Onslaught Mode Tier List S3E4 Best Builds – The First Descendant TFD

by JFFK · May 28, 2026

Welcome to our The First Descendant Onslaught Mode Tier List. You can also view our overall TFD Character Tier List and TFD Weapon Tier List or visit the The First Descendant Builds Database.

Table of Contents:

Onslaught Mode Must-Know Tips

Your Build matters more than what character you select.
Enemies in Onslaught Mode are weak to Chill damage (Legion of Darkness).
Optimizing your Build for Chill damage is what matters the most.
Make sure to use the Veil Analyzer Mod on your weapons to easily destroy the shields of enemies!
Hypernova is a popular melee weapon that deals chill damage and pulls enemies together!

Onslaught Mode Tier List Rankings

This Onslaught Mode Tier List for The First Descendant only works with optimized Onslaught builds for the characters. This means if you bring an S-Tier character with a potato build, you still won’t do great.

I will link to the Optimized Onslaught Mode Builds on tfd.gameslantern.com for each character listed below. Because the TFD Builds on alcasthq.com are more general mobbing and bossing builds.

Note: Currently, only listing viable characters that have good builds established.

Tier List	The First Descendant Character
SS Tier	Viessa Harris Dia
S Tier	Serena Gley Ines
A Tier
B Tier
C Tier
D Tier

Best Weapons for Onslaught Mode in The First Descendant

Enemies in Onslaught Mode are weak to chill damage (Legion of Darkness). Therefore, chill-based weapons are favored. For myself, there is only one must-have weapon you should bring along, and that is the Hypernova Sword.

View my Hypernova Sword Build for Onslaught.

Hypernova is a chill-based weapon, and its special ability allows you to pull enemies to one spot to easily nuke them.

Onslaught Mode Best Perks To Pick

In each stage, you get to select a bonus. Here is a full list of which ones I recommend prioritizing.

Depending on what perks you get to pick, you can potentially double your damage output. However, the most annoying part is once the Colossus spawns, therefore make sure to pick Colossus Hunter if you get the chance to.

Prioritize:

Colossus Hunter (Purple): When attacking a Colossus, grants 423,840 [+] Additional Firearm and Melee Weapon ATK and 37,280 [+] Additional Skill ATK
Commander Hunter: Against Commanders, grants 297,500 [+] Additional Firearm and Melee Weapon ATK and 30,930 [+] Additional Skill ATK
Elite Hunter: Against Elites and Tyrants, grants 249,900 [+] Additional Firearm and Melee Weapon ATK and 20,790 [+] Additional Skill ATK
Damage perks that boost your build. Skills/Melee Weapon ATK, Fiream ATK etc.

Solo Cheese:

Enhanced Resurrection: ATK: Each time you die, increases outgoing DMG Modifier by 169% [+]
- Keep dying until you have 1 life left. This will boost your damage to insane levels and speed up runs. This strat is fro pros only.

Blue Perks

Onslaught Mode Perks – Blue Rarity
Name	Description
Attribute Amp: Firearms	Increases all Firearm Attribute ATK by 80% [x]
Attribute Amp: Melee Weapons	Increases all Melee Weapon Attribute ATK by 110% [x]
Attribute Amp: Skills	Increases all Attributes Skill Power Boost Ratio by 113% [+]
Enhanced Attribute Resistance	Increases All Attribute Resistance by 6,460 [+]
Enhanced DEF	Increases DEF by 234% [x]
Enhanced Firearm	Increases Firearm ATK by 93% [x] and Explosive ATK by 93% [x]
Enhanced HP	Increases Max HP by 327% [x]
Enhanced Melee Weapon	Increases Melee Weapon ATK by 88% [x]
Enhanced Multi-Hit	Increases Firearm Multi-Hit Damage by 234% [x] and Melee Weapon Additional Attack Damage by 159% [x]
Enhanced Shield	Increases Max Shield by 221% [x]
Enhanced Skill	Increases Skill Power by 135% [x]
Enhanced Skill Critical Hit	Increases Skill Critical Hit Damage by 158% [x]
Enhanced Weapon Critical Hit	Increases Firearm and Melee Weapon Critical Hit Damage by 164% [x]
Surging HP	Increases HP Recovery In Combat by 500 [+]
Surging MP	Increases MP Recovery In Combat by 100 [+]
Surging Shield	Increases Shield Recovery In Combat by 500 [+]

