The First Descendant best Ultimate Weapon tier list

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✓ S-tier picks

S-tier weapons in The First Descendant are:

  • Python
  • Perforator
  • Smithereens
  • Thunder Cage
  • Afterglow Sword

While it can take a while to research ultimate weapons in The First Descendant, there’s no denying they’re the most effective guns in the game. From high DPS values to lethal unique abilities that can be levelled up, they can help you extinguish enemy hordes and bosses. Since they can take a while to unlock, it’s better to spend your time researching the best of these items. That’s where our ultimate weapon tier list comes in.

Tier list of Ultimate Weapons

Based on our time against Void Intercept bosses and missions packed with mobs, here’s our ranking of all 22 Ultimate Weapons. Note that some of them are more effective in specific situations and benefit from the right Descendant and module combinations. If you’ve grown fond of a weapon, you don’t have to swap to another one unless it packs a higher DPS or elemental damage. Here’s our tier list that covers every Ultimate Weapon in The First Descendant:

TierUltimate Weapons
SPython, Perforator, Smithereens, Thunder Cage, Afterglow Sword
ADivine Punishment, Secret Garden, The Final Masterpiece, Clairvoyance, Blue Beetle, Executor, Fallen Hope, Nazeistra’s Devotion
BAlbion Cavalry Gun, Wave of Light, Piercing Light, Enduring Legacy, Restored Relic
CThe Last Dagger, King’s Guard Lance, Greg’s Reversed Fate, Sigvore’s Proof

S-Tier list

These are the best items in the game and are perfect for Void Intercept bosses and weaker mobs.

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The Python SMG in The First Descendant.
The Python’s unique is great with poison attacks. Image captured by VideoGamer.

Python

  • Weapon Type: Submachine Gun (General Rounds)
  • Python Instinct: On hitting any enemy’s Weak Point, inflicts the unique ability Prey on the target enemy. This lowers DEF and toxic damage resistance by 10% per stack.
  • ATK: 21
  • Fire Rate: 923
  • Reload Speed: 1.5 seconds
  • Effective Range: 23m
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 10

The Python is easily the best SMG in the game and pairs incredibly well with Freyna’s poison abilities. While it’s still great with other Descendants thanks to its high fire rate and DPS, we recommend pairing it with Freyna to unlock its true potential. It lowers enemy DEF stats too so all attacks will be more effective against targets struck by the Prey condition.

The Perforator Hand Cannon in The First Descendant.
Melt shields with the Perforator. Image captured by VideoGamer.

Perforator

  • Weapon Type: Hand Cannon (Impact Rounds)
  • Detect: On hitting a Weak Point, you can inflict extra damage to the enemy’s Shield in proportion to their Max Shield. The higher the Firearm Level, the closer this damage reaches to the Max Limit. When you completely deplete the target enemy’s Shield, there’s a chance you inflict Stun on them.
  • ATK: 141
  • Fire Rate: 99
  • Reload Speed: 1.6 seconds
  • Effective Range: 20m
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 15

Easily the strongest Hand Cannon in the game, the Perforator can easily break shields and stun them in the process. Pretty much any Descendant can use this gun well. You can also pair the stun with a powerful ability to finish enemies off. You can also extend Lepic’s Traction Grenade pull effect by stunning foes in place after they’ve been pulled to the ability.


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The Smithereens shotgun in The First Descendant.
Pair this weapon with close-range characters. Image captured by VideoGamer.

Smithereens

  • Weapon Type: Shotgun (High-Power Rounds)
  • Fearlessness: On hitting the enemy with all the bullets from a shot, your Firearm Critical Hit rate and Firearm Critical Hit Damage increase. Landing a Critical Hit grants the Firearm’s unique ability Amplification, which buffs your Fire Rate.
  • ATK: 20
  • Fire Rate: 150
  • Reload Speed: 1.6 seconds
  • Effective Range: 10m
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 1

Close-range specialists like Bunny and Sharen will love this ultimate shotgun. You can craft a build that leans on critical hits if you want to take advantage of Smithereens’ ultimate ability. Unfortunately, your aim recovery speed is hit with a 70% debuff, so you’ll need to be careful with every shot. But once you’ve mastered it, few shotguns are as effective in combat.

