The First Descendant – Rune System (Beta Guide)

We’d like to provide you with the game guide prior to the Steam Beta Test. So that you can fully enjoy The First Descendant during the short test period.

The first guide will cover the “Rune” system, a major feature that can enhance the Descendants’ stats.

Please note that the guide is in line with the Steam Beta Test, and that some of the contents may be modified in the official service.

What Are Runes?

Descendants and weapons can be equipped with Runes which enhance stats.

There are 5 types of Weapon Runes (Storm, Torrent, Tide, Thunder, Haze), and different Rune types affect different weapon types.

To see which Rune type affects your weapon, go to Inventory (I).

Rune type affecting the equipped weapon will be indicated with a line – Check Rune setting by clicking Rune type on the left.

By clicking Rune type, you can see Rune slot and capacity info for each Rune type, as shown below.

Affected weapon type and stats after equipping the Rune can be seen on the righthand side.

Rune setting screen.

You can obtain Runes by completing quests or defeating monsters.

However, you cannot equip all the Runes you’ve obtained. As seen in the image above, Runes can only be equipped depending on the number of Descendant/Weapon Rune slots and capacity.

So far, you’ve learned the basics of the Rune system.

We’ll guide you through some of the major features of the Rune system so that you can use Runes efficiently during the Steam Beta Test!

Tip: Silion in Albion will be in charge of all Rune-related actions!

All Rune-related actions (enhancing, dismantling, combining, etc.) can be done by talking to NPC “Silion” in Albion. He’ll be happy to explain more about each feature.

Location of NPC Silion in Albion.

Dismantling, Enhancing Runes

You need “Gold” and “Qulipothium” to enhance Runes. Qulipothium can be obtained by dismantling Runes.

Therefore, you can dismantle redundant or unnecessary Runes to gather Qulipothium, then enhance Runes you need.

Enhancing Runes is a guaranteed success; the higher the Rune level, the more Gold and Qulipothium you need.

Enhancing Runes makes them more powerful, but it also increases their capacity cost. Make sure to keep the capacity in mind.

Tip: When you dismantle Runes, sort Runes by quantity!

Sorting Runes by quantity will let you see redundant Runes first, which will come in handy when dismantling unnecessary Runes.

Tip: How to see Rune info

Combining Runes

Combining Runes is a 100% guaranteed success, and it requires 4 Runes of whatever tier or type and some Gold.

The ingredient Runes’ tier, type, and socket type may have an influence on the result.

Increasing Rune Slot and Capacity

Increasing Rune Slots

You can increase the number of Rune slots by increasing your Mastery Rank.

Tip: Mastery Rank Up?

When a Descendant levels up, increases weapon proficiency, completes the first mission, or gets quest rewards, they can earn Mastery EXP.

When Mastery EXP reaches the maximum limit, increase your rank through “The Ageless Reach.”

Increasing Mastery Rank increases Weapon/Descendant Rune slot or capacity, and Inventory slots.

Mastery EXP and Mastery Rank Up availability can be seen in the upper right corner of the screen.

The Ageless Reach – Indicated with an arrow, is on the right side of Albion.

Increasing Mastery Rank via The Ageless Reach – Mastery Rank benefits are displayed.

Increasing Rune Capacity

You can increase your Rune Capacity by increasing character level (Descendant Rune Capacity), Mastery Rank, or by granting Rune socket type, and using capacity-increasing items.

(1) Rune Socket Type?

Granting socket types on Rune slots and equipping matching Runes will decrease the Runes’ capacity cost.

On the other hand, equipping Runes that do not match the slot’s socket type will increase their capacity cost.

Example: Equipping 4 Runes with matching socket types takes up 2 capacity cost; Equipping 4 Runes with different socket types takes up 5.

Each Descendant Rune has 1 socket type. To grant socket types in other slots, you need “Arche Crystal.”

You can obtain Arche Crystal by resetting Descendant Level.

Tip: Descendant Level Reset?

Resetting Descendant’s level from the maximum level of 40 will keep the skills you’ve learned, and provide you with “Arche Crystal,” which is needed to add Rune socket types.

Reset your Descendant’s level, add a Rune socket type, and equip more Runes to become even stronger.

Descendant Level Reset can be done from “The Ageless Reach.” You need a Descendant with the Level 40 and Crystallization Catalyst.

Tip: How to Obtain Crystallization Catalyst

You can obtain 1 Crystallization Catalyst by completing main quests in Red Desert.

Or obtain Crystallization Catalyst Kit from Amorphous Material (World Mission reward) → go to Albion → talk to NPC “Xenia” → craft Crystallization Catalyst through research quest

Summary! How to apply Rune socket types

Reach Descendant Level 40, craft Crystallization Catalyst via research quest → Reset Descendant Level from The Ageless Reach → Obtain Arche Crystal → Talk to NPC “Silion” and grant Rune socket type

(2) Capacity-Increasing Items?

“Energy Activator” is a capacity-increasing item that can increase Rune Capacity for each Descendant and weapon.

If you complete all the main quests in Kingston, you can obtain 2 Energy Activators from NPC Silion through Albion’s main quest.

After that, you can obtain Energy Activators from Amorphous Materials by completing World Missions.

There is a limit to the use of capacity-increasing items. You can use the item 5 times for Weapon Runes of each type, and 3 times for Descendant Runes.

Melee Attack Runes

Equipping Melee Attack Runes enables various melee attacks depending on the type of Rune you equipped, and it boosts damage and attack range of melee attacks.

Each Descendant has 1 Melee Attack Rune Slot on his/her Descendant Rune, which is the only slot where Melee Attack Runes can be equipped.

Melee Attack Rune slot on Descendant Rune.

Equipping Melee Attack Runes with Enhancement Level 1 or higher increases Max Rune Capacity.

The higher the Rune’s Enhancement Level is, the more capacity increases.

Equipping Melee Attack Rune of Enhancement Level 4 and increase in Descendant Rune’s maximum capacity (Before/After).

That will be all for the Rune Guide.