What is a Sub Attack in The First Descendant?

A new name for a familiar feature.

Viessa performing a Sub Attack in The First Descendant
Screenshot by Dot Esports

Every character in The First Descendant comes with their own set of skills that make them unique to play. The one ability all Descendants have in common is a Sub Attack, and here’s everything you need to know about it.

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Sub Attack in The First Descendant, explained

Viessa performing a kick in The First Descendant
Show them who’s boss. Screenshot by Dot Esports

In The First Descendant, the Sub Attack is your melee attack. Using the Sub Attack makes your Descendant perform a melee hit with their weapon to damage enemies or objects up close. The Sub Attack also has a charge that transforms your melee into a Charged Sub Attack. It has a five-second cooldown and deals way more damage.

Kicking Sub Module in The First Descendant
Useless ability, but a must-have Module. Screenshot by Dot Esports

You can modify the Sub Attack of your Descendant by equipping Sub Modules. Those are the orange Descendant Modules that go into a dedicated slot in your loadout.

Here are some of the Sub Modules you can find in The First Descendant:

ModuleEffect
KickingUse a Kick to attack when performing a Charged Sub Attack
ShortswordUse a Shortsword to attack when performing a Charged Sub Attack
Shock PunchUse a Shock Punch to attack when performing a Charged Sub Attack
Dual ClawUse a Dual Claw to attack when performing a Charged Sub Attack

The Sub Module’s main purpose is to increase the maximum Module capacity of your Descendant. With each enhancement level, you get one more capacity, which, paired with the Energy Activator, allows you to make the best build for your favorite character. Choose one Sub Module and invest as much Gold and Kuiper Shards as possible to give you more room for stronger Modules.

The Sub Module doesn’t affect the damage of your Charged Sub Attack and isn’t affected by Skill Power stats on your other Modules or External Components. Most of the time, this ability is useless in a fight because of its long animations and lower damage output compared to regular skills and weapons.

Author
Image of Edward Strazd
Edward Strazd
Freelance News and SEO Writer for Dot Esports, covering everything from live service games like Destiny 2 and Fortnite to new releases. Writing about games since 2021. When he's not writing, he's probably grinding for loot in Destiny 2.