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The First Descendant Reveals January Overview Update

The First Descendant has a ton of content coming this month as the team revealed what's coming in the January Overview Update



Article Summary

  • The First Descendant’s January update adds Breach Tracking dungeons and new random challenges for players.
  • Enzo and Jayber get key balance tweaks, improving gunplay and offering new build styles and support roles.
  • New Trigger and Ultimate Modules expand customization, plus weapons and sword combat systems are enhanced.
  • January brings fresh skins and in-game events like the A-Girls & CeleXtar Debut and Mining Day bonuses.

Last night, Nexon held a special livestream for The First Descendant, showing off what's being added in the new January Overview Update. This can be summed up as the game getting a bunch of new additions for some added fun and content, but nothing game-breaking or meta changing, as its stuff to tide you over for a few weeks. Like being cowboys! We have the rundown here and the livestream above showing it all off.

The First Descendant Reveals January Overview Update
Credit: Nexon

The First Descendant – January Overview Update

The First Descendant has unveiled the January update, introducing Breach Tracking content, along with improvements to Descendants and weapons in addition to new items such as Trigger Modules, new skins and in-game events.

New Content: Breach Tracking

In this update, players can experience the newly added Breach Tracking content. Breach tracking enhances familiar dungeon areas with random elements, offering players a unique and unpredictable experience during repeated play. Players will find that mission maps are randomly selected from White-night Gulch,  Vespers or The Fortress, each with varying routes. Defeating the boss spawns an Amorphous Dimensional Stone, which can be opened using a Dimensional Stabilization Key to obtain rewards.

Monthly Balance: Enzo

Enzo will receive adjustments to become a "build-up" style Descendant who grows stronger by frequently firing and changing weapons.

  • Passive Adjustments: To support this playstyle, Enzo's Fire Supporter passive will allow him to gain buffs by consuming ammunition. As the core gameplay involves building up buffs, he will be able to swap between three weapons along with different ammunition types using a weapon swap speed bonus. These adjustments will enable Enzo to utilize these buffs and become a powerful gun-based damage dealer.
  • Base Skill Improvements: Improvements to Enzo's playstyle include the ability to instantly deplete his Start Supply and the addition of Reload effect when using the Explosive Drone skill. Additionally, during Focus Fire, using the Explosive Drone will trigger an additional projectile attack.
  • Transcendent Module Adjustments: For players who utilize Enzo, improvements have been made to his skill usage and combat flow. Depending on the Transcendent Module, Enzo can now become one of the three following support types:
    • As a High-Damage Gunner, Enzo's build will consume more ammunition in exchange for greater firepower.
    • As a Support Gunner, Enzo's build will be more focused on supporting other gun-based damage dealers.
    • As a Hybrid Build, Enzo's build will utilize skill damage more frequently, creating a hybrid playstyle fit for players' preferences.

Monthly Balance: Jayber

Jayber will also receive adjustments to enhance his gunplay. This allows him to fight with his weapons while the turret is active. The turret's standalone performance has also been buffed to encourage the use of its AoE attacks.

  • Turret Sync' Enhancement: 'Turret Sync' has been enhanced to boost Jayber's firearm abilities. This redesign encourages a more active, hybrid playstyle that combines the use of both turrets and firearms.

Skill Module Improvements: Turret Engineering: Allows for the deployment of one additional turret to bolster firepower. Immediate Purge Code: The 'Multi-purpose Gun' skill is now more destructive. Usability is improved with sprint-casting and reduced delay, making it a primary skill with expanded range and power.

New Items: Trigger Modules

Three new Trigger Modules have been added for players to experiment with:

  • Kill Chain: Specialized for Jayber. When Jayber's turret hits an enemy they apply Strike Target effect. Strike Target is a stackable effect that grants additional damage proportional to skill power when attacking with firearms or melee weapons
  • Tactical Strike: Specialized for Enzo. When hitting enemies with Explosive Drone or Focus Fire skill grants a Tactical Target effect. Using Start Supply skills will trigger an explosion on enemies affected by Tactical Target dealing AOE damage.
  • Two Face: A Trigger Module designed for Descendants who utilize the common "Chain" type skills. With this, the Two Face module flips a coin whenever you use a "Chain" type skill:
    • If it lands on Heads, your Skill Power will be increased.
    • If it lands on Tails, the skill's Area of Effect will be increased, aiding in your build-up process.

New Items: Ultimate Modules

Two new Ultimate Modules will be added for this update for players to try out, including:

  • Infection Amplifier: A module that can be used with the Infected Weapon Trigger Module to achieve increased additional damage.
  • Aftershock Catalyst: A module that, when utilized with the Ground Eruption Trigger Module, grants Skill Cooldown Reduction and MP Recovery.

Weapon Improvements

Firearm Improvements have been applied to the following four weapons:

  • Thunder Cage: Unique effects have been adjusted to focus on on-hit status effects, with improved chain damage structure and increased firearm attack power.
  • Greg's Reversed Fate: Base firearm performance and perk mechanics have been improved, allowing bombardment effects to trigger based on hit and condition fulfillment.
  • Afterglow Sword: Unique effects have changed so that maintaining aim enables automatic weak-point targeting, and weak-point attacks grant increased damage.
  • Nazeistra's Devotion: Hitting weak points applies status effects to nearby enemies and additional buffs stack on the user based on the number of affected targets.

Additionally, Sword Improvements have also been implemented, including the following:

  • Adjustments have been made to improve survivability and attack systems for melee sword weapons.
  • Guard System Improvement: The guard system has changed from an active input to a passive function, allowing guard effects to apply even during attacks.
  • Combo System Added: Combo counts accumulate on successful melee hits, increasing melee damage based on the combo count.

January Skins

Individual skins will be also be released for all female Descendants, including the two idol teams: A-Girls and CeleXtar.

January Events

Players can look forward to a few exciting events coming up this month such as:

  • A-GIRLS & CeleXtar Debut Event: From January 15 to February 5, players can use a Fan Token obtained from defeating enemies to purchase support boxes for either A-Girls or CeleXtar. All participants receive the debut group's fan club badge after the event ends. In completing the challenge, players can earn Idol-themed customization rewards such as light sticks(Hypernova Skin), sprays, name cards, photo frames, etc.
  • Mining Day Event: From January 17 to February 2 (weekends only), players will find that Gold and Kuiper Shard acquisition has increased by 20% in Breach Tracking / Axion Plains.
  • Unveiled Truth: Dia' Login Event: From January 29 – February 12, players can participate in a login event beginning one week before Dia's release on February 5. Up to Day 7, players will receive rewards that include weapon and Descendant EXP amplifiers and Crystallization Catalysts. From Day 8 onward, rewards will include Dia Research Material and Dia Transcendent Module selection boxes. These rewards have been prepared to help returning players quickly engage in Dia farming.

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Gavin SheehanAbout Gavin Sheehan

Gavin is the current Games Editor for Bleeding Cool. He has been a lifelong geek who can chat with you about comics, television, video games, and even pro wrestling. Follow @TheGavinSheehan on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, Bluesky, and Threads for random pictures and musings.
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