Nexon and the development team behind The First Descendant have launched Season 4 Episode 1, titled The Great Clash. The update went live on August 20 and delivers the next major chapter in the ongoing story, a large-scale new dungeon, a fresh Descendant, additional systems, and a slate of limited-time events designed to support both long-time players and those returning after time away.
The First Descendant is a free-to-play third-person co-op action RPG looter shooter built in Unreal Engine 5. Released in July 2024, it places players in the role of Descendants defending the last human stronghold of Albion and the continent of Ingris against the invading Vulgus and their Colossi. Seasons have expanded the roster of playable characters, weapons, and endgame activities while advancing a narrative centered on the mysterious power known as Arche and the long conflict with Qliphoth’s forces.
Season 4 Episode 1 centers on the final confrontation with Karel, the long-standing leader of Qliphoth’s Legion of Darkness. Karel’s forces launch a direct assault that sets Albion ablaze. The story frames him with clearer motivations and long-hidden secrets rather than presenting him as a one-dimensional antagonist. Players progress through the new narrative while intercepting his forces and ultimately facing him in the heart of his flagship.
That confrontation takes place inside the new Mega Dungeon, Karel’s Mothership. The dungeon is significantly larger than previous Infiltration Operations. Players fight Karel across three distinct phases, each set in a different section of the ship with escalating attack patterns and environmental changes. New gimmicks throughout the dungeon allow teams to destroy structures or trigger systems that shift the fight in their favor. Normal and Hard difficulties are available at launch. The highest difficulty, Conquest, opens for a limited window from September 3 to October 15. Clearing Conquest at least once during the event period awards the Hero of the Dawn Name Card and UI Theme plus an exclusive skin for the Transcendent Weapon Malicious Dominator, regardless of ranking.
A new Descendant named Raven joins the roster. She is presented as a former back-alley guild boss in Albion who acted as its arbiter. Her design follows a goth aesthetic with a raven-feather suit and a pet raven companion. Raven shares backstory connections with existing Descendants Viessa, Kyle, and Sharen. As a Non-Attribute Fusion character focused on firearms, she specializes in shotgun combat and mobility skills. She does not consume MP and instead relies on shield mechanics. Her kit includes unique movement options and a dedicated roll animation. Players can farm materials for Raven in both high-level and lower-level content. Completing the Season 4 Episode 1 story awards Raven Amorphous Material along with 100 Rare Basic Materials, lowering the barrier to unlocking her through normal progression.
The update also introduces Transcendent Weapons as a new tier. These weapons range from pure firearm dealers to attribute-based skill dealers, each with distinct firing methods and visual effects. As players farm them, base Quality rises over time until high-Quality drops become guaranteed, rewarding early investment. Transcendent Weapons begin dropping on Normal difficulty, making them accessible to players still building their characters.
Trials is a new repeatable game mode that incorporates roguelite elements. Each run consists of seven zones. Between zones, players choose a Variable Code that functions as a deck-building system rather than a simple temporary buff. Codes can stack and create synergies, including effects not available elsewhere such as expanded skill range. Successful targeted builds produce dramatic increases in firepower during the later stages of a run. Rotational Builds let players borrow fully completed Descendant setups prepared by the development team. These builds allow characters who have not yet met certain entry requirements to jump into Trials immediately through a separate matchmaking pool. Two to three builds rotate weekly. Players using Rotational Builds still earn normal rewards including Transcendent Weapons, Archive Shards, and progression materials for Reactors and External Components.
Boost Path provides a guided progression track for Ultimate Bunny. Players who complete it receive a fully equipped Electric Condense Ultimate Bunny build, missing only Ancestors Modules. The path runs throughout Episode 1 and automatically enrolls all Descendants at Mastery Rank 20 or below with no separate registration required.
Two existing Descendants receive rebalances. Kyle’s kit has been adjusted to better leverage his maximum Shield scaling, improving his viability in high-end content such as Onslaught and smoothing skill-to-skill chaining. Keelan’s adjustments focus on lowering execution difficulty while raising his damage floor for more consistent performance.
Six events run alongside the update. Frontline Medical Support is an attendance event lasting through September 23 that rewards Luna’s Medical Support skin plus Reactor and External Component growth materials for daily logins. The Great Clash Deployment Mission supports growth for Raven and the rebalanced Kyle and Keelan through September 16, offering Raven’s Transcendent Module Selection Box, Crystallization Catalysts, and Trigger Modules. The New Content Challenge Mission encourages play in Karel’s Mothership and Trials through September 16 and awards the Butcher Malevolent weapon skin along with Ultimate and Rare Alignment Devices. Back to Albion is a returning player mission running through November 11 that guides players through major content added during their absence and focuses rewards on Ultimate Weapon core enhancement and Ancestors Modules. Accelerate Research Week boosts research speeds through September 16 with stronger effects on weekends. Descendant’s Weekend runs every weekend from August 21 through September 16 and grants additional 20 percent Descendant EXP, Weapon Mastery EXP, and Arche Tuning EXP in Karel’s Mothership, Infiltration Operations, and Sigma Sector, plus extra Gold and Kuiper Shards in Special Operations and Breach Tracking dungeons.
Here is the full live stream replay for fans who interested:
The update shows the team’s continued efforts to expand both narrative payoff and systems that support long-term engagement. Karel’s Mothership and the Trials mode give endgame players new challenges while the story path, Rotational Builds, and Boost Path lower barriers for newer or returning players. Transcendent Weapons add another layer of long-term farming that scales with time invested. Rebalances for Kyle and Keelan address specific handling and viability feedback that has circulated in the community.
Players can discuss the new content and share feedback on the official Discord, which the team uses as a direct channel for player input. Additional updates and announcements appear on the official website, X account, Facebook page, and YouTube channel.
Season 4 Episode 1 is available now on all platforms that support The First Descendant. The combination of a story climax, a large-scale dungeon, a new character with accessible acquisition, and multiple systems aimed at both progression and catch-up gives the live-service title a dense set of reasons to log in during the current season window.