. Hard Mode Rewards: Focus on clearing missions on hard mode for better drops.
  3. Mastery Levels: Gain mastery by leveling new characters and weapon skills.

Movement Helpers

  1. Gossip Management: Double jump away after boss teleports to avoid damage.
  2. Element Shields: Shield against element attacks by stacking buffs and using specific resistances.

Getting the Best Performance

  1. Less Downtime: Use private runs for uninterrupted missions and quick farming.
  2. Part Combinations: Optimize parts for matching gear for increased effectiveness.

Survival Skills

  1. Projectile Awareness: Keep moving to avoid most enemy shots.
  2. Dodging Techniques: Master double jumps and rolls to dodge and survive boss battles.

Specific Mission Tips

  1. Encrypted Vaults: Find encrypted vaults using map markers and scanners.

Fine-Tuning Gameplay

  1. Jump Pad Tricks: Use grapples and timed movements to cross challenging platform sections.
  2. Break Down Over Selling: Choose to break down items over selling for resource gains.

Combat Strategy

  1. Active Combat: Keep moving to avoid becoming an easy target for shots.
  2. First Clear Bonuses: Complete missions for the first time to unlock extra rewards.

Special Missions

  1. Efficient Captures: Stand together with teammates in capture circles for faster mission completions.
  2. Find Weaknesses: Use scanners to find enemy weaknesses and change tactics accordingly.

Optimizing Gameplay

  1. Frequent Scanning: Regularly scan the area for hidden resources and enemies.
  2. Adjusting Difficulty: Play hard mode for better rewards but make sure your build is ready for survival.

Combat Techniques

  1. Lock-On Targets: Learn to lock on and hit critical points efficiently.
  2. Balanced Builds: Have a mix of damage types in your loadouts for versatility.

Navigating Boss Fights

  1. Stunning Bosses: Use special attacks and grapples to stun bosses and reduce their frenzy bar.
  2. Use Cover: Use environment cover to your advantage during boss fights.

Advanced Gameplay

  1. Hit Weak Spots: Use knowledge of each boss’ specific weaknesses to do maximum damage.
  2. Keep Speed: Combine grapple, sprint, and roll for the fastest movement method.

Gear Management

  1. Best Loadouts: Equip and fine-tune your loadouts based on mission needs.
  2. Change Builds: Regularly change your builds based on mission experiences and learned mechanics.

Improving Modules

  1. Upgrade Grapples: Invest in modules that increase grapple efficiency and range.
  2. Smart Resource Use: Save higher-tier resources for essential upgrades to maximize efficiency.

Combat Skills

  1. Frequent Recoil Practice: Regularly practice with weapons to perfect handling and aim.
  2. Grapple on Enemies: Use grapples on enemies to stun and manage crowds better.

Element Adaptation

  1. Match Element Boosts: Keep your loadout’s element boosts in line with enemy weaknesses.

Module Use

  1. Equip Right Modules: Equip the best modules for the mission at hand, focusing on reducing damage taken and increasing damage dealt.

Understanding Crafting

  1. Efficient Material Gathering: Target best locations and enemies for high-yield materials.
  2. Use Catalysts: Improve key components using crystallization catalysts for powerful boosts.

Always Learn

  1. Keep Improving: Keep refining and changing your tactics based on mission results.

Team Play

  1. Good Communication: Use headsets and clear communication during team play for strategic advantages.

Efficient Notification

  1. Mission Overview: Use mission overviews to select rewards you need most and plan accordingly.

Health Management

  1. Focus on Health: Always prioritize health and defense in builds to ensure survival.

Steady Progress

  1. Progress Strategy: Keep a close watch on progress milestones and required tasks for upgrades.
  2. Know Your Limits: Know when to back off and recover to avoid unnecessary deaths and lost progress.

Combat Efficiency

  1. Main and Secondary Weapons: Use weapon types strategically for different combat scenarios.
  2. Element Resistances: Equip modules providing element resistances to handle area attacks from bosses.

Optimization Strategy

  1. Skill Tree Management: Regularly invest in your skill tree for a balanced build.
  2. Time Efficient Runs: Optimize for the quickest material and exp gain through practiced efficiency.

Loadout Flexibility

  1. Change Loadouts: Keep multiple loadouts for different mission types and objectives.

Survival Priority

  1. Keep Moving: Constantly move and change positions to avoid projectiles and area attacks.

Craft Smart

  1. Best Use of Resources: Only use high-value crafting materials when necessary to avoid waste.

Stay Engaged

Active Play: Stay consistently engaged in missions to maximize progress and material gains.

Remember, mastering “The First Descendant” comes down to practice, knowledge, and smart gameplay. Use these tips to become a strong descendant and dominate every enemy that comes your way.