The First Descendant Tier List: Farming, Bosses and Support
The best Descendant for a fast mission route and the best character for a carefully aimed Colossus attack are rarely the same choice. Pick a character according to the account problem they solve: faster clearing, single-target damage, team support or a convenient way to gather materials.
This tier list rates the practical utility of your next unlock rather than naming a maximum-damage winner. Roles and learning costs are separated. The ranking is editorial: S means an especially useful choice for the stated role, A means a strong option with the appropriate setup, and B means a narrower purpose or greater learning demands.
The foundation is Season 4 roles and reworks, including the September changes to Luna and Lepic. Updates can replace entire mechanics, so each position applies to a particular job rather than every possible build. The table discusses major account-expansion candidates; it is not a complete roster.
Tiers by practical role
Priority | Descendant | Role | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
S | Bunny / Ultimate Bunny | First mobile farmer | Clearing while moving and a clear route from story progression into dedicated farming |
S | Hailey / Ultimate Hailey | Prepared single-target damage | Sniping specialization and a powerful attack window when mechanics allow aiming time |
A | Ines | Expanding electric farming | Electric combinations and different development paths; the selected Skill Module requires practice |
A | Lepic / Ultimate Lepic | Grenades and Overkill windows | A flexible starting foundation with a Fire/Tech concentrated-damage specialization |
A | Luna / Ultimate Luna | Coordinated team support | Buffs matter when allies actually use them; Noise Surge provides a separate clearing direction |
A | Yujin / Ultimate Yujin | Survival support | Useful while learning difficult fights where knockdowns consume attack time |
A | Enzo | Utility and account development | Value extends beyond personal damage through Encrypted Vault convenience and firearm support |
B | Ajax / Ultimate Ajax | Defensive play | A useful learning option, although protection does not accelerate every farming route |
B | Jayber | Deployable-centered play | Results depend on placement, mission pace and enemies remaining in the useful area |
S does not mean a compulsory purchase. If an invested Lepic already clears the operations you need, switching early may slow the account down: modules, a reactor and learning all require further investment. Use the ranking to select your next goal rather than abandon a working setup.
Missions combine weapons, skills and movement.
Your first farmer: why Bunny is a straightforward choice
Bunny illustrates the central farming principle well: damage should accompany movement rather than repeatedly stop the route. On missions with many ordinary enemies, mobility saves time between groups. The argument matters less on a cramped arena without room to move or against a single target.
Normal Bunny is enough to learn movement and the skill cycle. Consider Ultimate Bunny as an extension of the role once you understand which additional build options you want. Retain HP and a functional weapon: a clearing specialist still needs to survive dangerous attacks and finish durable enemies.
Ines is a subsequent candidate if you want electric combinations and more farming options. Choose a Skill Module direction before selecting a reactor. Comparing two versions by the character name alone ignores the skills that the module changes.
Bosses: Hailey and Lepic need the right window
Hailey receives a high priority specifically for prepared damage against an available target. Her strength does not remove aiming, positioning or mandatory mechanics. When the team must move immediately, a preselected firing position matters more than an additional offensive bonus on paper.
Lepic uses a different rhythm: prepare resources and amplification, then commit Overkill. Activation timing determines how much of that window becomes real damage. A removed part and a vulnerability period are more useful than firing the skill just before the boss enters an inconvenient defensive state.
Both characters need a weapon for time between skills. Do not assume that every firearm module automatically improves every unique skill. Check the specific interaction and the final statistics of the setup.
Support: low personal DPS does not mean a weak character
Luna benefits a group that understands when and where it receives amplification. Choose Nimble Footsteps for mobile support, or study another Skill Module separately. Noise Surge changes the job into personal clearing; it cannot be described as preserving all base support while adding every changed skill's damage.
Yujin becomes useful when the team loses attacks to recovery and knockdowns. That is particularly visible while learning a fight. A stable group may prioritize damage acceleration differently, but that does not make support an ineffective class.
Assess Enzo as an account tool as well. More convenient Encrypted Vault handling may be worth more than another similar attacker. After skill changes, firearm builds need fresh evaluation; assigning a final post-patch DPS position without that evidence would be premature.
Luna and Lepic featured in the September balance update.
Characters you should not automatically put in a low tier
Freyna, Gley, Serena, Dia, Nell, Raven and other characters being absent from the main table does not imply weakness. This list answers a limited next-unlock question through roles examined in detail. Compressing every build in a large roster into one ladder would provide less useful guidance.
Be particularly careful with Freyna, Gley and Enzo rankings assembled before major reworks. Changes to damage scaling or a support effect can invalidate old calculations. Select the character according to current skill descriptions, available content and your willingness to assemble the specific build.
A practical account expansion order
Complete the story with available characters and establish a functional module foundation.
Develop one farmer to gather subsequent materials more efficiently.
Add a single-target specialist if bosses are the actual progression bottleneck.
Unlock a utility character or support suited to your regular group.
Expand elemental and skill options after the essential jobs are covered.
Before crafting, open Acquisition Info and evaluate the entire chain rather than the final Code alone. An accessible character with materials already available can improve the account sooner than a long chase after the first position in somebody else's ranking.
Frequently asked questions
Who is best for a beginner?
Start with available story characters, then develop Bunny for mobile clearing. Your next choice depends on the content stopping progression.
Is Ultimate always required?
No. Compare available Skill Modules and real tasks. An uninvested Ultimate does not automatically replace a developed Normal setup.
Why is there no single damage ladder?
Farming, single-target damage and support require different actions. One number would conceal the conditions in which each character contributes.
Should I switch characters immediately after a patch?
Check changed skills and your setup first. A module adjustment may solve the issue without unlocking someone else.