The First Descendant Season 1: Everything You Need to Know
As The First Descendant gears up for its highly anticipated Season 1, players are in for a host of new content and features that promise to elevate the gameplay experience. Following the release of a teaser and trailer, Nexon has now detailed what fans can expect from the first official season, and the changes are both exciting and extensive. From new characters and progression systems to fresh dungeons and weapons, here’s a comprehensive breakdown of what’s coming in Season 1.
1. Season 1 Invasion Battle Pass
Season 1 kicks off with the Invasion Battle Pass, bringing a new wave of challenges and rewards. Nexon has addressed player feedback from the preseason, making significant improvements to the rewards system and ensuring that the challenges are both fairer and more engaging. Given that the preseason Battle Pass received mixed reviews, these changes are a welcome update, promising a more rewarding experience for players who invest time in the game.
2. Inversion Reinforcement: New Seasonal Progression
One of the most intriguing additions in Season 1 is the introduction of the Inversion Reinforcement system. This new progression mechanic allows players to enhance their characters, known as Descendants, in unique ways each season. After encountering the Iron Heart, players can undergo AR resonance, a powerful process that boosts their abilities.
Inversion Reinforcement offers incremental upgrades in areas such as hunting, attribute recovery, and survival. While it’s unclear if these upgrades will reset with each new season, the system seems designed to encourage players to continue evolving their favorite characters, potentially leading to varied metas and strategies across different seasons.
3. New Descendant: Haley
Season 1 will introduce two new Descendants to the game, with Haley being the first confirmed addition. Haley is a gorilla soldier who has risen to legendary status as a sniper. As a Chill attribute Descendant, she wields an anti-material sniper rifle, equipped with Subzero bullets and a storm snare, allowing her to deliver immensely powerful single shots.
Haley also has the unique ability to lower her body temperature and emit cold air, potentially reducing enemies’ cold resistance and making her an excellent choice for players who enjoy precision and control.
4. Ultimate Descendant: Frina
Frina, a fan-favorite character, is set to receive the ultimate treatment in Season 1. This means not only will Frina obtain an ultimate variant, but players will also have access to a new story questline that delves into her past trauma. This narrative content is part of the broader Season 1 storyline, offering players a deeper connection to Frina’s character while providing new gameplay challenges.
5. Invasion Dungeons
Another exciting addition is the introduction of Invasion Dungeons. These dungeons are set to replace two hard mode infiltration operations on a rotating schedule and present entirely new challenges and obstacles for players to overcome. Unlike other game modes, Invasion Dungeons are solo missions, designed with speedrunners in mind.
The faster a player clears an Invasion Dungeon, the better the rewards they receive. These dungeons feature new mechanics and objectives, adding a fresh layer of challenge for veteran players. Early footage suggests that these dungeons will be intense and fast-paced, making them a perfect fit for players looking for a solo challenge.
6. New Void Intercept Boss: Death Stalker
Season 1 also introduces a new colossus boss, the Death Stalker, which replaces Gluttony as the most challenging enemy in the game. This toxic attribute monster specializes in hunting down Descendants and striking from the shadows, requiring players to adapt to new mechanics and strategies to defeat it. Given its toxic nature, electric damage will be particularly effective against the Death Stalker, adding another layer of strategy to the encounter.
7. New Ultimate Weapons: Excava and Frost Watcher
The First Descendant’s arsenal is expanding with the addition of two new ultimate weapons in Season 1. The first, Excava, is a modified assault rifle available as a Season 1 Battle Pass reward. This weapon charges up as you fire it, eventually releasing a powerful energy grenade, making it a versatile and deadly tool in combat.
The second weapon, Frost Watcher, is a chill-focused scout rifle that reduces the chill resistance of enemies while enhancing the damage of chill attribute skills. This weapon is particularly well-suited for Descendants like Haley and Via, offering players a powerful new option for their loadouts.
8. Mid-Season Updates and Quality of Life Improvements
In addition to the content launching at the start of Season 1, Nexon has confirmed that players can expect mid-season updates, including new features, quality of life improvements, and additional content.
One highly anticipated feature is the introduction of the Trade Agent in Albon, which will allow players to trade in duplicate parts and materials. This update addresses a common frustration among players who have accumulated excess resources with no use for them, providing a way to offload these items for potentially valuable rewards.
Final Thoughts
The First Descendant Season 1 is shaping up to be a game-changing update, with new characters, progression systems, and gameplay modes that promise to keep players engaged and challenged. Whether you’re excited to dive into the Invasion Dungeons, eager to test out Haley’s sniper skills, or looking forward to the strategic depth of Inversion Reinforcement, there’s something in Season 1 for everyone.
As more details emerge closer to the launch, it’s clear that Nexon is committed to evolving the game based on player feedback, making The First Descendant a must-play for fans of action RPGs.
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