Purple Perks

Onslaught Mode Perks – Purple Rarity
Name	Description
Attribute Block	Grants Immunity to status effects of all Attributes
Blessing of the Orbs: Firearms	When acquiring HP or MP orbs, increases Firearm ATK by 16% [x] and Explosive ATK by 16% [x] (Up to 15 stacks)
Blessing of the Orbs: Melee Weapons	When acquiring HP or MP orbs, increases Melee Weapon ATK by 22% [x] (Up to 15 stacks)
Blessing of the Orbs: Skills	When acquiring HP or MP orbs, increases Skill Power by 27% [x] (Up to 15 stacks)
Colossus Hunter	When attacking a Colossus, grants 423,840 [+] Additional Firearm and Melee Weapon ATK and 37,280 [+] Additional Skill ATK
Commander Hunter	Against Commanders, grants 297,500 [+] Additional Firearm and Melee Weapon ATK and 30,930 [+] Additional Skill ATK
Conditional Defence	Increases DEF by 900% [x] when Shield is active, but decreases DEF by -80% [x] when there is no Shield
Control Block	Grants Immunity to Immobilized
Elite Hunter	Against Elites and Tyrants, grants 249,900 [+] Additional Firearm and Melee Weapon ATK and 20,790 [+] Additional Skill ATK
Evasion Specialist: Firearm	When using Roll, increases Firearm ATK by 18% [x] and Explosive ATK by 18% [x]. (Up to 10 stacks)
Evasion Specialist: Melee Weapon	When using Roll, increases Melee Weapon ATK by 17% [x]. (Up to 10 stacks)
Evasion Specialist: Skill	When using Roll, increases Skill Power by 24% [x]. (Up to 10 stacks)
Grappling Hook Enhancement	When using Grappling Hook, Increases Outgoing DMG Modifier by 175% [+] for 10s
Hook Specialist: Firearm	When using Grappling Hook, increases Firearm ATK by 18% [x] and Explosive ATK by 18% [x]. (Up to 10 stacks)
Hook Specialist: Melee Weapons	When using Grappling Hook, increases Melee Weapon ATK by 17% [x]. (Up to 10 stacks)
Hook Specialist: Skill	When using Grappling Hook, increases Skill Power by 24% [x]. (Up to 10 stacks)
Hunting Specialist: MP	When defeating an enemy, recovers MP by 50% (Cooldown 5s)
Hunting Specialist: Slayer	Every 30 enemy defeat, increases Outgoing DMG Modifier by 400% [+] for 5s
Hunting Specialist: Survivability	When defeating an enemy, recovers HP and Shield by 50%. (Cooldown 5s)
Hunting Specialist: Mobility	When defeating an enemy, increases Movement Speed by 30% [x]. (Cooldown 5s)
Last Stand	When taking fatal damage, recovers 50% HP instead of dying and becomes immune to damage for 5s
Roll Enhancement	When using Roll, increases Outgoing DMG Modifier by 175% [+] for 10s

Gold Perks

Onslaught Mode Perks – Gold Rarity
Name	Description
Balanced Growth	On Firearm or Melee Weapon hit, increases Skill Power by 250% [x] for 10s. On Skill hit, increases Firearm and Melee Weapon ATK by 250% [x] for 10s
Distorted Healing: HP	Increases HP and Shield Recovery In Combat by 1,000 [+]. However, takes damage when acquiring an HP Orb
Distorted Healing: MP	Increases MP Recovery In Combat 250 [+]. However, takes damage when acquiring an MP Orb
Enhanced Resurrection: ATK	Each time you die, increases outgoing DMG Modifier by 169% [+]
Enhanced Resurrection: HP	Each time you die, increases Max HP by 238% [x]
Enhanced Resurrection: Shield	Each time you die, increases Max Shield by 160% [x]
Defense Master	Decreases Incoming DMG Modifier by -90 [+], but also decreases Outgoing DMG by -30 [+]
Offense Master	Increases Outgoing DMG Modifier by 100 [+], but also increases Incoming DMG Modifier by 50 [+]
Risk Dividend: Firearms	Each Firearm attack, has a 0.2% chance to increase Outgoing DMG Modifier by 900% [+] for 5s. (Cooldown: 20s)
Risk Dividend: Melee Weapons	Each Melee Weapon attack, has a 1.0% chance to increase Outgoing DMG Modifier by 900% [+] for 7s. (Cooldown: 20s)
Risk Dividend: Skills	Each Skill attack, has a 1.3% chance to increase Outgoing DMG Modifier by 900% [+] for 5s. (Cooldown: 20s)