What is Sub Attack in The First Descendant

✓ At a glance

• Sub Attack is what a quick melee strike is called in The First Descendant.
• Charged Sub Attack is an empowered version that deals more damage in a cone, but has a 5-second cooldown.
• Sub Attacks can be modified through the Sub Module slot, whose main purpose is to increase Max Module Capacity through its Enhancement Level.

When you run out of bullets, the only recourse left before reloading can be to throw a punch. In The First Descenant, that action is called Sub Attack, a quick melee strike that can deal an extra bit of damage when enemies get too close. Besides that, there are a few more nuances to Sub Attacks that are worth pointing out.

Sub Attack and Charged Sub Attack, explained

As stated, a Sub Attack is a close-quarters melee strike in The First Descendant. It has a powered-up version allied Charged Sub Attack that goes on a five-second cooldown after being used. While on cooldown, regular Sub Attacks deal lesser damage and have a smaller impact. Meanwhile, Charged versions can hit multiple targets and even stun them for a short duration. 

✓ Pro tip

Sub Attacks should be used only as a last resort. Without question, your regular weapons attacks are far more effective and deal much more damage.

The intricacy comes into play when you look at your list of modules. The slot with an orange rim is called a Sub Module, which modifies your Sub Attack in interesting ways. It can completely change the way it functions – for example, changing a punch into a kick. But the main use for this module is to boost its Enhancement Level to get Max Module Capacity increases.

Equipping Sub Modules to get those increases will provide you with the capacity to equip other powerful modules. Thus, you shouldn’t ignore boosting your Sub Module slots with gold and Kuiper Shards, because they can enable you to make more powerful builds, even if you never use Sub Attacks.

There are several Sub Modules that change up your Sub Attack, and each can come with random enhancements to your module capacity – the main reason you’re equipping them in the first place. Here’s what you can get to modify your Sub Attack:

• Dual Claw module
• Tonfa module
• Kicking module
• Shock Punch module
• Shortsword module