The Thunder Cage SMG in The First Descendant.
The Thunder Cage can clean up mobs easily. Image captured by VideoGamer.

Thunder Cage

  • Weapon Type: Submachine Gun (General Rounds)
  • Overcharge: Defeating an enemy unleashes an electric shockwave, dealing firearm ATK damage to nearby enemies.
  • ATK: 18
  • Fire Rate: 666
  • Reload Speed: 1.4 seconds
  • Effective Range: 23m
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 1

The Thunder Cage is the first ultimate weapon you’ll get your hands on. Despite that, it’s easily one of the best weapons at clearing mobs thanks to its unique ability. The SMG quickly became one of my favourites. Its fire rate and DPS are great, making it a good fit for close-range Descendants like Bunny, Sharen, and Lepic. The latter’s Traction Grenade pairs well with this weapon as the AoE unique ability can hit everyone pulled in by the grenade.

The Afterglow Sword sniper rifle in The First Descendant.
The Afterglow Sword is perfect against bosses. Image captured by VideoGamer.

Afterglow Sword

  • Weapon Type: Sniper Rifle (High-Power Rounds)
  • Nightmare Reaper: On hitting an enemy’s weak point, inflict Death Propagation. On hitting an enemy commander or Colossi, buff Firearm critical hit rate.
  • ATK: 240
  • Fire Rate: 66
  • Reload Speed: 2.5 seconds
  • Effective Range: 55m
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 15

This sniper rifle is built to take on Void Intercept bosses like the Frost Walker. The unique ability is tailored to buff damage and reload speed the more you target weak points. It’s perfect for the endgame but remember to back it up with high fire rate guns like an assault rifle or SMG.

A-Tier list

These solid choices are just below our S-Tier, with solid damage potential with the right modules.

The Divine Punishment assault rifle in The First Descendant.
Support skills activate this rifle’s unique ability. Image captured by VideoGamer.

Divine Punishment

  • Weapon Type: Assault Rifle (General Rounds)
  • Prayer: Granting a buff to allies will grant Meditation to yourself. Recovering an ally’s HP/Shield/MP/Resources will grant Praise to yourself. Inflicting a debuff on an enemy will grant Glory.
  • ATK: 23
  • Fire Rate: 705
  • Reload Speed: 1.55 seconds
  • Effective Range: 30m
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 10

Defensive characters like Yujin and Jayber will benefit the most from using this ultimate assault rifle. That’s because its buffs are triggered by support abilities. It’s not an S-tier pick since only a few characters can use it the way it’s meant to be used. But it’s a nice weapon to have when you’re assisting allies against fearsome boss fights.

The Secret Garden Tactical rifle in The First Descendant.
Use skills often to power the Secret Garden. Image captured by VideoGamer.

Secret Garden

  • Weapon Type: Tactical Rifle (Special Rounds)
  • Gardener: When using a Dimension skill, you may recover Custom Resource. When using a Tech skill, this has a chance to grant Pest Control.
  • ATK: 62
  • Fire Rate: 199
  • Reload Speed: 2 seconds
  • Effective Range: 35m
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 15

Since a good number of characters use Tech and Dimension skills, they can all benefit from the attack and skill power boost from the Secret Garden. Ajax, Kyle, Blair, and Viessa are some Descendants who can use this weapon well. But remember that you need to use skills often to make the most of it. Lower skill cooldowns and costs with the right modules to synergise with this weapon effectively.

The Final Masterpiece handgun in The First Descendant.
Reload to activate this handgun’s powers. Image captured by VideoGamer.

The Final Masterpiece

  • Weapon Type: Handgun (General Rounds)
  • Masterpiece: After reloading, grants one of three random abilities. If the granted effect is the same as the existing effect, its effect is increased. If a different effect pops up, the effect stage is reset.
  • ATK: 19
  • Fire Rate: 499
  • Reload Speed: 1.1 seconds
  • Effective Range: 15m
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 1

This Handgun leans into luck a little too much for our tastes. While each of the three abilities is helpful, stacking the wrong one won’t help you out in combat. Weak point damage, critical hit rate, and fire rate are great stats to enhance. But since they’re random, you can’t plan your build around any of these three traits. Despite that, it’s a good choice for all characters and is a good jack-of-all-trades.

