The First Descendant: Ultimate Guide to Fastest XP Farms (Mid-Season Update)
In The First Descendant, efficiently farming experience points (XP) for both your characters and weapons is key to progressing quickly. The mid-season update brought several changes to the game, including the introduction of the 400% dungeons, which have significantly altered the landscape of XP farming. This guide breaks down the fastest and most effective ways to farm XP, taking into account the updates and new dungeon mechanics.
Overview of XP Changes in the Mid-Season Update
The mid-season update introduced several adjustments to how XP and weapon XP are earned in The First Descendant. The most important changes include:
- 400% Dungeons: These new dungeons are a rotating daily challenge that offers incredibly high XP rates for both characters and weapons.
- Increased XP in Certain Dungeons: Some previously underwhelming dungeons, like Heart of the Fortress, were buffed to provide more XP, making them viable farming options.
- Efficiency Balance: Dungeons that took longer to complete but didn’t offer much XP were adjusted to provide better returns.
Let’s now dive into the specific farms that will maximize your XP gain.
1. The Best XP Farm: 400% Dungeons
Why 400% Dungeons Are the Best
The newly introduced 400% dungeons are, without question, the fastest way to level up both your Descendant and weapons. These dungeons rotate daily, offering new challenges each day, and are designed to give you a substantial XP boost for clearing large waves of enemies. Here’s why they stand out:
- XP Booster Impact: With an XP booster and an XP component equipped, it’s possible to reach level 40 in just 15-16 minutes. This is significantly faster than other dungeons.
- Weapon XP Parity: Unlike other dungeons, where character XP and weapon XP don’t always align, the mob density in 400% dungeons means that your weapon typically hits level 40 around the same time as your character.
Efficiency Tips for 400% Dungeons
- Play with a Group: While it’s possible to run these dungeons solo, grouping with teammates—especially those with AoE-heavy descendants like Ultimate Freyna or Bunny—will increase your kill efficiency and speed.
- Test the Rotation: Since the 400% dungeons rotate daily, you should test both available dungeons at the start of your session to see which one you can complete faster. This way, you can focus on maximizing completions per hour.
- XP Over Time: Prioritize speed over XP per run. Even if one dungeon gives slightly more XP, it’s more efficient to run the dungeon that you can clear quickly. More completions mean more XP, weapon XP, Transcendent modules, and morphous materials over time.
Example Efficiency:
One player reported completing a dungeon in 2 minutes and 20 seconds with a group of Freyna and Bunny users. This kind of speed allows for optimal XP farming, making 400% dungeons the go-to option.
2. Honorable Mention: Heart of the Fortress
Heart of the Fortress deserves special mention for being one of the highest XP-yielding dungeons, but it comes with a significant caveat: it is much slower compared to the 400% dungeons.
Why It’s Still Worth Running:
- Massive XP Gain: This dungeon provides the highest XP per run in the game. A fresh level 1 character can reach level 24 after just one run. With an XP booster, it takes only three runs (7-8 minutes per run) to reach level 40.
- Access to Unique Modules: Running Heart of the Fortress is essential for farming Ultimate Freyna’s modules like Toxic Mixture and Venom Injection. These modules are key for her high-damage builds, making the dungeon a must-run for Freyna mains.
Downsides:
- Slower Than 400% Dungeons: While you can hit level 40 in about 24 minutes, this is slower than the 16 minutes achievable in 400% dungeons.
- Lower Weapon XP: Weapon XP is lower in this dungeon compared to the 400% dungeons, which may slow down your overall progression if you’re looking to level both your character and weapons simultaneously.
3. Other Viable XP Farms
While 400% dungeons and Heart of the Fortress are the top choices for XP farming, there are other options if you prefer variety or if the daily 400% dungeon rotation doesn’t suit your playstyle.
1. Magisters Dungeon:
- XP Efficiency: Magisters is a reliable choice and ranks just below 400% dungeons in terms of XP per minute. You can expect to hit level 40 in about 20 minutes with an XP booster.
- Weapon XP: While Magisters offers decent XP for your character, the weapon XP is noticeably lower than in 400% dungeons. This means it may not be the best choice if you’re trying to level up weapons alongside your Descendant.
2. Biolab Dungeon:
- Similar to Magisters, the Biolab provides good XP rates, although it’s still slower compared to 400% dungeons. Expect to reach level 40 in around 20 minutes here as well.
3. Bolb Dungeon:
- Another solid option, Bolb offers decent XP and is an alternative if you’re bored of Magisters and Biolab. However, it still falls short of the efficiency of 400% dungeons.
4. Heart of the Fortress:
- As mentioned, Heart of the Fortress is an excellent option for XP but falls short in terms of speed and weapon XP compared to 400% dungeons.
Ranking the Best XP Farms
Based on the current patch and the mid-season update, here’s the ranking of the best XP farms for The First Descendant:
- 400% Invasion Dungeons: Fastest overall XP and weapon XP. Optimal when played with a group and an XP booster.
- Magisters Dungeon: Great for character XP but slower weapon leveling.
- Biolab Dungeon: Similar to Magisters in terms of speed and effectiveness.
- Heart of the Fortress: Highest individual dungeon XP but slower to complete and less effective for weapon XP.
- Bolb Dungeon: A decent backup option but less efficient compared to the above.
Upcoming Changes: Defense Missions
The mid-season patch preview also teased an upcoming buff to Defense Missions. These changes will make Defense Missions denser, meaning more enemies per round, which should increase the overall XP gain from these missions.
- Reduced Time: Defense Missions will be reduced to about 10 minutes, making them faster and more efficient.
- Potential New XP Farm: Once these changes go live, Defense Missions could rival or surpass the current 400% dungeons as the best XP farming method. Until then, the 400% dungeons remain king.
Conclusion
With the recent update, The First Descendant offers several fast and efficient XP farms for leveling both your Descendant and weapons. The 400% dungeons are the fastest method, especially when played with a group, offering a great balance of character XP and weapon XP. For those looking for variety or specific module rewards, Heart of the Fortress, Magisters, and Biolab are excellent alternatives, though slightly slower.
Keep an eye out for the upcoming changes to Defense Missions, as they could soon provide another excellent XP farming method. For now, stick with the 400% dungeons for the best results.
Happy farming!
