The First Descendant is making another balance pass, with Nexon preparing changes for Serena and Ines in the July 15 update. Both Descendants have become major parts of the power creep debate, especially in harder content where their damage has put them ahead of much of the roster.
The update will not simply weaken both characters in the same way. Nexon is adjusting Serena’s area damage while giving her new build options, and it is reducing Ines’ Dark Current damage after reviewing her performance in major endgame activities.
Serena’s Redemption skill is getting a rework to split its extra damage into base additional damage and area additional damage. The goal is to keep her single-target firepower strong while stopping her area damage from scaling too far.
Serena has become one of the main examples of power creep in The First Descendant. Her firearm-focused playstyle gave players huge burst potential and widened the gap between top picks and everyone else.
Nexon is also raising Serena’s skill synchronization value and adding two new Transcendent Modules, Battlefield Nun and Archangel. Battlefield Nun focuses on single-target firearm damage while airborne, while Archangel pushes Serena toward a more skill-based aerial build.
Ines is also getting adjusted in the July 15 patch. Nexon found that she has a large performance advantage over other top-tier Descendants in Onslaught Mode Level 3, Axion Plains and Bounty Operations.
The main target is Dark Current. The skill’s power value is producing a higher effect than intended, so its skill power damage will be reduced in patch 1.3.34.
The studio also plans to monitor Ines after the update to make sure the change does not weaken her too much. Earlier Ines nerfs caused strong player backlash, making her one of the more sensitive balance cases in the game.
The July 15 changes fit Nexon’s stated goal of reducing situations where players feel forced to pick one Descendant for certain content. The studio wants more characters to have a place across different modes without removing the core identity of Serena or Ines.
This is the main issue behind the patch. If one or two Descendants clear difficult content far better than the rest, future missions have to be built around them. That can make weaker characters feel worse and push the game into a cycle of constant buffs.
Serena and Ines are not the only focus of the July 15 update. Blair is getting a monthly balance pass, with several skill and module changes designed to make his flame zones more flexible.
The update also adds Void Intercept Battle: Extreme in beta, weapon changes for Divine Punishment and The Final Masterpiece, firearm core type improvements, new Trigger Modules and more Onslaught updates.
Void Intercept Battle: Extreme will arrive in beta as part of the same update. The mode gives Nexon another place to test high-end combat balance while players push Descendants, weapons and modules into harder fights.
The First Descendant remains available on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The July 15 update will give players the next round of character changes, weapon tuning and endgame adjustments in patch 1.3.34.