The Clairvoyance beam rifle in The First Descendant.
This beam rifle is great with Viessa’s passive. Image captured by VideoGamer.

Clairvoyance

  • Weapon Type: Beam Rifle (Special Rounds)
  • The Thing Beyond: Hitting an enemy with a Stage 2 Beam inflicts Void Gaze. Hitting an enemy with a Stage 3 Beam inflicts Appalled Calling. This is effectively Frostbite in some modes.
  • ATK: 23
  • Fire Rate: 399
  • Reload Speed: 2.2 seconds
  • Effective Range: 35m
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 15

Viessa can take advantage of the Frostbite effect, letting her trigger her Ice Shackle passive. Most characters can still use it well, especially when they focus on Stage 2 and Stage 3 beam attacks. Its range is great too, letting you chip away at enemies from afar.

The Blue Beetle scout rifle in The First Descendant.
The Blue Beetle relies on skill usage. Image captured by VideoGamer.

Blue Beetle

  • Weapon Type: Scout Rifle (Impact Rounds)
  • Arcane Wave: When using a Fusion skill, you may gain Arcane Energy. Using a Singular skill can grant Purification.
  • ATK: 62
  • Fire Rate: 199
  • Reload Speed: 2 seconds
  • Effective Range: 35m
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 10

Fusion and SIngular skill wielders like Valby and Gley will be able to take advantage of the Arcane Wave power. A faster trigger rate and DPS buff let you deal sustained damage over time, essential against endgame bosses. But remember that you need to use skills often to take advantage of this buff.

The Executor shotgun in The First Descendant.
The Executor is a lethal Electrocution source. Image captured by VideoGamer.

Executor

  • Weapon Type: Shotgun (High-Power Rounds)
  • Impending Judgement: Hitting enemies will all bullets grant Executor’s Exaltation. The highest stage increases Firearm ATK on hit and inflicts Electrocution. On hitting an Electrocuted enemy, increase your Firearm ATK.
  • ATK: 16
  • Fire Rate: 109
  • Reload Speed: 1.85 seconds
  • Effective Range: 9m
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 15

Bunny runs circles around foes and gets in close to unleash her double jump attack so a shotgun would make her unstoppable. You also Electrocute foes with this weapon, meaning that it can piggyback off Bunny’s electric attack-focused build. Just remember that this involves a risky playstyle, especially against high-level opponents.

The Fallen Hope rifle in The First Descendant.
Use Freyna to get the most out of this gun’s unique ability. Image captured by VideoGamer.

Fallen Hope

  • Weapon Type: Assault Rifle (General Rounds)
  • Perdition: On hitting a Poisoned enemy, increase your Firearm ATK. On defeating a Poisoned enemy, the defeated foe can trigger an Explosion, inflicting more damage and Poisoning nearby enemies.
  • ATK: 27
  • Fire Rate: 600
  • Reload Speed: 1.7 seconds
  • Effective Range: 35m
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 1

Unfortunately, only Freyna can take full advantage of this assault rifle’s ultimate ability. While it’s a good choice in general, you need to poison enemies to unleash its full power. It’s great at crowd control, especially with large groups in Defense missions.

The Nazeistra's Devotion Hand Cannon in The First Descendant.
Heal shields or weaken foes with this Hand Cannon. Image captured by VideoGamer.

Nazeistra’s Devotion

  • Weapon Type: Hand Cannon (Impact Rounds)
  • Fanaticism: On hitting an enemy’s Weak Point, inflicts Devotion Mark on the target enemy. On hitting an ally, their shield is restored at the cost of your MP.
  • ATK: 81
  • Fire Rate: 150
  • Reload Speed: 1.5 seconds
  • Effective Range: 25m
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 1

This Hand Cannon is a versatile choice as not only does it weaken enemies, it also lets you increase ally shields by firing at them. But remember that this drains your MP so you’ll have to use it carefully. It’s a great choice for defensive characters like Ajax and Yujin.

B-Tier list

These weapons are decent and are tailored towards specific gameplay scenarios in The First Descendant.

The Albion Cavalry machine gun in The First Descendant.
This gun packs a large magazine and a focus on stuns. Image captured by VideoGamer.

