The First Descendant is a visually striking looter‑shooter with fast movement, powerful abilities, and a deep progression system. But beneath the spectacle lies a complex network of crafting materials, enhancement systems, modules, and character unlock requirements that can overwhelm new players. This guide provides a complete “Tips & Guides” roadmap, arranged in a meaningful timeline from beginner to endgame. Whether you’re just starting or optimizing your late‑game builds, this article walks you through every major step of progression with clarity and depth.

1. Early Game Tips: How to Start Strong

The early game introduces you to movement, combat, and basic mission flow. Your first priority is mastering mobility — grappling hooks, double jumps, slides, and evasive maneuvers. Movement is essential for survival and efficiency. The faster you move, the faster you clear missions and avoid damage.

Another early focus is understanding modules. Modules are the backbone of your power, and even low‑level modules can dramatically improve your performance. Instead of constantly switching weapons or Descendants, invest in upgrading a few core modules that benefit your playstyle.

Early Game Tips

• Master grappling hook movement
• Upgrade core modules early
• Clear early missions efficiently

Choosing Your First Descendant

Lepic is a strong starter due to his survivability and AoE damage, but Viessa and Ajax are also viable depending on your preferred playstyle.

2. Tips for Unlocking New Descendants Efficiently

Unlocking new Descendants is one of the most exciting parts of the game, but it can also be time‑consuming. Each Descendant requires multiple components tied to specific missions or bosses. The key is understanding where each component drops and planning your farming route accordingly.

Many players farm randomly, hoping components will drop naturally. Instead, use targeted farming. Track required materials and prioritize missions that drop multiple components at once. This saves hours of unnecessary grinding and keeps your progression smooth.

Efficient Unlocking Strategy

• Track required components
• Farm missions with overlapping drops
• Use squads to speed up boss runs

When to Unlock New Descendants

Unlock new characters only when you have enough resources to upgrade them — otherwise, they may sit unused.

3. Tips for Farming Materials Without Burning Out

The First Descendant contains dozens of materials, each tied to specific regions or mission types. Farming them efficiently requires planning and understanding drop tables. Instead of farming one material at a time, target missions that offer multiple useful drops.

Region‑specific missions often provide higher drop rates for certain materials. Pay attention to rotating missions, as they frequently offer bonus rewards that can significantly speed up your progression.

Smart Farming Tips

• Farm multiple materials at once
• Use region bonuses
• Join public squads for faster clears

Important Early Materials

Polymer Synapses, Phase Exchangers, and Stabilizers are essential for early crafting.

4. Tips for Building Your First Effective Loadout

Building a strong loadout early is crucial for progressing through harder missions. Your loadout consists of your Descendant, weapons, modules, and reactor. Each piece contributes to your overall power, and understanding how they interact is key.

Start by focusing on synergy. If your Descendant specializes in AoE damage, choose weapons that complement that playstyle. If your Descendant excels at single‑target damage, prioritize weapons with high burst potential. Modules should enhance your strengths rather than patch weaknesses.

Loadout Building Tips

• Match weapons to your Descendant’s abilities
• Prioritize damage and survivability modules
• Upgrade your reactor early

Weapons to Prioritize

Shotguns and SMGs are strong early choices due to their consistent damage output.

5. Tips for Enhancing Modules and Gear Properly

Module enhancement is one of the most important systems in the game. Enhancing modules increases their effectiveness but also increases their cost. This means you must balance power with efficiency. Enhancing modules too early can limit your ability to equip other modules.

The best approach is to enhance only your core modules at first. These include damage modules, survivability modules, and ability‑enhancing modules. Avoid enhancing niche modules until you have a larger module capacity from reactors and level progression.

Core Modules to Enhance

• Firepower Boost
• Max HP Boost
• Ability Power Boost

Enhancement Efficiency Tips

Enhance modules gradually to avoid overspending on early‑game materials.

6. Tips for Progressing Through Regions and Missions

Progressing through regions is essential for unlocking new missions, materials, and bosses. Each region introduces new enemy types and mechanics, so adapting your playstyle is important. Focus on completing main missions first, then return to side missions for additional rewards.

Region progression also unlocks new challenges, such as Void Intercept Battles and special boss encounters. These missions provide rare materials and are essential for crafting high‑tier gear. Make sure your loadout is optimized before attempting them.

Region Progression Tips

• Complete main missions first
• Return for side missions later
• Prepare for boss encounters

Understanding Region Difficulty

Each region increases enemy strength, so upgrade your gear before moving forward.

7. Tips for Preparing for Void Intercept Battles

Void Intercept Battles are some of the most challenging missions in the game. These large‑scale boss fights require strong teamwork, optimized builds, and knowledge of boss mechanics. Preparing properly can make the difference between victory and repeated failure.

Start by learning the boss’s attack patterns. Each Void boss has unique mechanics that require specific strategies. Build your loadout to counter these mechanics, and coordinate with your team to maximize damage output.

Preparation Checklist

• Study boss mechanics
• Equip high‑damage weapons
• Bring survivability modules

Team Coordination Tips

Assign roles such as DPS, support, and crowd control to maximize efficiency.

8. Tips for Optimizing Your Descendant for Endgame

Endgame optimization involves fine‑tuning your modules, weapons, and reactors to maximize your Descendant’s potential. This requires a deep understanding of how stats interact and how to build around your character’s strengths. Endgame builds often rely on rare modules and high‑tier weapons.

Experimentation is key. Try different module combinations to see what works best for your playstyle. Don’t be afraid to respec or adjust your build as you acquire new gear. Endgame optimization is an ongoing process that evolves with your inventory.

Endgame Optimization Tips

• Focus on synergy
• Use rare modules
• Upgrade your reactor to max

Weapons for Endgame

Ultimate‑grade weapons provide the best performance and scaling.

9. Tips for Farming Ultimate Weapons Efficiently

Ultimate weapons are the pinnacle of power in The First Descendant, but farming them can be time‑consuming. Each Ultimate weapon requires rare materials, boss components, and sometimes RNG‑locked drops. The key to farming them efficiently is to focus on missions with overlapping rewards.

Another important tip is to farm with a squad. Ultimate weapon materials drop more consistently when missions are completed quickly, and squads help speed up boss runs. Use matchmaking or join a clan to find reliable farming partners.

Ultimate Weapon Farming Tips

• Target missions with multiple required drops
• Farm with a squad
• Use boosters during long sessions

When to Start Farming Ultimates

Begin farming only when your build is strong enough to handle high‑level missions.

10. Tips for Maintaining Long‑Term Progression and Avoiding Burnout

The First Descendant is a grind‑heavy game, and maintaining long‑term progression requires pacing yourself. Instead of farming endlessly, set small goals for each session. Focus on unlocking one Descendant, upgrading one module, or farming one weapon at a time.

Another important tip is to diversify your activities. Switch between missions, regions, and farming goals to keep the game fresh. Join a clan or play with friends to make the grind more enjoyable. Long‑term progression is a marathon, not a sprint.

Burnout Prevention Tips

• Set small goals
• Switch activities regularly
• Play with friends

The Importance of Variety

Variety keeps the game engaging and prevents fatigue.

Conclusion

The First Descendant offers a deep and rewarding progression system, but mastering it requires understanding how to farm efficiently, build strong loadouts, and optimize your Descendants for endgame content. This guide has walked you through every major stage of progression, from early game to late‑game optimization. With the right strategies, you can enjoy the game’s fast‑paced combat while steadily growing stronger and unlocking everything the game has to offer.