First Descendant Guide: Best External Components and Core Builds ~ HaploGamingChef

Getting Started with External Components

In The First Descendant, external components play a key role in maximizing your build's performance. With the latest updates introducing core enhancements, players now have more control over stats like HP, defense, shield regeneration, and elemental resistances. This guide is tailored for both new and returning players looking to understand which sets to prioritize, how to enhance them, and the best ways to manage your inventory efficiently.

External components are categorized under ultimate-tier sets, with around 15 named options available. While not every set is used frequently, collecting them can help you mix and match according to different playstyles or character requirements. You can obtain these components from specific missions or by defeating hard-mode colossus bosses. Each boss typically drops two sets—eight components total, two of each kind.

Where and How to Get External Components

If you're targeting specific external component sets, the easiest way is to farm specific colossus encounters or rotate through hard missions. For example:

Executioner drops the Supernova set, often used with Bunny or Sharon.
Devourer drops the Annihilation set, known for its utility with skill-based characters.

Each time you run a boss, the stat rolls on the dropped components will vary. This randomness means you’ll need to run these missions multiple times to get the optimal stats you want.

To check where to farm each set:

Go to the Library, filter by Ultimate External Components, and sort by name.
Select a set like "Annihilation" and press F to see where it drops (e.g., Hard Devourer or Vespers – Hard: The Shelter).

Keep in mind that mission availability rotates. For example, "Magister Lab" might offer the Slayer set today, but be unavailable next week.

Understanding Set Effects and When They Matter

External components come with set bonuses when you equip two or four pieces from the same set. These bonuses vary but usually enhance damage, reduce skill costs, or improve skill duration. For example:

2-piece Annihilation: Increases skill duration
4-piece Annihilation: Boosts firearm attack based on lost HP

Mixing 2-piece bonuses from different sets is also viable. Many players combine Annihilation with Slayer, or pair Plague with Enlightened Mage, depending on their Descendant's primary damage source and playstyle.

Most Useful External Component Sets

Some sets stand out for their flexibility and performance:

Slayer Set: Works with most MP-based Descendants. Focuses on flat attack bonuses.
Annihilation Set: Great for extending skill durations and improving HP-scaling damage.
Ascending Armory: Reduces skill cost and improves utility, excellent for characters like Selena.
Bravery Set: Reduces cooldown, often used with characters needing faster skill rotation.
Plague Set: Best used with toxic-type characters like Fina.
Hunter Set: Adds cooldown reduction; very useful as a hybrid or full 4-piece setup.
Firebrand Set: Perfect for fire-based characters like Blair.
Enlightened Mage: Designed for non-attribute skill users like Kyle or Kein.
Polar Set: Recommended for chill-based Descendants like Viesa.
Supernova Set: Sometimes used with Bunny or Sharon, though not a meta pick.

Junk Filter Settings for Easier Inventory Management

Using junk filter settings correctly saves time and automates the dismantling of unwanted components. Here’s how to optimize your settings for MP-based builds:

Enable filters for Max HP, MP Recovery (In/Out of Combat), Defense, Shield Recovery, Max MP, Max Shield, and Toxin Resistance.
Set tier filter to Ultimate and Level 100.
Activate "Include chunk in external components with set effect" to preserve even purple-grade gear with set bonuses.
Enable "Exclude chunk for cores" to avoid accidentally deleting enhanced components.
Set the matching condition to require both preferred options—this reduces clutter from mixed-stat drops.

Recommended Stat Rolls Per Component Type

Each component type benefits from specific stat priorities. For most MP-based characters, focus on:

Auxiliary Power: Max HP + MP Recovery (Out of Combat)
Sensor: Max MP + MP Recovery (In Combat)
Memory: Defense + MP Recovery Modifier
Processor: More flexible; prioritize Shield or Toxin Resistance, or go for Shield Recovery

These rolls improve survivability and resource management for characters relying on skill usage.

Alternative Builds for Non-MP Descendants

Some characters don’t rely on MP. For them, MP-based stats are useless and should be replaced:

Kein and Kyle: No MP bar; use sets like Enlightened Mage or custom Slayer sets with Max HP, Defense, and Shield Recovery instead.
Glay: Lacks both MP and Shield. Use stat rolls like Fire Resistance, Max HP, Equipment Drop Rate, and avoid any MP or Shield-related stats.

In all cases, substitute MP-focused stats with survivability or elemental resistance values.

