Descendant Tier Rankings Explained
Tier rankings on DescendantForge are designed to explain relative effectiveness and efficiency—not to dictate what you must play. Every Descendant in The First Descendant is viable with proper investment and execution. Tiers answer one core question: how much value does a Descendant deliver for the effort required, within their intended role?
How Tiers Are Determined
Role Effectiveness
Farming, bossing, support, control, etc.
Scaling with Investment
Modules, reactors, stat priority
Consistency & Uptime
Real combat performance
Survivability
Performance under pressure
Team Dependency
Perfect execution requirements
Content Flexibility
Across different content types
Note: Tier placement is based on verified mechanics and practical performance—not popularity, speculation, or isolated DPS screenshots.
Tier Definitions
Best-in-Role
- • Exceptional performance within their intended role
- • High impact with relatively low friction
- • Scales extremely well with investment
- • Delivers consistent results across most content
S Tier Descendants are the most efficient tools for their role—not necessarily overpowered.
Strong and Reliable
- • Highly effective when built and played correctly
- • May require more setup, positioning, or investment than S Tier
- • Excellent choice for most players and content
A Tier Descendants often excel in specific scenarios or team compositions.
Situational or Investment-Dependent
- • Fully viable but with clearer limitations
- • Often excel in niche roles or specific content
- • Require more precision or planning to match higher tiers
B Tier does not mean weak—it means less forgiving or less flexible.
High Friction
- • Playable but noticeably constrained
- • Often reliant on specific setups or team support
- • Lower efficiency compared to alternatives in the same role
C Tier Descendants can succeed, but expect higher effort for similar results.
Important Notes
Role-Aware Tiers
A Descendant may rank differently for farming versus bossing.
Patch-Aware
Tiers change as mechanics are updated.
Player Execution Matters
Fundamentals can outweigh tier differences.
Ultimate Versions
Don't change tier placement—only optimization potential.
How to Use Tier Rankings
Use tiers to set expectations, not restrict choices
Understand what you're getting into with your selection.
Choose a Descendant you enjoy, then optimize within their role
Fun and effectiveness go hand-in-hand.
Use guides and armory comparisons to understand why things work
Learn why something feels bad and how to improve it.
Remember: DescendantForge exists to help you make informed decisions—not to tell you what you're allowed to play.