The First Descendant Raises the Colossus Ceiling With Update 1.3.34

The First Descendant Update 1.3.34 is scheduled for the July 15, 2026 update on Steam, Xbox, and PS5. The official Steam patch notes introduce a new endgame structure for Void Intercept Battles, add Onslaught Mode Stage 4, rework several Descendants, and begin a new set of events.

The largest change is the replacement of Void Intercept Battle: Abyss and Void Intercept Battle: Challenge. The former Hard difficulty becomes Void Intercept Battle: Extreme, while players who clear every Extreme Colossus can access Critical Point Breakthrough.

Critical Point Breakthrough adds a new Colossus and adjustable difficulty

Critical Point Breakthrough requires players to defeat every Colossus in Void Intercept Battle: Extreme and reach 81,580 Arche Activity. The mode lets players set its difficulty through Critical Point effects. Higher Critical Point values increase the challenge and improve the rewards.

The new Fire-attributed Colossus Lava Citadel makes its debut in this content. It draws energy from the Void Abyss through a battlefield Void Pillar, then uses wide-area and ring attacks during Void Reflux. Chill attacks are recommended against its weakness.

The Critical Point Breakthrough period runs after the July 15 update through August 19, 2026, at 23:59 PDT. Nexon said it will use this period to adjust Critical Point and reward balance before the improved version is officially released with Season 4.

Critical Point Ranges contain six unlockable ranges. Their effects fall into three groups: Inhibitors Released, which strengthen Colossi, Restricted Support, which limits Descendant performance, and Limited Operation, which adds restrictions to the Intercept Battle. Players receive five Loadouts by default, allowing them to save different Critical Point setups.

Public Intercept can be started against a Colossus with 0 total Critical Point when the Arche Activity requirement is met. Private Intercept follows the active Loadout, but every party member must have unlocked the same Critical Point Range level. Party members follow the Party Leader’s Loadout.

A new leaderboard replaces the old Abyss and Challenge rankings

The Void Intercept Battle: Abyss and Challenge Leaderboards are being replaced by the Critical Point Breakthrough Leaderboard. Ranking is based first on the total Critical Point value of defeated Colossi. When that value is tied, the faster clear time ranks higher.

The leaderboard is scheduled to run after the July 15 update through August 20, 2026, at 00:19 PDT. Players who qualify will receive the Critical Point Prime Challenger Medal, with its expiration date to be announced when the rewards are distributed.

Onslaught Mode Stage 4 arrives

Stage 4 unlocks after Stage 3 and can be entered through Albion’s Tactical Transport Control or the World Map content menu. Unlike the first three stages, Stage 4 places a dungeon battle between Waves 2 and 4, with a Colossus appearing in the final stage.

Three new Tyrant Monsters join the mode: Corrupted Void Discharger, Corrupted Shadow Claw, and Corrupted Spike Pincer. Stage 4 also adds 10 Tier 1-3 Arche Parameters and two Tier 4 options. Tier 4 Arche Parameters have a low appearance chance, can be selected once per game, and do not appear in the first Arche Parameter selection.

Clearing each Wave in Stage 4 provides 1.4 times the Additional Rewards and mission-completion rewards offered by Stage 3. Stage 4 can also provide Rare and Ultimate Alignment Devices, and the existing weekly bonuses now include Stage 4, allowing rewards to be earned up to four times per week. Its weekly Ancestors Module reward guarantees at least two Ultimate Tier options.

New modules and Descendant changes

Serena receives two new Transcendent Modules, Battlefield Nun and Archangel. Battlefield Nun builds Consecration through repeated Midair Attacks on a target’s Weak Point, while Archangel uses Holy Fire, Repentance, Holy Passion, and Sacred Strike.

Two Trigger Modules, Arche Reflux and Arche Blaze, have also been added. Arche Reflux can trigger additional Fire Skill Damage after Ground DoT damage, while Arche Blaze adds Fire damage when a Tracking Projectile skill is used during a Levitation skill.

Rare Descendant Modules now include options such as HP Combustion, Shield Consumption, Disable Defense, Overload Tactics, Life Resonance, Shield Resonance, Mental Exaltation, Bio Expansion, Area Control, Continuous Deployment, and Holding the Line.

Across all Descendants, the update reduces All Skill Cooldown by 60%, with a lower limit of 0.5 seconds. Rolling now grants immunity to Stun, Knockdown, Knockback, and Frostbite, along with 10% incoming damage reduction. Players also receive five seconds of invisibility, incoming damage immunity, and broad crowd-control immunity after respawning, ending when the duration expires or they enter combat.

Trigger Module Slot requirements are easier as well. The Crystallization Catalyst requirement falls from 10 to 5, while the Arche Tuning Level requirement drops from 40 to 10. The Energy Activator requirement remains unchanged.

Blair receives a wide rebalance covering Blaze Up, Extinguish, Burn Taste, Deadly Cuisine, and several Transcendent Modules. The changes adjust damage, cooldowns, Flame Zone behavior, skill transitions, healing, movement speed, and the effects of Flame-Grilled Special, Truly Deadly Cuisine, Backdraft, Classic Chef, Killer Recipe, and Next-level Recipe.

Enzo and Serena also receive skill changes. Enzo’s Firing Specialist and Compressed Bullet now add a 20% Multi-Hit Chance. Serena’s Ascension and Redemption calculations are revised, and Divine Surge receives lower MP cost plus higher Collision, Landing, and Purifying Blaze damage. The official notes provide the full Serena and Ines designer details in the Nexon patch note.

Ines receives a Dark Current damage multiplier adjustment. The base value changes from 2.3% to 0.69% of the caster’s Skill Power, while the Plasma Condensation value changes from 8% to 2.4%.