Albion Cavalry Gun

  • Weapon Type: Machine Gun (General Rounds)
  • Cavalry: After hitting a stunned enemy, increase your Firearm ATK. A Critical Hit on a stunned enemy inflicts stun.
  • ATK: 30
  • Fire Rate: 451
  • Reload Speed: 2.5 seconds
  • Effective Range: 45m
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 1

As a machine gun, the Albion Cavalry Gun packs a solid fire rate and pairs well with Ajax who can make the most of its stun attacks. While it might not be the most powerful ultimate weapon, it’s still a great choice for players who want a large magazine and decent damage.

The Wave of Light rifle in The First Descendant.
Reload to activate this gun’s power. Image captured by VideoGamer.

Wave of Light

  • Weapon Type: Scout Rifle (Impact Rounds)
  • Splendor: After reloading, gain Solar Halo which reduces recoil and buffs Critical Attack chance. On hitting an enemy while Solar Halo is active, Lunar Halo is inflicted on the target enemy with a set chance, lowering their regeneration by 50%.
  • ATK: 76
  • Fire Rate: 249
  • Reload Speed: 2.2 seconds
  • Effective Range: 40m
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 10

While those two effects sound good on paper, having to reload often takes away some of the potential of this ultimate Scout Rifle. If you reload at the wrong moments, you won’t be able to deal damage effectively, lowering your average DPS. That’s why it sits under our A-Tier choices that are more reliable in combat. All characters can use this weapon well.

The Piercing Light sniper rifle in The First Descendant.
Debuff foes with this sniper rifle. Image captured by VideoGamer.

Piercing Light

  • Weapon Type: Sniper Rifle (High-Power Rounds)
  • Purification of Light: On hitting a Weak Point, you may inflict Dispel on the enemy. When two or more enemies are hit by a single shot, there is a high chance to land a Critical Hit. This also buffs Critical Damage.
  • ATK: 404
  • Fire Rate: 48
  • Reload Speed: 2.6 seconds
  • Effective Range: 55m
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 15

Being able to remove buffs from foes is particularly helpful in some boss fights. And by hitting multiple enemies, you boost your Critical Damage and chance to crit, making for some interesting combat situations. Since this weapon isn’t influenced by skills, all Descendants can use it effectively. But it’s a situational weapon, which is why it lands in our B-Tier.

The Enduring Legacy LMG in The First Descendant.
Buff status effects with this Machine Gun. Image captured by VideoGamer.

Enduring Legacy

  • Weapon Type: Machine Gun (General Rounds)
  • Craftsmanship: On hitting an enemy, increase the Status effect Trigger Rate corresponding to the element (Fire/Chill/Electric/Toxic) and inflict Quenching on the target. This lowers fire resistance. On hitting a Burned foe, increase your Firearm ATK.
  • ATK: 28
  • Fire Rate: 571
  • Reload Speed: 2.7 seconds
  • Effective Range: 40m
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 15

This machine gun is a good choice for characters with elemental attacks like Freyna and Blair. But this narrows down just how effective it can be, dropping the gun to our B-Tier. Use the Quenching status to lower an enemy’s fire resistance before using abilities to clear them off the map.

The Restored Relic launcher in The First Descendant.
Guided Rounds are a menace against foes. Image captured by VideoGamer.

Restored Relic

  • Weapon Type: Launcher (High-Power Rounds)
  • Ancient Technique: Has a chance to fire a Guided Round. On hitting an enemy with a Guided Round, you may inflict Ancient Fire on the foe.
  • ATK: 230
  • Fire Rate: 60
  • Reload Speed: 2.5 seconds
  • Effective Range: 5m
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 1

This Launcher is great against mobs, especially thanks to its unique ability which pairs well with Blair and Lepic. That’s because the latter’s Traction Grenade can pull enemies towards a location. But it isn’t as valuable as some of the other weapons on this list.

C-Tier list

While these ultimate weapons aren’t outright bad, they’re situational and are beaten by other guns.

The Last Dagger handgun in The First Descendant.
Earn several status effects with this gun. Image captured by VideoGamer.

