If you’ve been grinding The First Descendant for a while, you’ve probably seen other players running around with Serena, the icy support descendant that turns even the toughest boss fights into a walk in the park. She’s one of the most sought-after characters in the game for good reason: her crowd control abilities and party healing buffs make her a staple for both solo and co-op play. If you’re wondering how to get Serena in The First Descendant, you’re in the right place. I’ve unlocked her on three different accounts, and I’m breaking down every step, requirement, and hidden trick to get her as fast as possible, no unnecessary grinding required.
Exact Requirements to Get Serena in The First Descendant
Before you can even access the Serena unlock quest, you’ll need to hit a few basic pre-requisites that most new players don’t know about. I made the mistake of grinding for materials first before I met these requirements, so save yourself the time and check these off first. First, you need to be at least Player Rank 25, as the unlock quest is locked for lower-level accounts to prevent new players from jumping into content they can’t handle. Second, you need to complete the main story mission “Frozen Wastes Expedition” to unlock the Northern Frost open world zone where the quest takes place.
Once you meet those two requirements, you’ll need to gather three specific materials to accept the quest. You don’t need to spend real money to get any of these materials, all are fully farmable through free in-game content, no microtransactions required. You’ll need 15 Frozen Core Shards, 8 Azure Alloy, and 1 Descendant Unlock Token. If you’ve already unlocked another descendant recently, you might already have the token sitting in your inventory, so be sure to check before you start farming for one.
Step-by-Step Walkthrough of the Serena Unlock Mission
Once you have all requirements met, head to the base camp and speak to NPC Lila to pick up the “Icy Resolve” quest, which is the official Serena unlock mission. The mission takes roughly 20 to 25 minutes to complete if you don’t die, so set aside enough time before you start, as you can’t pause or save progress halfway through. The quest has three clear phases, and I’m breaking down tips for each to make the run as smooth as possible.
The first phase is a 10-minute outpost defense in the Northern Frost zone. You’ll face waves of Frost Infected enemies that will try to destroy the outpost core, and if the core’s health drops to zero, you fail the mission instantly. Bring a fire damage character to melt enemy shields fast, as all Frost Infected have a 50% weakness to fire damage, which cuts your clear time in half. Focus on taking out elite enemies first, as they deal the most damage to the outpost core. The second phase is a short exploration section where you have to find Serena’s crashed escape pod in the Glacial Cave sub-zone. There are three hidden chests along the path that drop extra Frozen Core Shards if you need them, but you don’t have to collect them to complete the quest.
The third and final phase is a fight against the mini-boss Frost Warden Kael. His most dangerous attacks are a charge move that deals 70% of your max health if it hits, and an AoE frost blast that freezes you for three seconds, leaving you open to follow-up attacks. Stay behind him as much as possible, as his weak spot is the power core on his back, which takes 2x damage. Once you beat him, you’ll trigger a short cutscene where Serena joins your roster permanently.
Fast Farming Tips for Serena's Unlock Materials
Grinding for materials can feel like a slog if you don’t know the best spots, so I’ve tested every possible farming route to cut your total farm time in half. I spent four hours testing different missions and open world spawns to find the most efficient ways to get every required item, so you don’t have to waste your time on low-drop-rate content. Here’s exactly where to get each material:
I see a lot of players waste time running high difficulty missions for these materials, but the drop rate doesn’t scale enough to justify the extra time. For example, I tried running Frost Ridge on hard for an hour and only got 12 shards, compared to 14 shards in the same hour on normal difficulty. Stick to normal difficulty for the fastest farm, unless you’re also trying to level up other characters at the same time.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Unlocking Serena
I’ve helped dozens of clan members unlock Serena over the past few months, and I’ve seen the same mistakes come up over and over again that make the process way harder than it needs to be. The first and most common mistake is starting the mission without enough healing items. The Frost Warden’s attacks deal massive damage, and you can’t leave the mission to restock once you start. Bring at least 10 large healing potions before you start the quest, you won’t regret it, even if you’re playing with a tanky character.
Another common mistake is bringing a frost damage character to the mission. All enemies in the quest have 50% resistance to frost damage, so you’ll be doing half the damage you would with a fire or electric character. I tried using my max level frost descendant the first time I ran the mission, and it took me twice as long to beat the final boss, so swap to a different element before you queue up.
Don’t ignore the outpost defense objectives in the first part of the mission either. I’ve seen players get so focused on killing enemies for loot that they let the outpost core get destroyed, forcing them to restart the whole mission. If you’re playing with a team, assign one person to watch the core while the rest take out enemies, and you’ll get through the phase without any issues. If you’re solo, stick close to the core and only chase enemies that are within 20 feet of it.
The last mistake to avoid is trying to run the mission solo if you’re below level 28. The mission is technically playable at level 25, but it’s a lot harder if you don’t have upgraded gear. You can matchmake for the mission directly from the quest menu, and even one random co-op partner will make the run way smoother, even if they’re also low level. Most players are happy to help with unlock quests, so don’t be afraid to queue up with a team if you’re struggling.
Serena is well worth the effort to unlock, whether you main support roles or just want a versatile character that works in every game mode, from open world exploration to high-level raid content. Once you know how to get Serena in The First Descendant, the whole process is straightforward and only takes a few hours of casual play, even if you’re a new player. Don’t let the material requirements scare you off, stick to the farming routes and tips we covered, and you’ll be using her frost abilities to wipe out enemy teams and carry your co-op parties in no time.