Weapon updates, events, and new shop items

Divine Punishment and The Final Masterpiece receive improvements to their Unique Abilities. Three Ultimate Weapons also have their Core Types changed: A-TAMS now uses two Strike Cores, Nazeistra’s Devotion uses one Firepower Core and one Strike Core, and Truly Deadly Arson uses one Freedom Core. Existing equipped Cores remain in place, but replacement Cores must match the new type.

Update 1.3.34 adds an Arche Activity information screen under Inventory > Go to Info > Arche Activity. It displays current and maximum values, calculation methods, and growth methods. Recommended Arche Activity is also being added to existing content as a difficulty guide, not as an entry requirement.

The new Summer Medical Support Operation login event runs after the July 15 update through August 26 at 23:59 PDT. Daily participation provides Harris and Sharen’s Medical Support skins. The Assemble Event I world co-op event runs through August 5 at 23:59 PDT, with World Co-op Goals and Daily Personal Goals contributing toward shared and personal rewards.

Two event challenges run through August 19 at 23:59 PDT. Descendant Advancement Mission is available to Descendants below Mastery Rank 18, while Descendant Firepower Checkpoint Mission focuses on Fire Attribute Descendants.

Weekend Accelerate Research events run through August 19, with higher acceleration available during weekends. Onslaught Mode research values change from 14 to 10 minutes for Stage 1, 24 to 15 minutes for Stage 2, and 26 to 20 minutes for Stage 3. Stage 4 uses a new 25-minute value.

The Descendant’s Weekend boost event runs from July 17 through August 16. Infiltration Operations and Sigma Sector provide 20% more Descendant EXP, Weapon Proficiency, and Unique Arche Factor EXP. Special Operations and Breach Tracking provide 20% more Gold and Kuiper Shards.

New products available after the July 15 update include the Awesome Burger Bundle, Awesome Service Bundle, Serena Descendant Bundle, Ultimate Blair Descendant Bundle, Awesome Service Set, Awesome Burger Guy Set, Crispy Fries, and Awesome Burger. A second shop wave begins July 23 at 00:00 PDT with maid and military academy sets for Hailey and Sharen, new makeup, weapon skins, emotes, Ecive items, and a UI theme.

Patch Notes 1.3.34

The official notes cover a broad update, but the main gameplay changes affect endgame Intercept Battles, Onslaught Mode, Descendant builds, and limited-time events. The key note items are listed below.

• Platforms: Steam, Xbox, PS5.
• Void Intercept Battle: Extreme: Removed “Void Intercept Battle: Abyss” and “Void Intercept Battle: Challenge.”
• Changed “Void Intercept Battle: Hard” difficulty to “Void Intercept Battle: Extreme” difficulty.
• Added “Critical Point Breakthrough” content in “Intercept Battle Extreme” difficulty.
• You can enter “Void Intercept Battle: Extreme” once you complete all “Fortress” main quests and “Colossus of Another Level” sub quests.
• The new Critical Point Breakthrough Colossus “Lava Citadel” is a Fire-attributed Colossus.
• Critical Point Breakthrough requires 81,580 Arche Activity.
• Critical Point Breakthrough runs after the 07.15.2026 update through 08.19.2026 23:59 PDT.
• The Critical Point Breakthrough Leaderboard runs after the 07.15.2026 update through 08.20.2026 00:19 PDT.
• Onslaught Mode – Stage 4: The Colossus appears in the final Stage.
• In Onslaught Mode: Stage 4, new Tyrant Monsters Corrupted Void Discharger, Corrupted Shadow Claw, and Corrupted Spike Pincer appear.
• Added 10 new Tier 1-3 Arche Parameters and 2 Tier 4 Arche Parameters.
• Clear each Wave in Onslaught Mode: Stage 4 to get 1.4 times more Additional Rewards and Rewards for mission completion than Stage 3.
• New Modules: Two new Transcendent Modules of Serena have been added: Battlefield Nun and Archangel.
• Two new Trigger Modules have been added: Arche Reflux and Arche Blaze.
• Rare Tier Descendant Modules are added.
• Weapon Rebalance / Improvement: Improvements have been made to the Unique Abilities of Divine Punishment and The Final Masterpiece.
• Miscellaneous: Added a screen where you can check Arche Activity Information.
• Recommended Arche Activity is only a barometer for content difficulty, not a prerequisite to play or enter the content.
• Events: A new login event [Attendance] Summer Medical Support Operation will begin.
• A new world co-op event “Assemble Event I” will begin.
• A new event challenge [Growth Support] Descendant Advancement Mission will begin.
• New Event Challenge “Descendant Firepower Checkpoint Mission” will begin.

Update 1.3.34 gives endgame players a new ladder to climb while also adding progression help for players still building their Descendants. Share your thoughts on the new Critical Point system and Lava Citadel in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, and Instagram.

The First Descendant

Developed by Nexon Games

Launched in July 2024, The First Descendant is a next-generation third-person co-op action RPG looter shooter featuring high-quality graphics developed using Unreal Engine 5. In the game, players become a Descendant whose mission is to combat against alien invaders – The Vulgus who crossed dimensions over 100 years ago and brought with them the devastating Colossi and destruction– for the survival of humanity and to protect Albion and the continent of Ingris. Players will encounter spectacular stories as they grow stronger through various missions and raids to finally discover the Descendants' secret. Cooperation is crucial as players team up with one another in strategic multiplayer boss fights where teamwork and tactics are key. New equipment, materials, and items obtained through a myriad of missions and boss fights will contribute to players’ character development.

• Genre: Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
• Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox One
• Modes: Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative
• Release: 2024-07-02
• Publisher: Nexon Korea
• Age Rating: ESRB M / GRAC 19+ / ACB M / PEGI 12 / CLASS_IND 12 / USK 16
• IGDB Rating: 59.3/100

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