The Last Dagger

  • Weapon Type: Handgun (General Rounds)
  • Ultimatum: Defeating an enemy grants Patience. On hitting an enemy while at Max Stacks, you fire Enhanced Rounds. On hitting an enemy with Enhanced Rounds, the Patience effect is reset and the foe is stunned.
  • ATK: 24
  • Fire Rate: 600
  • Reload Speed: 1.2 seconds
  • Effective Range: 18m
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 1

This Handgun has multiple status conditions it can trigger. But since it can only do so one after the other, it’s a highly situational weapon. All Descendants can utilise this but other weapons do more with less. While we don’t deny that stuns, Critical Hit rate, and Fire attack buffs are great, you’ll rarely get to use them all. 

The King Guard's Lance in The First Descendant.
Unleash the Guardian with this gun. Image captured by VideoGamer.

King’s Guard Lance

  • Weapon Type: Beam Rifle (Special Rounds)
  • Guardian: Aiming activates Preview Mode for the gun. When firing while aiming, deploy a Guardian Lance on the terrain. This deals constant damage to enemies and consumes a set amount of ammo upon deployment. Successfully landing hits with Guardian Lance increases duration and range.
  • ATK: 16
  • Fire Rate: 545
  • Reload Speed: 2.1 seconds
  • Effective Range: 27m
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 10

While the Guardian attack is excellent against mobs of weaker foes, it isn’t as helpful in boss fights. And in the endgame, you won’t be focusing on the mobs anyway. While all Descendants can use this well, it can chew through ammo fast if you aren’t careful.

Greg's Reversed Fate in The First Descendant.
Burn foes to embers with Greg’s Reversed Fate. Image captured by VideoGamer.

Greg’s Reversed Fate

  • Weapon Type: Tactical Rifle (Special Rounds)
  • Shaping Destiny: On hitting an enemy with a Max Shield, you may inflict Bombardment on the enemy’s location. Foes hit by Bombardment suffer from the Burn condition.
  • ATK: 33
  • Fire Rate: 342
  • Reload Speed: 1.4 seconds
  • Effective Range: 55 meters
  • Unlock Condition: Mastery Rank 1

Blair can repeatedly use this gun’s unique ability to burn foes. Unfortunately, the 20% drop in hipfire accuracy and aimed shots make it a bad choice. Expect buffs in the near future. For now, other weapons are more effective in combat.

The Sigvore's Proof launcher in The First Descendant.
Drop sticky bombs with Sigvore’s Proof. Image captured by VideoGamer.

Sigvore’s Proof

  • Weapon Type: Launcher (High-Power Rounds)
  • Mad Bomber: Fires a lethal Sticky Bomb when shooting while aiming. The Launched bomb will automatically detonate after some time. When your aim is cancelled, the attachment bombs will detonate simultaneously. Sticky Bombs will inflict Burn on foes.
  • Explosive ATK: 4404
  • Fire Rate: 79
  • Reload Speed: 2.8 seconds
  • Effective Range: 5m
  • Unlock Condition: Battle Pass

Obtained from the battle pass, this launcher does have some potential in the right hands. Its Mad Bomber unique ability can let you detonate multiple bombs at once. But this requires good aim and timing to pull off. Considering that Launchers tend to have “fire and forget” attacks, this weapon is a curious outlier. All Descendants can take advantage of it but there are better ultimate weapons that are worth your attention.

A player checks how to unlock an ultimate weapon in The First Descendant.
Unlock weapons at Anais’ post in Albion. Image captured by VideoGamer.

How to unlock ultimate weapons

Unlock these powerful items by researching them at Magister Anais. You can also earn some of them via the battle pass. Remember that you’ll need to get materials to research them. These can be earned by playing missions and taking down specific bosses like the Devourer. Each weapon requires four parts:

  • Polymer Synctium
  • Synthetic Fiber
  • Nano Tube
  • Blueprint

You might also need generic items like Superfluid or Inorganic Biogel. Once you’ve got the resources, head over to Anais and she will start a research timer which can be sped up by spending Caliber, the game’s premium currency. Instead, you can simply play the game or return later to gain access to your ultimate weapon. These can be levelled up via Weapon Level Transmission at a workbench. You can also reset them after maxing out their weapon proficiency to enhance their stats in The First Descendant.

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About the Author

Antony Terence

Antony Terence is a Guides Writer for VideoGamer. While he is particularly fond of city-builders, shooters, and strategy titles, he won’t turn down a good JRPG or a turn-based roguelike.

The First Descendant

  • Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
  • Genre(s): Action, Adventure, RPG
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