Enhancing External Components

Enhancing a component improves the secondary stat rolls and makes a big difference in survivability or damage output. To enhance:

Visit Albian’s workbench under the External Component Options section.
Use Energy Control Cores (dropped from Sigma Sector enemies or dismantled components).
Upgrade each stat up to the maximum (cost increases per level, maxing at 5,000 Gold per stat).
Focus first on enhancing critical stats like Max HP or Defense.

Make sure the base rolls are good before enhancing. Don’t waste resources on poor combinations.

Core System: How It Works and What to Focus On

The new core system allows you to add a third stat to each component. Cores are categorized by:

Recovery Cores: Offer HP-related boosts like Max HP and HP Recovery.
Defense Cores: Provide Shield, Resistance, or Defense bonuses.

Equip level 10 cores for the highest values. Example: A maxed Recovery Core can add up to 37.5% Max HP.

Focus on:

Max HP for Recovery slots
Defense or Shield Recovery for Defensive slots

Crafting and Converting Cores

Running out of level 10 cores? You can:

Craft Level 10 Cores by combining lower-level ones at the core workbench
Convert other core types into what you need, assuming you have enough materials

Core crafting is expensive, so prioritize converting Level 9 or 8 cores into usable Level 10s.

Best Farming Spots for Core Materials

You can farm Energy Control Cores and component cores in two main ways:

Sigma Sector Maps: Drop crafting materials, energy cores, and mutant cells
400% Drop Rate Missions: Especially effective for farming a large number of components to dismantle

Use these runs to build up both your external component pool and your core inventory.

Best Set Combinations Based on Playstyle

There’s no one-size-fits-all. However, here are some proven combinations:

Fina (Toxic Type): 4-piece Plague Set with Max HP Cores
Selena (Skill Cast Heavy): 2-piece Ascending + 2-piece Enlightened Mage
Blair (Fire Damage): Full Firebrand Set
Kyle/Kein (No MP): Enlightened Mage or Slayer with non-MP stats
Glay (No Shield or MP): Annihilation Set with HP and resistance

Test and tweak based on what stat rolls and components you collect.

Unlocking the Core Mastery Medal

There’s a medal you can earn by equipping ultimate options using Level 10 cores on external components.

Requirement: Equip gold-tier stat rolls using Level 10 cores
You need a total of 150 enhanced slots, which means gearing up across multiple sets
Focus on MP-based sets first, then build secondary sets for niche characters like Kyle or Kein

Earning this medal is a long-term goal but adds completion value for dedicated players.

Wrapping Up: How to Keep Improving Your Build

Mastering external components in The First Descendant takes time, but it's well worth the effort. By focusing on the right sets, optimizing stat rolls, using filters effectively, and enhancing components and cores, you’ll notice a huge improvement in your overall combat efficiency.

Start with commonly-used sets like Slayer, Annihilation, or Plague, and gradually branch out into more specialized builds for characters like Kyle, Kein, or Glay. Keep farming Sigma Sector and 400% missions to stockpile enhancement materials and cores. And don’t forget to adjust your junk filters — they’ll save you hours of inventory cleanup.

As new updates bring more gear options, staying on top of the meta will help you adapt and refine your build. Good luck, and enjoy optimizing your Descendant!

Final Thoughts on External Components

Getting the most out of external components in The First Descendant comes down to three things: understanding your character's needs, choosing the right sets, and fine-tuning your builds with the best core enhancements. Whether you're pushing for endgame content or refining your main Descendant's power, the sets, stats, and filters covered here will give you a strong foundation.

Don't rush to max everything at once — build up your resources from 400% drop missions and Sigma Sector runs. Use junk filters to save time, and always enhance high-quality rolls first. As updates arrive, keep an eye on new sets and balance changes to stay ahead.

FAQs: First Descendant External Components

Q: What are the best external component sets?
A: Slayer, Annihilation, Plague, Hunter, Firebrand, and Enlightened Mage are top picks depending on your build and skill type.

Q: How do I get external components?
A: Run specific hard colossus missions or targeted 400% drop rate missions to farm ultimate-tier external components.

Q: What stats should I focus on for MP-based builds?
A: Max HP, Max MP, MP Recovery (In/Out of Combat), Defense, and Shield Recovery are ideal for skill-based characters.

Q: What should I use for non-MP characters like Kein or Kyle?
A: Swap out MP-related stats for Max HP, Defense, Shield Recovery, and elemental resistances.

Q: How do I enhance components and cores?
A: Use Energy Control Cores from Sigma maps or dismantled gear. Cores are enhanced separately and add a third stat to components.

Q: Are junk filters worth setting up?
A: Yes. They automate inventory management and ensure you keep only the highest quality components and cores.

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