The First Descendant will add a new tier to Karel’s Mothership after the September 3, 2026 patch at 12:00 a.m. PDT. Called Conquest Difficulty, it will sit above the existing Normal and Hard settings and remain available for a limited time. Nexon detailed the rules and rewards in its Steam announcement.
Conquest is designed as a serious test rather than another routine farming option. Players who clear it will receive a special Honor Reward, while the fastest squads and Descendants will compete for permanent cosmetics and other ranking prizes.
How Conquest Difficulty will work
Players must clear Karel’s Mothership on Normal Difficulty once before Conquest becomes available. The first Conquest clear will grant one Honor Reward per account. Further clears will still provide the same Mission Completion Rewards available from Hard Difficulty.
The event will run across two phases, each with its own entry rules and reward window. Phase 1 will begin after the September 3 patch and end before the September 17 maintenance. Phase 2 will start after that maintenance and continue until before the October 15 maintenance.
Ranking Run schedules and party rules
The Ranking Run will measure each attempt by its fastest clear time. Its leaderboard will combine players from PC, PS, and XBOX, although the available party formats will change between phases.
Phase 1: Elite Squad
- Schedule: After the September 3 patch at 12:00 a.m. PDT and before the September 17 maintenance.
- Party size: Four players only.
- Entry: Private Party entry only; public matchmaking will not be available.
- Descendant restrictions: Duplicate Descendants within the same Descendant Group will not be allowed. Normal and Ultimate versions count as the same group, so Ultimate Viessa and Normal Viessa cannot appear in the same squad.
The leaderboard will reset when Phase 1 ends and Phase 2 begins. The top 10 squads at the Phase 1 deadline will qualify for permanent ranking rewards.
Phase 2: Team and Solo
Phase 2 will run after the September 17 maintenance and before the October 15 maintenance. Its first half will last from after the maintenance through September 30 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. The second half will begin on October 1 at 12:00 a.m. PDT and continue until before the October 15 maintenance.
- Team: Four-player parties can use public matchmaking. Groups of one to three players can enter Public Operations and be matched into a full party. Duplicate Descendants will be allowed.
- Solo: Solo players must enter through Private Operations. Rankings will be calculated separately for each Descendant, with independent leaderboards for Normal and Ultimate Descendants.
The top 30 players on the Team and Solo leaderboards will qualify at the end of both Phase 2 halves. Final eligibility will use the leaderboard at each deadline, and rewards will arrive through in-game mail after the rankings are finalized rather than immediately.
The same account can appear in multiple team parties and hold multiple records, but ranking rewards will be distributed only once per account.
Conquest clear and ranking rewards
Every account that clears Conquest will receive the following Honor Reward once:
- Weapon Skin: Tyrant’s End, also described as the Malicious Dominator Weapon Skin
- Name Card: Hero of the Dawn
- UI Theme: Hero of the Dawn
The reward will be sent automatically through in-game mail after the clear.
Phase 1 permanent rewards
The top 10 squads at the end of Phase 1 will receive permanent versions of the following rewards:
- Radiant Dawn Hero Medal
- Trophy of Outstanding Achievement: Karel Defeat Event
- Radiant Hero of the Dawn Name Card
- Radiant Hero of the Dawn UI Theme
These rewards will be distributed after the Phase 1 rankings are tallied on September 17 at 12:00 a.m. PDT.
Phase 2 first-half rewards
The top 30 entries on the Team and Solo leaderboards during the first half of Phase 2 will receive temporary rewards lasting 14 days:
- Team Ranking Top 30: Dawn Hero Medal of the Shining Squad
- Solo Ranking Top 30: Dawn Hero Medal per Descendant
First-half rewards will be distributed after the rankings are tallied on October 1 at 12:00 a.m. PDT.
Phase 2 second-half rewards
The second half offers permanent rewards to the top 30 entries on each Team and Solo leaderboard:
- Name Card: Dazzling Hero of the Dawn
- UI Theme: Dazzling Hero of the Dawn
- Team Ranking Top 30: Dawn Hero Medal of the Shining Squad
- Solo Ranking Top 30: Dawn Hero Medal per Descendant
Second-half rewards will be distributed after the rankings are tallied on October 15 at 12:00 a.m. PDT. Reaching the first-half leaderboard will not guarantee a permanent reward if the account falls outside the ranking at the end of the second half. The reverse also applies: players who miss the first-half ranking can still earn the permanent rewards by placing in the second half.
Creator Challenge voting and showdown
A separate Karel’s Mothership: Conquest Creator Challenge will accompany the new difficulty. Voting will run after the August 20 update through September 2 at 7:59 a.m. PDT, giving players a chance to predict which Creator team will finish fastest.
The Creator Showdown is scheduled for September 3 at 3:00 a.m. PDT. Each team will attempt Conquest three times in a row, cannot leave during a run, and will use its best result as the final record. Results will be made public on September 3 at 11:00 p.m. PDT, with rewards scheduled for September 7 at 10:00 p.m. PDT.
The winning team, including a draw, will receive a three-hour Transcendent Weapon Drop Boost, three Crystallization Catalysts, 20,000,000 Gold, 2,000,000 Kuiper Shards, 20 Ultimate Alignment Devices, and 200 Superconductive Cooling Units. The losing team will receive a two-hour boost, two Crystallization Catalysts, 10,000,000 Gold, 1,000,000 Kuiper Shards, 10 Ultimate Alignment Devices, and 100 Superconductive Cooling Units.
Five Descendants who participate in the vote will also be selected in a raffle to receive a Scale Figurine.
Fair-play rules for the Ranking Run
Unauthorized programs, bug exploitation, account sharing, and proxy play are prohibited. Nexon can invalidate records, withdraw or reclaim rewards, and restrict game access when it finds conduct that compromises the event’s fairness. Penalties may apply to the individual player or the entire party.
The leaderboard will not remain available after the event ends, and individual records will not be provided for later review. Players are responsible for checking the entry requirements before participating.
Whether you plan to chase a squad record or simply claim the Conquest clear reward, share your thoughts in the comments and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
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
- Perspective Third person
- Modes Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative
- Release July 2, 2024
- Publisher Nexon Korea
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Age Rating
