Nexon Games has deployed Hotfix 1.2.17 for The First Descendant on May 14, 2025, at 23:30 PDT. This maintenance-free update significantly increases Descendant skill damage and removes attribute penalties in Void Erosion Purge modes, with more enhancements planned for the upcoming 1.2.18 update.
Void Erosion Purge Difficulty Adjustments
The latest hotfix brings welcome changes to The First Descendant's Void Erosion Purge modes. Players tackling the Normal difficulty (Stages 1-30) will immediately notice increased skill damage for all Descendants, making progression more manageable and enjoyable.
Perhaps most significantly, the update removes penalties previously applied to inferior and disadvantageous attribute skills in both Normal (Stages 1-30) and Challenge (Stages 1-5) modes. This change allows players to experiment more freely with different build combinations without being severely punished for attribute mismatches.
What Prompted These Changes?
According to the developer's comments, these adjustments come after analyzing gameplay data following the previous 1.2.14 update. Nexon Games identified that certain skills still needed improvement to reach their full potential in combat situations.
The changes aim to provide more tactical flexibility, enabling a wider variety of viable builds and encouraging players to explore different Descendant abilities without facing harsh penalties for experimenting with diverse skill combinations.
What's Coming Next in Update 1.2.18?
Nexon Games has also teased an exciting new feature coming in the next update. The Mutant Cell system will be introduced in update 1.2.18, promising to further enhance skill effectiveness for Descendants. While specific details about this system remain under wraps, it appears designed to complement the current skill adjustments and provide additional customization options.
Update Availability
Hotfix 1.2.17 was deployed on May 14, 2025, at 23:30 PDT across all platforms, including Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One. The update was implemented without any maintenance downtime, allowing players to continue their adventures without interruption.
As The First Descendant continues to evolve since its July 2024 release, these regular adjustments demonstrate Nexon Games' commitment to refining the gameplay experience based on player feedback and performance data.