Summary
Article updated on June 12, 2025
The First Descendantis filled with powerful Ultimate weapons that are acquired through a process that is semi-confusing at first. ThoughThe First Descendant’s microtransaction practices have been scrutinized, the game offers everything non-cosmetic for free. However, some drop rates have been notoriously bad so far, making some of the grinds feel longer than they should be.
Rare weapons inThe First Descendantcan be acquired through missions or Void Intercepts. For the most part, these weapons will keep dropping at a higher power level until the cap and lower-damage weapons must be upgraded. Ultimate weapons are similar to Exotics fromDestiny 2, with a unique bonus effect. However, unlikeDestiny 2, all three weapon slots can have an Ultimate weapon equipped. Also,every seasonal Battle Pass will have an Ultimate weaponthat can be earned for free and refined by purchasing the pass for extra copies, the first of which is the Sigvore’s Proof launcher.
How To Unlock Hard Mode In The First Descendant
Hard mode can be unlocked in The First Descendant once players have completed all of the main missions and zone missions on the normal difficulty.
How To Get Ultimate Weapons From The First Descendant’s Research Institute
Trading Time Investment For Guaranteed Progress
The path toward getting Ultimate weapons is through the Research Institute.This process has a few steps but can be done quicklyonce figured out. Every Ultimate weapon consists of three rare tier parts and the Ultimate tier blueprint. Three Ultimate weapons can be crafted early on through 20% drop rates on story missions, and these are the full parts. Every other Ultimate must be crafted through building the rare parts at the Institute. Each Ultimate weapon and part comes with a gold cost, which is irrelevant iffarming gold inThe First Descendant.
Theblueprints for these parts can be acquired through Void Intercepts from the proper Amorphous Material. Luckily,The First Descendanthas two great ways to make this process as simple as possible. Each part can open a small menu that shows which Intercept bosses will drop them and where to get the specific Amorphous materials. The other method, which was pointed out by a user, is to use the Amorphous Materials tab in the Access Info in-game guide to see which materials have the highest drop rates for the specific part.
Each blueprint part will need certain amounts of two Standard research materials and one Rare material. The two Standard materials can be found in Resource or Munition boxes in specific areas of the map. Whereas, the Rare materials are drops from enemies, which can be tracked through the parts' information screen.The harder resources to acquire are drops from Operations or Void Missions, which works out well since those will be some of the most repeated content for blueprints orgetting Amorphous Materials.
The Positive Effects Of The First Descendant’s Research Institute
A Trickle-Down Of Positive Outcomes
Like chief rivalWarframe, the Research Institute crafting system brings many positives toThe First Descendant. The most obvious is the sense of progression and power gain. Though some can feel tedious,getting one of these weapons feels like a real accomplishment, and the difference they make in combat is massive. Even the Thunder Cage SMG everyone gets from story progression can clear minor enemies at a fantastic rate.
The other benefit is how easy it will be for future content to be implemented in this system. Other games similar toThe First Descendant, with pure drop rates for the whole weapon, do this with new missions. However, with this title being more focused on the grind, for monetary and thematic purposes, this system makes it easy to add new weapons. The parts can be added to existing Amorphous Materials or added to entirely new ones.
Overall, the Research Institute is a great boon for Descendants and is something that should be learned. At worst, it is the premier location for materials that will help level up one’s gear, and at best, it can help circumnavigate the tedious drop rates of parts. However, it is slightly easier for the Ultimate weapons, so gettingall playable Descendantswill be a longer task. Thus, it is best to masterThe First Descendant’s Research Institute crafting systems to get Ultimate weapons.
The First Descendant
Nexon Games presents The First Descendant, a third-person action RPG shooter set in a distant future where Humanity fights for survival against a hostile alien race. As a Descendant, players will embark on various missions and quests as they learn about the origins of the Descendants and partner up with up to four players to engage in expansive boss battles, unlocking new gear and skills.
